[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]
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