[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52264-52265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21282]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) and the Announcement of a Public Hearing for the
Installation of a Terminal Groin Structure at the Eastern End of Holden
Beach, Extending into the Atlantic Ocean, West of Lockwood Folly Inlet
(Brunswick County, NC)
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Holden Beach to install a terminal groin structure on the east
end of Holden Beach, extending into the Atlantic Ocean, just west of
Lockwood Folly Inlet.
DATES: Written comments on the DEIS will be received until 5 p.m.,
October 13, 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 Mrs. Emily Hughes. ATTN: File Number
SAW-2011-01914, 69 Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, NC 28403.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be directed to Mrs. Emily Hughes, Wilmington Regulatory
Field Office, telephone: (910) 251-4635, facsimile (910) 251-4025, or
email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Project Description. The Town of Holden Beach is seeking Federal
and State authorization for construction of a terminal groin, and
associated beach fillet with required long-term maintenance, to be
located at the eastern end of Holden Beach. The proposed terminal groin
and beach fillet is the Town's Applicant Preferred alternative
(Alternative 6--Intermediate Terminal Groin and Beach Nourishment) of
six alternatives considered in this document. Under the Applicant's
preferred alternative, the main stem of the terminal groin would
include a 700-foot long segment extending seaward from the toe of the
primary dune and a
[[Page 52265]]
300-foot anchor segment extending landward from the toe of the primary
dune. The groin would also include a 120-ft-long shore-parallel T-Head
segment centered on the seaward terminus of the main stem designed to
prevent flanking. This is expected to have more of a stabilizing effect
on the shoreline and minimize formation of potential offshore rip
currents and sand losses during extreme wave conditions.
The seaward section of the groin would be constructed with loosely
placed 4- to 5-ft-diameter granite armor stone to facilitate the
movement of sand past the structure, and would have a crest width of ~5
ft and a base width of ~40 ft, while the underlying geo-textile base
layer would have a slightly greater width of ~45 ft. The shore
anchorage segment would be entirely buried at the completion of groin
construction and would remain buried so long as the position of the MHW
line remains seaward of the initial post-construction primary dune
line. The intermediate groin would be designed to be a relatively low-
profile structure to maximize sand overpassing and to minimize impacts
to beach recreation and aesthetics.
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 Holden Beach East End Shore Protection
Project is to provide shoreline protection that would mitigate ongoing
chronic erosion on the eastern portion on the Town's oceanfront
shoreline so as to preserve the integrity of its public infrastructure,
provide protection to existing development, and ensure the continued
public 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, 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 (burial of
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 Holden Beach, Oak Island,
Lockwood Folly inlet, and the AIWW respectively.
d. Potential impacts to navigation.
e. Potential effects on federal navigation maintenance regimes,
including the Federal project.
f. Potential effects of shoreline protection.
g. Potential impacts on public health and safety.
h. Potential impacts to recreational and commercial fishing.
i. Potential impacts to cultural resources.
j. Potential impacts to future dredging and nourishment activities.
3. Alternatives. Six 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 and Retreat;
c. Alternative 3--Beach Nourishment Only;
d. Alternative 4--Inlet Management and Beach Nourishment;
e. Alternative 5--Short Terminal Groin with Beach Nourishment;
f. Alternative 6--Intermediate Terminal Groin with Beach
Nourishment/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 ensure 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/MajorProjects under Holden Beach Terminal Groin--Corps ID # SAW-2011-
01914. The public is invited to attend, and/or comment at, a public
hearing to be held at the Holden Beach Town Hall, located at 110
Rothschild St, Holden Beach, NC 28462, on September 24, 2015 at 6:00
p.m.
Dated: August 21, 2015.
Henry M. Wicker, Jr.,
Deputy Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-21282 Filed 8-27-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P