[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 42 (Friday, March 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13055-13056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5117]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Hudson River at Athens, New York Navigation Channel Project: 
Feasibility Phase.

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is 
preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to ascertain 
compliance with and to lead to the production of a National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document in accordance with the 
President's Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) Rules and 
Regulations, as defined and amended in 40 Code Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Parts 1500-1508, Corps' Principals and Guidelines as defined in 
Engineering Regulation (ER) 1105-2-100 and (ER) 1105-1-200 and other 
applicable Federal and State environmental laws for the proposed Hudson 
River at Athens, New York Federal Navigation Project. This project is 
an element of the Hudson River, New York to Waterford, New York 
Project.
    The study area includes the Hudson River Main Channel from the 
Hudson City Light to Athens Harbor, Athens, New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information, 
please contact Jenine Gallo, Project Biologist at (212) 264-0912, 
Planning Division, Corps of Engineers, New York District, 26 Federal 
Plaza, New York, New York 10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This study is authorized by Section 110 of 
the Energy and Water Appropriations Act 1997 which reads:
    ``The Secretary of the Army is authorized and directed to modify 
the project for the Hudson River, New York, New York City to Waterford, 
authorized by the Act of June 25, 1910 (Pub. L. 264, 61st Congress, 36 
Stat. 635), to include design and construction of a 300-foot wide 
channel to a depth of 24 feet MLW (mean low water), extending from the 
existing federal channel in the vicinity of the Hudson City Light to 
the north dock at Union Street, Athens, New York.''
    1. Description of the Previously Authorized Project: The Hudson 
River at Athens Federal Navigation Project area is located on the west 
bank of the Hudson River in Athens Township, Greene County, New York. 
The purpose of the project is to construct a new navigation channel as 
a spur off the existing Federal channel. The new channel would serve 
two terminals in the Port of Athens. Currently, vessels of the classes 
that typically call at Athens cannot reach the terminals there while 
fully loaded because the depth of the channel is insufficient. The 
Project will allow these vessels to reach Athens at low tide (MLW) 
while fully loaded.
    2. Two types of environmental analysis will be conducted; (1) of 
impacts associated with channel deepening and widening and (2) of 
impacts<INF>[TH1]</INF> associated with placement of dredged material 
at a site specified by the project sponsor.

[[Page 13056]]

    3. Public scoping meeting(s) are expected to be scheduled in Spring 
2001. Meeting(s) will be held in Athens, New York at locations not yet 
determined. Results from the public scoping meeting(s) with the 
District and Federal, state and local agency coordination will be 
addressed in the DEIS. Parties interested in receiving notices of 
public scoping meeting(s) should contact Jenine Gallo at the above 
address.
    4. Federal agencies interested in participating as a Cooperating 
Agency are requested to submit a letter of intent to Colonel William H. 
Pearce, District Engineer at the above address.
    5. Estimated Date of DEIS availability: January 2002.

Joseph Vietri,
Deputy Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 01-5117 Filed 3-1-01; 8:45 am]
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