[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66386-66387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27720]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
PCS Phosphate Mine Continuation, Aurora, Beaufort County, NC

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: PCS Phosphate Company, Inc., has applied for a Department of 
the Army permit to adversely impact 2,394 acres of wetlands to continue 
its surface mining operation on Hickory Point, adjacent to South Creek 
and its tributaries, near Aurora, in Beaufort County, North Carolina. 
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will evaluate several 
alternatives to the proposed action including the No Action 
alternative. A Public Notice describing the project was issued on 
October 4, 2001 and was sent to all interested state and Federal 
resource agencies as well as the general public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. David Lekson, Chief, Washington 
Regulatory Field Office, U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; Post 
Office Box 1000; Washington, DC 27889-1000; at (252) 975-1616, 
extension 22.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 27, 1997, PCS Phosphate was issued 
a Department of the Army (DA) permit to discharge adversely impact 
1,268 acres of waters and wetlands to continue its mining operation 
pursuant to Alternative ``E'', more fully described in the final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the project, dated August 1996.
    On November 2, 2000, PCS Phosphate applied for DA authorization to 
continue its mining advance on the Hickory Point peninsula once 
reserves are depleted within Alternative ``E''. On January 9, 2001, a 
Public Notice describing this proposal was circulated. According to the 
application, 2,530 acres of wetlands and 49 acres of open waters 
including navigable waters would be adversely impacted by the proposed 
mining advance. In response to comments received from the January 9, 
2001, Public Notice and from the initial scoping comments received from 
the general public, State, Federal, and local agencies, PCS Phosphate 
elected to revise their application to reduce impacts to open waters 
and navigable waters as shown in the following table:

[[Page 66387]]



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                                                                 Number
                       Proposed impacts                         of acres
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1. Creeks/Open Water..........................................         4
2. Brackish Marsh Complex.....................................        35
3. Bottomland Hardwood Forest.................................       120
4. Disturbed-Herbaceous Assemblage............................       207
5. Disturbed-Scrub-Scrub Assemblage...........................       581
6. Pine Plantation............................................       745
7. Hardwood Forest............................................       209
8. Mixed Pine-Hardwood Forest.................................       314
9. Pine Forest................................................       100
10. Ponds.....................................................        19
11. ``47% wetland'' area......................................        60
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    Total.....................................................     2,394
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    Additionally, 1,028 acres of upland habitat are included in the 
mine continuation area for a total of 4,422 acres of disturbance.
    Preliminary alternatives are currently being identified and include 
the applicant's proposal, additional avoidance alternatives on Hickory 
Point and mine blocks located in the area south of Aurora.
    The applicant's stated purpose and need for the proposed work is to 
continue mining its phosphate reserve in an economically viable 
fashion. More specifically, this is defined as a long term 
(approximately 20 year) systematic and cost effective mine advance 
within the project area for the on-going PCS Phosphate mine operation 
near Aurora, NC. This application is being considered pursuant to 
Section 10 of the River and Harbor Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) and 
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).
    The Wilmington District will periodically issue additional Public 
Notices soliciting public and agency comment on the proposed action and 
alternatives to the proposed action as they are developed. It is also 
anticipated that a Public Hearing will be held to gather additional 
comment on the project. No date has been identified for the Public 
Hearing.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-27720 Filed 10-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-GN-M