SWG-2012-00546 - U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration - Orange and Jefferson Counties

Full Public Notice    Project Plans

The applicant proposes to construct a layberth facility for eight vessels belonging to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve Force.  The proposed construction activities include dredging of berths and a basin, the construction of piers with associated mooring and breasting structures, the construction of two small craft docks, the installation of a fire protection system, the construction of a wastewater plant, the installation of a buried telecommunication cable (which would involve temporary impacts to 1 acre of wetlands), and the construction of an access road and approach roads (which would involve permanent impacts to 0.39 acre of emergent freshwater wetlands).  The proposed basin and berths comprise a 56.8-acre area along the eastern shore of McFadden Bend, adjacent to the SNWW.  The applicant is proposing to dredge the basin and berthing area utilizing both mechanical and hydraulic methods to achieve a depth of -36-foot Mean Low Tide.  This would result in the displacement of approximately 800,000 cubic yards of dredge material.  The applicant is requesting permission to place those dredge materials into the following Dredged Material Placement Areas (DMPAs):  21, 22, 23, and 24 (a map of the DMPAs is included as Page 15 of 26 in the project plans).  The proposed wastewater plant would be constructed in uplands; however, the associated outfall structure would be located beneath the Mean High Water Mark of the Neches River, and the installation of the outfall structure would temporarily impact 0.09 acre of wetlands.  The proposed telecommunications cable would run along the northern shore of McFadden Bend, and would be buried 4 feet deep using open trench excavation methods.