Notice2023-27867
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Conduct Scoping Meeting for the Pier Wind Terminal Development Project at the Port of Long Beach, City of Long Beach and County of Los Angeles, California (SPL-2023-00720)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 19, 2023
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentEngineers Corps
Abstract
The purpose of this notice is to initiate the scoping process for preparation of a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/ Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Port of Long Beach (Port) Pier Wind Terminal Development Project.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87758-87759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27867]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Conduct Scoping Meeting for the Pier Wind Terminal Development Project
at the Port of Long Beach, City of Long Beach and County of Los
Angeles, California (SPL-2023-00720)
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to initiate the scoping process
for preparation of a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Port of Long Beach (Port)
Pier Wind Terminal Development Project.
DATES: Submit comments concerning this notice on or before February 6,
2024. An in-person public scoping meeting will be held on January 10,
2024, starting at 6 p.m. PST. An in-person open house will be held from
5-6 p.m. PST.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held in the Bob Foster
Civic Chambers, adjacent to the Port of Long Beach Administration
Building, in the Long Beach Civic Center at 411 W. Ocean Blvd., Long
Beach, California 90802. The open house will be held at the Port of
Long Beach Administration Building, 415 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach,
California 90802. Email written comments concerning this notice to:
Lisa Mangione, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District,
Regulatory Division, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e4888d9785ca89858a838d8b8a81a49197858781ca8596899dca898d88"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b4d8ddc7d59ad9d5dad3dddbdad1f4c1c7d5d7d19ad5c6d9cd9ad9ddd8">[email protected]</span></a>. Comment emails
should include the commenter's email, the project title, and the USACE
file number (SPL-2023-00720) in the subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Mangione, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Los Angeles District, Regulatory Division, (805) 585-2150,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8de1e4feeca3e0ece3eae4e2e3e8cdf8feeceee8a3ecffe0f4a3e0e4e1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="325e5b41531c5f535c555b5d5c577247415351571c53405f4b1c5f5b5e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the USACE is
requiring the preparation of an EIS prior to making a permit decision
for the proposed Project. The USACE may ultimately make a determination
to permit or deny the proposed Project or a modified version of the
proposed Project. The primary Federal concerns are dredging, dredged
material disposal, addition of permanent structures in and over
navigable waters of the U.S. and transport of dredged material for the
purpose of ocean disposal.
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Cal.
Pub. Res. Code section 21000 et seq., the City of Long Beach Harbor
Department (Port of Long Beach or Port) will serve as the CEQA Lead
Agency in preparing the EIR for its consideration of development
approvals within its jurisdiction. The USACE and Port have agreed to
jointly prepare a Draft EIS/EIR to optimize efficiency and avoid
duplication. The Draft EIS/EIR is intended to be sufficient in scope to
address the Federal, State, and local requirements and environmental
issues concerning the proposed activities and permit approvals.
1. Project Site and Background Information. The proposed Project
site is located in the Southwest Long Beach Harbor Planning District
(District 6) in the Outer Harbor, south of the Navy Mole and West
Basin, east of the Port of Los Angeles Pier 400, north of the Federal
breakwater, and west of the Main Channel within the Port of Long Beach.
The site is located in the City of Long Beach and County of Los Angeles
and adjacent to the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington. The
purpose of the proposed Project is to develop a terminal at the Port
for receiving, staging, and storing wind turbine generator (WTG)
components (tower sections, nacelles, and blades), and foundation sub-
assemblies; performing final assembly of floating foundations, and
integrating WTG components with the floating foundation to create
floating offshore wind (OSW) turbine systems (proposed Project). The
proposed Project would enable the State of California and Federal
Government to address the global climate crisis and decarbonization of
energy resources by supporting the establishment of wind farms off the
west coast shores of the United States.
2. Proposed Project. The Port, acting by and through its Board of
Harbor Commissioners, proposes to construct a 400-acre terminal and 30-
acre transportation corridor for receiving, staging, and storing wind
turbine generator (WTG) components, and foundation sub-assemblies,
performing final assembly of floating foundations, and integrating WTG
components with the floating foundation to create floating offshore
wind (OSW) turbine systems. The terminal and transportation corridor
would be located in the Southwest Harbor Planning District (District 6)
at the Port of Long Beach just south of the Navy Mole, east of Port of
Los Angeles Pier 400, north of the Federal breakwater, and west of the
Main Channel. The proposed Project would construct new land at the Port
that would best meet the land requirements for waterfront facilities
necessary for efficient staging, integration, floating foundation
assembly, and maintenance of large floating OSW turbine systems as
specified in the California State Lands Commission 2023 AB 525 Port
Readiness Plan. In-water construction activities would include
approximately 50 million cubic yards (CY) of dredging (for fill
material and surcharge), construction of rock revetment dikes, and
construction of a terminal wharf, sinking basin, wet storage areas, and
concrete piers adjacent to the transportation corridor. Onshore
construction would include grading and compaction, surfacing,
transportation corridor improvements, and installation of utilities and
signage. It is estimated that construction activities would start in
2027 and last a total of 9 years, construction completed in phases and
operations starting in 2031. Overall construction is expected to be
completed in 2035.
3. Proposed Federal Action. Because construction of the proposed
Project would result in a discharge of dredged and/or fill material
into waters of the United States, would place structures in navigable
waters of the United States, or consist of work in or affecting
navigable waters of the United States, and would transport dredged or
fill material by
[[Page 87759]]
vessel or other vehicle for the purpose of dumping the material into
ocean waters, USACE authorization is required pursuant to section 404
of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344; 33 CFR parts 323 and 330),
section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 U.S.C. 403), and section
103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33
U.S.C. 1413). Review of and decision on, the permit applications by the
USACE constitutes the proposed Federal action (Proposed Federal
Action).
4. Issues. Potentially significant issues associated with the
proposed Project may include: aesthetics/visual impacts, air quality
and greenhouse gas emissions, biological resource impacts, cultural and
tribal cultural resources, energy, geologic impacts related to
seismicity, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water
quality, land use and planning, noise, population and housing, public
services, recreation, transportation, utilities and service systems,
environmental justice, socioeconomics, and cumulative impacts from
past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future projects.
5. Alternatives. Multiple alternatives to the proposed Project are
under consideration, including: No Federal Action (NEPA)/No Project
(CEQA), 400-acre terminal with a standard construction schedule,
smaller terminal, larger terminal, alternate locations in California,
single-lift dike only, and utilization of Pier S. Additional
alternatives that may be developed during scoping will also be
considered in the Draft EIS/EIR.
6. Scoping Process. The USACE and Port will jointly conduct two
public scoping meetings to receive public comment regarding the
appropriate scope and content of the Draft EIS/EIR. Participation by
Federal, State, and local agencies, tribal nations, and other
interested organizations and persons is encouraged. The scoping meeting
will be recorded and posted on the Port's website (<a href="https://www.polb.com/ceqa">https://www.polb.com/ceqa</a>). The scoping meeting will be conducted in English
with interpretation for other languages provided upon request. If you
require interpretation services to participate in the scoping meeting,
please contact the Port of Long Beach Environmental Planning Division
at (562) 283-7100 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b3d0d6c2d2f3c3dcdfd19dd0dcde"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91f2f4e0f0d1e1fefdf3bff2fefc">[email protected]</span></a> at least three full
working days (72 hours) prior to the public scoping meeting date to
ensure that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide
interpretation services. Americans with Disabilities Act: The Port of
Long Beach provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If special accommodations are
needed to participate in the public scoping meeting, please contact the
Port of Long Beach Environmental Planning Division at (562) 283-7100 or
via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#82e1e7f3e3c2f2edeee0ace1edef"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="533036223213233c3f317d303c3e">[email protected]</span></a> at least three full working days (72 hours)
prior to the scoping meeting date to ensure reasonable arrangements can
be made.
7. Electronic Access and Filing Addresses. Comments may be
submitted by electronic mail (email) to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4c20253f2d62212d222b252322290c393f2d2f29622d3e213562212520"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="660a0f1507480b0708010f0908032613150705034807140b1f480b0f0a">[email protected]</span></a>.
Electronic mail comments should include the commenter's physical or
electronic mailing address, the project title, and the Corps file
number (SPL-2023-00720).
8. Availability for Public Comment. The Draft EIS/EIR is expected
to be available for public review and comment in early 2025, and a
public meeting will be held after its publication.
David R. Hibner,
Programs Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-27867 Filed 12-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 19, 2023.
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