[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 174 (Thursday, September 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 46583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-21819]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Record of Decision for Norfolk Harbor Channel Dredging, 
Norfolk and Portsmouth, VA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (DON), after carefully weighing the 
operational and environmental consequences of the proposed action, 
announces its decision to deepen approximately five miles of Norfolk 
Harbor Channel, the Federal navigational channel in the Southern Branch 
of the Elizabeth River, separating Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. 
Dredging in the heavily-used waterway would occur from the Lamberts 
Point Deperming Station in the Lamberts Bend Reach, south to Naval 
Support Activity Norfolk Naval Shipyard, commonly referred to as the 
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), in the Lower Reach. Dredged material 
would be placed at The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Craney 
Island Dredged Material Management Area (CIDMMA). The deepening project 
will establish continuously safe and expeditious transit routes for 
U.S. Naval Ships to Lamberts Point Deperming Station and NNSY. Dredging 
would occur completely within the existing USACE-maintained federal 
navigation channel. In its decision, the Navy considered applicable 
executive orders, including an analysis of the effects of its actions 
in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, the Coastal Zone 
Management Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, and the 
requirements of Executive Order (EO) 12898, Federal Actions to Address 
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low Income 
Populations and EO 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental 
Health Risks and Safety Risks.
    The proposed action will be accomplished as set out in Alternative 
A, described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as the 
preferred alternative. Implementation of the preferred alternative 
could begin immediately.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Record of Decision (ROD) has been 
distributed to all those individuals who requested a copy of the Final 
EIS and agencies and organizations that received a copy of the Final 
EIS. The full text of the Navy's ROD is available for public viewing on 
the project Web site at http://www.norfolkdredgingeis.com, along with 
copies of the Final EIS and supporting documents. Single copies of the 
ROD will be made available upon request by contacting Ms. Caren 
Hendrickson, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, 
telephone 757-444-1030.

    Dated: September 3, 2009.
T. M. Cruz,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-21819 Filed 9-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P