[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 49783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23936]



[[Page 49783]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Joint Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement/Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIS/SEIR) for the 
Port of Los Angeles Channel Deepening Project Feasibility Study; Los 
Angeles County, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Corps and the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) propose to deepen 
the Main Channel of the Port of Los Angeles from -45' Mean Lower Low 
Water (MLLW) to between -50' MLLW and -55' MLLW dredging and disposing 
of approximately 3.7 to 7.8 million cubic yards (mcy).

ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, Attn: CESPL-PD-RN, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, California, 
90053-2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr. 
Larry Smith, phone (213) 452-3846; or E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: .
    1. Authorization: The study was authorized by the Water Resources 
Development Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-662) Section 203.
    2. Background: The SEIS/SEIR supplements the Deep Draft Navigation 
Improvements, Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, San Pedro Bay, 
California Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report 
(SEPT 1992) and the Channel Deepening Project Port of Los Angeles 
Environmental Impact Report (JAN 1998).
    3. Proposed Action: The Corps and the POLA are proposing to deepen 
the main navigation channel into the Port of Los Angeles in order to 
accommodate the larger deeper draft generation of container ships now 
entering the shipping service. The proposed project would deepen the 
Main Channel from its current depth of -45' MLLW to a propose depth of 
either -50', -52', or -55' MLLW. This would require the dredging of 
between 3.7 to 7.8 mcy of harbor sediments. Disposal options include 
offshore, near/onshore and upland sites. Potential disposal sites being 
investigated are the Pier 300 Expansions Site, the Pier 400 Submerged 
Storage Site, the Pier 400 Upland Site, the Southwest Slip Fill Site, 
the Cabrillo Shallow Water Habitat Expansion Site, a local Upland 
Disposal site, and/or Ocean Disposal Sites LA-2 and/or LA-3.
    4. Alernatives: Alternative depths being considered are -50' MLLW, 
-52' MLLW and -55' MLLW. Alternative disposal sites are listed above. 
Each site will be evaluated for its full storage potential. A 
combination of sites will be selected based on the chosen channel depth 
alternative, and thus dredge disposal volume, and potential impacts 
from the use of each disposal site. The proposed plan, viable project 
alternatives, and the ``no action'' plan will be carried forward for 
detailed analysis pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321, as amended) and the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970 (Public Resources Code, 
Sections 21000-21177).
    5. Scoping Process: a. Potential impacts associated with the 
proposed action will be fully evaluated. Resource categories that will 
be analyzed are: biology, air quality, water quality, cultural 
resources, land use, geology, recreational, aesthetics, ground and 
vessel transportation, noise, public health and safety, and utilities.
    b. The Corps and the POLA are preparing a joint Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement/Report (SEIS/SEIR) to address potential 
impacts associated with the proposed project. The Corps is the Lead 
Federal Agency for compliance with NEPA for the project, and the POLA 
is the Lead State Agency for compliance with the CEQA for the non-
Federal aspects of the project. The Draft SEIS/SEIR (DSEIS/SEIR) 
document will incorporate public concerns in the analysis of impacts 
associated with the Proposed Action and associated project 
alternatives. The DSEIS/SEIR will be sent out for a 45-day public 
review period, during which time both written and verbal comments will 
be solicited on the adequacy of the document. The Final SEIS/SEIR 
(FSEIS/SEIR) will address the comments received on the DSEIS/SEIR 
during public review, and will be furnished to all who commented on the 
DSEIS/SEIR, and is made available to anyone that requests a copy during 
the 30-day public comment period. The final step involves, for the 
federal SEIS, preparing a Record of Decision (ROD) and, for the state 
SEIR, certifying the SEIR and adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and 
Reporting Plan. The ROD is a concise summary of the decisions made by 
the Corps from among the alternatives presented in the FSEIS/SEIR. The 
ROD can be published immediately after the FSEIS public comment period 
ends. A certified SEIR indicates that the environmental document 
adequately assesses the environmental impacts of the proposed project 
with respect to CEQA.
    c. The public, as well as Federal, State, and local agencies are 
encouraged to participate in the scoping process by attending the 
scoping meeting and/or submitting data, information, and comments 
identifying relevant environmental and socioeconomic issues to be 
addressed in the environmental analysis. Useful information includes 
other environmental studies, published and unpublished data, historical 
photos of the area, alternatives that should be addressed in the 
analysis, and potential environmental enhancement and restoration 
opportunities that exist along the creek. Individuals and agencies may 
offer information or data relevant to the proposed study and provide 
comments by attending the public scoping meeting, or by mailing the 
information to Mr. Larry Smith before 15 September, 1999. Requests to 
be placed on the mailing list for announcements and the DSEIS/SEIR 
should also be sent to Mr. Larry Smith.
    6. Location and time: A formal scoping meeting to solicit public 
comment and concerns on the proposed action and alternatives will be 
held on September 15, 1999 at 3:00 P.M., in the Port Plaza Building of 
the Port Los Angeles, 425 South Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro, 
California.

    Dated: September 10, 1999.
John P. Carroll,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 99-23936 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
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