81 FR 228 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Port of Long Beach Deep Draft Navigation Project, Los Angeles County, CA
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 2 (January 5, 2016)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 2 (January 5, 2016)
| Page Range | 228-228 | |
| FR Document | 2015-33166 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2016)] [Notices] [Page 228] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-33166] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Port of Long Beach Deep Draft Navigation Project, Los Angeles County, CA AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD. ACTION: Notice of Intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Los Angeles District intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to support a cost-shared feasibility study with the Port of Long Beach, California, for navigation improvements to existing navigation channels within the Port. The purpose of the feasibility study is to provide safe, reliable, and efficient waterborne transportation improvements to the Port of Long Beach. The EIS will analyze potential impacts of the recommended plan and a range of alternatives for navigation improvements. Alternatives will include both structural and non-structural measures. ADDRESSES: You may submit your concerns in writing to the Los Angeles District at the address below. Comments, suggestions, and requests to be placed on the mailing list for announcements should be sent to Larry Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, 915 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 930, Los Angeles, CA 90017-3401, or email to [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr. Larry Smith, Project Environmental Coordinator, (213) 452-3846. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authorization: Resolution of the Senate Committee on Public Works adopted 11 May 1967 and the Resolution of the House Committee on Public Works adopted 10 July 1968. The Army Corps of Engineers intends to prepare an EIS to assess the environmental effects associated with proposed navigation improvements measures in the study area. Study Area: The Port of Long Beach is on the coast of southern California in San Pedro Bay, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, California. The communities of San Pedro and Wilmington are to the west and northwest of San Pedro Bay, respectively, and to the northeast the city of Long Beach. The study area includes the waters in the immediate vicinity (and shoreward) of the breakwaters through the entire Port of Long Beach and the downstream reaches of the Los Angeles River that have direct impact on the Bay, including Outer Harbor, Inner Harbor, Cerritos Channel, West Basin, and the Back Channel. Problems and Needs: The primary problem is the inefficient operation of deep draft vessels in secondary channels, which increases the Nation's transportation costs. This study will address inefficiencies to container movements only. The following problem statements summarize these inefficiencies. (1) Due to depth limitations along channels accessing the Port's container terminals, existing container vessels cannot load to their maximum draft, which is causing light-loading of vessels at the point of origin and delays to an increasing number of containerships. (2) The dimensions of the world-wide fleet of container vessels have increased significantly, and it is anticipated that this trend will continue into the future. Delays and light-loading due to container vessel draft limits will increase as new, larger vessels are added to the fleet. (3) There are diminished recreation opportunities and environmental degradation in coastal areas outside of the study area. Proposed Action and Alternatives: The Los Angeles District will investigate and evaluate all reasonable alternatives to address the problems and needs identified above. In addition to the NO ACTION alternative, both structural (deepen the secondary access channel to Pier J, deepen the secondary access channel to Pier T West Basin, construct a turning basin in the secondary access channel to Pier J, construct a turning basin in the secondary access channel to Pier T West Basin, deepen the approach channel, or deepen the anchorage along the main channel, beneficial use of dredged material for recreation or ecosystem restoration) and non-structural (high tide riding, light loading, and vessel re-routing) measures will be investigated. Previous Actions: Port of Long Beach Main Channel Deepening Project, Pier T Marine Terminal, Middle Harbor Redevelopment. Scoping: The scoping process is ongoing and has involved preliminary coordination with Federal, State, and local agencies. A public scoping meeting is scheduled on 19 January 2016, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Port of Long Beach Harbor Department Interim Administrative Offices; 4801 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, California. The public will have an opportunity to express opinions and raise any issues relating to the scope of the Feasibility Study and the EIS. The public as well as Federal, State, and local agencies are encouraged to participate by submitting data, information, and comments identifying relevant environmental and socioeconomic issues to be addressed in the study. Useful information includes other environmental studies, published and unpublished data, alternatives that could be addressed in the analysis, and potential mitigation measures associated with the proposed action. All comments enter into the public record. Availability of the Draft EIS: The Draft EIS is scheduled to be published and circulated in late 2016, and a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft EIS will be held after it is published. Dated: December 29, 2015. Dennis P. Sugrue, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting Commander and Acting District Engineer. [FR Doc. 2015-33166 Filed 1-4-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
![228 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 2 / Tuesday, January 5, 2016 / Notices
of the functions of the agency, including 90017–3401, or email to ACTION alternative, both structural
whether the information shall have lawrence.j.smith@usace.army.mil. (deepen the secondary access channel to
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Pier J, deepen the secondary access
agency’s estimate of the burden further information contact Mr. Larry channel to Pier T West Basin, construct
(including hours and cost) of the Smith, Project Environmental a turning basin in the secondary access
proposed collection of information; (c) Coordinator, (213) 452–3846. channel to Pier J, construct a turning
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: basin in the secondary access channel to
clarity of the information to be Authorization: Resolution of the Senate Pier T West Basin, deepen the approach
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the Committee on Public Works adopted 11 channel, or deepen the anchorage along
burden of the collection of information May 1967 and the Resolution of the the main channel, beneficial use of
on respondents, including through the House Committee on Public Works dredged material for recreation or
use of automated collection techniques adopted 10 July 1968. The Army Corps ecosystem restoration) and non-
or other forms of information of Engineers intends to prepare an EIS structural (high tide riding, light
technology. to assess the environmental effects loading, and vessel re-routing) measures
Comments submitted in response to associated with proposed navigation will be investigated.
this notice will be summarized and/or improvements measures in the study Previous Actions: Port of Long Beach
included in the request for OMB area. Main Channel Deepening Project, Pier T
approval of this information collection; Study Area: The Port of Long Beach Marine Terminal, Middle Harbor
they also will become a matter of public is on the coast of southern California in Redevelopment.
record. San Pedro Bay, approximately 20 miles Scoping: The scoping process is
Dated: December 30, 2015. south of downtown Los Angeles, ongoing and has involved preliminary
Sarah Brabson,
California. The communities of San coordination with Federal, State, and
Pedro and Wilmington are to the west local agencies. A public scoping
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
and northwest of San Pedro Bay, meeting is scheduled on 19 January
[FR Doc. 2015–33152 Filed 1–4–16; 8:45 am] respectively, and to the northeast the 2016, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Port
BILLING CODE 3510–JE–P city of Long Beach. The study area of Long Beach Harbor Department
includes the waters in the immediate Interim Administrative Offices; 4801
vicinity (and shoreward) of the Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach,
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE breakwaters through the entire Port of California. The public will have an
Long Beach and the downstream opportunity to express opinions and
Department of the Army, Corps of reaches of the Los Angeles River that raise any issues relating to the scope of
Engineers have direct impact on the Bay, the Feasibility Study and the EIS. The
including Outer Harbor, Inner Harbor, public as well as Federal, State, and
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Cerritos Channel, West Basin, and the
Impact Statement for the Port of Long local agencies are encouraged to
Back Channel. participate by submitting data,
Beach Deep Draft Navigation Project, Problems and Needs: The primary
Los Angeles County, CA information, and comments identifying
problem is the inefficient operation of relevant environmental and
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. deep draft vessels in secondary socioeconomic issues to be addressed in
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD. channels, which increases the Nation’s the study. Useful information includes
transportation costs. This study will other environmental studies, published
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
address inefficiencies to container and unpublished data, alternatives that
SUMMARY: The Los Angeles District movements only. The following could be addressed in the analysis, and
intends to prepare an Environmental problem statements summarize these potential mitigation measures associated
Impact Statement (EIS) to support a inefficiencies. with the proposed action. All comments
cost-shared feasibility study with the (1) Due to depth limitations along enter into the public record.
Port of Long Beach, California, for channels accessing the Port’s container
Availability of the Draft EIS: The Draft
navigation improvements to existing terminals, existing container vessels
EIS is scheduled to be published and
navigation channels within the Port. cannot load to their maximum draft,
circulated in late 2016, and a public
The purpose of the feasibility study is which is causing light-loading of vessels
hearing to receive comments on the
to provide safe, reliable, and efficient at the point of origin and delays to an
Draft EIS will be held after it is
waterborne transportation increasing number of containerships.
published.
improvements to the Port of Long (2) The dimensions of the world-wide
fleet of container vessels have increased Dated: December 29, 2015.
Beach. The EIS will analyze potential
impacts of the recommended plan and significantly, and it is anticipated that Dennis P. Sugrue,
a range of alternatives for navigation this trend will continue into the future. Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting
improvements. Alternatives will include Delays and light-loading due to Commander and Acting District Engineer.
both structural and non-structural container vessel draft limits will [FR Doc. 2015–33166 Filed 1–4–16; 8:45 am]
measures. increase as new, larger vessels are added BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
to the fleet.
ADDRESSES: You may submit your (3) There are diminished recreation
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
concerns in writing to the Los Angeles opportunities and environmental
District at the address below. degradation in coastal areas outside of DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Comments, suggestions, and requests to the study area.
be placed on the mailing list for Proposed Action and Alternatives: Orders Granting Authority To Import
announcements should be sent to Larry The Los Angeles District will investigate and Export Natural Gas, To Import and
Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and evaluate all reasonable alternatives Export Liquefied Natural Gas, To
Los Angeles District, 915 Wilshire to address the problems and needs Vacate Prior Authorization and Errata
Boulevard, Suite 930, Los Angeles, CA identified above. In addition to the NO During November 2015
VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:43 Jan 04, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05JAN1.SGM 05JAN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_230/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2016-01-05 01:46:49
Document Modified: 2016-01-05 01:46:49
| 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. | |
| Contact | For further information contact Mr. Larry Smith, Project Environmental Coordinator, (213) 452-3846. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 228 |
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