[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 29 (Monday, February 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8223-8224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3553]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for Dredged Material Placement at Duluth-Superior Harbor, Minnesota and 
Wisconsin

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is 
evaluating the environmental impacts of dredged material placement 
alternatives for maintenance dredging at Duluth-Superior Harbor, 
Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Federal navigation project includes 17 
miles of navigation channels, anchorage areas, and maneuvering basins, 
with channel depths ranging from 20 to 27 feet. Existing dredged 
material placement sites have insufficient capacity for future 
maintenance dredging needs. Alternatives under consideration for future 
dredged material placement include expansion of the existing Erie Pier 
Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) by increasing the dike heights, other 
diked in-water facilities, upland placement, habitat creation, and open 
water disposal. The no Federal action alternative will also be 
considered.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Army Engineer District, 
Detroit, Environmental Analysis Branch, P.O. Box 1027; Detroit, 
Michigan 48231-1027.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Duluth-Superior Harbor is located at the western end of Lake Superior 
between Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin. The harbor is 
formed by the waters of the St. Louis River, the second largest 
tributary of Lake Superior. Approximately 113 docks or terminals at 
Duluth-Superior Harbor handle a variety of commodities including iron 
ore, coal, limestone, petroleum, steel and scrap iron, cement, general 
cargo, and grain.
    Maintenance dredging for the Federal project averages about 150,000 
yards per year. Much of the dredged material is placed in the Erie Pier 
CDF, which is located on approximately 82 acres along the northwest 
shore of Duluth-Superior Harbor. The CDF was constructed in 1979 to 
hold up to one million cubic yards of material dredged from the Federal 
navigation project over a 10 year period. Clean sand dredged from the 
outer parts of the harbor is generally used for beach nourishment to 
mitigate the affects of beach erosion along the lake. [[Page 8224]] 
    Since 1988, a washing operation has been conducted at the Erie Pier 
CDF to separate out the cleaner, coarse grained fraction of the dredged 
materials for beneficial use. Through this operation, over a half-
million cubic yards of coarse grained material have been removed for 
various beneficial uses, primarily construction projects. This has 
helped extend the life of the Erie Pier CDF by several years. 
Nonetheless, remaining capacity at the Erie Pier CDF is insufficient 
for future dredged material placement needs.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is therefore 
evaluating the environmental impacts of several dredged material 
placement alternatives for Duluth-Superior Harbor in coordination with 
the development of a dredged material placement plan for the harbor. 
Alternatives under consideration include expansion of the existing Erie 
Pier CDF by increasing the dike heights, diked in-water facilities, 
upland placement, habitat creation, and open water disposal. To date, 
no viable sites for upland placement have been identified in the harbor 
vicinity. The no Federal action alternative will also be considered and 
will serve as a baseline from which to measure the impacts of the 
action alternatives.
    Possible sites for diked in-water facilities include: (1) A 25 acre 
site in the embayment on the east side of Erie Pier, (2) an 18-acre 
embayment and deep ship mooring area on the south side of the Duluth, 
Missabe and Iron Range Railroad (DMIR) taconite storage facility (about 
1 mile northeast from Erie Pier), and (3) 65 acres of the embayment on 
the east side of the DMIR facility.
    The Habitat Creation alternative focuses on the filling of existing 
deep holes (which were created in the harbor by past mining activities) 
with dredged material to an appropriate elevation for development of 
shallow water fishery habitat. Sites under consideration include: (1) 
The deep hole adjacent to Hearding Island in the outer harbor, and (2) 
the Cross Channel deep hole, located in the inner harbor between 
Interstate Island and the Cross Channel. Barrier islands would be 
constructed to shelter the created fishery habitat from wave action and 
to provide upland habitat for birds.
    Significant issues to be analyzed include potential impacts on 
wetlands, water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and cultural 
resources. Social impacts, including impacts upon recreation, 
aesthetics, and the local economy, will also be considered.
    The proposed actions will be reviewed for compliance with the Fish 
and Wildlife Act of 1956; the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 
1958; the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966; the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; the Clean Air Act of 1970; the 
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972; the Endangered Species Act of 
1973; the Water Resources Development Act of 1976; the Clean Water Act 
of 1977 Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the 
Cultural Environment, May 1971, Executive Order 11988, Flood Plain 
Management, May 1977; Executive Order 11990, Wetland Protection, May 
1977; and Corps of Engineers, Dept. of the Army, 33 CFR Part 230, 
Environmental Quality: Policy and Procedure for Implementing NEPA.
    The proposed dredged material placement is being coordinated with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Minnesota Department of 
Natural Resources. Coordination will also be initiated with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Pollution Control 
Agency, the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, local and regional Indian tribes, and other interested 
agencies and individuals.
    A public information meeting was held on November 19, 1994, 
sponsored by the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, in conjunction with the 
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Pollution 
Control Agency, and the Harbor Technical Advisory Committee of the 
Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Committee. The purpose of the 
meeting was to inform the local residents and other interested 
individuals and environmental groups of the deep hold/habitat creation 
concept being investigated as a viable dredged material placement 
alternative.
    All Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and other 
private organization and parties are invited to participate in the 
proposed project review. Questions, concerns, and comments may be 
directed to the address given in this notice. During the DEIS public 
comment period, a public meeting will be scheduled, if necessary. It is 
anticipated that the DEIS would be available for public review in 1996.
Kenneth L. Denton,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-3553 Filed 2-10-95; 8:45 am]
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