Galveston District publishes Notice of Availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Public Meetings for the Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s Channel Deepening Project, Nueces and Aransas Counties, Texas (Department of The Army Permit Number SWG-2019-00067)

Galveston District
Published May 25, 2022
Updated: May 25, 2022

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District is publishing a notice of availability for the Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s (PCCA) Channel Deepening Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Department of the Army Permit SWG-2019-00067.  USACE invites all affected federal, state, and local agencies, affected Native American Tribes, other interested parties, and the general public to participate in the (National Environmental Policy Act) NEPA process during the review and comment of the DEIS. The DEIS will be made available for a 45-day public review period beginning on June 10, 2022, continuing through July 25, 2022. In addition, USACE has scheduled an in-person public meeting to be held on June 22, 2022, from 3:00pm. 7:30pm at the Ortiz Center, 402 Harbor Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78401. The public meetings will provide information about the proposed action and receive public input and comment on the DEIS. Additional information about the public meeting and a copy of the DEIS will also be available on the Galveston District’s Project webpage below.
www.swg.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Special-Projects-Environmental-Impact-Statements.aspx

The PCCA Channel Deepening Project (CDP) is located near Port Aransas, Nueces and Aransas Counties, Texas. The proposed action would deepen the existing channel from its currently authorized depth of -54 feet to -77 feet and extend the existing offshore channel limits an additional 29,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. The CDP channel alignment is within the existing channel bottom of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel starting near the southeast side of Harbor Island and traverses easterly through Aransas Pass and extends beyond the currently authorized terminus. The proposed action would span approximately 13.8 miles from Harbor Island to the Gulf generating approximately 47 million cubic yards of new work dredge material. PCCA has proposed to use suitable dredged material for beneficial use by constructing nearshore berms and beach nourishment on San Jose and Mustang Islands, as well as restore eroded shorelines on Harbor Island and near the Port Aransas Nature Preserve impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Dredged material determined not to be suitable for beneficial use will be placed in the Corpus Christi New Work Ocean Dredge Material Disposal Site located offshore Corpus Christi.

Written comments regarding the DEIS should be addressed to Mr. Jayson Hudson, Galveston District, Regulatory Division, 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, Texas 77550. Individuals who would like to provide comments electronically should submitted them by electronic mail to: SWG201900067@usace.army.mil. Emailed attachments should be provided in either docx, .jpeg, or .pdf formats.

Comments received during the comment period will be considered by USACE to assist in determining whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for the proposed Action.  Comments will be considered in the Final EIS analysis pursuant to NEPA.  All comments must be received by July 25, 2022 (33 calendar days following the public meeting.  


Contact
SWG Public Affairs Office
409-766-3404
swgpao@usace.army.mil

Release no. 22-017