GALVESTON, Texas (August 5, 2019) – The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District has published a public notice for the Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s proposed Channel Deepening Project, for which an Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared. The Channel Deeping project was also determined to be a covered project under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and Executive Order 13807 - Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects.
The proposed Chanel Deepening Project is located within the existing channel bottom of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel starting near the southeast side of Harbor Island, traversing easterly through the Aransas Pass, and extending beyond the currently authorized terminus, an approximate distance of 13.8 miles. The Port’s stated need for the proposed Chanel Deeping Project is to accommodate transit of fully laden very large crude carriers (VLCCs) that draft approximately 70 feet. The proposed project does not include widening the channel; however, some minor incidental widening of the channel slopes is expected to meet side slope requirements and to maintain the stability of the channel.
The Chanel Deepening Project, if approved, would create approximately 46 million cubic yards of new work dredged material. Dredged material judged to be suitable for beneficial use would be used to create several feeder berms in near-shore areas to nourish eroded beach areas, reestablish sand dune areas on San Jose Island that were breached by Hurricane Harvey, restore perimeter portions of placement areas that have experienced erosion, place material in areas adjacent to the interior CCSC that were breached by Hurricane Harvey, and enhance/ armor a perimeter berm along Harbor Island that would absorb erosive forces of waves and ship wakes to protect areas of marsh and submerged aquatic vegetation behind the berm. Dredged material judged to be unsuitable for beneficial use would be placed in authorized placement areas.
The purpose of the public notice is to solicit comments from the public, Federal, State, and local agencies and officials, Indian tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and other public interest factors. Comments are used in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
The public notice and project plans may be found on the District Webpage at https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/. Comments may be directed to the Corps of Engineers by electronic mail, SWG201900067@usace.army.mil or mailed to: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District, Attn: Regulatory Division, P. O. Box 1229, Galveston, Texas 77553-1229.
For more information about the district’s permitting process, visit http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Missions/Permits.aspx. For news and information, visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.