[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 29128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4683]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Construction of a Dredged Material Containment Facility in the 
Patapsco River, at Masonville, Baltimore City, MD

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore 
District, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the proposed construction of a dredged material containment 
facility (DMCF) by the Maryland Port Administration (MPA). This DEIS 
was prepared as part of the submission of MPA's application for a 
Department of the Army permit to construct the facility in the Patapsco 
River, Baltimore City, MD. This application will be evaluated pursuant 
to section 10 or the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and section 404 of 
the Clean Water Act.
    The preferred alternative is for the construction of a stone, sand, 
and cofferdam structure that would impact approximately 131 acres of 
waters of the United States, including jurisdictional wetlands. The 
structure would be initially constructed to 10 feet above the mean 
lower low water (MLLW) elevation, with a future temporary elevation to 
42 feet above MLLW, and an ultimate elevation of 36 feet above MLLW. 
The project would also include mechanical dredging of approximately 1.7 
million cubic yards of overburden material within the footprint of the 
proposed disposal site, and the placement of this material at the Hart 
Miller Island disposal site, Baltimore County, MD. Hydraulic dredging 
of approximately 1.5 million cubic yards of sand would be performed, 
and the sand used to construct the outer portion of the containment 
structure. Approximately 0.5 million cubic yards of clay is to be 
mechanically/hydraulically dredged and placed on the inside of this 
structure. Two new spillway structures and discharge outfalls are to be 
included in the construction of the DMCF. Other work associated with 
the construction of the DMCF is the relocation of a city water main 
line and storm drain systems, and the relocation of a commercial 
mooring buoy. The total proposed footprint of the proposed project is 
141 acres.

DATES: The Baltimore District must receive comments on or before July 
7, 2006 to ensure consideration in the final action. A public hearing 
on the DEIS has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 7 p.m. 
Displays will be available and representatives of the project team will 
be present at 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in the Baum Auditorium at 
Harbor Hospital, 3001 South Hanover Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21225. 
Please send written comments concerning this proposed project to U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Attn: Mr. Jon Romero, 
CENAB-OP-RMN, PO Box 1715, Baltimore, MD 21203-1715. You may submit 
electronic comments to [email protected]. Your comments must be 
contained in the body of your message; please do not send attached 
files. Please include your name and address in your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jon Romeo, (410) 962-6079.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS integrates analyses and consultation 
required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), section 10 of 
the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 401 and Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air 
Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. All appropriate documentation (i.e. 
section 7 and section 106 coordination letters and public and agency 
comments) will be obtained and included as part of the EIS. The 
decision on whether or not to issue a Department of the Army permit for 
this project will reflect the national concern for the protection and 
utilization of important resources. The benefits which may reasonably 
be expected to accrue from the proposal will be balanced against its 
reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors that may be relevant to 
the proposal will be considered. Among these are wetlands, fish and 
wildlife resources, cultural resources, land use, water and air 
quality, hazardous, toxic and radioactive substances, threatened and 
endangered species, regional geology, aesthetics, environmental 
justice, navigation, cumulative impacts, and the general needs and 
welfare of the public.

Vance G. Hobbs,
Chief, Maryland Section Northern.
[FR Doc. 06-4683 Filed 5-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-41-M