Notice2023-27650
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Sparrows Point Container Terminal, Patapsco River, Baltimore County, Maryland
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Published
December 18, 2023
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentEngineers Corps
Abstract
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District (Corps), has received an application for a Department of the Army (DA) permit (Corps number NAB-2023-61200) for the Sparrows Point Container Terminal project from Tradepoint TiL Terminal, LLC, a joint venture between Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investments Limited to construct a new container terminal in the Port of Baltimore. The Corps, as the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), has determined the proposed project may significantly affect the quality of the human environment and intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS). The Corps action will be to issue, issue with modifications, or deny a DA permit for the proposed project. The EIS will assess the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed project. The Corps is requesting public/agency comments regarding the scope of the EIS and issues that should be evaluated in the document.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 241 (Monday, December 18, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 241 (Monday, December 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87414-87415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27650]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Sparrows Point Container Terminal, Patapsco River, Baltimore
County, Maryland
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District (Corps),
has received an application for a Department of the Army (DA) permit
(Corps number NAB-2023-61200) for the Sparrows Point Container Terminal
project from Tradepoint TiL Terminal, LLC, a joint venture between
Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investments Limited to construct a new
container terminal in the Port of Baltimore. The Corps, as the lead
agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), has
determined the proposed project may significantly affect the quality of
the human environment and intends to prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS). The Corps action will be to issue, issue with
modifications, or deny a DA permit for the proposed project. The EIS
will assess the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts
of the proposed project. The Corps is requesting public/agency comments
regarding the scope of the EIS and issues that should be evaluated in
the document.
DATES: A public scoping meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23,
2024, beginning at 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A virtual public scoping
meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, 2024, beginning at 11:30
a.m. to 1 p.m. See paragraph 6 in the Supplementary Information section
for additional details.
ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the proposed EIS scope should be
submitted to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Attn:
Ms. Maria Teresi, 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201. Individuals who
would like to provide comments electronically should submit comments by
email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#551b141778060516011520263436307b3427382c7b383c39"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="367877741b656675627643455755531857445b4f185b5f5a">[email protected]</span></a> The meeting address is the Sollers
Point Multi-Purpose Center, 323 Sollers Point Road, Dundalk, MD 21222.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this project or
to be included on the mailing list for future updates and meeting
announcements, contact Ms. Maria Teresi, USACE, by telephone at (410)
962-4252, email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#347a757619676477607441475557511a5546594d1a595d58"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1856595a354b485b4c586d6b797b7d36796a756136757174">[email protected]</span></a> or mail at the mailing
address provided above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps intends to prepare an EIS for the
proposed Sparrows Point Container Terminal (SPCT) project. The non-
Federal sponsor for the study is Tradepoint TiL Terminal, LLC (TTT).
The proposed project requires authorization from the Corps under
section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) for the discharge
of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, section
10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) for the
construction of any structure in or over navigable waters of the United
States, section 408 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C.
408) for taking possession of, use of, or injury to harbor or river
improvements, and section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and
Sanctuaries Act (33 U.S.C. 1413) for ocean disposal of dredged
material. All comments received during the public scoping period will
be considered by the Corps during preparation of the EIS.
1. Proposed Action. The project subject to review in an EIS
involves construction of the proposed Sparrows Point Container Terminal
which would consist of a +/-3,000 foot-long wharf with cranes, a
container yard, gate complex, Intermodal/Rail Yard and various support
structures. To provide vessel access to the wharf, the project
[[Page 87415]]
includes dredging and placement of an anticipated 3.5-4.5 million cubic
yards of dredged material for the required widening and deepening of
the existing access channel and turning basin. The project dredging
includes widening and deepening an existing access channel/turning
basin, and connection into the Brewerton Federal Navigation channel.
The proposed project plan also includes the construction of an offshore
Dredged Material Containment Facility (DMCF) in the Patapsco River on
the west side of Coke Point to provide placement capacity for dredged
material. An offshore DMCF to provide capacity for the total
anticipated dredged material volume would permanently fill
approximately 100 acres of tidal waters of the United States. As part
of the EIS process, the Corps will consider minimization measures for
dredging and a combination of alternatives for dredged material
placement.
The project includes a proposed compensatory mitigation plan. The
compensatory mitigation plan is under development and will be completed
as part of the development of the EIS.
2. Location. The project site is located within the Tradepoint
Atlantic development on the Coke Point peninsula in the Patapsco River,
Sparrows Point, Baltimore County, Maryland. [Latitude: 39.211222[deg]
and Longitude: -76.490349[deg]]
3. Project Purpose. To develop Sparrows Point Container Terminal
(SPCT), a new container terminal and associated facilities that would
be located on the Coke Point Peninsula within the Patapsco River in
Baltimore, Maryland.
4. Alternatives. The EIS will evaluate an array of alternatives for
dredging, dredged material disposal, and construction. Alternatives may
include, but are not limited to, no action alternative, dredged
material placement options including upland disposal onsite, upland
disposal offsite, beneficial and innovative reuse of dredge material,
and offshore ocean placement. In order to accommodate the anticipated
volume of dredged material, these options may be evaluated alone or on
combination.
Specifically, alternatives may be combined to reduce the footprint
of the offshore DMCF. These options include (1) a DMCF in the existing
on-site High Head Reservoir; (2) use of existing offsite upland DMCFs;
(3) ocean disposal of dredged material; (4) a nearshore DMCF; and/or
(5) beneficial reuse.
Mitigation measures could include, but are not limited to,
avoidance and minimization, enhancement, restoration, or establishment
of wetlands.
5. Scoping Process. The scoping period will continue for 60 days
from the date of this Notice of Intent. During the scoping period, the
Corps invites federal, state, and local agencies, Native American
Tribes, other interested parties, and the general public to participate
in the scoping process. The purpose of the scoping process is to
provide information to the public, serve as a mechanism to solicit
agency and public input on alternatives, identify significant issues to
be analyzed in the EIS, and ensure full and open participation in
scoping for the draft EIS. Scoping comments may be submitted by
conventional mail or email. All comments must include the Corps number
NAB-2023-61200. To be accepted, email comments must originate from the
author's email account. All comments received will become part of the
administrative record and are subject to public release under the
Freedom of Information Act including any personally identifiable
information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses. Additional
information on the project and scoping process are available on the
Corps' website at this link: <a href="https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/SPCT/">https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/SPCT/</a>
6. Scoping Meetings. The Corps will conduct public scoping meetings
during the scoping period in which agencies, organizations, and members
of the general public are invited to present comments or suggestions
with regard to the range of actions, alternatives, and potential
impacts to be considered in the EIS. The Corps has scheduled two public
scoping meetings, one in-person and one virtual as described below: (a)
In-person: Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. Display material and
staff will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a presentation
following at 6 p.m. at the Sollers Point Multi-Purpose Center; 323
Sollers Point Rd, Dundalk, MD 21222; and (b) Virtual: Thursday, January
25, 2024, beginning at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Access the virtual scoping
meeting at this link: <a href="https://bit.ly/SparrowsPoint2024">https://bit.ly/SparrowsPoint2024</a>
7. Availability of the Draft EIS. The draft EIS is estimated to be
available for public review and comment in January 2025. At that time,
a public review period will be provided for public review and comment
on the draft EIS.
8. Analyses and Consultation. The EIS will be integrated with
analyses and consultation required by the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, section 401 and
section 404 of the Clean Water Act, section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act, section 103 of the of the Marine Protection, Research and
Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act, section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act, Prime and Unique Farmlands, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act. All appropriate documentation (i.e.,
section 7, section 106 coordination letters, and public and agency
comments) will be obtained and included as part of the EIS. As part of
the EIS process, recommendations will be based on an evaluation of the
probable impact of the proposed activity on the public interest. The
decision will reflect the national concern for the protection and
utilization of important resources. The benefit, which may reasonably
be expected to accrue from the proposal, will be balanced against its
reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors that may be relevant to
the proposal will be considered, among these are wetlands; fish and
wildlife resources; cultural resources; land use; water and air
quality; hazardous, toxic, and radioactive substances; threatened and
endangered species; regional geology; aesthetics; environmental
justice; navigation; cumulative impacts; and the general needs and
welfare of the public.
Reinhard W. Koenig,
Programs Director, North Atlantic Division, US Army Corps of Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2023-27650 Filed 12-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
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