[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45290-45291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21692]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for a General Reevaluation Study of Navigation Improvements at Miami 
Harbor, Dade County, FL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Navigation Improvements at Miami Harbor, Dade County, Florida. The 
study is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
and the Miami-Dade County Seaport Department of the Port of Miami.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rea Boothby, 904-232-3453, 
Environmental Branch, Planning Division, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, 
Florida 32232-0019.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Project Background and Authorization

    The initial authorization for a Federal channel providing 
navigation access to the City of Miami occurred in 1902. Later reports 
and documents recommended further improvement of the harbor's channels, 
turning basins, and jetties. A Resolution provided by the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the United States House of 
Representatives dated October 29, 1997 provided the authorization for 
the current study.

2. Need or Purpose

    Improvements, including channel deepening and widening, are 
required to accommodate future commercial fleet and to more effectively 
transit the existing fleet. Those improvements would allow commercial 
ships to call at the harbor with increased draft and cargo tonnage, 
resulting in transportation cost savings.

3. Proposed Solution and Forecast Completion Date

    Widen and deepen the harbor's container ship channels and turning 
basins. Extend the Federal channel to the west end of Dodge Island. 
Construction is forecast to begin around October 2003.

4. Prior EAs or EISs

    An EIS was prepared in 1985 to accommodate dredging in the Port of 
Miami.

5. Alternatives

    Alternatives currently under consideration include no action, one 
nonstructural, and five structural alternatives. Six alternatives 
identified by the Biscayne Bay Pilots and the Miami-Dade County Seaport 
Department include:
     The first involves flaring the existing 500-foot wide 
entrance channel to provide an 800-foot wide entrance at buoy 1. 
Deepening of the entrance channel along Cut-1 and Cut-2 from an 
existing depth of 44 feet in one-foot increments to a depth of 52 feet 
will receive consideration.
     The second alternative will consider adding a turn widener 
between buoys 13 and 15 and deepening to depths of 50 feet.
     Alternative three involves extending the existing Fisher 
Island turning basin to the north. A turning notch (1600 feet by 1450 
feet) extending approximately 500 feet to the north of the existing 
channel edge along the West End of Cut-3 would require evaluation. 
Depths from 43 to 50 feet at one-foot increments below the existing 
depth of 42 feet will receive consideration in the area of the turning 
notch.
     Alternative four consists of relocating the main channel 
(cruise ship channel or Cut-4) about 175 feet to the south between 
channel miles 2 and 3 over a two or three degree transition to the 
existing cruise ship turning basin. No dredging is expected for 
alternative four since existing depths allow for continuation of the 
authorized depth of 36 feet.
     Alternative five proposes to increase the width of the 
Lummus Island Cut (Fisherman's Channel) about 100 feet to the south of 
the existing channel. Deepening would include examination of depths 
below the existing 42-foot depth at one-foot increments from 43 to 50 
feet along the proposed widened channel from Cut-3, Station 0+00 to 
Cut-3, Station 42+00.
     Alternate six includes deepening of Dodge Island Cut and 
the proposed 1200-foot turning basin from 32 and 34 feet to 36 feet. It 
also involves relocating the western end of the Dodge Island Cut to 
accommodate proposed port expansion.

6. Issues

    The EIS will consider impacts on seagrasses (including Johnson 
Seagrass, a threatened species), mangrove, and hardbottom communities, 
other protected species, Essential Fish Habitat, shore protection, 
health and safety, water quality, aesthetics and recreation, fish and 
wildlife resources, cultural resources, energy conservation, socio-
economic resources, and other impacts identified through scoping, 
public involvement, and interagency coordination.

7. Scoping Process

    a. A scoping letter was sent to interested parties on January 6, 
2000. In addition, all parties were invited to participate in the 
scoping process by identifying any additional concerns on issues, 
studies needed, alternatives, procedures, and other matters related to 
the scoping process.
    b. A local, state, and Federal resource agency scoping meeting 
occurred on March 13, 2000, to determine the areas of coverage for an 
environmental baseline resource survey. A meeting followed on November 
1, 2000, with those resource agencies to review preliminary results.
    c. No public scoping meeting is planned at this time.

8. Public Involvement

    We invite the participation of affected Federal, state and local 
agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other interested private 
organizations and parties.

[[Page 45291]]

9. Coordination

    The proposed action is being coordinated with the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, with the FWS under the 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, with the NMFS concerning Essential 
Fish Habitat and with the State Historic Preservation Officer.

10. Other Environmental Review and Consultation

    The proposed action would involve evaluation for compliance with 
guidelines pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act; 
application (to the State of Florida) for Water Quality Certification 
pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act; certification of state 
lands, easements, and rights of way; and determination of Coastal Zone 
Management Act consistency.

11. Agency Role

    The Corps and the non-Federal sponsor, the Miami-Dade County 
Seaport of the Port of Miami, will provide extensive information and 
assistance on the resources to be impacted, mitigation measures, and 
alternatives.

12. DEIS Preparation

    It is estimated that the DEIS will be available to the public on or 
about November 2001.

    Dated: August 10, 2001.
James C. Duck,
Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 01-21692 Filed 8-27-01; 8:45 am]
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