[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48131-48132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19742]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Wilmington Harbor Navigation Improvement 
Project Integrated Feasibility Study and Environmental Report, New 
Hanover and Brunswick Counties, NC

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The North Carolina State Ports Authority (NCSPA) has prepared 
a feasibility study and draft environmental report pursuant to Section 
203 of Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (WRDA) that evaluates 
potential improvements to the Wilmington Harbor federal navigation 
channel in New Hanover and Brunswick Counties, North Carolina. On June 
26th, 2019, the NCSPA submitted the study to the Assistant Secretary of 
the Army for Civil Works [ASA(CW)] for purposes of review and 
determining whether the study, and the process under which the study 
was developed, complies with Federal laws and regulations applicable to 
feasibility studies for potential water resources development projects. 
This notice advises the public that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE), Wilmington District (Corps), at the direction of the ASA(CW), 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
support the ASA(CW) review of the NCSPA study. The Wilmington Harbor 
Navigation Improvement Project (WHNIP) DEIS is being prepared in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended.

DATES: The earliest the DEIS will be available for public review would 
be November 2019.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; 69 Darlington 
Avenue, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be directed to Emily

[[Page 48132]]

Hughes, Environmental Resources Section; U.S. Army Engineer District, 
Wilmington; 69 Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403; 
telephone: 910-251-4635; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (a) Background. The existing Wilmington 
Harbor federal navigation channel originates offshore and extends 
approximately 38 miles through the Atlantic Ocean and up the Cape Fear 
River to the City of Wilmington, NC where it services the Port of 
Wilmington. The existing project provides for a channel -44 feet Mean 
Lower Low Water (MLLW) through the ocean bar and entrance channel, 
changing to -42 feet (MLLW) extending to just downstream of the Cape 
Fear Memorial Bridge. The Port of Wilmington has experienced 
significant increases in cargo volume and in the size of vessels 
calling at the port since the last major channel improvements were 
completed by the USACE under the Wilmington Harbor 1996 WRDA Project. 
Due to expansion of the Panama Canal and navigation improvement 
projects at all other major U.S. East Coast ports, the U.S. East Coast 
to Asia shipping alliances are currently transitioning to vessels that 
are substantially larger and more economically efficient than the 
vessels that the -42-foot channel was designed to accommodate.
    Currently authorized channel dimensions at Wilmington Harbor are 
impacting trade at the Port of Wilmington and are projected to have a 
greater detrimental impact on trade in the future as ocean carriers 
continue to transition to larger containerships.
    Purpose. The purpose of the proposed project is to accommodate 
larger cargo vessels and improve the efficiency of cargo vessel 
operations at Wilmington Harbor and the Port of Wilmington. The 
proposed navigation improvements would enable the Port of Wilmington to 
continue as a port-of- call for shipping alliances with direct service 
to Asian markets.
    (b) Alternatives. Structural and non-structural measures are being 
evaluated to meet planning objectives. Measures that contribute to 
meeting the planning objectives will be combined to develop alternative 
plans. Potential harbor improvements under consideration include 
deepening the existing federal navigational channel to the Port of 
Wilmington, extending the ocean entrance channel farther offshore, and 
widening channels in the Cape Fear River where needed. The range of 
depths being considered is from -44 feet to -48 feet. Under the No 
Action alternative, no improvements would be made to the Wilmington 
Harbor project.
    (c) Environmental Impacts. Environmental impacts to be addressed in 
the DEIS include, but are not limited to: (1) Endangered and threatened 
species; (2) Marine and estuarine resources; (3) Beach and dune 
resources; (4) Fish and wildlife and their habitats; (5) Essential Fish 
Habitat (EFH); (6) Salinity and tidal amplitude; (7) Water quality; (8) 
Air quality; (9) Socioeconomic resources; (10) Cultural resources; (11) 
Groundwater; (12) Shoreline erosion; (13) Hazardous, Toxic, and 
Radioactive Waste (HTRW); (14) Noise; and (15) Socioeconomics.
    (d) Scoping. All private parties and Federal, State, and local 
agencies having an interest in the study are invited to comment at this 
time. A scoping letter requesting comments on the study will be sent to 
all known interested parties. All interested parties will be invited to 
attend a public scoping meeting to be held in Wilmington, NC in 
September 2019. All comments received as a result of this NOI, the 
scoping letter, and the scoping meeting will be considered in the 
preparation of the DEIS.
    (e) Authority. Studies of potential navigation improvements to the 
Wilmington Harbor navigation channel are being conducted under the 
authority granted by Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act 
(WRDA) of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-662), as amended. Section 203 of WRDA 86, as 
amended, states:

Sec 203. Studies of Projects by Non-Federal Interests.

Public Law 99-662, Nov. 17, 1986. 33 U.S.C. 2231
    (a) SUBMISSION TO SECRETARY.
    (1) In general. A non-Federal interest may on its own undertake a 
feasibility study of a proposed water resources development project and 
submit the study to the Secretary.
    (2) Guidelines. To assist non-Federal interests, the Secretary 
shall, as soon as practicable, issue guidelines for feasibility studies 
of water resources development projects to provide sufficient 
information for the formulation of studies.
    (b) REVIEW BY SECRETARY--The Secretary shall review each 
feasibility study received under subsection (a) (1) for the purpose of 
determining whether or not the study, and the process under which the 
study was developed, each comply with Federal laws and regulations 
applicable to feasibility studies of water resources development 
projects.
    (c) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of receipt of a feasibility study of a project under subsection (a)(1), 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of representatives a report that describes.
    (1) The results of the Secretary's review of the study under 
subsection (b), Including a determination of whether the project is 
feasible;
    (2) Any recommendations the Secretary may have concerning the plan 
or design of the project; and
    (3) Any conditions the Secretary may require for construction of 
the project.

    Dated: September 5, 2019.
R.D. James,
Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Civil Works).
[FR Doc. 2019-19742 Filed 9-11-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P