[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 38 (Friday, February 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8915-8917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4203]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Final Supplement to the Environmental Impact Statement To 
Evaluate Construction of Authorized Improvements to the Gulfport Harbor 
Federal Navigation Project in Harrison County, MS

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice of availability announces the public release of 
the Final Supplement to the Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to 
evaluate construction of authorized improvements to the Gulfport Harbor 
Federal navigation project in Harrison County, MS. The Mobile District, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)

[[Page 8916]]

published in the Federal Register, March 31, 2006, (71 FR 16294) a 
Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft SEIS to address the potential 
impacts associated with construction of authorized improvements to the 
Federal Gulfport Harbor navigation project in Harrison County, MS. The 
Corps published in the Federal Register, February 9, 2007, (72 FR 6224) 
a Notice of Availability of the Draft SEIS. Comments were received and 
incorporated into the Final SEIS. The Final SEIS will be used as a 
basis for ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA). The Corps' proposed action in the Final SEIS includes 
widening the Federally authorized Mississippi Sound channel to 300 feet 
and the Bar channel to 400 feet. In addition, disposal of the 
associated dredged material would be placed beneficially in water 
depths of 25 feet or greater east of the Chandeleur Islands and 
material dredged from within the Ship Island Pass (littoral zone) would 
be placed in the existing littoral zone disposal area in water depths 
between 14 feet and 18 feet. Future maintenance material dredged from 
the navigation channel would be placed in open-water sites within 
Mississippi Sound utilizing thin-layer disposal methods, the existing 
littoral zone disposal area, and within the existing Ocean Dredged 
Material Disposal Sites.

ADDRESSES: To receive an electronic copy of the Final SEIS or to submit 
comments, contact U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, 
Planning Division, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001. A copy of the 
full document may also be viewed at the Public Library in Gulfport, 
Mississippi.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the Final SEIS should be addressed to Ms. Jennifer L. Jacobson, 
Chief, Coastal Environment Team, phone (251) 690-2724, Mobile District, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628 or e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Gulfport Harbor is located in Harrison County, MS on Mississippi 
Sound about equidistant (80 miles) from New Orleans, LA, and Mobile, 
AL. The existing project was adopted by the River and Harbor Act 
approved July 3, 1930 (House Document number 692, 69th Congress, 2nd 
Session) and the River and Harbor Act approved June 30, 1948 (House 
Document Number 112, 81st Congress, 1st Session). Construction of the 
existing Federal project commenced in 1932, and was completed in 1950. 
The River and Harbor Act approved July 3, 1958 (Senate Document Number 
123, 84th Congress, 2nd Session) adopted the small boat harbor as part 
of the existing Federal project. Deepening improvements to the existing 
Federal project at Gulfport Harbor was authorized in the Supplemental 
Appropriations Act of 1985 (Pub. L. 99-88), which was approved on 
August 15, 1985. The project was also authorized in the Water Resources 
Development Act (WRDA) of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-662), which was approved 
November 17, 1986, and provided for development to deepen and widen the 
existing ship channel 36 feet by 300 feet in Mississippi Sound, and 38 
feet by 400 feet across the bar, with changes in the channel alignment 
and entrance to the anchorage basin for safe and unrestricted 
navigation.
    The 1976 Feasibility Report considered a number of improvement 
plans, such as widening the Mississippi Sound channel to 300 feet at 
the existing 30-foot depth and deepening the channel in 2-foot 
increments to a maximum depth of 36 feet. In addition, widening the 
channel across the bar into the Gulf of Mexico to 400 feet at the 
existing 32-foot depth and deepening the channel in 2-foot increments 
to a maximum depth of 38 feet were also evaluated. The Corps analyzed 
realignment of the Ship Island channel, adjustment of the turning 
basin's width, and enlargement of the channel entrance into the turning 
basin. A number of disposal options were considered including: open-
water alongside of the channels, island creation within Mississippi 
Sound, and use of specially designed equipment to transport the dredged 
material to sites within the Gulf of Mexico. The 1976 Feasibility 
Report recommended enlarging the Bar channel to 38 feet by 400 feet 
from the 38-foot depth contour in the Gulf of Mexico for a distance of 
about 9.1 miles to a point in Mississippi Sound near the western end of 
Ship Island; and enlarging the Mississippi Sound channel to 36 feet by 
300 feet for a distance of about 11.8 miles between the inner end of 
the Gulf Entrance channel and the turning basin at Gulfport; realigning 
the Bar channel through Ship Island Pass to a location generally 
parallel to and about 1,000 feet west of that presently authorized, 
with a deposition basin for littoral drift 38 feet deep, 300 feet wide 
and 2,000 feet long adjacent to the east side of the channel at the 
west end of Ship Island; and enlarging and adjusting the dimensions of 
the turning basin and channel entrance by extending the southern limits 
of the basin seaward about 1,180 feet along the west pier and 2,300 
feet along the west side of the Ship channel, decreasing the width of 
the turning basin from 1,320 feet, as presently authorized, to 1,120 
feet, and deepening the basin and adjusted channel approach to 36 feet. 
Improvements of the Gulfport Harbor navigation project was initially 
authorized by the Fiscal Year 1985 Supplemental Appropriations Act 
(Pub. L. 99-88) in accordance with the 1976 Feasibility Report. As a 
result of this authorization, studies were initiated relative to the 
island construction within the Sound and the impacts of thin-layer 
disposal of new work material. This initial authorization was 
subsequently modified by the WRDA of 1986. A revised Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), circulated in 1988, considered 
widening and deepening the existing Gulfport Harbor navigation channel 
to the authorized dimensions. In addition, five alignments for the 
channel segment through Ship Island Pass were also considered. Material 
from the construction and maintenance of the project were to be 
disposed of in the ocean sites. The WRDA of 1988 further modified the 
authorized project to include disposing of construction material via 
thin-layer disposal in Mississippi Sound under a demonstration program. 
The maintenance material would be disposed of in Mississippi Sound 
under a plan developed by the Secretary approved by the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Corps published an EIS in 
June 1989 evaluating deepening and widening Gulfport Harbor with 
subsequent placement via thin-layer and ocean disposal. The Final SEIS 
uses the 1989 EIS as a reference during its evaluation of constructing 
Gulfport Harbor to the authorized project dimension. The Final SEIS 
evaluates any new conditions that were not previously addressed in the 
1989 EIS.
    2. Alternative scenarios considered include the ``No action'' 
alternative and widening to the Federally authorized dimension of 300 
feet in the Mississippi Sound channel and 400 feet in the Bar channel. 
In addition, an array of disposal options were evaluated for placement 
of dredged material associated with construction of the project to its 
authorized dimension including future maintenance material. As a 
comment to the Draft SEIS, the Corps received requests from Louisiana 
Department of Natural Resources (DNR), dated June 19, 2007, Mississippi 
Department of Marine Resources, dated

[[Page 8917]]

June 29, 2007, and St. Bernard Parish, dated April 2, 2007, to consider 
beneficial use of dredged material associated with Gulfport Harbor 
construction within the vicinity of Chandeleur and Cat Islands. Based 
on these discussions, a new alternative has been evaluated in the Final 
SEIS. This alternative considers beneficial placement of material 
dredged during construction of Gulfport Harbor to its authorized 
dimension in water depths of 25 feet or greater east of the Chandeleur 
Islands. Future maintenance material dredged from the navigation 
channel would be placed in open-water sites within Mississippi Sound 
utilizing thin-layer disposal methods, the existing littoral zone 
disposal area, and within the existing Ocean Dredged Material Disposal 
Sites.
    3. Public comments can be submitted through a variety of methods. 
Written comments may be submitted to the Corps by mail, facsimile, or 
electronic methods. The public comment period for the Final SEIS will 
extend through March 29, 2009.

    Dated: February 18, 2009.
Curtis M. Flakes,
Chief, Planning and Environmental Division.
[FR Doc. E9-4203 Filed 2-26-09; 8:45 am]
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