[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 57161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24092]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Navigation Improvements NEPA 
Scoping Meeting and Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: NEPA scoping meeting and public comment period.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as 
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to 
prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental 
impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the 
potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the 
Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels. If the USACE determines 
that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the 
USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement in the Federal Register.
    Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public 
are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, 
alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in 
the analysis.

DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted until October 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit NEPA scoping comments at the 
meeting and/or submit comments to David Schulte, USACE, via email/mail/
telephone at [email protected]/ATTN: David Schulte, 
Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, 
Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510/(757)201-7007. The 
project title and the commenter's contact information should be 
included with submitted comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Schulte, (757) 201-7007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USACE is the lead federal agency for 
this study and the Commonwealth of Virginia acting through its Agent, 
the Virginia Port Authority, will act as the non-federal sponsor for 
the study. The Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels are 
federally-improved channels extending from the Norfolk Harbor Channels 
extent near Lambert's Point to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth 
River. The Elizabeth River is a tributary of the James River, and is 
located near the confluence of the James River along its southern bank 
and the Chesapeake Bay mainstem. The land area surrounding the 
Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels includes the cities of 
Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.
    The study is anticipated to include an evaluation of a range of 
dimensions for the Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Navigation 
Channels. Specific planning objectives for the Elizabeth River and 
Southern Branch Navigation Improvements General Reevaluation Study 
include:
     Determine if commercial navigation benefits exist to 
justify additional deepening and potentially widening of the Elizabeth 
River and Southern Branch Channels;
     Examine the impact of increased channel system dimensions 
on the capacity of existing dredged material placement sites;
     Evaluate the impact of increased channel system dimensions 
on shoaling rates for existing and advance harbor maintenance needs;
     Examine the hydrodynamic and environmental effects of 
increased dimensions of the channel system and effects on adjacent 
shorelines;
     Identify environmental and cultural resources in the study 
area and potential impacts from increased channel system dimensions to 
those resources; and
     Identify the National Economic Development plan which most 
efficiently and safely accommodates existing and larger commercial ship 
and barge traffic while avoiding or minimizing impacts to environmental 
resources.
    Scoping/Public Involvement. A public NEPA scoping meeting will be 
held on September 24, 2015 from 6:00 p.m.--8:00 p.m. The NEPA scoping 
meeting will be held at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, 
Virginia Room, 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-24092 Filed 9-21-15; 8:45 am]
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