[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3059-3060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-485]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Wilmington Harbor-96 Act, General Reevaluation Report, New Hanover 
County, NC

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Wilmington Harbor-96 Act project is being constructed for 
the purpose of enhancing commercial shipping the Cape Fear River and 
Northeast Cape Fear River, and the State Port in Wilmington, New 
Hanover County, NC. The project, including turning basin and mitigation 
efforts were originally addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement, 
Cape Fear--Northeast Cape Fear Rivers Comprehensive Study, Wilmington, 
NC, dated June 1996, which was supplemented by an Environmental 
Assessment, Preconstruction Modifications of Authorized Improvements, 
Wilmington Harbor, NC, dated February 2000. However since then, the 
need for new project features and mitigation issues have arisen. In 
order to address these issues, a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) will 
be prepared, and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be 
included as a part of this process. The GRR and DEIS will address the 
proposed relocation of a turning basin in the Northeast Cape Fear 
River, and a reevaluation of alternatives for fish passage at the three 
locks and dams on the Cape Fear River.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Jeff Richter, Environmental Resources 
Section; U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; Post Office Box 1890; 
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890; telephone: (910) 251-4636.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The existing basin used for turning ships in 
the Northeast Cape Fear River is downstream of the major terminal, and 
there are two bridges between the basin and terminal. Usually the ships 
transit

[[Page 3060]]

upstream bow-first through the two bridges, but must back downstream 
stern-first through the bridges to the turning basin. For safety 
reasons, the docking pilots requested that the turning basis be 
relocated upstream of the bridges so ships can proceed bow-first 
through the bridges in both directions. The most significant issue 
related to a relocated turning basin is mitigation of dredging impacts 
to primary nursery areas for marine fisheries.
    In order to deepen sections of Wilmington Harbor, blasting has been 
required to remove rock. This blasting could impact the endangered 
shortnose sturgeon that inhabits the harbor. To mitigate for this 
potential impact, fish passage was required at the most downstream of 
the three Cape Fear River locks and dams. The proposed fish passage 
plan involved the construction of an approximate 3,800-foot long fish 
bypass channel around the lock-and-dam. This plan has not been 
implemented due to lack of funds and real estate issues. During the 
GRR/DEIS process, additional alternatives will be considered that could 
include modification or removal or the locks and dams. This would 
require deauthorization of the lock and dam project. This action may be 
proposed because there is no longer any commercial traffic using the 
locks and dams, which is the authorized project purpose. Significant 
issues related to fish passage include water supply users upstream of 
the locks and dams and recreational and commercial fisheries.
    All private parties and Federal, State, and local agencies having 
an interest in the study are hereby notified of the intent to prepare a 
DEIS and are invited to comment at this time. A scoping meeting was 
held on June 30, 2005 to help determine whether an EIS or EA should be 
prepared. All comments received as a result of this notice of intent 
and the scoping meeting will be considered in the preparation of the 
DEIS.
    The lead agency for this project is the U.S. Army Engineer 
District, Wilmington. Cooperating agency status has not be assigned to, 
nor requested by, any other agency.
    The DEIS is being prepared in accordance with the requirements of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and will 
address the relationship of the proposed action to all other applicable 
Federal and State Laws and Executive Orders.
    The DEIS is currently scheduled to be available in October 2007.

    Dated: January 10, 2006.
John E. Pulliam, Jr.,
Colonel, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 06-485 Filed 1-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-CE-M