On January 10, 1997, the State of Texas received federal approval of the Coastal Management Program (CMP) (62 Federal Register pp. 1439 - 1440). Under federal law, federal agency activities and actions affecting the Texas coastal zone must be consistent with the CMP goals and policies identified in 31 TAC Chapter 501. Requests for federal consistency review were deemed administratively complete for the following project(s) during the period of July 22, 2019 to July 26, 2019.  As required by federal law, the public is given an opportunity to comment on the consistency of proposed activities in the coastal zone undertaken or authorized by federal agencies.  Pursuant to 31 TAC §§506.25, 506.32, and 506.41, the public comment period extends 30 days from the date published on the Texas General Land Office web site. The notice was published on the web site on Friday, August 2, 2019.  The public comment period for this project will close at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIONS:

Applicant: Port of Beaumont Navigation District

Location: The project site is located in the Neches River on a tract located south of Interstate Highway 10 and Old Highway 90, in Vidor, Orange County, Texas.

Latitude & Longitude (NAD 83): 30.079023, -94.05859

Project Description:  The applicant proposes to hydraulically or mechanically dredge approximately 1,407,199 cubic yards (CY) of new material from the Neches River to an initial depth of 42.0 feet below Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), to create a ship berthing area, a turning basin and a barge berthing area at a depth of 17.0 feet below MLLW. Approximately, 1,100,000 CY will be placed in Beneficial Use Sites. The remaining 307,199 CY will be placed in Placement Area 23, 24 or 25. The applicant also proposes to construct two ship docks and a barge dock. The two ship docks will consist of: a new platform measuring 130' x 60', a 20' x 80' long ship gangway platform, an approach-way, piperack support walkways, fire water platform, 6 breasting dolphins, 6 mooring dolphins and 3 barge monopiles. The new barge dock will accommodate river inland barges and will consist of a new barge dock platform measuring 60' x 40', approach-way, piperack supports, and 9 barge monopiles. The project will also include roads, shoreline protection, and containment levees. In the future, the ship berth and turning basin will be dredged to 48.0 feet below MLLW. The purpose of the project is to construct a new marine terminal with ship docks, a barge dock and tank storage on Port property to accommodate the loading and unloading of bulk liquid products. This project will discharge dredged or fill material into 20.6 acres of wetlands on the project tract.

Type of Application: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permit application # SWG-2018-00464. This application will be reviewed pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Note: The consistency review for this project may be conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as part of its certification under §401 of the Clean Water Act.

CMP Project No: 19-1366-F1

Further information on the applications listed above, including a copy of the consistency certifications or consistency determinations for inspection, may be obtained from Ms. Allison Buchtien P.O. Box 12873, Austin, Texas 78711-2873, or via email at federal.consistency@glo.texas.gov. Comments should be sent to Ms. Buchtien at the above address or by email.