[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11529-11531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04758]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the San Francisco Bay to 
Stockton (John F. Baldwin and Stockton Ship Channels) Navigation 
Improvement Study, San Francisco Bay, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) San Francisco 
District, the Port of Stockton, and the Contra Costa County Water 
Agency are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental 
Impact Report

[[Page 11530]]

(EIS/EIR) to evaluate the efficiency of the movement of goods along the 
existing deep-draft navigation route extending from the San Francisco 
Bay to the Port of Stockton. This Notice of Intent (NOI) represents a 
supplemental notice to the March 12, 2008, NOI released for the San 
Francisco Bay to Stockton Navigation Improvement Study. This 
supplemental NOI also provides an update to the description of the 
study and discusses current phasing of the project. Because of the 
amount of time that has passed since 2008, this supplemental NOI is 
being released to notify the public that work will begin on an EIS/EIR, 
which is anticipated to be issued for public review in 2016. This NOI 
also re-opens the public scoping period.
    The 2008 NOI discussed the project as a single navigation 
improvement study/project, proposing to deepen the John F. Baldwin 
channel from the West Richmond Channel to New York Slough Channel to a 
maximum depth of -45 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) and the Stockton 
Deep Water Ship Channel to a maximum depth of -40 feet MLLW.
    The forthcoming EIS/EIR proposes to reevaluate the unconstructed 
portions of the original project described in the 1965 Chief of 
Engineers Report (House Document 89-208) and authorized by the Rivers 
and Harbors Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-298), which will be referred to 
in the EIS/EIR as Phase I (or the proposed project). Additional study 
authority exists for the entire channel from San Francisco Bay to 
Stockton, provided by the 2014 United States Senate Committee on 
Environment and Public Works Committee Resolution and specifying 
``navigation, ecosystem restoration, flood risk reduction, and other 
water related resource purposes.'' This additional study authority will 
be discussed programmatically in the EIS/EIR.
    The study area for the overall project consists of two reaches: The 
Western Reach and Eastern Reach. The Western Reach extends from Central 
San Francisco Bay to Avon and includes the West Richmond Channel, 
Pinole Shoal Channel, and Bulls Head Reach portion of the Suisun Bay 
Channel. The Eastern Reach extends from Avon to the Port of Stockton 
and includes the remaining portions of the Suisun Bay Channel (east of 
Avon), New York Slough Channel, and the Stockton Deep Water Ship 
Channel. The Western Reach is authorized to a depth of -45 feet mean 
lower low water (MLLW), but is currently maintained to -35 feet MLLW. 
Additional deepening of the Eastern Reach requires separate 
Congressional authorization for construction.
    The forthcoming EIS/EIR for which this NOI is prepared proposes to 
separate the overall project into two separate phases (Phase I and 
Phase II) under a navigation improvement programmatic analysis. Under 
the programmatic analysis, two reaches and two phases are identified.
    Phase I of the study is a single purpose navigation improvement 
project to evaluate incremental deepening to a maximum depth of -40 
feet MLLW in the Western Reach. Phase II is a subsequent multipurpose 
navigation and ecosystem restoration study that would evaluate 
deepening the Eastern Reach to a maximum depth of -40 feet MLLW. Phase 
II will also revisit if further deepening of Western Reach up to its 
authorized depth of -45 feet MLLW is warranted. The Eastern Reach is 
maintained at its authorized depth of -35 feet MLLW, and any additional 
deepening in this reach will require a new project authorization 
through a subsequent Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).
    The EIS/EIR will include both a project-level feasibility analysis 
for implementation of Phase I and a programmatic-level analysis for 
Phase II. Analysis of Phase II will be conducted using only existing 
information (i.e., additional studies or data collection will not be 
conducted). Additional project-level feasibility analysis of Phase II 
will require execution of a separate Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement 
with the local sponsor and pending receipt of federal study funds.

DATES: Submit comments concerning this notice on or before April 4, 
2016. There will be no additional public meeting in conjunction with 
this scoping period.

ADDRESSES: Mail written comments concerning this notice to: U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, Planning Branch, ATTN: 
Cynthia J. Fowler, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398. 
Comment letters should include the commenter's physical mailing 
address, the project title, and the USACE file number in the subject 
line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia J. Fowler, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, San Francisco District, Planning Branch, 1455 Market Street, 
San Francisco CA 94103-1398, (415) 503-6870, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As previously mentioned, the USACE intends 
to prepare an EIS to reevaluate incremental deepening of the Western 
Reach and programmatically assess a multipurpose project involving 
deepening and ecosystem restoration in both the Western and Eastern 
Reaches. The Port of Stockton is the lead agency and local sponsor in 
preparing the EIR. The USACE and the Port of Stockton have agreed to 
jointly prepare an EIS/EIR to optimize efficiency and avoid 
duplication. The EIS/EIR is intended to be sufficient in scope to 
address the federal, state, and local requirements and environmental 
issues concerning the proposed activities and permit approvals.
    Project Area and Background Information: The San Francisco Bay to 
Stockton Navigation Improvement Project includes the John F. Baldwin 
and Stockton Ship Channels, which extend 75 nautical miles from the 
Pacific Ocean, just outside the Golden Gate, to the Port of Stockton. 
Modern vessels crossing the channels can require up to 55 feet of draft 
when fully laden. Given that these channels are maintained at -35 feet 
MLLW, most vessels must be ``light-loaded'' (i.e., less than fully 
loaded with cargo) to navigate the channels with sufficient under-keel 
clearance. Light-loading increases the cost of transportation and, in 
turn, the cost of the shipped products because more trips must be made 
to carry the same volume of cargo. Light-loading is also inefficient, 
requiring more ships to carry cargo than if ships could travel with 
full loads.
    The study area includes the entire extent of the federal navigation 
channels occurring in the Western and Eastern reaches, which are 
defined as follows:
    Western Reach. This area includes the West Richmond Channel, Pinole 
Shoal Channel, Carquinez Strait, and the Bulls Head Reach portion of 
the Suisun Bay Channel. Avon (just east of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge) 
separates the Western Reach from the Eastern Reach. Western Reach is 
currently maintained at -35 feet MLLW, although the channels have an 
authorized depth of -45 feet MLLW.
    Eastern Reach. This area includes the remaining portions of the 
Suisun Bay Channel (i.e., Suisun Bay Channel east of Avon and New York 
Slough) and all of the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel (DWSC). The 
Eastern Reach is also maintained at a depth of -35 feet MLLW.
    The Phase I project-level alternatives described below are 
anticipated to be analyzed in the Draft EIS/EIR. Phase II will be 
evaluated at a programmatic level because of uncertainties associated 
with its scope, size, and other details.
    No Action, in which dredging to deepen the Western Reach would not 
occur and all construction-related

[[Page 11531]]

activities would be avoided. Maintenance dredging would continue 
annually or on an as-needed basis and the federal standard placement 
sites would continue to be used.
    Deepening to -37 feet MLLW, which would deepen the Western Reach to 
a depth of -37 feet MLLW with up to 2 feet of overdepth for a maximum 
depth of -39 feet MLLW. To account for rapid shoaling, an approximately 
800-foot long sediment trap would be constructed at Bulls Head Reach by 
dredging up to an additional 6 feet (including 2 feet of overdepth) to 
-43 feet MLLW.
    Deepening to -38 feet MLLW, which would deepen the Western Reach to 
a depth of -38 feet MLLW with up to 2 feet of overdepth for a maximum 
depth of -40 feet MLLW. Under this alternative, an approximately 800-
foot long sediment trap at Bulls Head Reach would be constructed by 
dredging up to an additional 6 feet (including 2 feet of overdepth) to 
-44 feet MLLW.
    Under both deepening alternatives, dredged material is expected to 
be placed at one or more permitted and economically feasible beneficial 
reuse sites.
    Purpose and Need: The purpose of the Phase I study is to evaluate 
more efficient deep-draft navigation via incremental deepening of the 
Western Reach in a manner that minimizes adverse environmental effects. 
A potential subsequent Phase II multipurpose project involving 
deepening and ecosystem restoration in both the Western and Eastern 
Reaches will also be discussed programmatically. The purpose of Phase 
II is also to evaluate efficient deep-draft navigation and beneficial 
use opportunities using material generated from the deepening project. 
The need for the Phase I and Phase II studies is to address vessel 
restrictions imposed by the existing channel depths, which are 
inadequate to accommodate vessels with drafts exceeding -35 feet MLLW.
    Issues: The detailed environmental analysis will consider the 
effect of maintaining or deepening the Western Reach on biological 
resources, sediments, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, climate 
change, water quality, geology, sediments, hydraulics and hydrology, 
hazards, noise, utilities, navigation, environmental justice, 
transportation, land use, cultural and historic resources, aesthetics, 
recreation, and socioeconomic effects, as well as cumulative impacts 
and other specific potential environmental issues of concern. Where 
existing information is sufficiently available, the EIS/EIR will also 
consider the effects of both phases.
    Scoping Process: The USACE is seeking participation of all 
interested federal, state, and local agencies, Native American groups, 
and other concerned private organizations or individuals through this 
public notice. The purpose of the public scoping period is to solicit 
comments regarding the potential impacts, environmental issues, and 
alternatives associated with the proposed action to be considered in 
the Draft EIS/EIR; identify other significant issues; provide other 
relevant information; and recommend mitigation measures. The public 
comment period is anticipated to run from March 4 to April 4, 2016.
    The public will have an additional opportunity to comment once the 
Draft EIS/EIR is released, which is anticipated to be in the summer of 
2016. The USACE will announce availability of the Draft EIS/EIR in the 
Federal Register and other media, and the USACE and Port of Stockton 
will provide a 45-day review period for the public, organizations, and 
agencies to review and comment on the Draft EIS/EIR. All interested 
parties should respond to this notice and provide a current address if 
they wish to be notified of the Draft EIS/EIR circulation.

John C. Morrow,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2016-04758 Filed 3-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P