[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 83 (Friday, April 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24943-24944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10634]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army: Corps of Engineers


Announcement of Public Hearing Date on a Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Environmental Impact Report 
(SEIS/SEIR) for the Port of Los Angeles Main Channel Deepening Project, 
Los Angeles County, CA

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Draft SEIS/SEIR was released for public review on April 7, 
2000. The Environmental Protection Agency has published a Notice of 
Availability of the Draft SEIS/SEIR in the Federal Register on April 7, 
2000. The public review of the Draft SEIS/SEIR ends on May 22, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, Ecosystem Planning Section, PO Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 
90053-2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry Smith, Technical Manager, 
phone (213) 452-3846.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    The primary purpose of the proposed project is to deepen the inner 
harbor of the Port of Los Angeles to improve deep-draft navigation 
safety, to maximize the efficiency of the Port of Los Angeles by 
providing deep-draft commercials with reductions in tide delays and 
increasing economies if scale, and to maximize the beneficial use of 
dredged material.

2. Proposed Action

    Deepening of the Inner Harbor channels at the Port of Los Angeles 
to a depth of -53 ft Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).

3. Alternatives

    The SEIS/SEIR evaluates the alternatives carried forward for 
detailed environmental analysis. In general, the major differences 
among alternatives are the project depth and selection of disposal 
sites.

Dredge Alternatives

    Three dredge depth alternatives were assessed in the SEIS/SEIR. The 
dredge depths were -50 ft MLLW, -53 ft MLLW, and -55 ft MLLW. A dredge 
depth of -53 ft MLLW was determined to be the optimum depth.

[[Page 24944]]

Disposal Alternatives

    Seven dredge disposal sites were assessed in the SEIS/SEIR. Various 
combinations of disposal sites were assembled as alternative project 
designs. A total of twenty-one alternatives was assembled; six for the 
-50 ft MLLW project depth, eight for the -53 ft MLLW project depth, and 
seven for the -55 ft MLLW project depth.
    Alternative 7 for the -53 ft MLLW project depth was selected as the 
National Economic Development (NED) Plan. Alternative 2 for the -53 ft 
MLLW project depth was selected as the Locally Preferred Plan (LPP). 
The Corps has accepted the LPP as the modified NED Plan and it is the 
recommended plan.

Authorize Plan

     Deepening of the Inner Harbor channels at the Port of Los 
Angeles to a depth of -53 ft MLLW.
     Disposal of 1.5 million cubic yards of sediment to create 
the 40-acre Pier 300 Expansion Site.
     Disposal of 1.7 million cubic yards of sediment to create 
the 35-acre Southwest Slip Fill Site.
     Disposal of 1.0 million cubic yards to sediment to create 
the 54-acre Cabrillo Shallow Water Habitat Expansion Site.
     Disposal of 2.4 million cubic yards of sediment at the LA-
2 and/or LA-3 Ocean Disposal Site.

No Action

    No deepening of the channels and no construction of disposal sites.
    4. The USACOE and the Los Angeles Harbor Department, the local 
sponsor, will consider public concerns on the Draft SEIS/SEIR. Summary 
of the Public Hearing and written comment letters and responses will be 
incorporated in the Final SEIS/SEIR as appropriate.

5. Time and Location

    The Public Hearing is scheduled for May 11, 2000, at 6:30 pm, Los 
Angeles Harbor Department, Board Hearing Room, 425 South Palos Verdes 
Street, San Pedro, California.

    Dated: April 18, 2000.
John P. Carroll,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 00-10634 Filed 4-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-M