[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 208 (Friday, October 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62101-62102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21521]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Public Scoping Meeting and Preparation of Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement for Widening of the Freeport Ship Channel in Freeport, 
Brazoria County, TX

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, Galveston District intends 
to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to assess the 
social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed widening of 
portions of the Freeport Harbor Entrance and Jetty Channels. The DEIS 
will assess potential impacts of a range of alternatives, including the 
No Action and preferred alternatives. The Federal action is 
consideration of a Department of Army Permit application for work under 
section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403), 
section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and section 103 of 
the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuary Act (33 U.S.C. 1413).

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on November 29, 2005 at 7 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Freeport Community House, 
1300 W. 2nd, Freeport, TX 77541.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Herczeg, Project Manager, by 
letter at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, Texas 
77553, by telephone at (409) 766-6389, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Galveston District intends to prepare a 
DEIS on the proposed channel widening of portions of the Freeport 
Harbor Channel, which leads to Freeport Harbor, Freeport, Brazoria 
County, TX. The Brazos River Harbor Navigation District (Port of 
Freeport) proposes this project.
    1. Description of the Proposed Project: The Port of Freeport is 
proposing to widen the Freeport Harbor Channel as follows:
    a. From Channel Station 63+35, near the U.S. Coast Guard Station, 
to Channel Station 45+00, the channel will be widened gradually an 
additional 0 to 150 feet;
    b. From Channel Station 45+00 to Channel Station 40+00, the Channel 
will be widened an additional 150 to 200 feet;
    c. From 40+00, in the Jetty Channel to the end of the existing 
Entrance Channel, the channel will be widened by 200 feet, from the 
existing channel width of 400 feet to 600 feet;
    d. The depth of the channel will be as at present, 47 feet in the 
Jetty Channel (45 feet project depth plus 2 feet advanced maintenance) 
and 49 feet in the Entrance Channel (45 feet project depth plus 2 feet 
advanced maintenance plus 2 feet allowable overdraft);
    e. Approximately 3.2 million cubic yards (mcy) of dredged material 
will be

[[Page 62102]]

generated from the widening project; and
    f. Approximately 300,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be 
used beneficially for beach nourishment on Quintana Beach and the 
remainder of the dredged material will be placed offshore approximately 
2.5 miles off Quintana in approximately 40 feet of water.
    2. Scoping and Public Involvement Process: A scoping meeting to 
gather information on the subjects to be studied in detail in the DEIS 
will be conducted on (see DATES). An informal open house, allowing for 
review of the proposed project and questions and answers, will be 
conducted between 5 and 7 p.m., prior to the scoping meeting.
    3. Significant Issues: Issues associated with the proposed project 
to be given significant analysis in the DEIS are likely to include, but 
may not be limited to, the potential impacts of the proposed dredging, 
dredged material placement, the beneficial uses of dredged material, 
water quality, fish and wildlife values including threatened and 
endangered species; air quality; environmental justice; socioeconomic 
environment; archaeological and cultural resources; recreation and 
recreational resources; energy supply and natural resources; hazardous 
waste and materials; aesthetics; public health and safety; navigation; 
shoreline erosion and accretion; cumulative impacts, and the needs and 
welfare of the people.
    4. Technical Review and Consultation: Several State and Federal 
Agencies will be invited to provide technical review of the DEIS. Those 
agencies include: The Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United 
States Coast Guard, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas 
General Land Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas 
Department of Transportation.
    5. Additional Review and Consultation: Additional review and 
consultation that will be incorporated into the preparation of this 
DEIS will include: Compliance with the Texas Coastal Management 
Program; protection of cultural resources under Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act; protection of navigation under the 
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; protection of water quality under 
section 401 of the Clean Water Act; protection of air quality under the 
Clean Air Act; and protection of endangered and threatened species 
under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
    6. Availability of the DEIS: The Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement is projected to be available in September 2006. At this time 
the Galveston District plans to conduct a Public Hearing following the 
release of the DEIS.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-21521 Filed 10-27-05; 8:45 am]
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