[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 156 (Friday, August 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50175-50176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18516]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Improvements to the Cedar Bayou Navigation Channel Near Baytown in 
Harris and Chambers Counties, TX

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The proposed study to improve the existing channel on Cedar 
Bayou was authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, 
Section 349. The proposed action to be addressed in the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is to evaluate several widening 
and deepening alternatives to improve navigation efficiency and safety 
of the Cedar Bayou Navigation Channel from the Houston Ship Channel in 
Galveston Bay up Cedar Bayou to the State Highway (Hwy) 146 crossing in 
Harris and Chambers Counties, Texas. The existing navigation channel 
has dimensions of 10 feet depth and 100 feet width from the Houston 
Ship Channel to approximately Mile 3.0 in the lower reach of Cedar 
Bayou. The study will focus on alternatives for improving the 
navigability of Cedar Bayou and examine the impacts of extending the 
channel another 8 miles upstream to Hwy 146. The project is located in 
the City of Baytown, which is located approximately 25 miles east of 
the City of Houston. The non-federal sponsor for the project is the 
Chambers County Cedar Bayou Navigation District (CCCBND).

DATES: A public meeting will be scheduled during the 45-day public 
review period for the Draft EIS in January 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments for the public review period and meeting 
should be forwarded to Dr. Terrell Roberts, Environmental Lead, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229; fax: 
(409) 766-3064.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Richard Tomlinson, Project Manager, 
Project Management Branch, Telephone: (409) 766-3917, E-mail: 
[email protected] or Dr. Terrell Roberts, 
Environmental Lead, Environmental Section, Telephone: (409) 766-3035, 
E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Background: The study process began in 1997 when the CCBND was 
created by the 75th Texas State Legislature to improve the navigability 
of Cedar Bayou. The feasibility study began in 1999 and will determine 
the most cost-effective alternative for improving the channel while 
protecting the local environment.
    2. Alternative: Several construction alternatives and an ``no-
action'' alternative will be evaluated for deepening and widening Cedar 
Bayou Channel. Alternatives will also be evaluated for the management 
of dredged material. The alternatives to be evaluated are: (1) 
Deepening and widening the channel to dimensions of 12 feet deep and 
125 feet wide from the

[[Page 50176]]

Houston Ship Channel (Mile -3) to SH 146 (Mile 11.4); (2) Deepening and 
widening the channel from Mile 3 to Mile 11.4 to match the currently 
maintained channel from the Houston Ship Channel to Mile 3 (10 ft deep 
and 100 ft wide); (3) Deepening the channel to 9 feet from Mile 3 to 
Mile 11.4; (4) Eliminating a series of tight bends known as the Devil's 
Elbow by dredging a new channel (Devil's Elbow Cutoff) to the north of 
these bends; (5) Creating 200-ft wide passing lanes in straight 
stretches of the channel; and (6) No Action. 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. Three 
public scoping meetings were held (March 22, 2000, December 11, 2000, 
and March 16, 2004) to explain the project and solicit information 
about public concerns and comments on the project. The information 
provided by the public, resource agencies, local industry, local 
government, and other interested parties was used to help develop 
planning objectives, identify significant resources and issues, 
evaluate impacts of various alternatives, and identify a plan that will 
be socially and environmentally acceptable. Another public meeting will 
be conducted during the public review period for the DEIS to update the 
public on the project, collect public comments on the DEIS, and discuss 
various issues associated with the channel improvements and placement 
of dredged material.
    4. Coordination: Further coordination with environmental agencies 
will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Fish 
and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Endangered Species Act, the 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the 
National Historic Preservation Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Essential Fish Habitat), and the 
Coastal Zone Management Act (Texas Coastal Management Program). 
Coordination with Federal and State regulatory agencies, the Local 
sponsors, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been initiated and 
will continue throughout the development of the DEIS.
    5. DEIS Preparation. It is estimated that the DEIS will be 
available to the public for review and comment in December 2004.

    Dated: August 10, 2004.
Carolyn Murphy,
Chief, Environmental Section.
[FR Doc. 04-18516 Filed 8-12-04; 8:45 am]
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