Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report/Feasibility Study (EIS/EIR/FS) for the Oakland Harbor Navigation Improvement (-50') Project, Alameda County, California

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/

Environmental Impact Report/Feasibility Study (EIS/EIR/FS) for the

Oakland Harbor Navigation Improvement (-50') Project, Alameda County,

California

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Port of Oakland proposes to deepen the federal channels of

Oakland Harbor and Port-maintained berths to a depth of 50' below mean

lower low water (MLLW) to accommodate the newest generation of deep-

draft container ships. In constructing this Project, the Port expects

to dredge up to 20 million cubic yards (MCY) of sediment. A variety of

disposal options are under consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions regarding the scoping process or preparation of the EIS/EIR/

FS may be directed to Gail Staba, Port of Oakland, 530 Water Street,

Oakland, CA 94607, (510) 272-1479, or Eric Jolliffe, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, 333 Market Street, Seventh Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105-

2102, (415) 977-8543.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the

Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508),

the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and Public Law 102-484

Section 2834, as amended by Public Law 104-106 Section 2867, the

Department of the Army and the Port of Oakland hereby give notice of

intent to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental

Impact Report/Feasibility Study (EIS/EIR/FS) for the proposed Oakland

Harbor Navigation Improvement (-50') Project (Project), Alameda County,

California.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be the lead agency in

preparing the combined EIS/EIR/FS. The EIS/EIR/FS will provide an

analysis supporting both the requirements of NEPA and CEQA in

addressing impacts to the environment which may result from dredging

the Port's Inner and Outer Harbor Channels to 50' below MLLW and

disposing of dredged sediments.

The FS is normally prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(USACE) to identify a Federal interest in a proposed navigation

improvement project. The FS is necessary to obtain congressional

authorization and funding for the project pursuant to the Water

Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1986. Under the provisions of

Section 203 of the WRDA, the Port will prepare this feasibility

analysis directly, as part of the necessary EIS/EIR documentation, and

will submit the studies directly to the Secretary of the Army with the

intent of obtaining authorization for the project to be included in the

WRDA of 1998.

1. Proposed Action

The specific improvements under consideration include:

a. Deepening and widening the Oakland Bar Channel and Approach.

b. Deepening and widening the Oakland Outer Harbor Channel.

c. Modifying the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) submarine rail tube

structure and/or anode cables.

d. Deepening and widening the Oakland Outer Harbor turning basin.

e. Deepening and widening the Oakland Inner Harbor turning basin.

f. Deepening and widening the Oakland Inner Harbor Channel.

Up to approximately 20 MCY of material will require dredging and

disposal as part of this proposed project. The sediment to be dredged

will be classified as Suitable for Unconfined Aquatic Disposal (SUAD)

or Not Acceptable for Unconfined Aquatic Disposal (NUAD) as designated

by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocol for sediment

chemistry and bioassay testing.

2. Project Alternatives

a. No Project: Area would remain at current 42' depth and

footprint.

b. Provision of Unrestricted Access for ``K'' Class Shipping

Requirements: The project would include a -50' depth, 750' wide, one-

way traffic Inner Harbor channel, a 1500' diameter Inner Harbor turning

basin, a -50' depth, widened to 1000' two-way traffic Outer Harbor

channel, and a 1600' diameter Outer Harbor turning basin. This

alternative assumes five berths would be constructed at the entrance of

Inner Harbor as a result of the Vision 2000 project, and one

replacement marine terminal would be constructed as part of the Berth

22 extension.

c. Provisions of Inner Harbor One-way Access for ``K'' Class

Shipping Requirements: The project would include the existing -42'

depth and footprint in the Outer Harbor, a -50' depth, 750' wide one-

way traffic Inner Harbor channel, and a 1500' diameter Inner Harbor

turning basin. This alternative assumes five berths would be

constructed at the entrance to the Inner Harbor as a result of the

Vision 2000 project.

d. Provisions of Outer Harbor Two-way Access for ``K'' Class

Shipping Requirements: The project would include the existing -42'

depth and footprint in the Inner Harbor, a -50' depth, 1000' wide two-

way traffic Outer Harbor channel, and a 1600' diameter Outer Harbor

turning basin. This alternative assumes that one replacement marine

terminal would be constructed as part of the Berth 22 extension.

e. Provisions of Outer Harbor One-way Access for ``K'' Class

Shipping Requirements: The project would include the existing -42'

depth and footprint in Inner Harbor, a -50' depth, 750' wide one-way

traffic Outer Harbor channel, and a 1600' diameter Outer Harbor turning

basin. This alternative assumes that one replacement marine terminal

would be constructed as part of the Berth 22 extension.

3. Dredged Material Disposal Alternatives

a. Aquatic disposal at San Francisco Deep Ocean Disposal Site (SF-

DODS) or

[[Page 38072]]

Alcatraz Disposal Site (SF-11) for SUAD sediment.

b. Upland and aquatic construction fill for Port of Oakland Vision

2000 program, to be used for public access, berths, and to raise

existing grades. SUAD and NUAD sediment would be used.

c. Aquatic construction fill for Port of Oakland Berth 22 extension

SUAD and NUAD sediment would be used.

d. SUAD sediment would be used for upland construction fill at the

former Alameda Naval Air Station (NAS) for a Port priority use area, or

to develop a golf course.

e. Use of SUAD and NUAD sediment to create aquatic habitat at Fleet

and Industrial Supply Center, Oakland (FISCO/Port of Oakland), or at

Bay Farm Borrow Pit.

f. Aquatic and upland beach nourishment at Ocean Beach, San

Francisco, using SUAD sediment.

g. Upland habitat enhancement at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

refuge at former Alameda NAS using SUAD sediment.

h. Upland habitat at Crissy Field using SUAD sediment.

i. Wetland restoration at former Hamilton Airfield or Montezuma

Wetlands using SUAD sediment.

j. Use of SUAD sediment as a cap on contaminated aquatic sites, and

possible confined aquatic disposal at Alameda Seaplane Basin.

k. Upland disposal of SUAD and NUAD sediment at various landfills

(Vasco Rd., Altamont, Redwood).

l. Upland disposal of SUAD and NUAD sediment at former Mare Island

NAS and or Delta Islands.

4. Scoping Process

Federal, state and local agencies, and interested individuals are

invited to participate in the scoping process to determine the range of

issues and alternatives to be addressed. The Port of Oakland and the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public scoping meeting to

receive oral and written comments on August 5, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. at the

following location: Oakland Federal Building, 1301 Clay Street,

Oakland, CA 94612, Conference Room H.

In addition, written comments will also be accepted until August

18, 1997 at the addresses listed above.

5. Availability of EIS/EIR/FS

The Draft EIS/EIR/FS should be available for public review in

February 1998.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-18678 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]

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