[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 84 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25327-25328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10766]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6587-2]
Notice of Availability of the Project XL Proposed Final Project
Agreement: Naval Station Mayport Project--Beneficial Reuse of Dredged
Material; Regulatory Reinvention (XL) Pilot Projects
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Project XL Proposed Final Project
Agreement: Naval Station Mayport Project--Beneficial Reuse of Dredged
Material.
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SUMMARY: EPA is requesting comments on a proposed Project XL Final
Project Agreement (FPA) for Naval Station Mayport (hereafter ``NS
Mayport''). The FPA is a voluntary agreement developed collaboratively
by NS Mayport, the Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (COE), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP), the City of Jacksonville (Jacksonville) and EPA. Project XL,
announced in the Federal Register on May 23, 1995 (60 FR 27282), gives
regulated entities the flexibility to develop alternative strategies
that will replace or modify specific regulatory or procedural
requirements on the condition that they produce greater environmental
benefits. EPA has set a goal of implementing fifty XL projects
undertaken in full partnership with the states.
In order to maintain operations at NS Mayport, 600,000 cubic yards
of sediment must be dredged every 18-24 months from the facility's
entrance channel and turning basin. Since 1993, NS Mayport has been
disposing of this material into the ocean. To reduce and eventually
eliminate ocean disposal, NS Mayport proposes to use this excess
dredged material as the foundation for the production of construction
blocks and artificial reef material. Initially, the dredged material
for construction of the building blocks and the artificial reef
material will be derived from two existing upland holding sites. In the
future, the dredged material will come (either directly or indirectly
through temporary storage at the upland holding sites) from the
facility's maintenance dredging projects thereby eliminating the need
for ocean disposal of this material. By the year 2020, NS Mayport has
estimated that without this project, it will have disposed of
approximately ten (10) million cubic yards of dredged material into the
ocean. Additionally, NS Mayport is considering use of excess flyash
produced by Jacksonville's electrical generating plant as a
solidification material for the construction blocks. No flyash will be
used to make materials for artificial reefs.
In order for NS Mayport to dredge its entrance channel and turning
basin, and dispose of the material into the ocean, it is required to
obtain two permits from the COE: a Section 10 permit for dredging and a
Section 103 permit for ocean disposal. COE 103 permits for ocean
disposal are subject to EPA concurrence. NS Mayport is also required to
obtain from Florida DEP an Environmental Resource Permit and any
associated Sovereign Submerged Land authorizations. As noted above, NS
Mayport is currently required to obtain three permits, with three
different time-lines, to dredge and dispose of its maintenance dredged
material. This creates a confusing process during the permit's renewal
and public comment periods. Through Project XL, NS Mayport is asking
EPA to participate in a partnership with COE, Florida DEP,
Jacksonville, and interested Stakeholders to synchronize the dredging
and ocean disposal permitting process. The COE regulations state that
ocean disposal permits will not exceed three (3) years. These
regulations, however, allow the COE district engineer to grant permit
extensions. Though the regulations allow extensions, EPA Region 4 and
the Jacksonville District of the COE do not have procedures for such
extensions. This Project establishes procedures for EPA Region 4 and
the Jacksonville District of the COE by proposing a five-year (5)
permit sequence, consisting of a three-year (3) permit with a two-year
(2) permit extension when appropriate.
This XL project has no bearing on the separate discussions
surrounding the Agency's final regulatory determination for flyash.
Further, this Federal Register Notice is not soliciting comments on the
Agency's final regulatory determination for flyash. NS Mayport is not
seeking any relief from regulatory requirements, including any that may
result from EPA action pursuant to the regulatory determination for
flyash.
DATES: The period for submission of comments ends on May 22, 2000.
ADDRESSEES: All comments on the proposed Final Project Agreement should
be sent to: Ms. Michelle Glenn, US EPA, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street,
Atlanta, GA 30303, or Ms. Lisa Reiter US EPA, Ariel Rios Building, Mail
Code 1802, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Comments
may also be faxed to Michelle Glenn (404) 562-8063 or Lisa Reiter (202)
260-3125. Comments may also be received via electronic mail sent to:
[email protected] or [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain a copy of the Project Fact Sheet or
the proposed Final Project Agreement, contact: Michelle Glenn, US EPA,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, GA 30303, or Lisa Reiter, US EPA,
Mail Code 1802, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20460. The FPA and related documents are also available
via the Internet at the following location: http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL. In addition, the proposed FPA will be available at the
Beaches Branch Public Library--600 Third St., Neptune Beach, FL.
Questions to EPA regarding the documents can be directed to Michelle
Glenn at (404) 562-8674 or Lisa Reiter at (202) 260-9041. To be
included on the NS Mayport Project XL mailing list about future public
meetings, XL progress reports and other mailings from NS Mayport on the
XL project, contact Cheryl Mitchell, Environmental Director, NS
Mayport, Mayport, FL 32228-0067 or (904) 270-6730. For information on
all other aspects of the XL Program, contact Christopher Knopes at the
following address: Office of Policy and Reinvention, US EPA, Mail Code
1802, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20460. Additional information on Project XL, including documents
referenced in this notice, other EPA policy documents related to
Project XL, regional XL contacts, application information, and
descriptions of existing XL projects and proposals, is available via
the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL.
[[Page 25328]]
Dated: April 25, 2000.
Elizabeth A. Shaw,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Reinvention Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-10766 Filed 4-28-00; 8:45 am]
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