[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 24556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9316]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Boston Harbor Inner Harbor Maintenance Dredging 
Project

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District is 
preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to 
maintenance dredge the federal navigation channels landward of 
Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor, MA. Maintenance dredging of the 
navigation channels landward of Spectacle Island is needed to remove 
shoals and restore the navigation channels to their authorized depths. 
Ships are currently experiencing tidal delays and potential damage from 
grounding. Material dredged from the federal channels will either be 
disposed at the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site (if the material is 
suitable for ocean disposal) or, if the material is not suitable for 
ocean disposal, in confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cell(s). Major 
navigation channel improvements (depending) were made in 1999 through 
2001 in the Reserved Channel, the Mystic River, Inner Confluence and 
the Chelsa River. A final EIS was prepared for this previous navigation 
improvement project in June of 1995 in which the use of CAD cells in 
the Mystic River, Inner Confluence, and Chelsea River were 
investigated. CAD cells not used during the construction of the 
previous navigation improvement project will be investigated for 
acceptability during the preparation of this SEIS.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to be placed on the mailing list for this 
project, or have questions about the proposed action and the DSEIS, 
please contact Ms. Catherine Rogers, Ecologist, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, New England District, Evaluation Branch, 696 Virginia Road, 
Concord, MA 01742.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Catherine Rogers, (978) 318-8231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is 
authorized by the various Rivers and Harbor Acts and Water Resources 
Development Acts to conduct maintenance dredging of the federal 
navigation channels and anchorage areas in Boston Harbor.
    In addition to maintenance dredging of the inner harbor, a 
feasibility study is currently underway to investigate deepening of the 
main shipping channels in the port of Boston seaward of the Ted 
Williams Tunnel to a depth greater than the currently authorized 
depths. This feasibility study, which will also include the preparation 
of a Supplemental EIS to the 1995 Record of Decision for the navigation 
improvement project, will examine the engineering feasibility, economic 
justification, social and cultural resource impacts, and environmental 
acceptability of the proposed channel deepening. The existing -40 foot 
MLLW main harbor entrance channel from Broad Sound, through President 
Roads, and up to the Marine Terminal just seaward of the Ted Williams 
Tunnel will be examined for depths up to -50 feet MLLW, as will the 
Reserved Channel. Deepening of a small area of the Mystic River Channel 
upstream of the Moran Terminal, from the current -35 foot depths to -40 
feet will also be examined, as will deepening the Chelsea River Channel 
from the current -38 foot depth -40 feet.
    Maintenance dredging of the federal Main Ship channel seaward of 
Spectacle Island, the President Roads anchorage area, and the Broad 
Sound North Channel is scheduled to be completed by May 2005. Material 
dredged from these channels was determined to be suitable for ocean 
water disposal and was disposal at the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency designated dredged material Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site.
    Alternatives: The no action alternative will be investigated. 
Material unsuitable for ocean disposal would most likely be disposed 
within confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cells within the federal 
navigation channels above the Ted Williams Tunnel. The draft and final 
EIS for the previous Boston Harbor navigation improvement project 
investigated other alternative disposal sites for the disposal of 
dredged material. Material suitable for ocean disposal would likely be 
disposed at the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site. A draft SEIS is 
expected to be completed by October 2005.

    Dated: April 25, 2005.
Thomas L. Koning,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, New England District.
[FR Doc. 05-9316 Filed 5-9-05; 8:45 am]
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