[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 131 (Friday, July 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44599-44600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16188]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Integrated Feasibility/Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Tinian Harbor Modifications Project, Island
of Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),
DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the section 102(2) (C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI),
Municipality of Tinian (Municipality)/Commonwealth Ports Authority
(CPA) gives notice that an Integrated Feasibility/Environmental Impact
Statement (F/EIS) is being prepared for the Proposed Tinian Harbor
Modifications Project, Island of Tinian, CNMI. This project is
authorized under section 209 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1962
(Pub. L. 87-874) and will consider the implementation of navigation
improvements at Tinian Harbor.
DATES: In order to be considered in the Draft F/EIS, comments and
suggestions should be received within 30 days after the last public
scoping meeting. Two public scoping meetings will be held in Saipan and
Tinian in mid/late July 2016. A separate notice will be published for
meeting times and places.
ADDRESSES: Mail written comments concerning this notice to: Mr. Milton
Yoshimoto, Project Manager, Civil and Public Works Branch, Honolulu
District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Civil and Public Works Branch,
Bldg 230, Fort Shafter, Hawaii 96858. Comment letters should include
the commenter's physical mailing address and the project title in the
subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Milton Yoshimoto, Civil and Public
Works Branch, Honolulu District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bldg
230, Fort Shafter, Hawaii 96858, (808) 835-4034, Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with NEPA, the Corps intends
to prepare an F/EIS report. The primary Federal actions under
consideration are: (1) Navigation improvement measures that expand the
turning basin; (2) surge reduction measures by constructing protective
structures at both harbors; and (3) dredging harbor sediments to allow
larger vessels access to the harbor. The F/EIS reports shall meet the
requirements of NEPA, including all applicable federal regulations
implementing those statutes.
Evaluation will examine the costs and benefits of this project, as
well as the environmental impacts of modifying the maintained
dimensions of the existing harbor. The purpose of this effort is to
conduct a study to assess the technical, environmental and economic
feasibility in the implementation of navigation improvement at Tinian
Harbor.
Project Site and Background Information: Tinian Harbor is the sole
commercial harbor servicing the island of Tinian, CNMI and is owned and
maintained by the CPA. Due to its isolation, the harbor is extremely
important for the continual flow and transit of goods and materials for
the small island community. The CNMI is threatened annually by typhoons
and tropical storms which has resulted in the deterioration of the
protective breakwater and harbor facilities. Failure of the breakwater
would result in complete closure of the harbor, requiring costly air
transport as the only remaining option to deliver essential commodities
to the island. The project will focus on the repair/reconfiguration of
the breakwater and an incremental analysis of the harbor depth to
assure safe and efficient operation of commercial vessels.
Proposed Action(s): The study reports will assess the technical,
environmental and economic feasibility in the implementation of
navigation improvement. These include: (1) Navigation improvement
measures that expand the federal turning basin; (2) surge reduction
measures by constructing protective structures; and (3) expand and
deepen the harbor basin and entrance channel to accommodate larger
vessels by dredging.
Issues: Potentially significant issues associated with the project
may include: aesthetics/visual impacts, air quality emissions,
biological resource impacts, environmental justice, hazards and
hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, noise, traffic and
transportation, and cumulative impacts from past, present, and
reasonably foreseeable future projects.
Scoping Process: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking
participation and input of all interested federal, state, and local
agencies, Native American groups, and other concerned private
organizations or individuals on the scope of the F/EIS through this
public notice. The purpose of the public scoping meeting is to solicit
comments regarding the potential impacts, environmental issues, and
alternatives associated with the proposed action to be considered in
the study report. The meeting place, date, and time will be advertised
in advance in local newspapers, and meeting announcement letters will
be sent to interested parties. The draft F/EIS is expected to be
available for public review and comment in the summer of 2017 and a
public meeting will be held after its publication.
[[Page 44600]]
Dated: July 1, 2016.
Christopher W. Crary,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2016-16188 Filed 7-7-16; 8:45 am]
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