TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received an application for a Department of the Army permit pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. §403) as described below:
APPLICANT: Mr. José E. Basora
Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority
P.O. Box 41207
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect navigable waters of the United States associated with the Caribbean Sea. The project site is located at the end of Aduana Street, Playa de Humacao Sector, Punta Santiago, Municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico.
Directions to the site are as follows: Going east state road PR-3 in Punta Santiago Ward, at Humacao, turn right at km. 75.1 into Aduana Street and continue straight to the end.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 18.1636°
Longitude -65.7432°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Replacement of pier.
Overall: To provide safe recreational fishing opportunities in Humacao and temporary docking for vessels of personal of Cayo Santiago Primates Research Facility.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The existing 534 feet long by 28 feet wide pier provides a platform for recreational fishing. The structure of this pier is in critical conditions. The deck is missing throughout most of the pier, the concrete caps and longitudinal beams are severely damaged. The pilings of the pier are in good conditions below the water line but presented advanced deterioration within the intertidal zone and above. Variable depths along the pier are from -1 feet to -10 feet. Based on the benthic survey performed for the project site, unconsolidated sediment (sand) completely covers the area under the pier. No coral reefs habitats, colonized pavements or sea grass beds exist at the project site and immediate areas.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to demolish the existing pier (including the whole pier, access ramp, pilasters and pilings, which accounts an area of approximately 0.3 acres). This activity will be conducted from barges. One barge will carry a crane with a demolition ball, a clamshell bucket and a backhoe loader (to assist the crane and extract the demolished material). A second barge will be used to carry the demolished material and to transport it to disposal site near the project site. The pilings will be pulled by the crane. If any piling cannot be removed completely then it will be cut 18 inches down from the sea bottom surface and left in place. Also, the applicant proposes the construction of a new pier of 136.11 meters (447 feet) long and widths of: 6.54 meters (21 feet) and 11.58 meters (38 feet) in navigable waters of the United States. The total length of the new pier is 156.09 meters long (512 feet) and it will be built within the same footprint of the existing pier. A total of 68 steel pipe piles of 24 inches in diameter will be installed using an impact hammer to support the new pier. The construction method for this pier will be from shore to the ocean. All structural members will be installed from the top of the constructed section, minimizing the impacts that could result from the use of barges in this phase. The platform from where the heavy machinery (mostly cranes) will be working will be made of wood panels over the prefabricated concrete pilasters. With this methodology, the crane and other machinery is supported by the pier structure that is under construction. The main structure of the pier will be pre-fabricated in concrete and the deck of the pier will be constructed in wood. Overnight docking will not be allowed.
CULTURAL RESOURCES: The Corps is not aware of any known historic properties within the permit area. By copy of this public notice, the Corps is providing information for review. Our final determination relative to historic resource impacts is subject to review by and coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus); the Hawksbill Sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea); the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), and the Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). No designated critical habitat is present for listed species at the project site and within immediate areas. The Corps will request U.S. Fish and Wildlife/National Marine Fisheries Service concurrence with this determination pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH): This notice initiates consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service on EFH as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 1996. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the Caribbean. Our final determination relative to project impacts and the need for mitigation measures is subject to review by and coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
SECTION 408: The applicant will not require permission under Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 USC 408) because the activity, in whole or in part, would not alter, occupy, or use a Corps Civil Works project.
NOTE: This public notice is being issued based on information furnished by the applicant. This information has not been verified or evaluated to ensure compliance with laws and regulation governing the regulatory program. The jurisdictional line has not been verified by Corps personnel.
AUTHORIZATION FROM OTHER AGENCIES: A Coastal Zone Consistency Certificate is required from the Puerto Rico Planning Board.
COMMENTS regarding the potential authorization of the work proposed should be submitted in writing to the attention of the District Engineer through the Antilles Permits Section, Fund. Angel Ramos Annex BLDG., Suite 202, 383 F.D. Roosevelt Ave., San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918 or by electronic message at carmen.g.roman@usace.army.mil within 30 days from the date of this notice.
The decision whether to issue or deny this permit application will be based on the information received from this public notice and the evaluation of the probable impact to the associated wetlands. This is based on an analysis of the applicant's avoidance and minimization efforts for the project, as well as the compensatory mitigation proposed.
QUESTIONS concerning this application should be directed to the project manager, Ms. Carmen G. Román, in writing at the Antilles Permits Section, Fund. Angel Ramos Annex BLDG., Suite 202, 383 F.D. Roosevelt Ave., San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918, or by electronic mail at carmen.g.roman@usace.army.mil; or by telephone at (787) 370-3482.
IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES: Coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Marine Fisheries Services, and other Federal, State, and local agencies, environmental groups, and concerned citizens generally yields pertinent environmental information that is instrumental in determining the impact the proposed action will have on the natural resources of the area.
EVALUATION: The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefits, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including cumulative impacts thereof; among these are conservation, economics, esthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historical properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food, and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership, and in general, the needs and welfare of the people. Evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will also include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, EPA, under authority of Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act or the criteria established under authority of Section 102(a) of the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. A permit will be granted unless its issuance is found to be contrary to the public interest.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other Interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps to determine whether to issue, modify, condition, or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this determination, comments are used to assess impacts to endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT CONSISTENCY: In Florida, the State approval constitutes compliance with the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan. In Puerto Rico, a Coastal Zone Management Consistency Concurrence is required from the Puerto Rico Planning Board. In the Virgin Islands, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources permit constitutes compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Plan.
REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING: Any person may request a public hearing. The request must be submitted in writing to the District Engineer within the designated comment period of the notice and must state the specific reasons for requesting the public hearing.