[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23238-23239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11466]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for Packery Channel-North Padre Island Storm Damage Reduction and 
Environmental Restoration Project, Corpus Christi, Texas, as Cited in 
the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, Section 556

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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[[Page 23239]]

SUMMARY: The proposed action to be addressed in the DEIS is to evaluate 
the environmental acceptability of the project design. The project is 
located along the south-central Texas Coast on the southern portion of 
Mustang Island. It will provide storm damage reduction and 
environmental restoration by creating an opening between the Gulf of 
Mexico and Corpus Christi Bay, and placing excavated material in front 
of the Padre Island Seawall. The project channel will extend from the 
Gulf of Mexico through a jettied entrance and a channel through Mustang 
Island, east and adjacent to John F. Kennedy Causeway, therein to the 
existing Packery Channel, joining the main channel of the Gulf 
Intracoastal Waterway in the vicinity of mile 553.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Carl Anderson, (409) 766-3914, Project 
Manager, Project Management Branch, or Mr. John C. Baker, (409) 766-
3037, Environmental Lead, Environment Section, Planning and 
Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, Texas 77553-1229.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The study process began with the Water 
Resources Development Act of 1999, Section 556, providing contingent 
authorization to construct the North Padre Island Storm Damage 
Reduction and Environmental Restoration Project, Texas, if the 
Secretary of the Army determined that the locally preferred plan (LPP) 
was technically sound and environmentally acceptable.
    2. A ``No Action'' alternative will be evaluated and presented for 
comparison purposes in evaluating the various construction 
alternatives.
    3. Scoping: The scoping process will involve Federal, State, and 
local agencies, and other interested persons and organizations. A 
series of scoping workshops will be conducted to discuss various issues 
associated with the channel improvements and placement of dredged 
material. Separate Scoping Notices will be issued for the various 
workshops. Issues to be considered in this process include beneficial 
uses of dredged material, changes in bay salinity and circulation, 
water and sediment quality, erosion along the channel, and threatened 
and endangered species impacts.
    Any person or organization wishing to provide information on issues 
or concerns should contact the Corps of Engineers at the above address.
    4. Coordination: Further coordination with environmental agencies 
will be conducted under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 
Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation 
Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Essential Fish Habitat), and the Coastal Zone Management Act (Texas 
Coastal Management Program).
    5. DEIS Preparation: It is estimated that the DEIS will be 
available to the public for review and comment in November 2001.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-11466 Filed 5-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-52-M