[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 77076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31460]
[[Page 77076]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-9006-8]
Notice of Intent: Designation of an Expanded Ocean Dredged
Material Disposal Site (ODMDS) off Charleston, South Carolina
AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA)
for the designation of an expanded ODMDS off Charleston, South
Carolina.
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Purpose: EPA has the authority to designate ODMDSs under Section
102 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33
U.S.C. 1401 et seq.). It is EPA's policy to prepare a National
Environmental Policy Document for all ODMDS designations (63 FR 58045,
October 1998).
For Further Information, to Submit Comments, and To Be Placed On the
Project Mailing List Contact: Mr. Gary W. Collins, EPA Region 4, 61
Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, phone 404-562-9393, email:
[email protected].
SUMMARY: EPA in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Charleston District (USACE) intends to prepare an EA to evaluate the
proposed designation of an expanded ODMDS offshore Charleston, South
Carolina. An EA will provide the environmental information necessary to
evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with expanding
the ODMDS.
Need for Action: The USACE has requested that EPA evaluate and
designate an expanded ODMDS. The study area includes an area
approximately 7.18 square miles in size, for the disposal of dredged
material from the proposed harbor deepening dredging at Charleston
Harbor (4.04 square miles are within the current ODMDS and 3.14 square
miles are outside the current ODMDS). The size of an expanded ODMDS
will based on capacity computer modeling results, and will be refined
throughout the study phase.
Alternatives: The following proposed alternatives have been
tentatively defined.
1. No action.
2. Expansion of the existing Charleston ODMDS. Expand the existing
disposal zone and ODMDS to the north, south and east.
Scoping: EPA is requesting written comments from federal, state,
and local governments, industry, non-governmental organizations, and
the general public on the range of alternatives considered, specific
environmental issues to be evaluated, and the potential impacts of the
alternatives. Scoping comments will be accepted for 60 days, beginning
with the date of this Notice.
Estimated Date of Draft EA Release: May 2014.
Responsible Official: Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming, Regional
Administrator, Region 4.
Dated: December 21, 2012.
Susan E. Bromm,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 2012-31460 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
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