[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 102 (Friday, May 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30393-30394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4881]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Residential, Commercial, and Marine Development Along the Gulf 
Intracoastal Waterway

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
address the potential impacts associated with mixed-use waterfront 
development along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) in Baldwin 
County, AL, specifically the stretch known as the ``Foley Land Cut''. 
The Corps will be evaluating 14 separate permit applications for the 
proposed work under the authority of Section 10 of the Rivers and 
Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The EIS will be 
used as a basis for ensuring compliance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the DEIS should be addressed to Mr. Michael B. Moxey, Regulatory 
Division, phone (251) 694-3771 or e-mail at 
[email protected], or Dr. Susan Ivester Rees, Coastal 
Environment Team, phone (251) 694-4141 or e-mail at 
[email protected], Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. The permit applications propose construction of 14 mixed-use 
developments along the GIWW consisting of the following: in excess of 
5,644 condominium units, 1,780 wet boat slips, 1,822 dry boat storage 
spaces, various commercial establishments, support facilities, and 
various resort amenities. The projects will be located in South Baldwin 
County on 14 parcels of land, of which 13 parcels are located along the 
northern shore of the GIWW and are generally bounded to the north by 
Baldwin County Road 4. The only other parcel of land proposed for 
development is located on Oyster Bay to the south of the GIWW. The 
portions of the properties fronting the GIWW are expected to be used 
for water based developments and include marinas, ship stores, and 
associated infrastructure. The remaining portions of the properties are 
expected to accommodate mixed-use development and include condominium 
units, amenities such as pools, boardwalks, and restroom facilities, 
and light commercial outlets. Construction of the proposed projects 
will require excavation of or placement of fill in approximately 12.6 
acres of adjacent wetlands, bulkheads for shore protection, and 
dredging of waterbottoms.
    2. The ``Foley Land Cut'' (FLC) of the GIWW in Alabama extends from 
Wolf Bay in the east to Oyster Bay in the west. The authorization for 
the construction of this part of the GIWW was enacted in the Rivers and 
Harbors Act of July 3, 1930, as part of the Pensacola Bay to Mobile Bay 
segment of the GIWW. Easements for construction of the channel (9' x 
100' at that time) were acquired in the 1932 time frame, and the FLC 
part of the Pensacola Bay to Mobile Bay GIWW segment was completed 
(constructed) in 1934. The FLC is approximately 10 miles long with the 
Corps holding easements fronting the majority of the FLC and maintains 
disposal areas for Federal channel maintenance dredging. The property 
fronting the FLC historically has been developed for light industrial 
use to support the commercial waterways users. However, the western end 
of the land cut near Oyster Bay supports single family residences on 
the southern shore and a condominium marina complex (100 wet boat 
slips) located on the north shoreline. The majority of the FLC is now 
rezoned to marina resort from single residential family and/or light 
industrial use.
    3. Alternatives to the applicants' proposals may exist which would 
reduce impacts to the GIWW and surrounding aquatic environment. These 
could include reducing the number of boat slips associated with each 
development, restricting the number of boat slips in particular areas 
along the GIWW, pursuing alternate site layouts that may have less 
impacts on the aquatic environment.
    4. Scoping: a. The Corps invites full public participation to 
promote open communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All 
Federal, State, and local agencies, and other persons or organizations 
that have an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping 
process. Public meetings will be held to help identify significant 
issues and to receive public input and comment.
    b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and 
environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the proposed 
project and alternatives. Specifically, the following major issues will 
be analyzed in the DEIS: Hydrologic and hydraulic regimes, threatened 
and endangered species, essential fish habitat and other marine 
habitat, air quality, cultural resources, wastewater treatment 
capacities and discharges, drainage discharges, transportation systems, 
alternatives, secondary and cumulative impacts, socioeconomic impacts, 
environmental justice (effect on minorities and low-income groups) 
(Executive Order 12898), and protection of children (Executive Order 
13045).
    c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the 
preparation of the DEIS. It is anticipated that the following agencies 
will be invited and will accept cooperating agency status for the 
preparation of the DEIS: U.S. Environmental Protection agency, U.S. 
Department of the Interior--Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department 
of Commerce--National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Alabama 
Department of Environmental Management, Alabama Department of 
Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Department of 
Transportation, and Alabama State Historic Preservation Officer, City 
of Gulf Shores, and the City of Orange Beach.
    5. The first scoping meeting will be held in mid-June in Gulf 
Shores or Orange Beach, Alabama.

[[Page 30394]]

    6. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for 
public review in December 2006.

David S. Hobbie,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 06-4881 Filed 5-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-CR-M