[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 231 (Monday, December 4, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57237-57238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26051]


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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 General Reevaluation Report, San Francisco Bay, California

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) South Atlantic 
Division and the Port of Stockton are preparing an Environmental Impact 
Statement and Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) to evaluate the 
efficiency of the movement of goods along the existing deep-draft 
navigation route extending from the Golden Gate, through San Pablo Bay 
and Carquinez Strait, to deep draft facilities at Avon, California. 
This Notice of Intent (NOI) represents a supplemental notice to the 
March 4, 2016, NOI released for the San Francisco Bay to Stockton 
Navigation Improvement Study. This supplemental NOI is being released 
to notify the public that the study scope has been reduced to only 
consider improvements within the portion of the navigation project 
extending from San Francisco Bay to Avon. Work is now being conducted 
on an EIS/EIR with a reduced scope and project footprint, which is 
anticipated to be issued for public review in 2018. This NOI also re-
opens the public scoping period.
    The 2016 NOI proposed to deepen the John F. Baldwin channel from 
the West Richmond Channel through the Pinole Shoal Channel, Bulls Head 
Reach and Suisun Bay 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. As of September, 
2017, the portion of the authorized navigation project to the east of 
Avon is no longer under consideration for formulation of navigation 
improvements.
    The revised study area extends from Central San Francisco Bay to 
Avon only and includes the West Richmond Channel, Pinole Shoal Channel, 
and Bulls Head Reach portion of the Suisun Bay Channel (west of Avon). 
The current authorized depth of this study area is 45 feet mean lower 
low water (MLLW), but is currently maintained at 35 feet MLLW.
    The forthcoming EIS/EIR is a single purpose navigation improvement 
project to evaluate incremental deepening to a maximum depth of 38 feet 
MLLW within the channel reaches of the revised study area only.

DATES: Submit comments concerning this notice on or before thirty days 
after this posting. 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, Jacksonville District, Planning and Policy 
Division, Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-
0019. Comment letters should include the commenter's physical mailing 
address and the project title.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacie Auvenshine, 904-314-6714 or 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 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 authorized San 
Francisco Bay to Stockton, California, navigation 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 transiting 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 utilizing the navigation 
channels between San Francisco Bay and Avon must be ``light-loaded'' 
(i.e., less than fully loaded with cargo) to navigate the channels with 
sufficient under-keel clearance. Light-loading is inefficient and 
increases the transportation cost and overall cost of shipped products 
because more trips must be made to carry the same volume of cargo.
    The revised study area includes the West Richmond Channel, Pinole 
Shoal Channel, Carquinez Strait, and the Bulls Head Reach portion of 
the Suisun Bay Channel, ending at Avon. These channels are currently 
maintained at 35 feet MLLW, although the channels have an authorized 
depth of 45 feet MLLW.
    The Draft EIS/EIR will analyze the project alternatives described 
below:
    No Action, in which dredging would not occur and all construction-
related 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 study area to a 
depth of 37 feet MLLW with an additional 2 feet of overdepth for a 
maximum depth of 39 feet MLLW. To account for rapid shoaling, a 
sediment trap would be constructed at Bulls Head Reach by dredging an 
additional 6 feet (including 2 feet of overdepth) to 43 feet MLLW.
    Deepening to 38 feet MLLW, which would deepen the study area to a 
depth of 38 feet MLLW with an additional 2 feet of overdepth for a 
maximum depth of 40 feet MLLW. Under this alternative, a sediment trap 
at Bulls Head Reach would be constructed by dredging an additional 6 
feet (including 2 feet of overdepth) to 44 feet MLLW.
    Under both deepening alternatives, the dredged material will be 
placed at one or more permitted and economically feasible beneficial 
reuse sites.
    Purpose and Need: The purpose of the project is to provide more 
efficient deep-draft navigation operations in a manner that minimizes 
adverse environmental effects. The need for the project is to address 
vessel restrictions imposed by the existing channel depths, which are 
inadequate to accommodate

[[Page 57238]]

vessels with drafts exceeding 35 feet MLLW.
    Issues: The environmental analysis will consider the effects of 
deepening navigation channels in the study area on biological 
resources, sediments, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, climate 
change, water quality, geology, sediments, hydraulics and hydrology, 
hazards, noise, utilities, navigation, transportation, land use, 
cultural and historic resources, aesthetics, recreation, and 
socioeconomics. The EIS/EIR will evaluate environmental justice and 
cumulative impacts and potentially other environmental issues.
    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; and provide other 
relevant information.
    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 
2018. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will provide notice of 
the availability of the Draft EIS/EIR in the Federal Register 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 about circulation 
of the Draft EIS/EIR.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-26051 Filed 12-1-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P