[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 131 (Friday, July 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 39523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16773]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-8991-4]


Notice of Intent: Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material 
Disposal Site (ODMDS) Off the Mouth of the St. Johns River, FL

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the designation of an ODMDS off the mouth of the St. Johns 
River, Florida.

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    Purpose: EPA has the authority to designate ODMDSs under Section 
102 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 
U.S.C. 1401 et seq.). It is EPA's policy to prepare a voluntary 
National Environmental Policy document for all ODMDS designations (63 
FR 58045, October 1998).
    For Further Information, to Submit Comments, and to be Placed On 
the Project Mailing List Contact: Mr. Christopher McArthur, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30303, phone 404-562-9391, e-mail: 
[email protected].
SUMMARY: EPA in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Jacksonville District (USACE) intends to prepare an EIS to designate a 
new ODMDS offshore the mouth of the St. Johns River. The EIS will 
provide the information necessary to evaluate the potential 
environmental impacts associated with ODMDS alternatives and identify a 
preferred alternative that meets EPA's site selection criteria at 40 
CFR 228.5 and 228.6.
    Need for Action: The USACE has requested that EPA designate an 
additional ODMDS, 4 square nautical miles in size, offshore the mouth 
of the St. Johns River for the disposal of dredged material from the 
Jacksonville Harbor Federal Navigation Project and from Naval Station 
Mayport. The need for an additional ODMDS is based on observed mounding 
at the existing Jacksonville ODMDS, capacity computer modeling results, 
and estimates of future proposed projects.
    Alternatives: The following proposed alternatives have been 
tentatively defined.
    1. No action. The no action alternative is defined as not 
designating an additional ocean disposal site. The existing 
Jacksonville ODMDS would reach capacity in 8 to 10 years.
    2. Expansion of the existing Jacksonville ODMDS. Expand the 
existing Jacksonville ODMDS to the south and east.
    3. South Alternative ODMDS. Designate an ODMDS 5.8 to 8.6 nautical 
miles southeast of St. Johns River entrance.
    4. North Alternative ODMDS. Designate an ODMDS 4.1 to 7.1 nautical 
miles northeast of St. Johns River entrance.
    Scoping: EPA is requesting written comments from federal, state, 
and local governments, industry, non-governmental organizations, and 
the general public on the range of alternatives considered, specific 
environmental issues to be evaluated in the EIS, and the potential 
impacts of the alternatives for an ODMDS designated offshore the mouth 
of the St. Johns River. Scoping comments will be accepted for 60 days, 
beginning with the date of this Notice. A public scoping meeting will 
be held in the Jacksonville, Florida area in August of 2010.
    Estimated Date of Draft EIS Release: September 2011.
    Responsible Official: A. Stanley Meiburg, Acting Regional 
Administrator, Region 4.

    Dated: July 1, 2010.
Susan E. Bromm,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 2010-16773 Filed 7-8-10; 8:45 am]
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