NOTICE TO ALL INTERESTED AGENCIES, PUBLIC GROUPS AND CITIZENS:
The U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers (USACE), Detroit District, has completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) addressing the establishment of a new open water placement site for dredged materials removed from the Presque Isle and Marquette Harbors, Marquette County, Michigan. The EA may be reviewed online at the following web address: http://www.lre.usace.army.mil. Go to the category “Other Public Notices” in the lower left corner of the webpage. A paper copy of the EA may be reviewed during normal business hours at the Peter White Public Library Reference Desk, 217 North Front Street, Marquette, Michigan 49855. Telephone (906) 228-9510. A paper copy may be obtained by writing to the USACE address identified below.
The purpose of the proposed open water placement site is to provide a location for the placement of dredged material removed from both the Presque Isle and Marquette Harbor Federal Navigation projects. The new open water site would meet the Federal standard. The placement site is located approximately 4 nautical miles northeast of Presque Isle Harbor. Up to 40,000 cubic yards (CYD) of dredged material removed from the Presque Isle Harbor will be placed into the site in FY17. Additional dredged material may be dredged and placed into the open water site in the future.
Environmental review of the proposed action indicates that no significant cumulative or long-term environmental impacts would be expected as a result of project implementation. Adverse effects would be localized, minor, and short-term including noise and air emissions from equipment operation; turbidity from placement operations, temporary displacement of fish, and possible destruction of bottom-dwelling organisms from the placement of fill materials. Fish would return upon completion of construction and the lakebed will be re-colonized by benthic organisms. Implementation of the proposed project would result in no impacts to wetlands or Federal endangered and/or threatened species and their habitat, nor historic and cultural resources. The impacts to navigation and industry would be positive.
The project will be undertaken in a manner consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the enforceable policies of the State of Michigan’s coastal management program.
The EA includes a Section 404(b)(1) Evaluation, pursuant to the Clean Water Act, for placement of fill material into the waters of the United States. Any person who has an interest that may be affected by the discharge and/or disposal of fill material may request a public hearing. To be considered, the request must be submitted in writing to the contact provided below within the comment period of this notice and must clearly set forth the interest that may be affected and the manner in which the interest may be affected by this activity. Any comments you may have concerning the proposed project should be made within thirty (30) days from the date of this notice. If no comments are received by the end of the thirty (30) day review period, it will be assumed that you have no comment. Please direct your comments to:
U.S. Army Engineer District, Detroit
ATTN: CELRE-PLE (Charles A. Uhlarik)
477 Michigan Ave.
Detroit, Michigan 48226-2550
A water quality certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act has been requested from the State of Michigan for the discharge of sediment dredged from Presque Isle Harbor into the proposed open water site. State certification or a waiver thereof would be obtained prior to placement activities.
Copies of this Public Notice and EA are being sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Michigan and other Federal, state and local agencies, tribes, interested groups, and individuals. Following the 30 day comment period and a review of the comments received, the District Engineer (Detroit District, Corps of Engineers) will make a final decision regarding the necessity of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed project. Based on the conclusions of