[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 140 (Thursday, July 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43685-43686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18417]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9442-4]


Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS) in 
the Gulf of Mexico Off the Mouth of the Atchafalaya River, St. Mary 
Parish, LA

AGENCY: Region 6, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the designation of an ODMDS in the Gulf of Mexico off the 
mouth of the Atchafalaya River, St. Mary Parish, LA.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. EPA, Region 6, in accordance with EPA's October 29, 
1998 Notice of Policy and Procedures for Voluntary Preparation of 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents (63 FR 58045), and 
in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans 
District (the Corps), will prepare an EIS for the designation of an 
ODMDS in the Gulf of Mexico off the mouth of the Atchafalaya River, St. 
Mary Parish, Louisiana. An EIS is needed to provide the information 
necessary to designate an ODMDS. This Notice of Intent is issued 
Pursuant to Section 102(c) of the Marine Protection, Research and 
Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA), and 40 CFR Part 228 (Criteria for the 
Management of Disposal Sites for Ocean Dumping).

DATES: Comments or names for the project mailing list must be submitted 
in writing on or before August 22, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments and/or names to be placed on the project mailing 
list should be sent to Jessica Franks, PhD, U. S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202-
2733, telephone (214) 665-8335 or e-mail: [email protected] or Mr. 
John F. Fiorentino, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 
Coastal Environmental Compliance Section, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70160-0267, telephone (504) 862-1318 or e-mail: 
[email protected]. Additional information is available on 
the EPA Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/ecopro/current_action.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Franks, PhD at (214) 665-8335 
or Mr. John Fiorentino at (504) 862-1318.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atchafalaya River and the Atchafalaya 
River Bar Channel (ARBC), located within the Federally-authorized and 
maintained Atchafalaya River and Bayous Chene, Boeuf, and Black, 
Louisiana project, provide vessel access to Morgan City, the Gulf 
Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), and Bayous Chene, Boeuf, and Black from 
the Gulf of Mexico.
    The ARBC is located in an area of heavy sedimentation. The bed load 
fraction of the sediment carried by the Atchafalaya River is deposited 
mainly in Atchafalaya Bay, resulting in delta accretion and 
progradation. The ARBC must receive periodic maintenance dredging to 
ensure safe navigation. Shoal material that could not be used 
beneficially has been placed (prior to 2002) at an existing MPRSA 
Section 102(c) ODMDS on the east side of the channel (the ODMDS-East). 
Concern has been expressed, and Corps studies have shown, that 
maintenance-dredged material--especially fluid mud, or ``fluff''--
placed on the east side of the ARBC (particularly at the ODMDS-East) is 
rapidly transported back into the navigation channel by prevailing 
littoral currents.
    Since 2002, shoal material from the ARBC not suitable for 
beneficial use has been placed at a temporary (i.e., 5-year) ODMDS on 
the west side of the channel (the ODMDS-West) under the authority of 
MPRSA Section 103(b). In 2007, the Corps requested, and received from 
EPA Region 6, a 5-year extension for the continued use of the MPRSA 
Section 103(b) ODMDS-West. The approval for ODMDS-West use is scheduled 
to expire in August 2012, at which time it can no longer receive shoal 
material dredged from the ARBC unless it is re-designated as a MPRSA 
Section 102(c) site by EPA.
    Following the MPRSA Section 103(b) designation of the ODMDS-West in 
2002, the Corps Engineering Research and Development Center, performed 
monitoring studies to determine if placing maintenance-dredged material 
on the west side of the ARBC was more effective at reducing shoaling in 
the channel, thus, reducing the dredging frequency and costs. These 
studies found that while placing material on the west side of the ARBC 
did not eliminate shoaling, it did reduce the rate of shoal material 
runback into the channel, when compared to placing material on the east

[[Page 43686]]

side of the channel. These findings were corroborated by the results of 
more recent studies on sediment transport in the project area performed 
on behalf of the Corps in 2006.
    Need for Action: The Corps has requested the permanent, Section 
102(c) designation of the ODMDS-West for the disposal of maintenance-
dredged material from the ARBC when ocean disposal is the preferred 
disposal alternative. Placement of dredged material at the ODMDS-West 
would reduce the amount and rate of shoal material runback into the 
ARBC (i.e., reduce the shoaling rate), and thus, decrease the overall 
annual maintenance dredging effort needed for the ARBC while providing 
vessels with a longer period of safe navigation access between 
maintenance dredging events. An EIS is required to provide the 
necessary information to evaluate alternatives and designate the 
preferred ODMDS.
    Alternatives: ``No action'' alternative. The no action alternative 
is defined as not designating an ocean disposal site. Additional 
alternatives under consideration include: Non-ocean (beneficial use) 
placement alternatives; Nearshore Area Disposal Site; Mid-shelf Area 
Disposal Site; and a Deepwater Area Disposal Site.
    Scoping: Scoping will be accomplished by correspondence with 
affected Federal, State, and local agencies, and with anticipated 
interested parties. Appropriate Federal, State, and local entities will 
be invited to participate as a cooperating agency. Scoping will be 
initiated with the distribution of a scoping input request letter. If, 
based on the results of the comments received from the public scoping 
letter, there are identified significant interests and concerns 
expressed by the public, a public meeting may be needed.
    Estimated Date of Release: The Draft EIS will be made available in 
December 2011.

    Dated: July 8, 2011.
Al Armendariz,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2011-18417 Filed 7-20-11; 8:45 am]
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