[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52264-52265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21282]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) and the Announcement of a Public Hearing for the 
Installation of a Terminal Groin Structure at the Eastern End of Holden 
Beach, Extending into the Atlantic Ocean, West of Lockwood Folly Inlet 
(Brunswick County, NC)

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Wilmington District, 
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office has received a request for 
Department of the Army authorization, pursuant to Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbor Act, from the 
Town of Holden Beach to install a terminal groin structure on the east 
end of Holden Beach, extending into the Atlantic Ocean, just west of 
Lockwood Folly Inlet.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS will be received until 5 p.m., 
October 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Copies of comments and questions regarding the DEIS may be 
submitted to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Wilmington 
District, Regulatory Division, c/o Mrs. Emily Hughes. ATTN: File Number 
SAW-2011-01914, 69 Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, NC 28403.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be directed to Mrs. Emily Hughes, Wilmington Regulatory 
Field Office, telephone: (910) 251-4635, facsimile (910) 251-4025, or 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Project Description. The Town of Holden Beach is seeking Federal 
and State authorization for construction of a terminal groin, and 
associated beach fillet with required long-term maintenance, to be 
located at the eastern end of Holden Beach. The proposed terminal groin 
and beach fillet is the Town's Applicant Preferred alternative 
(Alternative 6--Intermediate Terminal Groin and Beach Nourishment) of 
six alternatives considered in this document. Under the Applicant's 
preferred alternative, the main stem of the terminal groin would 
include a 700-foot long segment extending seaward from the toe of the 
primary dune and a

[[Page 52265]]

300-foot anchor segment extending landward from the toe of the primary 
dune. The groin would also include a 120-ft-long shore-parallel T-Head 
segment centered on the seaward terminus of the main stem designed to 
prevent flanking. This is expected to have more of a stabilizing effect 
on the shoreline and minimize formation of potential offshore rip 
currents and sand losses during extreme wave conditions.
    The seaward section of the groin would be constructed with loosely 
placed 4- to 5-ft-diameter granite armor stone to facilitate the 
movement of sand past the structure, and would have a crest width of ~5 
ft and a base width of ~40 ft, while the underlying geo-textile base 
layer would have a slightly greater width of ~45 ft. The shore 
anchorage segment would be entirely buried at the completion of groin 
construction and would remain buried so long as the position of the MHW 
line remains seaward of the initial post-construction primary dune 
line. The intermediate groin would be designed to be a relatively low-
profile structure to maximize sand overpassing and to minimize impacts 
to beach recreation and aesthetics.
    The proposed terminal groin is one of four such structures approved 
by the General Assembly to be constructed in North Carolina following 
passing of Senate Bill (SB) 110. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE) determined that there is sufficient information to conclude 
that the project would result in significant adverse impact on the 
human environment, and has prepared a DEIS pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate the environmental effects 
of the alternatives considering the project's purpose and need. The 
purpose and need of the proposed Holden Beach East End Shore Protection 
Project is to provide shoreline protection that would mitigate ongoing 
chronic erosion on the eastern portion on the Town's oceanfront 
shoreline so as to preserve the integrity of its public infrastructure, 
provide protection to existing development, and ensure the continued 
public use of the oceanfront beach along this area.
    2. Issues. There are several potential environmental and public 
interest issues that are addressed in the DEIS. Public interest issues 
include, but are not limited to, the following: public safety, 
aesthetics, recreation, navigation, infrastructure, economics, and 
noise pollution. Additional issues may be identified during the public 
review process. Issues initially identified as potentially significant 
include:
    a. Potential impacts to marine biological resources (burial of 
benthic organisms, passageway for fish and other marine life) and 
Essential Fish Habitat.
    b. Potential impacts to threatened and endangered marine mammals, 
reptiles, birds, fish, and plants.
    c. Potential for effects/changes to Holden Beach, Oak Island, 
Lockwood Folly inlet, and the AIWW respectively.
    d. Potential impacts to navigation.
    e. Potential effects on federal navigation maintenance regimes, 
including the Federal project.
    f. Potential effects of shoreline protection.
    g. Potential impacts on public health and safety.
    h. Potential impacts to recreational and commercial fishing.
    i. Potential impacts to cultural resources.
    j. Potential impacts to future dredging and nourishment activities.
    3. Alternatives. Six alternatives are being considered for the 
proposed project. These alternatives, including the No Action 
alternative, were further formulated and developed during the scoping 
process and are considered in the DEIS. A summary of alternatives under 
consideration are provided below:
    a. Alternative 1--No Action (Continue Current Management 
Practices);
    b. Alternative 2--Abandon and Retreat;
    c. Alternative 3--Beach Nourishment Only;
    d. Alternative 4--Inlet Management and Beach Nourishment;
    e. Alternative 5--Short Terminal Groin with Beach Nourishment;
    f. Alternative 6--Intermediate Terminal Groin with Beach 
Nourishment/Applicants Preferred Alternative.
    4. Scoping Process. Project Review Team meetings were held to 
receive comments and assess concerns regarding the appropriate scope 
and preparation of the DEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and 
other interested organizations and persons participated in these 
Project Review Team meetings.
    The Corps will initiate consultation with the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service pursuant to the Endangered Species Act and the 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. The Corps will also consult with 
the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act and Endangered Species Act. The Corps will coordinate with the 
State Department of Cultural Resources pursuant to Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act.
    Potential water quality concerns will be addressed pursuant to 
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act through coordination with the North 
Carolina Divisions of Coastal Management (DCM) and Water Resources 
(DWR). This coordination will ensure consistency with the Coastal Zone 
Management Act and project compliance with water quality standards. The 
Corps has coordinated closely with DCM in the development of the DEIS 
to ensure the process complies with State Environmental Policy Act 
(SEPA) requirements, as well as the NEPA requirements. The DEIS has 
been designed to consolidate both NEPA and SEPA processes to eliminate 
duplications.
    5. Availability of the DEIS. The DEIS has been published and 
circulated. The DEIS for the proposal can be found at the following 
link:http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryPermitProgram/MajorProjects under Holden Beach Terminal Groin--Corps ID # SAW-2011-
01914. The public is invited to attend, and/or comment at, a public 
hearing to be held at the Holden Beach Town Hall, located at 110 
Rothschild St, Holden Beach, NC 28462, on September 24, 2015 at 6:00 
p.m.

    Dated: August 21, 2015.
Henry M. Wicker, Jr.,
Deputy Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-21282 Filed 8-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P