[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 90 (Thursday, May 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 31285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11630]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Proposed Quonset/Davisville Port and Commerce Park, Narragansett Bay, 
North Kingstown, RI, Application for Corps Section 10/404 Individuals 
Permit

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The New England District, Corps of Engineers, has received an 
application from the State of Rhode Island, Office of the Governor, for 
a Corps of Engineers permit under section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors 
Act of 1899 and section 404 of the Clean Water Act to dredge and fill 
navigable and non-navigable waters of the United States. The project is 
proposed at Quonset Point in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The Corps 
has determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required 
for this proposed project. The applicant's stated purpose is to develop 
a compact, automated container facility to handle from 250,000 to 
1,200,000 containers per year. The project proposes to dredge up to 6.3 
million cubic yards of material from the Quonset and Davisville 
Channels to a depth of 52 feet, provide 4,000 linear feet of marginal 
wharf for container ship dockage and fill up to 115 acres of 
Narragansett Bay to provide lay-down area for container processing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and Draft EIS can be answered by Mr. Greg Penta, Regulatory Division, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 696 Virginia Road, Concord, Massachusetts 
017422751, Telephone No. (978) 3188862, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Navy developed the Naval Air 
Station at Quonset Point and the Construction Battalion Center at 
Davisville with the onset of World War II. The Navy is still 
transferring portions of the 3000-acre site to the Rhode Island Port 
Authority and Economic Development Corporation. The applicant has 
indicated that the footprint of the proposed port may occupy less than 
200 acres.
    The applicant states that increased container terminal capacity 
will be of assistance to expanding national trade interests, 
particularly considering an expanding global market. They state that 
continerized cargo volumes have increased both nationally and 
regionally for over 20 years, are anticipated to continue to grow at 
steady rates, and the demand for more container handling terminals in 
the New England region is evident. Quonset Davisville benefits from 
existing airport, railway, and highway infrastructure.
    The existing channels and basins were last dredged in the 1960's. 
Original depth were from 35 to 40 feet. The applicant has identified 
potential disposal sites, but has not decided upon a preferred disposal 
site. Deeper channels have the potential to change circulation 
patterns, salinity gradients, dissolved oxygen levels and consequently 
affect marine ecology within a Narragansett Bay. Studies such as 
extensive hydrodynamic modeling will be conducted to evaluate impacts. 
The proposed filing of between 100 to 115 acres of ocean waters, needed 
to accommodate port operations and container storage, is unprecedented 
in the Corps New England District's permitting history.
    Alternatives to be addressed in the EIS will include the No Action 
Alternative, alternative port locations within a North American region 
(potentially including another Rhode Island location), to be determined 
during scoping, and alternative port options along the Quonset 
Davisville waterfront.
    The EIS will analyze in depth the following significant issues and 
impacts associated with the construction and operation of the port: 
Recreational and commercial boating and fishing activities, endangered 
marine mammals and reptiles, aquatic and benthic habitat destruction 
and alteration, circulation patterns, invasive species, economics and 
job creation. The Corps anticipates the Draft EIS will be available for 
public review in the Summer of 2003.

Other Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements

    To the fullest extent possible, the EIS will be integrated with 
analyses and consultation required by the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (Pub. L. 93-205; 16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq.); the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as amended 
(Pub. L. 94-265; 16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.), the National Historic 
Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (Pub. L. 89-655; 16 U.S.C. 470. et 
seq.); the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, as amended (Pub. 
L. 85-624; 16 U.S.C. 661, et seq.); the Coastal Zone Management Act of 
1972, as amended (Pub. L. 92-583; 16 U.S.C. 1451, et seq.); and the 
Clean Water Act of 1977, as amended (Pub. L. 92-500; 33 U.S.C. 1251, et 
seq.), Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, 33 U.S.C. 403 
et seq.); and applicable and appropriate Executive Orders.

Scoping

    The Corps will conduct an open scoping and public involvement 
process during the development of the EIS. The scoping process is the 
key to preparing a concise EIS and clarifying the significant issues to 
be analyzed in depth. Public concerns on issues, studies needed, 
alternatives to be examined, procedures and other related matters will 
be addressed during scoping. The purpose of the scoping meetings is to 
assist the Corps in defining the issues that will be evaluated in the 
EIS. All interested Federal, State and local agencies, affected Indian 
tribes, interested private and public organizations, and individuals 
are invited to attend these scoping meetings.
    The first scoping meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at 
Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, Rhode 
Island in the Clarke Science Building, Room 125. Registration begins at 
noon at the meeting begins at 1 p.m. The second scoping meeting will be 
held on Thursday, June 6, 2002, at the North Kingstown High School, 150 
Fairway Drive, North Kingstown, Rhode Island in the auditorium. 
Registration begins at 6 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7 p.m.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-11630 Filed 5-8-02; 8:45 am]
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