[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3569-3570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01035]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for the Installation of a Terminal Groin Structure at
the Eastern End of Ocean Isle Beach, Extending Into the Atlantic Ocean,
West of Shallotte Inlet (Brunswick County, NC)
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Wilmington District,
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office has received a request for
Department of the Army authorization, pursuant to Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbor Act, from the
Town of Ocean Isle Beach to install a terminal groin structure on the
east side of Ocean Isle Beach, extending into the Atlantic Ocean, just
west of Shallotte Inlet. The structure will be designed to function in
concert with the Federal storm damage reduction project.
DATES: The public is invited to attend, and/or comment at, a public
hearing to be held at Union Elementary School, 180 Union School Rd.,
NW., Shallotte, NC 28459, on February 24, at 6:00 p.m. Written comments
on the DEIS will be received until 5 p.m., March 9, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Copies of comments and questions regarding the DEIS may be
submitted to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Wilmington
District, Regulatory Division, c/o Mr. Tyler Crumbley. ATTN: File
Number SAW-2011-01241, 69 Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, NC 28403.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be directed to Mr. Tyler Crumbley, Wilmington Regulatory
Field Office, telephone: (910) 251-4170, facsimile (910) 251-4025, or
email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Project Description. The Town of Ocean Isle Beach is seeking
Federal and State authorization for construction of a terminal groin,
and associated beach fillet with required maintenance, to be located at
the eastern end of Ocean Isle Beach. The proposed terminal groin and
beach fillet is the Town's preferred alternative (#5) of five
alternatives considered in this document. Under the preferred
alternative, the terminal groin would have a seaward section extending
750-feet seaward of the April 2007 mean high water shoreline and a 300-
foot shore anchorage section extending landward of the April 2007 mean
high water shoreline. The seaward section would be constructed with
loosely placed armor stone to facilitate the movement of sand past the
structure. The shore anchorage section would be constructed with sheet
pile which would have a top elevation varying from +4.9 feet NAVD to
+4.5 feet NAVD.
The proposed terminal groin is one of four such structures approved
by the General Assembly to be constructed in North Carolina following
passing of Senate Bill (SB) 110. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) determined that there is sufficient information to conclude
that the project would result in significant adverse impact on the
human environment, and has prepared a DEIS pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate the environmental effects
of the alternatives considering the project's purpose and need. The
purpose and need of the proposed terminal groin and beach fillet is to
provide shoreline protection that would mitigate chronic erosion on the
eastern portion on the Town's oceanfront shoreline so as to preserve
the integrity of its infrastructure, provide protection to existing
development, and ensure the continued use of the oceanfront beach along
this area.
2. Issues. There are several potential environmental and public
interest issues that are addressed in the DEIS. Public interest issues
include, but are not limited to, the following: Public safety,
aesthetics, recreation, navigation, infrastructure, solid waste,
economics, and noise pollution. Additional issues may be identified
during the public review process. Issues initially identified as
potentially significant include:
a. Potential impacts to marine biological resources (benthic
organisms, passageway for fish and other marine life) and Essential
Fish Habitat.
b. Potential impacts to threatened and endangered marine mammals,
reptiles, birds, fish, and plants.
c. Potential for effects/changes to Ocean Isle beach, Holden Beach,
and Shallotte inlet, respectively.
d. Potential impacts to navigation.
e. Potential effects on regional sand sources and sand management
practices, including the Federal (Ocean Isle Beach storm damage
reduction) project.
f. Potential effects of shoreline protection.
g. Potential impacts on public health and safety.
h. Potential impacts to recreational and commercial fishing.
[[Page 3570]]
i. Potential impacts to cultural resources.
j. Potential impacts to future dredging and nourishment activities.
3. Alternatives. Five alternatives are being considered for the
proposed project. These alternatives, including the No Action
alternative, were further formulated and developed during the scoping
process and are considered in the DEIS. A summary of alternatives under
consideration are provided below:
a. Alternative 1--No Action (Continue Current Management
Practices).
b. Alternative 2--Abandon/Retreat.
c. Alternative 3--Beach Fill Only (Including Federal Project).
d. Alternative 4--Shallotte Inlet Bar Channel Realignment with
Beach Fill (Including Federal Project).
e. Alternative 5--Terminal Groin with Beach Fill (Including Federal
Project)/Applicants Preferred Alternative.
4. Scoping Process. Project Review Team meetings were held to
receive comments and assess concerns regarding the appropriate scope
and preparation of the DEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and
other interested organizations and persons participated in these
Project Review Team meetings.
The Corps will initiate consultation with the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service pursuant to the Endangered Species Act and the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. The Corps will also consult with
the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens
Act and Endangered Species Act. The Corps will coordinate with the
State Department of Cultural Resources pursuant to Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act.
Potential water quality concerns will be addressed pursuant to
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act through coordination with the North
Carolina Divisions of Coastal Management (DCM) and Water Resources
(DWR). This coordination will insure consistency with the Coastal Zone
Management Act and project compliance with water quality standards. The
Corps has coordinated closely with DCM in the development of the DEIS
to ensure the process complies with State Environmental Policy Act
(SEPA) requirements, as well as the NEPA requirements. The DEIS has
been designed to consolidate both NEPA and SEPA processes to eliminate
duplications.
5. Availability of the DEIS. The DEIS has been published and
circulated. The DEIS for the proposal can be found at the following
link: http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryPermitProgram.aspx under Major Projects/Town of Ocean Isle
Terminal Groin Project. The public is invited to attend, and/or comment
at, a public hearing to be held at Union Elementary School, 180 Union
School Rd., NW., Shallotte, NC 28459, on February 24, at 6:00 p.m.
Written comments on the DEIS will be received until 5 p.m., March 9,
2015.
Dated: January 14, 2015.
Scott McLendon,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-01035 Filed 1-22-15; 8:45 am]
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