All Interested Parties: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for improving navigation at Rhodes Point in Somerset County, Maryland. This project is being conducted under Section 107 of River and Harbor Act of 1960, as amended. This notice supersedes USACE Operations Division notice, CENAB-OP-NN-17-02, issued May 4, 2017.
The proposed project is for navigation improvement of the existing federal channel at the mouth of Sheep Pen Gut. Proposed work includes straightening the channel into the Chesapeake Bay and construction of two jetties to prevent shoaling in the Sheep Pen Gut Channel (Figure 1). The proposed channel will be 50 feet wide with the last 150 feet into the Bay being 100 feet wide. Material will be removed to the depth of 6 feet mean lower low water.
The north and south jetties will be approximately 650 feet long and 1,150 feet long, respectively. Approximately 24,000 cubic yards of dredged material consisting primarily of sand and silt will be used beneficially to restore and enhance wetlands. A rock sill be emplaced along approximately 850 linear feet of shoreline to stabilize the dredged material. Some material will also be used to reinforce the north jetty tie-in with the land. This tie-in area will be replanted with native wetland vegetation.
USACE is required to obtain a water quality certification in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. By this notice USACE is formally requesting a water quality certification. Any written comments concerning the work described above that relate to water quality certification must be received by the Wetlands and Waterways Program, Maryland Department of the Environment, Montgomery Park Business Center, 1800 Washington Boulevard , Suite 430, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1708 within fifteen days of this notice to receive consideration.
USACE has determined that the proposed activity complies with and will be conducted in a manner consistent with the approved Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program. Any comments relating to the consistency determination should be sent to the Maryland Department of the Environment, Wetlands and Waterways Program at the address in the above paragraph within fifteen days of the date of this notice.
Individuals wishing to obtain a copy of, or more information about the EA or the draft Finding of No Significant Impact, may write to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District; ATTN: Ms. Anna Compton, Baltimore District, CENAB-PL-P, P.O. BOX 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715. Ms. Compton may be reached by phone at (410) 962- 4633 or by electronic mail to CENAB-CC@usace.army.mil. A copy of this EA is also available on the USACE, web page at: http://www.nab .usace.army.mil/Missions / Civil-Works / cap/RhodesPoint/ or by hard copy at the Crisfield Library (Crisfield) and Smith Island Cultural Center (Ewell). Written comments will be accepted within 15 days of the date of publication of this notice.
Signed
Daniel M. Bierly
Chief, Civil Project Development Branch Planning Division