[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 189 (Monday, September 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56565-56566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22764]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Availability of a Final Integrated Feasibility Report and 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island 
Ecosystem Restoration Project in Dorchester County, on Maryland's 
Eastern Shore

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE), Baltimore District has prepared a Final Integrated Feasibility 
Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Mid-Chesapeake 
Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project in Dorchester County, on 
Maryland's Eastern Shore. Approximately 90 to 95 million cubic yards of 
material, primarily dredged during maintenance of the Chesapeake Bay 
approach channels to Baltimore Harbor, would be placed behind dikes at 
James Island. Material placed at Barren Island would be from authorized 
maintenance dredging of Federal navigation channels in the Honga River. 
After placement, the material would be shaped and planted to provide 
2,144 acres of island habitat at James and Barren Islands as well as 
protect existing island ecosystem habitat, including critical submerged 
aquatic vegetation. A Record of Decision may be signed no earlier than 
30 days after the EPA Notice of Availability for the Final document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Baltimore District, Attn: Dr. Angie Sowers at CENAB-PL-P, P.O. Box 
1715, Baltimore, MD 21203-1715, electronically at 
[email protected] or by telephone at (410) 962-7440 or (800) 
295-1610.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Mid-Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem Restoration 
was one of three actions specifically recommended by the USACE-
Baltimore District's, Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) and Final 
Tiered Environmental Impact Statement (December 2005). The USACE is 
making the Final Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration 
Integrated Feasibility Report and EIS known through a Notice of 
Availability published in the Federal Register. The recommendations of 
the draft Mid-Chesapeake Bay report and EIS are:
     Construction of a 2,072-acre fill area at James Island, 
consisting of approximately 55 percent tidal wetland habitat and 45 
percent upland island habitat;
     Construction and backfilling of sills at Barren Island to 
protect both the current acreage of the island and the adjacent 
submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV)/shallow water habitat, providing 
approximately 72 acres of wetland habitat on the northern and western 
portions of the island; and
     If deemed necessary to protect the SAV, construction at 
Barren Island of a maximum of 8,200 feet of breakwater extending South 
from the southern tip of the existing island at a maximum height of 
plus 6 feet MLLW. The Draft and Final Integrated Feasibility reports 
and EISs have been prepared in accordance with (1) NEPA of 1969, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of 
NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and (3) USACE regulations implementing 
NEPA (ER-200-2-2).
     James and Barren Islands have been identified by the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, and other natural resource management 
agencies as a valuable nesting and nursery area for many species of 
wildlife, including bald eagles, diamondback terrapins, and potentially 
horseshoe crabs. The project would restore James Island and protect 
Barren Island from further erosion. The reports and EISs document the 
NEPA compliance and information specific to the actions for the 
proposed Mid-Chesapeake Bay project.
    You may view the EIS and related information on the USACE Web page 
at http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/publications/non-reg_pub.htm. USACE 
has distributed copies of the Final Integrated Feasibility Report and 
EIS to appropriate members of Congress, State and local government 
officials, Federal agencies, and other interested parties. Copies are 
also available for public review at the following locations:
    Copies are available for public review at the following public 
reading rooms:
    (1) Corbin Memorial Library, 4 East Main Street, Crisfield, MD 
21817.
    (2) Dorchester County Public Library, 303 Gay Street, Cambridge, MD 
21613.
    (3) Kent County Public Library, 408 High Street, Chestertown, MD 
21620.
    (4) Maryland State Law Library, Court of Appeals Building, 361 Rowe 
Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401.
    (5) Queen Anne's County Public Library, Stevensville Branch, 200 
Library Circle, Stevensville, MD 21666.

[[Page 56566]]

    (6) Somerset County Library, 11767 Beechwood Street, Princess Anne, 
MD 21853.
    (7) Talbot County Public Library, Easton Branch, 100 West Dover 
Street, Easton, MD 21601.
    (8) Wicomico County Free Library, 122 S. Division Street, 
Salisbury, MD 21801.
    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a draft EIS was published by 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register 
on January 17, 2003 (68 FR 2532). USACE filed the Draft document with 
EPA on September 1, 2006 for the publication of a Notice of 
Availability in the September 8, 2006 Federal Register. Two public 
meetings were held on the Draft EIS and Report.

Amy M. Guise,
Chief, Civil Project Development Branch.
[FR Doc. E8-22764 Filed 9-26-08; 8:45 am]
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