80 FR 57160 - Norfolk Harbor and Channels Deepening NEPA Scoping Meeting and Public Comment Period
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 183 (September 22, 2015)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 183 (September 22, 2015)
| Page Range | 57160-57161 | |
| FR Document | 2015-24085 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 57160-57161] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-24085] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Norfolk Harbor and Channels Deepening NEPA Scoping Meeting and Public Comment Period AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: NEPA scoping meeting and public comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the Norfolk Harbor Channels. If the USACE determines that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis. DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted until October 30, 2015. ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit NEPA scoping comments at the meeting and/or submit comments to Alicia Logalbo, USACE, via email/ mail/telephone at [email protected]/ ATTN: Alicia Logalbo, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510, (757) 201-7210. The project title and the commenter's contact information should be included with submitted comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Logalbo, (757) 201-7210. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USACE is the lead federal agency for this project and the Commonwealth of Virginia acting through its Agent, the Virginia Port Authority, will act as the non-federal sponsor for the study. Norfolk Harbor (sometimes referred to as the Port of Hampton Roads) is located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay, midway on the Atlantic Seaboard (approximately 170 miles south of Baltimore, MD, and 220 miles north of Wilmington, NC). The harbor is formed by the confluence of the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth Rivers. The land area surrounding the harbor encompasses approximately 1,500 square miles and includes the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, as well as Isle of Wight County on the south side and Hampton and Newport News on the north side. The Norfolk Harbor and Channels Deepening Project consists of a network of federally-improved channels extending from the Atlantic Ocean, through the Chesapeake Bay, and into the Port of Hampton Roads. The study is anticipated to include an evaluation of a range of Norfolk Harbor Channels' dimensions. Specific planning objectives for the Norfolk Harbor and Channels Deepening General Reevaluation Study include:Determine if light loading, tidal delay, or other commercial navigation benefits exist to justify increasing channel system dimensions in the Atlantic Ocean Channel, the Thimble Shoal Channel, and/or the Norfolk Harbor Channel to Lambert's Point on the Main Branch of the Elizabeth River; Examine the impact of increased channel system dimensions on the capacity of existing dredged material placement sites; Evaluate the impact of increased channel system dimensions on shoaling rates for existing and advance harbor maintenance needs; [[Page 57161]] Examine the hydrodynamic and environmental effects of increased dimensions of the channel system and effects on adjacent shorelines; Identify environmental and cultural resources in the study area and potential impacts from increased channel system dimensions to those resources; and Identify the National Economic Development plan which most efficiently and safely accommodates existing and larger commercial ship and barge traffic while avoiding or minimizing impacts to environmental resources. Scoping/Public Involvement. A public NEPA scoping meeting will be held on September 24, 2015 from 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. The NEPA scoping meeting will be held at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, Virginia Room, 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510. Brenda S. Bowen, Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2015-24085 Filed 9-21-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710-58-P
![57160 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 183 / Tuesday, September 22, 2015 / Notices
which is a hardware asssemblage item, threats. The hardware is Unclassified ADDRESSES: The public is invited to
is classified Confidential when and releasable technical manuals for submit NEPA scoping comments at the
programmed with threat parametrics, operation and maintenance are meeting and/or submit comments to
threat priorities, and/or techniques classified Secret. Alicia Logalbo, USACE, via email/mail/
dervied from U.S. intelligence 2. If a technologically advanced telephone at Alicia.Logalbo@
information. The hardware becomes adversary were to obtain knowledge of usace.army.mil/ ATTN: Alicia Logalbo,
Classified when populated with threat the specific hardware and software Department of the Army, U.S. Army
parametric data. Releasable technical elements, the information could be used Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District,
manuals are Unclassified/restricted to create countermeasures which might Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA
distribution. reduce weapons system effectiveness or 23510, (757) 201–7210. The project title
c. The AN/AVR–2B Laser Warning Set be used in the development of a system and the commenter’s contact
is a passive laser warning system. It with similar or advanced capabilities. information should be included with
receives, processes, and displays on the 3. A determination has been made submitted comments.
multi-functional display unit threat that the recipient country can provide
the same degree of protection for the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
information resulting from illumination
of the aircraft by lasers. The hardware sensitive technology being released as Alicia Logalbo, (757) 201–7210.
is classified Confidential. Releasable the U.S. Government. This sale is SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
technical manuals for operation and necessary in furtherance of the U.S. USACE is the lead federal agency for
maintenance are classified Secret. foreign policy and national security this project and the Commonwealth of
d. The AN/APR–39D(V)2 Radar Signal objectives outlined in the Policy Virginia acting through its Agent, the
Detecting Set is a system that provides Justification. Virginia Port Authority, will act as the
warning of a radar-directed air defense 4. All defense articles and services non-federal sponsor for the study.
threat to allow engagement of listed in this transmittal have been Norfolk Harbor (sometimes referred to
countermeasures. This is the MIL–STD authorized for release and export to the as the Port of Hampton Roads) is located
1553 data bus compatible configuration. Government of the United Kingdom. in the southeastern part of the
Hardware is classified Confidential [FR Doc. 2015–23966 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] Commonwealth of Virginia at the
when programmed with U.S. threat BILLING CODE 5001–06–P southern end of Chesapeake Bay,
data. Releasable technical manuals for midway on the Atlantic Seaboard
operation and maintenance are (approximately 170 miles south of
classified Confidential. Releasable DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Baltimore, MD, and 220 miles north of
technical data (technical performance) Wilmington, NC). The harbor is formed
are classified Secret. Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers by the confluence of the James,
e. The AN/ARC–201D Single Channel Nansemond, and Elizabeth Rivers. The
Ground and Airborne Radio System Norfolk Harbor and Channels land area surrounding the harbor
(SINCGARS) is a tactical frequency Deepening NEPA Scoping Meeting and encompasses approximately 1,500
modulation (FM) airborne radio square miles and includes the cities of
Public Comment Period
subsystem that provides secure, anti-jam Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth,
voice and data communication. The AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, as well as
Enhanced Data Modes (EDM) of the Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. Isle of Wight County on the south side
radio employ a Reed-Solomon Forward ACTION: NEPA scoping meeting and and Hampton and Newport News on the
Error Correction (FEC) technique that public comment period. north side. The Norfolk Harbor and
provides enhanced bit-error-rate Channels Deepening Project consists of
performance. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements
of the National Environmental Policy a network of federally-improved
f. The M211 flare is a countermeasure channels extending from the Atlantic
decoy. It consists of case, piston, special Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42
U.S.C. 4321–4370, as implemented by Ocean, through the Chesapeake Bay,
material payload foils, and end cap. The and into the Port of Hampton Roads.
special material is a pyrophoric metal the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), The study is anticipated to include an
(iron) foil that reacts with oxygen to evaluation of a range of Norfolk Harbor
generate infrared energy. The M211 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) plans to prepare an Channels’ dimensions. Specific
flares are dispersed from aircraft to be planning objectives for the Norfolk
used as decoys in combination with Environmental Assessment (EA) to
evaluate environmental impacts from Harbor and Channels Deepening
currently fielded M206 and M212 General Reevaluation Study include:
countermeasure flares to protect against reasonable project alternatives and to
advanced air-to-air missile threats. The determine the potential for significant • Determine if light loading, tidal
hardware is Unclassified and releasable impacts related to improvements to the delay, or other commercial navigation
technical manuals for operation and Norfolk Harbor Channels. If the USACE benefits exist to justify increasing
maintenance are classified Secret. determines that there is a potential for channel system dimensions in the
g. The M212 flare is a multi-spectral a significant environmental impact, the Atlantic Ocean Channel, the Thimble
countermeasure flare. It consists of a USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to Shoal Channel, and/or the Norfolk
case, impulse cartridge, Safe and prepare an Environmental Impact Harbor Channel to Lambert’s Point on
Ignition (S&I), a propellant grain and a Statement in the Federal Register. the Main Branch of the Elizabeth River;
forward brass closure which acts as a Federal, state, and local agencies, • Examine the impact of increased
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
weight to improve aerodynamics of the Indian tribes, and the public are invited channel system dimensions on the
decoy. The M212 flares are dispersed to provide scoping comments to identify capacity of existing dredged material
from an aircraft and used in issues, alternatives, and potentially placement sites;
combination with the currently fielded significant effects to be considered in • Evaluate the impact of increased
M206 and M211 countermeasure flares the analysis. channel system dimensions on shoaling
and decoys to protect against advanced DATES: Scoping comments may be rates for existing and advance harbor
air-to-air and surface-to-air missile submitted until October 30, 2015. maintenance needs;
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 183 / Tuesday, September 22, 2015 / Notices 57161
• Examine the hydrodynamic and DATES: Scoping comments may be efficiently and safely accommodates
environmental effects of increased submitted until October 30, 2015. existing and larger commercial ship and
dimensions of the channel system and ADDRESSES: The public is invited to barge traffic while avoiding or
effects on adjacent shorelines; submit NEPA scoping comments at the minimizing impacts to environmental
• Identify environmental and cultural meeting and/or submit comments to resources.
resources in the study area and potential David Schulte, USACE, via email/mail/ Scoping/Public Involvement. A public
impacts from increased channel system telephone at David.M.Schulte@ NEPA scoping meeting will be held on
dimensions to those resources; and usace.army.mil/ATTN: David Schulte, September 24, 2015 from 6:00 p.m.—
• Identify the National Economic Department of the Army, U.S. Army 8:00 p.m. The NEPA scoping meeting
Development plan which most Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, will be held at the Half Moone Cruise
efficiently and safely accommodates Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA and Celebration Center, Virginia Room,
existing and larger commercial ship and 23510/(757)201–7007. The project title 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510.
barge traffic while avoiding or and the commenter’s contact Brenda S. Bowen,
minimizing impacts to environmental information should be included with Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
resources. submitted comments.
Scoping/Public Involvement. A public [FR Doc. 2015–24092 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
NEPA scoping meeting will be held on BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
September 24, 2015 from 6:00 p.m.–8:00 David Schulte, (757) 201–7007.
p.m. The NEPA scoping meeting will be SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
held at the Half Moone Cruise and USACE is the lead federal agency for DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Celebration Center, Virginia Room, 1 this study and the Commonwealth of
[Docket No.: ED_2015–ICCD–0112]
Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510. Virginia acting through its Agent, the
Virginia Port Authority, will act as the Agency Information Collection
Brenda S. Bowen, non-federal sponsor for the study. The Activities; Comment Request; Data
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Challenges and Appeals Solution
[FR Doc. 2015–24085 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] Channels are federally-improved (DCAS)
BILLING CODE 3710–58–P channels extending from the Norfolk
Harbor Channels extent near Lambert’s AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA),
Point to the Southern Branch of the Department of Education (ED).
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Elizabeth River. The Elizabeth River is ACTION: Notice.
a tributary of the James River, and is
Department of the Army, Corps of located near the confluence of the James SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Engineers River along its southern bank and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
Chesapeake Bay mainstem. The land U.S.C. chapter 3507(j)), ED is requesting
Elizabeth River and Southern Branch the Office of Management and Budget
area surrounding the Elizabeth River
Navigation Improvements NEPA (OMB) to conduct an emergency review
and Southern Branch Channels includes
Scoping Meeting and Public Comment of a new information collection.
the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, and
Period DATES: Approval by the OMB has been
Portsmouth.
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. The study is anticipated to include an requested by October 15, 2015. A
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. evaluation of a range of dimensions for regular clearance process is also hereby
the Elizabeth River and Southern being initiated. Interested persons are
ACTION: NEPA scoping meeting and
Branch Navigation Channels. Specific invited to submit comments on or before
public comment period.
planning objectives for the Elizabeth November 23, 2015.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements River and Southern Branch Navigation ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in
of the National Environmental Policy Improvements General Reevaluation response to this notice should be
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 Study include: submitted electronically through the
U.S.C. 4321–4370, as implemented by • Determine if commercial navigation Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://
the Council on Environmental Quality benefits exist to justify additional www.regulations.gov by selecting
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), deepening and potentially widening of Docket ID number ED_2015–ICCD–0112
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the Elizabeth River and Southern or via postal mail, commercial delivery,
(USACE) plans to prepare an Branch Channels; or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov
Environmental Assessment (EA) to • Examine the impact of increased site is not available to the public for any
evaluate environmental impacts from channel system dimensions on the reason, ED will temporarily accept
reasonable project alternatives and to capacity of existing dredged material comments at ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
determine the potential for significant placement sites; Please note that comments submitted by
impacts related to improvements to the • Evaluate the impact of increased fax or email and those submitted after
Elizabeth River and Southern Branch channel system dimensions on shoaling the comment period will not be
Channels. If the USACE determines that rates for existing and advance harbor accepted; ED will ONLY accept
there is a potential for a significant maintenance needs; comments during the comment period
environmental impact, the USACE will • Examine the hydrodynamic and in this mailbox when the regulations.gov
issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental effects of increased site is not available. Written requests for
Environmental Impact Statement in the dimensions of the channel system and information or comments submitted by
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register. effects on adjacent shorelines; postal mail or delivery should be
Federal, state, and local agencies, • Identify environmental and cultural addressed to the Director of the
Indian tribes, and the public are invited resources in the study area and potential Information Collection Clearance
to provide scoping comments to identify impacts from increased channel system Division, U.S. Department of Education,
issues, alternatives, and potentially dimensions to those resources; and 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ,
significant effects to be considered in • Identify the National Economic Mailstop L–OM–2–2E319, Room 2E105,
the analysis. Development plan which most Washington, DC 20202.
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Document Created: 2015-12-15 09:35:08
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:35:08
| 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 | NEPA scoping meeting and public comment period. | |
| Dates | Scoping comments may be submitted until October 30, 2015. | |
| Contact | Alicia Logalbo, (757) 201-7210. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 57160 |
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