JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District (USACE), Regulation (32 CFR 651), the Environmental Assessment (EA) and proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed Anclote River, Florida Project (EAXX-202-00-K3P-1765294248) is being released for a 30-day public comment period.
The EA, is available for your review on the Jacksonville District’s Environmental planning website under Pinellas County: https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-Offices/Planning/Environmental-Branch/Environmental-Documents/.
The purpose of this project is to maintain safe and efficient vessel navigation throughout the Anclote River federal channel and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) Cut P-41. The Anclote River is located on the west coast of Florida and borders Pinellas and Pasco Counties, approximately 20 miles north of Tampa. The federal channel begins in Tarpon Springs, runs through the St. Joseph Sound, and empties into the Gulf.
Federal maintenance events have occurred periodically in the inner channel (Cuts 3-14), which is the only portion of the channel that has been maintained. Federal channel Cuts 1, 2, and the GIWW have not been maintained since initial construction, which occurred prior to the development of NEPA and other environmental laws. Recent project placement occurred in an upland dredge material management area (DMMA) that is currently unavailable for use. Therefore, NEPA analysis will also evaluate newly proposed placement areas.
The Anclote River, Florida Project and GIWW Cut P-41 EA assesses various alternatives that evaluate environmental effects of the maintenance of the federal channel and GIWW, and placement options. Alternatives 2A (“Maintenance Dredging of Anclote Federal Channel and GIWW”), 3C (“In-water placement in the channel”), and 3D (“In-water placement Three Rookers Island”) are carried forward as the Preferred Alternative, which is summarized below:
a. Maintenance dredging of Cuts 1-14, the turning basin and the GIWW Cut P-41 would occur on an as needed basis. The authorized depth of the channel is 9 feet (ft) plus 2 ft of allowable over depth. The authorized width is 100 ft wide. If Cut 2A becomes authorized Alternative 2B will be the Preferred Alternative, adding Cut 2B to the authorized maintenance dredging.
b. Material placement options include in-water placement, within portions of the channel and Three Rookers Island. Placement options would be selected based on project construction needs (ex. permitting, etc.) and capacity of the placement area.
c. There are three locations within the channel with current capacity for placement, where up to 45,000 cubic yards (CY) of material could be placed to -10 ft mean lower low water (MLLW). The placement footprint is approximately 636,000 sq ft or 14.6 acres.
d. Three Rookers Island placement is 2,500 ft by 1,500 ft. There is capacity for 95,000 CY of material that can be placed up to -8 ft MLLW, which would be considered beneficial use to provide a barrier for incoming wave energy.
Jacksonville District requests questions or comments on the EA be submitted in writing by June 19, 2026 to Ms. Rachel Case at 904-232-1035 or email Rachel.s.case@usace.army.mil.
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