80 FR 27296 - Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Supplement 2) for the Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, General Reevaluation Study
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 92 (May 13, 2015)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 92 (May 13, 2015)
| Page Range | 27296-27298 | |
| FR Document | 2015-11556 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 13, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 27296-27298] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-11556] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Supplement 2) for the Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, General Reevaluation Study AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of Intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), New Orleans District intends to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), to be integrated with a General Reevaluation Report (GRR), for the Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana Project. The GRR and SEIS will investigate deepening and maintaining the Mississippi River Ship Channel from 45 feet deep to as much as 50 feet deep. DATES: A public scoping meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2015 in Belle Chasse, LA. An open house will be held at 6:00 p.m. followed by the scoping meeting at 6:30 p.m. A second public scoping meeting will be held Thursday morning, May 28, 2015 in New Orleans, LA. An open house will be held at 9 a.m. followed by the scoping meeting at 9:30 a.m. A third public scoping meeting will be held Thursday evening, May 28, 2015 in Baton Rouge, LA. An open house will be held at 6:00 p.m. followed by the scoping meeting at 6:30 p.m. ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting and open house on Tuesday, May 26 will be held at the Belle Chasse Branch Library, 8442 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037. The scoping meeting and open house in the morning of Thursday, May 28 will be held at Corps of Engineers District Office in the District Assembly Room, 7400 Leake Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118. The scoping meeting and open house in the evening of Thursday, May 28 will be held at Louisiana State Police Training Academy, 7901 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the public scoping meeting, the GRR and SEIS should be addressed to: Mr. Richard Boe or Mr. Steve Roberts, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Compliance Branch, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 70160-0267, by email to [email protected] or [email protected], or by telephone at (504) 862-1505 or (504) 862-2517. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Project Background and Authorization. The 1981 Feasibility Study entitled ``Deep-Draft Access to the Ports of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana'' (1981 Feasibility Study) was authorized by Section 2 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1945, (Pub. L. 79-14), which combined several existing deep-draft projects on the Mississippi River and modified them to provide new navigation channel dimensions. The 1981 Feasibility Study, which included an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), recommended deepening the Mississippi River's navigation channel to a 55-foot depth from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. A Chief of Engineers Report was completed in April 1983, and a Record of Decision was signed on December 23, 1986. The Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana project was authorized for construction by Section 101 of the 1985 Supplemental Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 99-88). The authorized plan provides for a navigation channel with a 55- foot depth over a 750-foot bottom width from the Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a turning basin at the head of the deepened channel in Baton Rouge. Authorization also included deepening the existing 35 feet deep by 1,500 feet wide channel at the New Orleans harbor to 40 feet, providing river training works in South Pass and Pass a Loutre, and creating wetlands and upland habitat with dredged material along Southwest Pass. Phase I of the Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, LA Project consisted of a 45-foot channel from the Gulf of Mexico to river mile 181 near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, and was completed in December 1987. Phase II consisted of the remainder of the 45 foot channel from river mile 181 to Baton Rouge, and was completed in December 1994. Phase III of the Project was identified as the deepening of the entire channel to 55 feet from the Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge. The Non-Federal Sponsor, the State of Louisiana, Department of Transportation and Development, has requested that an incremental phase of deepening the entire length of the channel to 50 feet be considered. A final phase of deepening the channel to 55 feet may be considered in the future. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 amended the Water Resources and Development Act of 1986, to increase the Federal threshold for full [[Page 27297]] Federal channel maintenance responsibilities from 45 feet to 50 feet deep. The General Reevaluation Report will identify the depth that creates the greatest net benefits up to a 50 foot channel in order to proceed to implementation and to phase the remaining work accordingly. A report released by the Institute of Water Resources (IWR) in June 2012 evaluated the preparedness of U.S. ports to accommodate Post- Panamax size vessels. The Panama Canal is being enlarged to accommodate vessels that draft 50 feet (Post-Panamax vessels) and the enlarged waterway is expected to be completed in 2016. The IWR report found that these vessels currently call at U.S. ports and will dominate the world fleet in the future. Post-Panamax vessels will call in increasing numbers at U.S. ports that can accommodate them. Currently, Mississippi River ports cannot accommodate these vessels. There may be economic justification in expanding port projects to accommodate post-Panamax vessels. The ports located along the lower Mississippi River, being the dominant ports for the export of grains from the U.S., will likely play a key role in meeting these future needs if they are ready with a post- Panamax sized channel. 2. Proposed Action The purpose of the GRR and SEIS is to identify the depth that creates the greatest net benefits up to a depth of 50 feet in order to implement the deepening the Mississippi River channel from the current depth of 45 feet. An evaluation of population growth trends, trade forecasts and examination of the current port capacities shows that there is very likely economic justification for deepening the channel. This GRR and SEIS will evaluate existing conditions, alternative designs, and provide environmental analysis of anticipated impacts associated with dredging and disposal alternatives. The handling of dredged material generated during construction, the engineering design of dredged material disposal areas, and several other aspects of the Project, that were evaluated in the 1981 Feasibility Report and EIS, will be updated as appropriate. 3. Alternatives An evaluation of alternatives, including a ``no action'' alternative will be included. In the SEIS, the ``no action'' alternative will be the continued operation and maintenance of the 45 feet deep Mississippi River deep-draft navigation channel from Baton Rouge, LA to the Gulf of Mexico. Other alternatives will be determined through scoping, but are anticipated to include an alternative of a 48 feet deep channel and an alternative of a 50 feet deep channel. The plan with the highest net benefits (the difference between transportation cost savings and project costs) will be identified as the recommended plan. Previous evaluations of alternative dredging methods, dredged material handling, and disposal alternatives will also be updated and/or re-evaluated as appropriate. 4. Scoping The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) relating to ``Scoping'' as set forth in at 40 CFR 1501.7 require an early and open process for determining the scope of the issues to be addressed in an EIS or SEIS and for identifying significant issues related to the proposed action. The public will be involved in the scoping and evaluation process through advertisements, notices, and other means. Federal, state and local agencies, and other interested groups will also be involved. Meetings to address discrete issues or parts or functions of the study may be held. All parties are invited to participate in the scoping process by identifying any additional concerns on issues, studies needed, alternatives, procedures, and other matters related to the scope of the SEIS. A. The Corps will provide additional notification of the times and locations of the public scoping meetings through newspaper advertisements and other means (see DATES). Following short presentations at the scoping meetings, verbal and written comments on the scope of the SEIS will be accepted. A transcript of verbal comments will be generated to ensure accuracy. Comments will also be accepted via email or postal mail. B. Issues. Issues that have been identified include, but are not limited to, the level of existing and forecasted vessel traffic, changes in socio-economic conditions since the 1981 Feasibility Report and EIS, evaluation of direct and indirect social and cultural impacts on affected communities and the appropriate and practicable mitigation measures to address those impacts, a re-evaluation of salt water intrusion on municipal drinking water supply, and re-evaluation of reasonable dredging and disposal alternatives and associated impacts. This non-exhaustive list of issues is intended to facilitate public comment on the scope of the SEIS. Concurrent with the NEPA process, the Corps will ensure compliance with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders governing issues such as Federally- listed threatened and endangered species, essential fish habitats, health and safety, general environmental concerns, wetlands and other aquatic resources, historic properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, navigation, recreation, water quality, and environmental justice. In selecting a recommended plan, the Corps will also consider issues identified and comments made throughout scoping, public involvement, and interagency coordination. The Corps expects to better define the issues of concern and the methods that will be used to evaluate those issues through the scoping process. C. Environmental Review and Consultation. The proposed action (recommended plan) will undergo an evaluation for compliance with all applicable guidelines pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act. This review will include a detailed reevaluation of all practicable alternatives as it relates to the handling and disposal of the dredged material. The Corps will develop and provide information on the resources to be impacted and the proposed mitigation measures as it relates to each of the alternatives. Although the Corps does not plan to invite any Federal agencies to be cooperating agencies, input and critical information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other Federal, state, and local agencies is expected. 5. Public Scoping Meeting Special Accommodations The public scoping meeting places will be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Steve Roberts, (504) 862- 2517 (voice), or email at [email protected] at least 5 business days prior to the meeting dates. 6. Estimated Date of Draft SEIS Availability It is estimated that the draft SEIS will be available to the public for review and comment in December 2016. At least one public hearing will be held at that time, during which the public will be provided the opportunity to comment on the SEIS before it becomes final. [[Page 27298]] Dated: May 5, 2015. Austin T. Appleton, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting District Commander. [FR Doc. 2015-11556 Filed 5-12-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
![27296 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 92 / Wednesday, May 13, 2015 / Notices
document actions to correct significant DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE telephone at (504) 862–1505 or (504)
deficiencies in contractor business 862–2517.
systems. DoD contracting officers use Department of the Army, Corps of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
the information to mitigate the risk of Engineers
1. Project Background and
unallowable and unreasonable costs Authorization.
Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental
being charged on government contracts.
Environmental Impact Statement The 1981 Feasibility Study entitled
Affected Public: Businesses or other (Supplement 2) for the Mississippi ‘‘Deep-Draft Access to the Ports of New
for-profit institutions. River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana’’
Frequency: On occasion. Rouge, Louisiana, General (1981 Feasibility Study) was authorized
Reevaluation Study by Section 2 of the Rivers and Harbors
OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet
Seehra. Act of 1945, (Pub. L. 79–14), which
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S.
combined several existing deep-draft
Written comments and Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
projects on the Mississippi River and
recommendations on the proposed ACTION: Notice of Intent. modified them to provide new
information collection should be sent to navigation channel dimensions. The
Ms. Seehra at the Office of Management SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
1981 Feasibility Study, which included
and Budget, Desk Officer for DoD, Room Engineers (Corps), New Orleans District
an Environmental Impact Statement
10236, New Executive Office Building, intends to prepare a Draft Supplemental
(EIS), recommended deepening the
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS),
Washington, DC 20503. Mississippi River’s navigation channel
to be integrated with a General to a 55-foot depth from Baton Rouge to
You may also submit comments, Reevaluation Report (GRR), for the
identified by docket number and title, the Gulf of Mexico. A Chief of Engineers
Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Report was completed in April 1983,
by the following method: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Project. The and a Record of Decision was signed on
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// GRR and SEIS will investigate December 23, 1986. The Mississippi
www.regulations.gov. Follow the deepening and maintaining the River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton
instructions for submitting comments. Mississippi River Ship Channel from 45 Rouge, Louisiana project was authorized
feet deep to as much as 50 feet deep. for construction by Section 101 of the
Instructions: All submissions received
DATES: A public scoping meeting is 1985 Supplemental Appropriations Act
must include the agency name, docket
scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2015 in (Pub. L. 99–88).
number, and title for the Federal
Belle Chasse, LA. An open house will be The authorized plan provides for a
Register document. The general policy
held at 6:00 p.m. followed by the navigation channel with a 55-foot depth
for comments and other public
scoping meeting at 6:30 p.m. A second over a 750-foot bottom width from the
submissions from members of the public public scoping meeting will be held Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge,
is to make these submissions available Thursday morning, May 28, 2015 in Louisiana, and a turning basin at the
for public viewing on the internet at New Orleans, LA. An open house will head of the deepened channel in Baton
http://www.regulations.gov as they are be held at 9 a.m. followed by the Rouge. Authorization also included
received without change, including any scoping meeting at 9:30 a.m. A third deepening the existing 35 feet deep by
personal identifiers or contact public scoping meeting will be held 1,500 feet wide channel at the New
information provided. To confirm Thursday evening, May 28, 2015 in Orleans harbor to 40 feet, providing
receipt of your comment(s), please Baton Rouge, LA. An open house will be river training works in South Pass and
check http://www.regulations.gov held at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Pass a Loutre, and creating wetlands
approximately two to three days after scoping meeting at 6:30 p.m. and upland habitat with dredged
submission to verify posting (except ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting and material along Southwest Pass.
allow 30 days for posting of comments open house on Tuesday, May 26 will be Phase I of the Mississippi River Ship
submitted by mail). held at the Belle Chasse Branch Library, Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, LA
8442 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA Project consisted of a 45-foot channel
DoD Public Collections Clearance from the Gulf of Mexico to river mile
Officer: Mr. Frederick C. Licari. 70037. The scoping meeting and open
house in the morning of Thursday, May 181 near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, and
Written requests for copies of the was completed in December 1987. Phase
28 will be held at Corps of Engineers
information collection proposal should II consisted of the remainder of the 45
District Office in the District Assembly
be sent to Mr. Licari at: Publication foot channel from river mile 181 to
Room, 7400 Leake Ave, New Orleans,
Collections Program, WHS/ESD Baton Rouge, and was completed in
LA 70118. The scoping meeting and
Information Management Division, 4800 December 1994. Phase III of the Project
open house in the evening of Thursday,
Mark Center Drive, 2nd Floor, East was identified as the deepening of the
May 28 will be held at Louisiana State
Tower, Suite 02G09, Alexandria, VA entire channel to 55 feet from the Gulf
Police Training Academy, 7901
22350–3100. of Mexico to Baton Rouge. The Non-
Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA
Federal Sponsor, the State of Louisiana,
Manuel Quinones, 70806.
Department of Transportation and
Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Development, has requested that an
Questions about the public scoping incremental phase of deepening the
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
System.
[FR Doc. 2015–11553 Filed 5–12–15; 8:45 am] meeting, the GRR and SEIS should be entire length of the channel to 50 feet be
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
addressed to: Mr. Richard Boe or Mr. considered. A final phase of deepening
Steve Roberts, U.S. Army Corps of the channel to 55 feet may be
Engineers, Environmental Compliance considered in the future. The Water
Branch, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, Resources Reform and Development Act
LA 70160–0267, by email to of 2014 amended the Water Resources
richard.e.boe@usace.army.mil or and Development Act of 1986, to
steve.w.roberts@usace.army.mil, or by increase the Federal threshold for full
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:27 May 12, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13MYN1.SGM 13MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_27388/page/1.svg)
![27298 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 92 / Wednesday, May 13, 2015 / Notices
Dated: May 5, 2015. collection requirements and minimize DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Austin T. Appleton, the public’s reporting burden. It also
[Docket No.: ED–2015–ICCD–0063]
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting District helps the public understand the
Commander. Department’s information collection Agency Information Collection
[FR Doc. 2015–11556 Filed 5–12–15; 8:45 am] requirements and provide the requested Activities; Comment Request; Gainful
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P data in the desired format. ED is Employment Recent Graduates
soliciting comments on the proposed Employment and Earning Survey Pilot
information collection request (ICR) that Test
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION is described below. The Department of
AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA),
[Docket No.: ED–2015–ICCD–0062] Education is especially interested in
Department of Education (ED).
public comment addressing the
ACTION: Notice.
Agency Information Collection following issues: (1) Is this collection
Activities; Comment Request; Federal necessary to the proper functions of the SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Perkins Loan Program Master Department; (2) will this information be Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
Promissory Note processed and used in a timely manner; U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is
AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA), (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; proposing a new information collection.
Department of Education (ED). (4) how might the Department enhance DATES: Interested persons are invited to
ACTION: Notice.
the quality, utility, and clarity of the submit comments on or before July 13,
information to be collected; and (5) how 2015.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the might the Department minimize the ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 burden of this collection on the response to this notice should be
U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is respondents, including through the use submitted electronically through the
proposing a revision of an existing of information technology. Please note Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://
information collection. that written comments received in www.regulations.gov by selecting
DATES: Interested persons are invited to response to this notice will be Docket ID number ED–2015–ICCD–0063
submit comments on or before July 13, considered public records. or via postal mail, commercial delivery,
2015. or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov
Title of Collection: Federal Perkins
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in site is not available to the public for any
Loan Program Master Promissory Note.
response to this notice should be reason, ED will temporarily accept
submitted electronically through the OMB Control Number: 1845–0074. comments at ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// Type of Review: A revision of an Please note that comments submitted by
www.regulations.gov by selecting existing information collection. fax or email and those submitted after
Docket ID number ED–2015–ICCD–0062 the comment period will not be
Respondents/Affected Public:
or via postal mail, commercial delivery, accepted; ED will ONLY accept
Individuals or Households.
or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov comments during the comment period
site is not available to the public for any Total Estimated Number of Annual in this mailbox when the regulations.gov
reason, ED will temporarily accept Responses: 276,934. site is not available. Written requests for
comments at ICDocketMgr@ed.gov. Total Estimated Number of Annual information or comments submitted by
Please note that comments submitted by Burden Hours: 138,467. postal mail or delivery should be
fax or email and those submitted after addressed to the Director of the
Abstract: The Federal Perkins Loan
the comment period will not be Information Collection Clearance
Master Promissory Note (MPN) provides Division, U.S. Department of Education,
accepted; ED will ONLY accept
comments during the comment period the terms and conditions of the Perkins 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ,
in this mailbox when the regulations.gov Loan program and is prepared by the Mailstop L–OM–2–2E319, Room 2E105,
site is not available. Written requests for participating eligible institution and Washington, DC 20202.
information or comments submitted by signed by the borrower. The borrower FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
postal mail or delivery should be may receive loans for a single academic specific questions related to collection
addressed to the Director of the year or multiple academic years. The activities, please contact Beth
Information Collection Clearance adoption of the MPN in the Perkins Grebeldinger, 202–377–4018.
Division, U.S. Department of Education, Loan Program has simplified the loan SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, process by eliminating the need for Department of Education (ED), in
Mailstop L–OM–2–2E319, Room 2E103, institutions to prepare and students to accordance with the Paperwork
Washington, DC 20202. sign, a promissory note each award year. Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Dated: May 7, 2015. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
specific questions related to collection Kate Mullan, public and Federal agencies with an
activities, please contact Beth opportunity to comment on proposed,
Acting Director, Information Collection
Grebeldinger, 202–377–4018. revised, and continuing collections of
Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Officer, Office of Management. information. This helps the Department
Department of Education (ED), in assess the impact of its information
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2015–11474 Filed 5–12–15; 8:45 am]
accordance with the Paperwork collection requirements and minimize
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. the public’s reporting burden. It also
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general helps the public understand the
public and Federal agencies with an Department’s information collection
opportunity to comment on proposed, requirements and provide the requested
revised, and continuing collections of data in the desired format. ED is
information. This helps the Department soliciting comments on the proposed
assess the impact of its information information collection request (ICR) that
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Document Created: 2015-12-16 07:46:39
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 07:46:39
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of Intent. | |
| Dates | A public scoping meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2015 in Belle Chasse, LA. An open house will be held at 6:00 p.m. followed by the scoping meeting at 6:30 p.m. A second public scoping meeting will be held Thursday morning, May 28, 2015 in New Orleans, LA. An open house will be held at 9 a.m. followed by the scoping meeting at 9:30 a.m. A third public scoping meeting will be held Thursday evening, May 28, 2015 in Baton Rouge, LA. An open house will be held at 6:00 p.m. followed by the scoping meeting at 6:30 p.m. | |
| Contact | Questions about the public scoping | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 27296 |
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