[Federal Register: November 21, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 225)]
[Notices]
[Page 58459-58460]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21no01-67]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environment Impact Statement for the
Proposed Royal D'Iberville Casino and Hotel, Located in D'Iberville,
Harrison County, MS
AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (Corps),
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to
address the potential impacts associated with the construction of the
proposed Royal D'Iberville Casino and Hotel located on the Back Bay of
Biloxi, in D'Iberville, Harrison County, Mississippi. The Corps will be
evaluating a permit application for the work under the authority of
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors and Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act. The EIS will be used as a basis for the permit decision and to
ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and the DEIS should be addressed to Mr. William R. Bunkley, Regulatory
Branch, phone (251) 694-3780 or e-mail at
william.r.bunkley@sam.usace.army.mil, or Dr. Susan Ivester Rees,
Coastal Environmental Team, phone (251) 694-4141 or e-mail at
susan.i.rees@sam.usace.army.mil, Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. The permit applicant is proposing to construct a casino
development on the northern shore of the Bank Bay of Biloxi consisting
on the following: A casino mooring facility to accommodate a 100,000
square foot floating casino barge, a concrete access pier, 450 linear
feet of steel sheet pile bulkhead, four (4) 35-foot diameter steel,
concrete filled, mooring caissons and connection apparatus that will
withstand 155 m.p.h. wind speeds. Associated landside work includes the
construction of any entry porte cochere, a 2500 space multi-level
parking garage, and a 500-room hotel. Road improvements would include
I-110/Rodriquez Street interchange, Boney Avenue, and Bay Shore Drive
along the width of the project site. Additional would include a sewer
lift station and a 6-inch force main from the casino to the D'Iberville
sewage treatment facility, a new 700-gallon per minute (gpm) water
well, and a new 300,000-gallon elevated water tank. Minimal impacts to
vegetated wetlands are proposed. No other wetlands or ``special aquatic
sites'' will be excavated or filled. Approximately 9 acres of uplands
will be impacted by the proposed development.
2. Alternatives to the applicant's proposal may exist which would
reduce the impacts to the Back Bay of Biloxi. These could include
alternate sites, alternative site layouts or alternative operational
methods.
3. Scoping:
a. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open
communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All Federal,
State, and local agencies, and other persons or organizations that have
an
[[Page 58460]]
interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping process. A public
meeting will be held to help identify significant issues and to receive
public input and comment.
b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and
environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the proposed
project. Specifically, the following major issues will be analyzed in
depth in the DEIS: hydrologic and hydraulic regimes, essential fish
habitat and other marine habitat, air quality, cultural resources,
wastewater treatment capacities and discharges, transportation systems,
alternatives, secondary and cumulative impacts, socioeconomics,
environmental justice (effect on minorities and low-income groups), and
protection of children (Executive Order 13045).
c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the
preparation of the DEIS. It is anticipated that the following agencies
will be invited and will accept cooperating agency status for the
preparation of the DEIS: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department
of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
4. The scoping meeting will be held on December 11, 2001 at the
D'Iberville City Hall, Council Room, 10383 Automall Parkway,
D'Iberville, MS beginning at 6:30 p.m.
5. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for
public review in spring 2001.
Luz D. Ortiz
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-29150 Filed 11-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-CR-P