[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 134 (Thursday, July 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40692-40693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13872]


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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 Dredged Material Management Plan for the Calcasieu 
River and Pass, Louisiana, Federal Navigation Channel

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 Orleans District (CEMVN) 
is initiating this draft supplemental environmental impact statement 
(DSEIS) under the authority of the Rivers and Harbors Act of July 24, 
1946 (House Document 190, 79th Congress, 2nd Session) and prior Rivers 
and Harbors acts; the Rivers and Harbors Act of July 14, 1960 (House 
Document 436, 86th Congress, 2nd Session); the Rivers and Harbors Act 
of October 23, 1962 (House Document 582, 87th Congress, 2nd Session); 
the Senate Public Works committee on December 27, 1970, and the House 
Public Works committee on December 15, 1970, under the provisions of 
Section 201 of the Flood Control Act of 1965 (Pub. L. 89-298; S.D. 91-
111); and Section 107 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1960, as amended 
by Section 310 and Section 112 of the Rivers and Harbors Acts of 1965 
and 1970, respectively, to investigate dredged material placement for 
the next 20 years of maintenance dredging of the Calcasieu and River 
and Pass, LA. The Calcasieu River and Pass, LA project does not have 
adequate dredged material disposal areas for the long-term maintenance 
of the project. Existing disposal sites are at or near capacity, and 
some disposal sites have been substantially eroded into adjacent water 
bodies. Other disposal areas have been lost to commercial developments. 
As a result, remaining disposal areas cannot accommodate the volume of 
dredged material needed to maintain the Calcasieu River and Pass, LA 
navigation channel to project-authorized dimensions, and CEMVN has been 
forced to reduce channel dimensions in some reaches.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning this DEIS should 
be addressed to Mr. Casey Rowe at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PM-RP, 
P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 70160-0267, phone (504) 862-1583, fax 
number (504) 862-2572 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. The overall goal of the dredged material 
management plan is to investigate and develop a long-term management 
plan to maintain, in an economically and environmentally sound manner, 
the Federally authorized channel dimensions, and maximize the use of 
the dredged material as a beneficial resource.
    2. Alternatives. A number of alternative dredged material disposal 
sites will be investigated for the Calcasieu River and Pass, LA 
project, as well as feasible alternatives to maximize the capacity of 
existing dredged material disposal areas along the channel.
    3. Scoping. Scoping is the process for determining the scope of 
alternatives and significant issues to be addressed in the DSEIS. For 
this analysis, a letter will be sent to all parties believed to have an 
interest in the analysis, requesting their input on alternative 
disposal sites and issues to be evaluated. The letter will also notify 
interested parties of public scoping meetings that will be held in the 
local area. Notices will also be sent to local news media. All 
interested parties are invited to comment at this time, and anyone 
interested in this study should request to be included in the study 
mailing list.
    Two public scoping meetings will be held in July 2005, in Calcasieu 
and Cameron Parishes. Depending on public interest, and if further 
public coordination is warranted, additional meetings may be scheduled.
    4. Significant Issues. The tentative list of resources and issues 
to be evaluated in the DSEIS include essential fish habitat, wetlands, 
aquatic resources, commercial and recreational fisheries, wildlife 
resources, water quality, air quality, threatened and endangered 
species, recreation resources, and cultural resources. Socioeconomic 
impacts will also be evaluated in the DSEIS, including navigation as 
well as potential noise impacts.
    Environmental Consultation and Review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS) will be assisting in the documentation of existing 
conditions and assessment of effects of project alternative through 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act consultation procedures. The USFWS 
will also provide a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report. The 
CEMVN will consult with the USFWS and National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS) concerning threatened and endangered species and their critical 
habitat. The CEMVN will coordinate with the Advisory Counsel on 
Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Officer. The 
CEMVN will coordinate with the Louisiana Department of Natural 
Resources regarding consistency with the Coastal Zone Management Act. 
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will review the 
action for consistency with applicable laws regarding the discharge of 
dredged material as it relates to impacting water quality and will 
provide the State of Louisiana Water Quality Certification. 
Coordination may also occur with the following agencies for evaluation 
of impacts to significant resources: U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Minerals Management Service, Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, U.S. Geologic Survey, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and 
Fisheries.
    Estimated Date of Availability. Funding levels and time constraints 
will dictate the date when the DSEIS will be available for review. The 
earliest date

[[Page 40693]]

that the draft EIS is expected to be available is November 2006.

    Dated: June 23, 2005.
Stephen E. Jeselink,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 05-13872 Filed 7-13-05; 8:45 am]
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