NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Federal Consistency under the Coastal Zone Management Act; Reconstruction and Dredging at Pier 6A in the City of Philadelphia
[54 Pa.B. 3841]
[Saturday, July 6, 2024]This notice is published under section 306(d)(14) of the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) (16 U.S.C. § 1455(d)(14)), regarding public participation in consistency determinations. The Department of Environmental Protection (Department), Coastal Resources Management Program, has received notice that Rhoads Industries, Inc. (applicant) is proposing to reconstruct Pier 6A and dredge accumulated sediment from its mooring area in the City of Philadelphia (Project).
The applicant proposes to reconstruct Pier 6A, dredge a 35,000 square-foot mooring area and construct mooring structures to accommodate the loading and transport of heavy equipment by barge. The proposed construction aspect of the Project would result in a net fill area of 5,082 square feet, or less than 2,500 cubic yards, within the Delaware River. The applicant contends that any effects to flood storage capacity will be offset by the approximately 13,500 cubic yards of dredging and removal of a roughly 10,600 square-foot portion of a pile-supported, high deck rail pier located outshore of 4501 Richmond Street, in Philadelphia, PA, just upriver of the Betsy Ross Bridge. The dredging would occur within two areas east and south of the newly reconstructed pier resulting in 7,212 square feet and 27,932 square feet, respectively, of permanent watercourse impact with a total of 13,488 cubic feet of dredged material to be removed where dredging previously occurred. The recovered dredge material would be loaded into hopper scows, transported and disposed of at White's Basin in Logan Township, Gloucester County, NJ. The applicant proposes impact pile driving to occur predominantly within dewatered areas following sheet pile cofferdam installation, eliminating impacts from sound or turbidity. The applicant proposes to install sheet piles using a vibratory hammer, which is significantly less impactful than impact pile driving. The applicant further proposes that a turbidity curtain surround the Project area to reduce any potential effects to water quality. The applicant is seeking a Federal authorization from the United States Army Corps of Engineers under section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. § 403) and section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. § 1344) to perform this work.
This Project is subject to Department review for Federal consistency because it is an activity requiring a Federal license or permit and will have reasonably foreseeable interstate effects on this Commonwealth's coastal resources or uses.
In accordance with section 307 of the CZMA (16 U.S.C. § 1456) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regulations at 15 CFR Part 930, Subpart D (relating to consistency for activities requiring a Federal license or permit), the applicant has certified that the proposed activity will be conducted in a manner consistent with the applicable enforceable policies of the Commonwealth's NOAA-approved Coastal Resources Management Program. Interested parties may request a copy of the Federal Consistency Certification from the Department contact listed as follows.
Questions regarding this review should be directed to Matthew Walderon, Federal Consistency Coordinator, at (717) 772-2196 or RA-Fed_Consistency@pa.gov.
The Department will consider all comments received on or before Sunday, July 21, 2024. Comments submitted by facsimile will not be accepted. Comments, including comments submitted by electronic mail, must include the originator's name and address. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's online eComment tool at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment. Written comments can be submitted by e-mail to ecomment@ pa.gov or by mail to the Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, 400 Market Street, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063.
JESSICA SHIRLEY,
Acting Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 24-941. Filed for public inspection July 5, 2024, 9:00 a.m.]
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