[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 29285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13505]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army
Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Chuitna Coal Mine Project, Alaska
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent; withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), on January 4, 2011, the Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps) initiated the Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) process to identify and analyze potential impacts
associated with the proposed Chuitna Coal Mine Project to assist in
evaluating a Department of the Army permit application pursuant to
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act of 1899. On March 30, 2017, the applicant announced its
decision to suspend pursuit of permitting efforts on the project.
Therefore, the Corps is terminating the EIS process, and is withdrawing
the Notice of Intent published in the Tuesday, January 4, 2011, issue
of the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CEPOA-RD, Post Office Box
6898, JBER, Alaska 99506-0898.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding this action can be
addressed by Jason Berkner, Regulatory Division, by telephone: (907)
753-5778 (toll free from within Alaska: (800) 478-2712), by fax: (907)
753-5567, by email: [email protected], or by mail: U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, CEPOA-RD, Post Office Box 6898, JBER, Alaska
99506-0898.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PacRim Coal, LP, requested Corps
authorization, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10
of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, to develop the Chuitna Coal
Project (Project), which was comprised of three components; the mine
site, the project infrastructure, and the marine port. The Project
consisted of mining a 5,050-acre lease tract with coal reserves of
approximately 300 million tons of sub-bituminous ultra-low sulfur coal.
The Project, as proposed, would have resulted in the discharge of
dredged and/or fill material into an approximate total of 2,550 acres
of waters of the U.S., including wetlands, 26 miles of streams, and
marine waters. Due to the potentially significant environmental effects
associated with the Project, on January 4, 2011, the Corps issued a
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS (76 FR 336). The EIS would have also
assessed issues related to the Alaska Surface Coal Mining Control and
Reclamation Act (ASCMCRA) permit, which governs all aspects of the coal
mining operation and infrastructure. On November 2, 2016, the Corps
administratively withdrew the PacRim Coal, LP application for the
Project pending State of Alaska's completeness determination on the
ASCMCRA application. A complete ASCMCRA application would have
confirmed availability of the information required by the Corps to
enable informed public comment and review of the DA permit application,
and development of the EIS. On March 30, 2017, the applicant announced
its decision to suspend pursuit of permitting efforts on the Project.
Therefore, in accordance with Corps regulations at 33 CFR part 230,
Appendix C(2) and 33 CFR part 325, Appendix B(g), the Corps is
terminating the EIS process, and is withdrawing the January 4, 2011,
notice of intent to prepare an EIS for the proposal.
Dated: June 19, 2017.
Sheila Newman,
Chief, Special Actions Branch.
[FR Doc. 2017-13505 Filed 6-27-17; 8:45 am]
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