The proposed action involves placing suitable material
dredged from the federal navigation project into the three aquatic habitat
restoration sites in Duluth, Minnesota.
After the dredged material is placed into each site, the State of
Minnesota will manage the site towards implementing their habitat restoration
project. The State’s habitat restoration
project is a separate action under the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for the St.
Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) with the goal of contributing towards
removing beneficial use impairments (BUIs), specifically “Degradation of
Benthos” (BUI #4) and Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat” (BUI #9), from the
SLRAOC. This USACE in-water dredged
material placement would be conducted under our Operations and Maintenance
authority for the harbor. An
Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared by USACE for all three sites and
distributed for agency and public review in February 2015:
Public Notice
Environmental Assessment
Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) Evaluation
Early Coordination Comment Letters (addressed in the EA)
EA Agency/Public Review Comments and Responses
Finding of No Significant Impact