Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 71 / Friday, April 13, 2007 / Notices 18641 

DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Jacksonville Harbor Navigation 

Study, General Re-Evaluation Report, 

Located in Duval County, FL 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army of Corps of Engineers, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville District, 

intends to prepare a Draft Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement 

(DSEIS), for the Jacksonville Harbor 

Navigation Study, General ReEvaluation Report. This action is a 

cooperative effort between the Corps 

and the Jacksonville Harbor Port 

Authority. 

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, Planning Division, 

Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, 

Jacksonville, FL 32232–0019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Paul Stodola, by e-mail 

Paul.E.Stodola@saj02.usace.army.mil or 

by telephone at (904) 232–3271. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

a. The Jacksonville Part Authority has 

requested that the Corps study the 

feasibility of further deepening the Port 

of Jacksonville. The proposed DSEIS for 

additional deepening would 

supplement the Jacksonville Harbor 

Navigation Improvements EIS 

completed in July 1996. Authorization 

for the study is contained in House 

Report 107–681 and the Senate 

explanatory statement as delineated in 

the Congressional Record of January 15, 

2003, pages S492 and S546. 

b. Objectives. The objectives of the 

study are to determine if light loading 

of ships, tidal delay, or other 

commercial navigation benefits exist to 

justify additional deepening below the 

existing 40-foot project depth from the 

entrance channel to river mile 20 and 

for Cuts F and G of the West Blount 

Island Channel; evaluate measures 

including wideners along the Trout 

River Cut Range, and Quarantine 

(Bartram) Island Upper Range which 

would reduce navigation concerns and 

improve ship traffic safety; examine the 

impact of channel deepening on the 

capacity of existing upland confined 

disposal facilities and the offshore 

dredge material disposal site; evaluate 

new upland confined disposal facilities, 

if required; determine if beneficial uses 

of dredged material such as 

manufactured soils, recycling of 

dredged material for construction fill, 

development of artificial reefs, or use of 

beach quality material for placement 

along adjacent beaches would provide 

appropriate alternatives for disposal of 

dredged material; evaluate the impact of 

deepening and widening measures on 

shoaling rates for existing and advanced 

harbor maintenance needs; examine the 

hydrodynamic and environmental 

effects of the deepening and widening 

measures on Chicopit Bay, White Shells 

Bay, Mill Cove and adjacent harbor 

shorelines; identify environmental and 

cultural resources in the study area and 

potential impacts from deepening or 

widening to those resources; identify 

the NED plan for Jacksonville Harbor 

which most efficiently and safely 

accommodates existing and larger 

commercial ship and barge traffic while 

avoiding or minimizing impacts to 

environmental resources. 

c. Alternatives. The proposed 

alternatives include making no further 

improvements to the project (no action 

alternatives); deepening the project 

channel in 1 foot increments from the 

existing depth of 40 feet from the 

entrance channel (mouth of St. Johns 

River) extending upstream to river mile 

20; constructing channel wideners; and 

dredged material placement in upland 

disposal areas, artificial reefs, approved 

beach areas, and the designated Ocean 

Dredged Material Disposal Site. 

d. Issues. The DEIS will consider the 

possible effects of blasting on aquatic 

resources, loss of wetlands from 

expansion of upland disposal areas at 

Bartram Island, as well as other project 

related impacts on protected species, 

water quality, fish and wildlife 

resources, cultural resources, essential 

fish habitat, socio-economic resources 

coastal processes, aesthetics and 

recreation, and other impacts identified 

through scoping, public involvement, 

and agency coordination. 

e. Scoping Process. The scoping 

process as outlined by the Council on 

Environmental Quality would be 

utilized to involve Federal, State, and 

local agencies, and other interested 

persons and organizations. A scoping 

letter would be sent to the appropriate 

parties requesting comments and 

concerns regarding issues to consider 

during the study. Public scoping 

meetings would be held. Exact dates, 

times, and locations would be published 

in local papers. 

f. Coordination. The proposed action 

is being coordinated with the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the 

National Marine Fisheries Service under 

Section 7 of the Endangered Species 

Act, with the FWS under the Fish and 

Wildlife Coordination Act, and with the 

State Historic Preservation Officer. 

g. Other Environmental Review and 

Consultation. The proposed action 

would involve evaluation for 

compliance with guidelines pursuant to 

Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act; 

application (to the State of Florida) for 

Water Quality Certification pursuant to 

Section 401 of the Clean Water Act; 

certification of state lands, easements, 

and rights of way; Essential Fish Habitat 

with National Marine Fisheries Service; 

and determination of Coastal Zone 

Management Act consistency. 

h. Agency Role. The non-Federal 

sponsor (Jacksonville Port Authority) 

will provide extensive information and 

assistance on the resources to be 

impacted, mitigation measures, and 

alternatives. 

i. DSEIS Preparation. It is estimated 

that the DSEIS will be available to the 

public on or about three years after 

completion of the Feasibility Scoping 

Meeting currently scheduled for 

September 2007. 

Dated: April 2, 2007. 

Stuart J. Appelbaum, 

Chief, Planning Division. 

[FR Doc. 07–1835 Filed 4–12–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3710–AJ–M 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army, Corps of 

Engineers 

Intent To Prepare a Legislative 

Environmental Impact Statement, for 

the Proposed Mississippi River—Gulf 

Outlet Deep Draft De-Authorization 

(3–D), LA 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: This notice of intent (NOI) is 

for the Mississippi River—Gulf Outlet 

(MRGO) 3–D Project. This notice of 

intent addresses the Federally 

authorized navigation channel located 

in southeastern Louisiana. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Questions about the proposed action 

and Legislative Environmental Impact 

Statement can be answered by: Mr. Sean 

P. Mickal, 504 862–2319, CEMVN–PM–

RS, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 

70160–0267. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

MRGO is a Federally-authorized 36-foot 

deep, 500-foot bottom width waterway 

which allows deep-draft access to New 

Orleans area port facilities via a shorter 

route than using the Mississippi River. 

Congress authorized MRGO channel 


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