The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is planning to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environment Impact Statement (EIS), integrated with a General Reevaluation Report, for the Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, General Reevaluation Study.
The study will investigate deepening and maintaining the Mississippi River deep-draft navigation channel from the current depth of 45 feet to as much as 50 feet deep.
The Corps must develop the General Re-evaluation Report and supplemental EIS to confirm the project is still economically justified. Although an assessment was previously conducted, a new evaluation is required because the economic data used to justify the original deepening of the channel to 45 feet is significantly out of date. This study will also need to confirm that depth that provides the greatest amount of benefits to the nation.
Additionally, the supplemental EIS evaluates existing conditions, alternative designs and provides environmental analysis of anticipated project impacts associated with dredging and disposal alternatives.
The analyses associated with the handling of dredged material generated during project construction, the engineering design of dredged material disposal areas, and several other aspects of the project, that were evaluated in the original 1981 Feasibility Report and EIS, will be updated as appropriate.
Community members and stakeholders are invited to comment on the draft supplemental environmental impact statement. The report will contain information on the resources to be impacted, mitigation measures and alternatives. The Army Corps will host three public meetings to provide additional information as well as to receive comments and suggestions on the study.