80 FR 57161 - Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Navigation Improvements 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)

Page Range		57161-57161
FR Document		2015-24092

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 Elizabeth River and Southern Branch 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.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 57161]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24092]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Navigation Improvements 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.

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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 
Elizabeth River and Southern Branch 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 David Schulte, USACE, via email/mail/
telephone at [email protected]/ATTN: David Schulte, 
Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, 
Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510/(757)201-7007. The 
project title and the commenter's contact information should be 
included with submitted comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Schulte, (757) 201-7007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USACE is the lead federal agency for 
this study and the Commonwealth of Virginia acting through its Agent, 
the Virginia Port Authority, will act as the non-federal sponsor for 
the study. The Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels are 
federally-improved channels extending from the Norfolk Harbor Channels 
extent near Lambert's Point to the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth 
River. The Elizabeth River is a tributary of the James River, and is 
located near the confluence of the James River along its southern bank 
and the Chesapeake Bay mainstem. The land area surrounding the 
Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels includes the cities of 
Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.
    The study is anticipated to include an evaluation of a range of 
dimensions for the Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Navigation 
Channels. Specific planning objectives for the Elizabeth River and 
Southern Branch Navigation Improvements General Reevaluation Study 
include:
     Determine if commercial navigation benefits exist to 
justify additional deepening and potentially widening of the Elizabeth 
River and Southern Branch Channels;
     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;
     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. 2015-24092 Filed 9-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P

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 09:35:14
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:35:14

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		David Schulte, (757) 201-7007.
FR Citation		80 FR 57161

80 FR 57161 - Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Navigation Improvements NEPA Scoping Meeting and Public Comment Period

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSEDepartment of the Army, Corps of Engineers

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 183 (September 22, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers