[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23669-23670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9627]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Public Hearing and Notice of Availability for the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Widening of the 
Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel, Jackson County, MS

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: On April 6, 2011, the Jackson County Port Authority (JCPA) 
submitted an application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), 
Mobile District, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) 
and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) for 
authorization to impact wetlands and other waters of the United States 
associated with the proposed widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/
Bayou Casotte Channel (the proposed project). The proposed project is 
located in the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte, Pascagoula, 
Jackson County, Mississippi (Latitude 30.365[deg] North, Longitude 
88.556[deg] West). The Corps prepared a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed project. The proposed project is the 
dredging of approximately 38,200 feet (7.2 miles) of the existing 
Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel segment to widen the 
channel from the Federally authorized width of 350 feet and depth of -
42 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) (with 2 feet of allowable over-
depth and 2 feet of advanced maintenance) to a width of 450 feet, 
parallel to the existing channel centerline and to the existing 
Federally authorized depth of -42 feet MLLW. The proposed project would 
include the placement of approximately 3.35

[[Page 23670]]

million cubic yards of dredged material resulting from the channel 
modification.

DATES: The Corps will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the 
DEIS. The public hearing will be held May 10, 2012, 6 p.m., Grand 
Magnolia Ballroom, 3604 Magnolia Street, Pascagoula, Mississippi.
    Written comments on the DEIS must be received no later than May 29, 
2012.
    Additional Information on how to submit comments is included in the 
(SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Written and emailed comments to the 
Corps will be received until May 29, 2012. Correspondence concerning 
this Public Hearing should refer to Public Notice Number SAM-2011-
00389-PAH and should be directed to the U.S. Army Engineer District, 
RD-C-M Attention: Mr. Philip Hegji, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, 
Alabama 36628-0001, via email at [email protected] or by 
phone at (251) 690-3222. We encourage any additional comments from 
interested public, agencies and local officials. For additional 
information about our Regulatory Program, please visit our web site at: 
www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Availability of the Draft EIS: The DEIS will 
be made available to the public April 13, 2012. The public hearing will 
be held May 10, 2012, during the 45-day public comment period for the 
DEIS.
    On April 6, 2011, the Jackson County Port Authority (JCPA) 
submitted an application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), 
Mobile District, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) 
and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) for 
authorization to impact wetlands and other waters of the United States 
associated with the proposed widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/
Bayou Casotte Channel (the proposed project), Jackson County. The 
proposed project is located in the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou 
Casotte, Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi (Latitude 30.365[deg] 
North, Longitude 88.556[deg] West).
    The Corps prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed 
project. The proposed project is the dredging of approximately 38,200 
feet (7.2 miles) of the existing Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte 
Channel segment to widen the channel from the Federally authorized 
width of 350 feet and depth of -42 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) 
(with 2 feet of allowable over-depth and 2 feet of advanced 
maintenance) to a width of 450 feet, parallel to the existing channel 
centerline and to the existing Federally authorized depth of -42 feet 
MLLW. The proposed project would include the placement of approximately 
3.35 million cubic yards of dredged material resulting from the channel 
modification.
    The JCPA requested a Department of the Army (DOA) permit pursuant 
to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 103 of the 
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act and Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act, including a Section 404(b)(1) analysis to help ensure 
compliance. The Corps is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of 
this DEIS in compliance with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the President's Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA. The National 
Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Coast Guard are cooperating 
agencies for the preparation of the EIS. This application was 
advertised by 30-day Public Notice April 15, 2011.
    On April 13, 2012, a copy of the DEIS will be available for public 
review. The DEIS is available to the public at: www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg. Hardcopies of the DEIS are available upon request from Mr. 
Philip A. Hegji, Corps Project Manager (contact information below). 
This document is being circulated to resource agencies and interested 
members of the public for a 45-day comment period ending May 29, 2012.
    A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 10, 2012, at 
the Grand Magnolia Ballroom at 3604 Magnolia Street, Pascagoula, 
Mississippi. The public hearing will be held to provide information 
about the proposed project and to receive public input and comments on 
the DEIS. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open 
communication on the issues surrounding the DEIS. In addition, 
participation by Federal, State, local agencies and other interested 
organizations is encouraged. Both oral and written statements will be 
accepted at the hearing. An informal open house will be held from 6 
p.m. until 7 p.m. in the Grand Magnolia Ballroom to allow the public 
the opportunity to become familiar with the proposed project prior to 
the start of the formal hearing. Displays of the proposed project and 
associated impacts will be available. Representatives from the JCPA 
will be present to answer questions concerning the project and Corps 
representatives will be available to answer questions concerning the 
Corps regulatory process.
    The public hearing will be conducted in English. Those in need of 
language interpreters should contact the Corps' Public Involvement 
consultant, Crouch Environmental Services at (713) 868-1043, by 
Thursday, May 3, 2012.
    Any comments received at the hearing will be considered by the 
Corps to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit 
for this proposed project. All comments will be considered in the final 
EIS pursuant to NEPA. Comments are also used to help determine the 
overall public interest of the proposed project. All comments must be 
received or postmarked by May 29, 2012 (19 days following the public 
hearing).

     Dated: April 5, 2012.
 Cindy J. House-Pearson,
 Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-9627 Filed 4-19-12; 8:45 am]
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