[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 89 (Friday, May 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 25476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12299]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5491]


Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS) 
Off Wilmington, NC, Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) on the final designation of an ODMDS off Wilmington, North 
Carolina.

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PURPOSE: The U.S. EPA, Region 4, in accordance with Section 102(2)(c) 
of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and in cooperation with 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, will prepare a 
Draft EIS on the designation of an ODMDS off Wilmington, North 
Carolina. An EIS is needed to provide the information necessary to 
designate an ODMDS. This Notice of Intent is issued Pursuant to Section 
102 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, and 
40 CFR Part 228 (Criteria for the Management of Disposal Sites for 
Ocean Dumping).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO BE PLACED ON THE PROJECT MAILING LIST 
CONTACT: Mr. Douglas K. Johnson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region 4, Coastal Programs Section, 61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia 
30303, phone 404-562-9386 or Mr. Philip M. Payonk, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Wilmington District, Environmental Resources Section, P.O. 
Box 1890, Wilmington, North Carolina 28402-1890, phone 910-251-4589.

SUMMARY: Ongoing needs for ocean disposal of dredged sediments and 
proposed improvements to the Wilmington Harbor navigation channel have 
resulted in the need for designation of a new ODMDS off Wilmington, 
North Carolina. Based on site surveys and anticipated levels of site 
use, the capacity of the existing Wilmington ODMDS will be reached in 
seven to 10 years. The annual volume of maintenance dredged material 
taken to the ocean for disposal from the Wilmington Harbor area is 
about two million cubic yards per year. The recently authorized 
Wilmington Harbor Federal navigation channel improvements (deepening 
and other channel modifications) will produce approximately 19 million 
cubic yards of dredged material for ocean disposal. The channel 
improvements will realign the ocean bar channel directly across the 
Wilmington ODMDS rendering the site obsolete. The channel would be 
realigned to avoid rock dredging and blasting and the environmental 
concerns associated with those activities.
    The relocation of the ODMDS would provide an opportunity to add 
separation between the Wilmington ODMDS and nearby shrimp trawling 
bottoms. The shrimpers have complained that wood debris attributed to 
dredged materials placed within the ODMDS interfere with shrimping.
    Need for Action: The Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, has 
requested that EPA designate a new ODMDS off Wilmington, North Carolina 
for the disposal of dredged material from the Wilmington Harbor area, 
when ocean disposal is the preferred disposal alternative. An EIS is 
required to provide the necessary information to evaluate alternatives 
and designate the preferred ODMDS.
    Alternatives:
    1. No action. The no action alternative is defined as not 
designating an ocean disposal site.
    2. Alternative disposal sites in the nearshore, mid-shelf, and 
shelf break regions.
    Scoping: Scoping will be accomplished by correspondence and 
meetings, in late Spring or early Summer, 1998, with affected Federal, 
State and local agencies, and interested parties.
    Estimated Date of Release: The Draft EIS will be made available in 
October 1999.
    Responsible Official: John H. Hankinson, Jr., Regional 
Administrator, Region 4.
Richard E. Sanderson,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 98-12299 Filed 5-7-98; 8:45 am]
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