[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 28393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13198]



[[Page 28393]]

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to 
Evaluate a Permit Application for a Confined Dredged Material Disposal 
Facility in Newark Bay, New Jersey

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--New York District, Department of 
the Army, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The construction of a Confined Dredged Material Disposal 
Facility in navigable waters of the United States requires a Department 
of the Army Permit pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act 
of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 
U.S.C. 1344). The EIS process will assist the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers' (USACE) in determining whether to issue a permit for the 
project under these authorities. This action is taking place in 
accordance with the USACE procedures for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act (33 CFR Part 325).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Joseph J. Seebode, Chief, Regulatory Branch New York District Corps 
of Engineers, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 1937, New York, New York 10278-
0090, telephone (212) 264-3996.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Projected Description

    The proposed Newark Bay Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) would 
provide an alternate regional disposal site for contaminated dredged 
material that is unsuitable for ocean disposal, or that requires 
special management procedures at the federally designated Mud Dump Site 
located six miles off the coast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. The CDF 
would be constructed by excavating two large subaqueous pits, to a 
maximum depth of approximately 90 feet below the plane of Mean Low 
Water, by clamshell bucket dredge. The two pits would occupy a surface 
area of approximately 160 acres and have a total volume capacity of 
approximately 14 million cubic yards. The larger of the two pits would 
measure approximately 100 acres in size and have a capacity of 
approximately 9.3 million cubic yards, while a second, smaller pit 
would have a surface area of approximately 60 acres and a capacity of 
4.7 million cubic yards.

2. Reasonable Alternatives

    In addition to the no action alternative, reasonable alternatives 
to be considered include the following:

a. Alternative pit location
b. Alternative methods of filling pit(s):
    (1) Fill completely
    (2) Partially fill so that some depression remains
    (3) Capping alternative (sand vs. mud vs. no cap)
c. Alternative methods of dredged material disposal:
    (1) Ocean disposal
    (2) Containment islands and areas (land extension)
    (3) Upland disposal
    (4) Sanitary landfill cover
    (5) Wetlands Creation

3. EIS Scoping

    As part of the EIS scoping process, comments on the proposed scope 
of the EIS will be accepted until 45 days after the publication of this 
NOI in the Federal Register; all comments should be addressed to the 
contact person indicated above. In addition to receiving written 
comments, the USACE will receive oral comments during a public scoping 
meeting scheduled for the latter part of the scoping period. Formal 
notice of this meeting will be made through mailings and/or legal 
notices in local newspapers.

4. Public Participation in the EIS Process

    The EIS process will provide opportunities for full participation 
by interested federal, state, and local agencies, as well as other 
interested organizations and the general public. These opportunities 
will include periodic public meetings and agency availability sessions. 
All interested parties are encouraged to submit their names and 
addresses to the contact person indicated above for inclusion on the 
distribution list for the draft and final EIS and any related public 
notices.

5. Federal Agency Participation in the EIS Process

    Federal agencies with an interest in this EIS effort are requested 
to participate as cooperating agencies pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1501.6. 
All interested federal agencies are requested to submit a letter of 
intent to Colonel Thomas A. York, Corps of Engineers District Engineer.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-13198 Filed 5-30-95; 8:45 am]
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