[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 184 (Thursday, September 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57174-57175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24296]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report 
for the San Francisco Central Bay Rock Removal Study, City and County 
of San Francisco, California

AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the California State Lands 
Commission (Commission) will conduct a feasibility study to investigate 
the navigation hazard of submerged rock outcroppings in the San 
Francisco Bay. Pursuant to the requirements of section 102(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Environmental Quality 
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the California Environmental 
Quality Act (CEQA), the Corps and the Commission will prepare a joint 
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/R) as a 
part study effort.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the 
project and the alternatives, contact Mr. Gary Flickinger of the Plan 
Formulation Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco 
District, 333 Market Street, 7th floor, CESPN-ET-PF, San Francisco, CA 
94105-2197. Phone number 415-977-8548, Fax: 415-977-8695, Email: 
[email protected]. Written comments and questions 
regarding the scoping process or preparation of the EIS/EIR may be 
directed to Roger Fernwood, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco 
District, 333 Market Street, 7th floor, CESPN-ET-PP, San Francisco, CA 
94105-2197, phone number: 415-977-8544, Fax: 415-977-8695, Email: 
[email protected]. Mr. David Patterson is the Project 
Manager, and can be contacted at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San 
Francisco District, 333 Market Street, 8th floor, CESPN-PM, San 
Francisco, CA 94105-2197, phone number 415-977-8229, Fax: 415-977-8431, 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Authority. Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council 
on Environmental Quality regulations 40 CFR 1500-1508, Section 905(b) 
of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1986, and the 
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) the Corps and the 
Commission hereby provide notice of intent to prepare a joint EIS/R for 
the San Francisco Bay Rock Removal, San Francisco, California.
    2. Comments/Scoping Meetings. An initial scoping meeting will be 
held in the conference room at the San Francisco Bar Pilots 
Association, Pier 9 West End, San Francisco, California 94126 at 2:00 
pm and 7:00 pm on October 24, 2000. The public is invited to these 
meetings.
    3. Availability of EIS/R. The Draft EIS/R should be available for 
public review in the winter of 2002. A final EIS/R

[[Page 57175]]

should be available for public review in summer of 2002.
    4. Agencies Supporting Project. Corps and the Commission will be 
the lead agencies in preparing the combined EIS/R. Cooperating agencies 
include the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. 
Geological Survey, California Department of Fish & Game, San Francisco 
Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and San Francisco Regional 
Water Quality Control Board.
    5. Purpose and Need for Action. The Harbor Safety Committee (HSC) 
of the San Francisco Bay Region has deemed these rock outcroppings to 
be a hazard to deep draft vessels, especially tanker ships. The HSC is 
comprised of representatives from government, industry, navigation, 
recreation, economic, and environmental groups/agencies, as mandated by 
the State of California Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act. The HSC 
requested a Federal study of the navigation hazard.
    6. Study Area Description. The study area is located in Central San 
Francisco Bay, California and comprises natural topographical 
formations known as Harding, Shag, Arch, Blossom, and (Unnamed) Rocks. 
These five underwater topographic features in the Central San Francisco 
Bay are composed of hard materials at depths ranging from -33 to -48 
feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) that are adjacent to, or close by, the 
present designated navigation lanes. The study area is located within 
U.S. Congressional Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9.
    Harding Rock is located approximately 6,500 feet north-northwest of 
Alcatraz island and rises to an elevation of -36.4 feet MLLW. Shag Rock 
is approximately 1,000 feet southwest of Harding Rock and rises to an 
elevation of -36.9 feet MLLW. Arch Rock, the largest of the rocks, is 
approximately 1,600 feet south of Shag Rock and rises to an elevation 
of -35.2 feet MLLW. Unnamed Rock is approximately 3,000 feet west of 
Shag Rock and rises to an elevation of -49 feet MLLW. Blossom Rock is 
located approximately 5,500 feet southeast of Alcatraz Island and 8,000 
feet west of Treasure Island and rises to an elevation of -40.4 feet 
MLLW.
    7. Project Alternatives. Alternatives associated with the San 
Francisco Central Bay Rock Removal Project are the No Action 
Alternative and several action alternatives. The selected alternative 
will be implemented.
    8. Other Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements. The 
focus of the DEIS/R will be on determining environmental impacts of 
available alternatives to reduce the navigation hazard. The non-federal 
sponsor will use the EIS/R to meet their responsibilities under the 
CEQA. Other reviews in the EIS/R will be used for an information 
source, including coordination under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
Act, Endangered Species Act, and all other applicable laws and 
regulations.

Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register, Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-24296 Filed 9-20-00; 8:45 am]
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