[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 83 (Friday, April 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25659-25660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09997]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) for the Installation of a Terminal Groin Structure at 
the Eastern End of Ocean Isle Beach, Extending Into the Atlantic Ocean, 
West of Shallotte 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 Ocean Isle Beach to install a terminal groin structure on the 
east side of Ocean Isle Beach, extending into the Atlantic Ocean, just 
west of Shallotte Inlet. The structure will be designed to function in 
concert with the Federal storm damage reduction project.

DATES: The public commenting period on the FEIS will end at 5 p.m., May 
31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Copies of comments and questions regarding the FEIS may be 
submitted to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Wilmington 
District, Regulatory Division, c/o Mr. Tyler Crumbley. ATTN: File 
Number SAW-2011-01241, 69 Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, NC 28403.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and FEIS can be directed to Mr. Tyler Crumbley, Wilmington Regulatory 
Field Office, telephone: (910) 251-4170, facsimile (910) 251-4025, or 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Project Description. The Town of Ocean Isle Beach is seeking 
Federal and State authorization for construction of a terminal groin, 
and associated beach fillet with required maintenance, to be located at 
the eastern end of Ocean Isle Beach. The proposed terminal groin and 
beach fillet is the Town's preferred alternative (#5) of five 
alternatives considered in this document. Under the preferred 
alternative, the terminal groin would extend 750-feet seaward, and 300-
feet shoreward, of the April 2007 mean high water shoreline. The 
seaward section would be constructed with loosely placed armor stone to 
facilitate the movement of sand past the structure. The shoreward 
anchorage section would be constructed with sheet pile which would have 
a top elevation varying from +4.9 feet NAVD to +4.5 feet NAVD.
    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 an FEIS 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 terminal groin and beach fillet is to 
provide shoreline protection that would mitigate chronic erosion on the 
eastern portion on the Town's oceanfront shoreline so as to preserve 
the integrity of its infrastructure, provide protection to existing 
development, and ensure the continued use of the oceanfront beach along 
this area.
    2. Issues. There are several potential environmental and public 
interest issues that are addressed in the FEIS. Public interest issues 
include, but are not limited to, the following: public safety, 
aesthetics, recreation, navigation, infrastructure, solid waste, 
economics, and noise pollution. Additional issues may be identified 
during the public review process and addressed in the Record of 
Decision (ROD). Issues initially identified as potentially significant 
include:
    a. Potential impacts to marine biological resources (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 Ocean Isle beach, Holden Beach, 
Sunset Beach, and Shallotte inlet, respectively.
    d. Potential impacts to navigation.
    e. Potential effects on regional sand sources and sand management 
practices, including the Federal (Ocean Isle Beach storm damage 
reduction) 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. Several 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 considered in the FEIS. A summary of alternatives under 
consideration are provided below:

a. Alternative 1--No Action (Continue Current Management Practices)
b. Alternative 2--Abandon/Retreat
c. Alternative 3--Beach Fill Only (Including Federal Project)
d. Alternative 4--Shallotte Inlet Bar Channel Realignment with Beach 
Fill (Including Federal Project)
e. Alternative 5--Terminal Groin with Beach Fill (Including Federal 
Project)/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 FEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and 
other interested organizations and persons participated in these 
Project Review Team meetings.
    The Corps has completed consultation with the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant 
to the Endangered Species Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
Act. The Corps has also completed consultation with the National Marine 
Fisheries Service pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act and Endangered 
Species Act. The Corps has coordinated with the State Department of 
Cultural Resources pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act.
    Potential water quality concerns have been 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 insure 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 FEIS 
to ensure the process complies with State Environmental Policy Act 
(SEPA) requirements, as well as the NEPA requirements. The FEIS has 
been designed to consolidate both NEPA and SEPA processes to eliminate 
duplications.
    5. Evaluation/Release of the Draft EIS (DEIS). The DEIS was 
released on January 23, 2015, and a Public Hearing was held on February 
24, 2015. Comments received from the DEIS have been addressed and made 
part of the FEIS. No less than 30 days from the date of release of the 
FEIS, the Corps will prepare a ROD to support a permit decision on the 
applicant's preferred

[[Page 25660]]

alternative in accordance with NEPA and our program regulations. The 
ROD will address the Public Interest Review criteria, the Section 
404(B)1 Guidelines (used to implement Section 404 of the Clean Water 
Act), and related Federal Laws (i.e., Endangered Species Act, National 
Historic Preservation Act, and the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries 
Conservation and Management Act) in addition to applicable Executive 
Orders, and other regulatory policies.
    6. Availability of the FEIS. This NOA announces that the FEIS has 
been released and will be circulated for 30 days from the date of this 
NOA. The FEIS for the proposal can be found at the following link under 
Major Projects/Town of Ocean Isle Terminal Groin Project: http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryPermitProgram/MajorProjects.

    Dated: April 20, 2016.
Scott McLendon,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-09997 Filed 4-28-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P