Full Public Notice Project Plans Alternatives Analysis iHGM Analysis
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant proposes to modify an existing permit by temporarily filling 8.75 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands (PEM), 0.66 acre of palustrine scrub shrub wetlands (PSS), and 3.33 acres of palustrine forested wetlands (PFO). The applicant proposes to permanently fill 50.20 acres of PEM, 2.74 acres of PSS, 190.44 acres of PFO, 0.03 acre of streams, and 0.07 acres of open water. The applicant proposes to permanently convert 0.66 acres of PSS to PEM and 3.33 acres of PFO to PEM. The applicant proposes to dredge 14.88 acres (1,938 linear feet) of the Neches River. The applicant proposes to permanently impact 0.07 acres of stream by placing two 48-inch culverts and install slope revetments and rip rap within 0.14 acres of the Neches River.
The applicant proposes to construct a new dock, known as “Dock 7/8” which will require the dredging of 2.94 million cubic yards of material to a depth of -43 Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) +/- 2 feet (-43.9 Mean High Water) in order to create a new marine berth large enough to support two Aframax-sized vessels, a 100- by 80-foot pile supported dock platform, 8 breasting dolphins with walkways, 6 inshore mooring dolphins, 2 offshore mooring dolphins, an offshore turning dolphin, a landside mooring dolphin, a vehicle approachway, 400 linear feet of sheet pile bulkhead, an access road, a dock house, a valve containment structure, a parking area, a firewater intake structure and meter, and various inshore foundations for ancillary equipment.
The applicant also proposes to raise the grade, by filling an adjacent 222-acre area to an elevation of +9 feet MLLW using excavated material. This 222-acre area will house new liquefied petroleum gas processing units, approximately 4 refrigerated liquidized petroleum gas storage tanks, 27 aboveground storage tanks, a new pump manifold, and a 36-inch crude oil transfer pipeline which will connect Dock 7/8 to the existing Nederland Terminal.
The applicant proposes to modify the existing Dock C to accommodate Aframax-sized vessels and meet Sabine Pilot’s association safety standards. As a component of this dock modification, the applicant will remove 9 breasting dolphins, the Dock C platform, two firewater pump foundations and associated firewater equipment, firewater intake support piles, the approachway, the dock house, a section of bulkhead, and product piping. Following removal, the applicant proposes to dredge 330,000 cubic yards of material within a 6.3-acre area to a depth of -43 MLLW +/- 2 feet (-43.9 Mean High Water). This dredged material will be placed on-site or within Placement Areas 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25. The applicant will then construct a 135- by 80-foot pile supported platform, a gangway tower, a hose tower with hydraulic crane, 4 product loading arms, 4 ship breasting dolphins with walkways, 5 inshore mooring dolphins, an inshore valve containment foundation, firewater intake structure and equipment, dock house, pipe rack, product piping, and install approximately 1,160 linear feet of sheet pile bulkhead.
The applicant also requests 10 years of maintenance dredging. The applicant requests authorization to place all maintenance dredged material on-site within the new development area or within Placement Areas 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25.