[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 162 (Friday, August 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44850-44851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22470]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection
Project, for a Test Beach Fill Using a Foreign Source of Carbonate Sand
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Dade
County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project, for a
Test Beach Fill Using a Foreign Source of Carbonate Sand. The study is
a cooperative effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the
Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM),
the non-Federal sponsor for the project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kenneth Dugger, 904-232-1686, Environmental Branch, Planning Division,
P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232-0019.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane
Protection (BEC & HP) Project for Dade County, Florida was authorized
by the Flood Control Act of 1968. The Supplemental Appropriations Act
of 1985 and the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-
662) provided authority for extending the northern limit of the
authorized project to include the construction of a protective beach
along the 2.5 mile reach of shoreline north of Haulover Beach Party
(Sunny Isles) and for periodic nourishment of the new beach.
Offshore borrow sources of beach quality sediment along the Dade
County shoreline have been almost completely depleted, and alternative
sources of material will be required in the near future to provide
continued renourishment of the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and
Hurricane Protection Project. Although carbonate sediment from offshore
borrow sites has traditionally been used for project renourishment, the
use of oolitic aragonite or other carbonate sand from non-domestic
sources may provide an effective alternative for future renourishment
requirements.
Virtually unlimited supplies of beach-quality material are
available in the Bahamas Bank, located 65 miles east of the project
site, in the Turks and Caicos Islands located approximately 500 miles
to the southeast, and possibly other locations. The proposed test fill
will be constructed using aragonite from one of these sources. The
purpose of the test fill, in addition to providing nourishment to an
eroded portion of the Federal project along northern Miami Beach, is to
evaluate the physical and environmental performance of aragonite on the
beach erosion control project.
The proposed test fill site would be located along northern Miami
Beach, and would extend along approximately one mile of shoreline which
has been an erosional area since the project was constructed. The
proposed site is located far from adjacent inlets, and no significant
structures exist in this vicinity to disrupt the ``natural'' coastal
processes. The total volume of the test fill is expected to be
approximately 500,000 cubic yards. The currently proposed location for
the test fill is between 65th and 80th Streets in Miami Beach (DNR
monuments DNR-39 to DNR-44). The exact source of aragonite (or other
non-domestic carbonate sand) for the test beach would be determined
during the procurement process. Sand sources proposed by contractors
would have to meet a set of generic and specifications and pass a
screening process for sand characteristics and possible introduction of
undesirable benthic organisms or other environmental impacts.
The different properties of the material being placed in the test
fill will allow the sediment to be used as a natural tracer material,
and data on longshore and cross-shore transport can be gained by
studying the movement of this material. In order to evaluate the
performance of the test fill, a monitoring program will be established.
This monitoring program would consist of four areas of field data
acquisition: physical surveys, sediment sampling and analysis, aerial
photography, and wave data collection. The field data would be
collected over a minimum 5-year period following project construction.
The wave gage would be installed and activated prior to construction.
Physical surveys, sediment samples, and aerial photography would be
taken immediately before and after project construction, and quarterly
for the first year, semi-annually for the second year, and annually
thereafter for the remainder of the 5-year monitoring period. Physical
surveys, sediment samples, and aerial photography would therefore be
taken a total of 11 times during the monitoring program, while the
directional wave gauge would be operated continuously during the entire
5-year monitoring period.
In addition, environmental monitoring of the test fill would be
performed. The environmental studies would focus mainly on the impacts
of the non-native material on sea turtle nesting and benthic infaunal
communities.
Alternatives: At this time, the only known alternative to
performing the test beach fill is not performing the test or the no-
action alternative.
Issues: The EIS will consider impacts on coral reefs and other
hardbottom communities, endangered and threatened species, shore
protection, water quality, aesthetics and recreation, fish and wildlife
resources, cultural resources, energy conservation, socio-economic
resources, and other impacts identified through scoping, public
involvement, and interagency coordination.
Scoping: A copy of this notice will be sent to interested parties
to initiate scoping. All parties are invited to participate in the
scoping process by identifying any additional concerns on issues,
studies needed, alternatives, procedures, and other matters related to
the scoping process. At this time, there are no plans for a public
scoping meeting.
Public Involvement: We invite the participation of affected
Federal, state and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other
interested private organizations and parties.
Coordination: The proposed action is being coordinated with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries
Service under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, with the FWS
under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and with the State
Historic Preservation Officer. In addition, we have coordinated with
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the dredging
industry, certain foreign government representatives, academic experts,
and other interests on this matter.
Other Environmental Review and Consultation: The proposed action
would involve evaluation for compliance with guidelines pursuant to
Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act;
[[Page 44851]]
application (to the State of Florida) for Water Quality Certification
pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act; certification of state
lands, easements, and rights of way; and determination of Coastal Zone
Management Act consistency.
Agency Role: As the non-Federal sponsor and leading local expert;
DERM will provide extensive information and assistance on the resources
to be impacted, mitigation measures, and alternatives.
DEIS Preparation: It is estimated that the DEIS will be available
to the public on or about October 9, 1998. We plan to post the DEIS on
the environmental documents page of the Jacksonville District's web
site. (http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/pd/env-doc.htm.)
Dated: August 7, 1998.
George M. Strain,
Acting Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 98-22470 Filed 8-20-98; 8:45 am]
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