[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9480-9481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4731]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Proposed Open-Water Placement of Dredged Material at Site 
104, Queen Anne's County, Maryland

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is 
initiating a 45-day public review and comment period of the draft EIS 
for the Proposed Open-Water Placement of Dredged Material at Site 104, 
located in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. The EIS was prepared to (1) 
identify and evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated 
with the proposed project and (2) to develop a document for the public 
to use to participate in the District's decision making process. 
Specifically, the EIS identifies existing conditions, identifies any 
anticipated changed environmental conditions, re-examines previously 
collected data in light of new or updated methodologies, collects new 
environmental data, and evaluates alternatives to address the purpose 
and need of the project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the draft EIS can be addressed to Mr. Wesley E. Coleman Jr., 
Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENAB-PL-P, 
P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715, telephone (410) 962-4713 
or 1-800-295-1610. E-mail address: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
    1. The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) and the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers (USACE) are responsible for maintaining, through periodic 
dredging, the 126 miles of Federal navigation channels that serve the 
Port of Baltimore. Continued maintenance dredging is required to ensure 
the efficiency and safety of the approach channels to the Port of 
Baltimore. Maintenance dredging of the Chesapeake Bay approach channels 
requires the removal of approximately 3.5 million cubic yards (mcy) of 
material per year, excluding material from the Virginia channels, 
Baltimore Harbor channels, and additional channels north of the 
Sassafras River that are dredged by Philadelphia District (CENAP). 
Several new-work dredging projects are currently proposed to improve 
navigation safety and efficiency for the Chesapeake Bay approach 
channels over the next several years. These new-work projects would 
require the removal of an additional 18 mcy of dredged material from 
the Chesapeake Bay approach channels over that time period. The 
Baltimore District is evaluating Site 104 as a potential open-water 
placement area for this maintenance and new work material. Therefore, 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is now preparing 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Open-Water 
Placement of Dredged Material at Site 104, Queen Anne's County, 
Maryland.
    2. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
the Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is initiating a 45-day 
public review and comment period for the draft EIS for the Proposed 
Open-Water Placement of Dredged Material at Site 104, located in Queen 
Anne's County, Maryland. Site 104 is a previously used 1,800-acre open-
water placement site located approximately 2,000 feet north of the 
Chesapeake Bay Bridge, east of the navigational channel, and 1 mile 
west of Kent Island. Site 104 was established in 1924 by the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, and was used for the placement of dredged material 
through 1975. Currently, the site is approximately 6.8 km (4.2 miles) 
long and 1.1 km (0.65 miles) wide. The depth ranges from-12.8 to -23.3 
meters (-42 to -76 feet) mean lower low water (MLLW). If a decision is 
made to use Site 104, placement would be restricted to areas deeper 
than the -14 meter(-45 foot) contour interval to achieve a final site 
elevation of approximately -14 meters (-45 feet) MLLW. Placement would 
occur only between October 15 through April 15, thus avoiding the most 
sensitive periods for most natural resources of concern in the area and 
minimizing nutrient and water quality impacts. Two potential types of 
placement are proposed for the site: bottom release scow of 
mechanically dredged materials or controlled bottom pipeline placement 
of hydraulically rehandled dredged materials.
    3. Studies to date indicate that open-water placement of dredged 
material at Site 104 would have both negative and positive 
environmental impacts. The

[[Page 9481]]

majority of negative effects are short-term, temporary, and of minimal 
environmental significance. The positive effects and overall benefits 
of the project are expected to be long-term. The Proposed Action is not 
expected to adversely impact setting, geology, hydrology, groundwater, 
sediment quality, SAV, terrestrial or avian resources, cultural 
resources or archaeological resources in the region. Nor will the 
proposed project involve the use, storage or transport of hazardous, 
toxic or radioactive materials during or after placement. Although some 
short-term adverse impacts are anticipated for water quality, aquatic 
resources, air quality, noise, socioeconomics, aesthetics, and 
recreational resources, adverse cumulative impacts to these resources 
are not expected. The proposed action is in full compliance with NEPA 
regulation 40 CFR 1500-1508, Corps of Engineers Regulation 200-2-2, the 
Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and all other applicable 
laws and regulations.
    4. Any person who has an interest in the project is asked to 
provide comments within 45 days of the date of publication of this 
notice to the address in the following paragraph. Written comments 
should be submitted by Monday, April 12, 1999. Comments must clearly 
set forth the interest that may be affected by this proposed action and 
the manner in which the interest may be affected.
    5. Individuals who want to review the draft EIS may examine a copy 
at any of the following locations:

Queen Anne's County Free Library, 121 South Commerce Street, 
Centreville, Maryland 21617.
Queen Anne's County Free Library, 200 Library Circle, Stevensville, 
Maryland 21666.
Kent County Public Library, 408 High Street, Chestertown, Maryland 
21620.
Anne Arundel County Public Library, North County Branch, 1010 Eastway 
Drive, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21060.
Frederick Douglas Library, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, 
Princess Anne, Maryland 21853-1299.
Miller Library, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, 
Maryland 21620.

    The document has also been distributed to Federal, state, and local 
regulatory agencies, known interested organizations, and those 
individuals who have requested it. Individuals may obtain a copy of the 
document by writing to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore 
District, ATTN: CENAB-PL-P (Mr. Wesley E. Coleman Jr.), P.O. Box 1715, 
Baltimore, MD 21203-1715, or by telephone at (410) 962-4713 or 1-800-
295-1610. Written comments or inquiries may also be sent by fax to Mr. 
Coleman at (410) 962-4698 or by electronic mail to cenab-pl-
[email protected]. The EIS is also available on the Baltimore District's 
Internet website as an Adobe Acrobat file at www.nab.usace.army.mil.
    6. A Public Workshop to enable interested persons to learn about 
the proposed project and to ask questions of technical experts is 
scheduled for Thursday, March 11, 1999, from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. at 
Queen Anne's County Free Library, Kent Island Branch, 200 Library 
Circle, Stevensville, Maryland. Formal Public Hearings to receive 
comments from the public on the draft EIS are scheduled in three 
locations:

March 22, 1999 at 7:00 p.m., Kent Island High School, 900 Love Point 
Road, Stevensville, Maryland.
March 25, 1999 at 7:00 p.m., Kent County High School, 25301 Lambs 
Meadow Road, Worton, Maryland.
March 30, 1999 at 7:00 p.m., Annapolis Senior High School, 2700 Riva 
Road, Annapolis, Maryland.

    The purpose of these hearings will be to record public comments 
only; those who have questions about the project should plan to attend 
the Public Workshop described above or contact Mr. Wesley Coleman, at 
(410) 962-4713 or 1-800-295-1610.
Robert F. Gore,
Acting Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 99-4731 Filed 2-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-41-M