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FILL FOR SIDING TRACK IN LIVINGSTON PARISH
NAME OF APPLICANT: Illinois Central Railroad Company, c/o Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc., Attn: Henry M. Picard III, 4176 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119.
LOCATION OF WORK: Within the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, in the Amite River hydrologic unit (HUC 08070202), paralleling US Highway 190 (Florida Boulevard) between its intersection with LA Highway 1024 (Cane Market Rd.) and Lee Martin Road in Livingston, Louisiana within Livingston Parish, as shown on the enclosed drawings.
CHARACTER OF WORK: The proposed work consists of the installation and maintenance of approximately 12,080 feet of new siding track, 2 culvert extensions, relocation of a drainage ditch, and the removal of two at grade rail crossings to accommodate increased rail traffic along the Baton Rouge to Hammond rail corridor. The siding track is located within the existing right-of-way and at the minimum allowable distance from the main track. The proposed siding track will be installed from the existing track. This location was chosen because it will require the fewest number of existing rail crossings to be closed. Approximately 4.7 acres of jurisdictional wetlands will be impacted by the proposed activity. As compensation for unavoidable wetland impacts the applicant proposes to purchase wetland credits from a Corps approved mitigation bank located in the watershed.
JOINT PUBLIC NOTICE
September 22, 2014
United States Army
Corps of Engineers
New Orleans District
Regulatory Branch
Post Office Box 60267
New Orleans, Louisiana 70160-0267
State of Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Certification Section
Post Office Box 4313
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-4313
(504) 862-2675
Project Manager
Jamie Crowe
Jamie.M.Crowe@usace.army.mil
Permit Application Number
MVN 2014-0367 CO
(225) 219-3225
Project Manager
Elizabeth Johnson
WQC Application Number
WQC 140917-03
Interested parties are hereby notified that a permit application has been received by
the New Orleans District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to:
[ ] Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 3, 1899 (30 Stat. 1151; 33 USC
403); and/or [X] Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (86 Stat. 816; 33 USC 1344).
Application has also been made to the Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality, Office of Environmental Services, for a Water Quality Certification (WQC) in
accordance with statutory authority contained in LRS30:2047 A(3), and provisions of
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (P.L.95-17).
FILL FOR SIDING TRACK IN LIVINGSTON PARISH
NAME OF APPLICANT: Illinois Central Railroad Company, c/o Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc., Attn:
Henry M. Picard III, 4176 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119.
LOCATION OF WORK: Within the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, in the Amite River
hydrologic unit (HUC 08070202), paralleling US Highway 190 (Florida Boulevard) between
its intersection with LA Highway 1024 (Cane Market Rd.) and Lee Martin Road in
Livingston, Louisiana within Livingston Parish, as shown on the enclosed drawings.
CHARACTER OF WORK: The proposed work consists of the installation and
maintenance of approximately 12,080 feet of new siding track, 2 culvert extensions,
relocation of a drainage ditch, and the removal of two at grade rail crossings to
accommodate increased rail traffic along the Baton Rouge to Hammond rail corridor. The
siding track is located within the existing right-of-way and at the minimum allowable
distance from the main track. The proposed siding track will be installed from the existing
track. This location was chosen because it will require the fewest number of existing rail
crossings to be closed. Approximately 4.7 acres of jurisdictional wetlands will be impacted
by the proposed activity. As compensation for unavoidable wetland impacts the applicant
proposes to purchase wetland credits from a Corps approved mitigation bank located in
the watershed.
The comment period for the Department of the Army Permit and the Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality WQC will close 20 days from the date of this joint
public notice. Written comments, including suggestions for modifications or objections to
the proposed work, stating reasons thereof, are being solicited from anyone having
interest in this permit and/or this WQC request and must be mailed, so as to be received
before or by the last day of the comment period. Letters concerning the Corps of
Engineers permit application must reference the applicant's name and the Permit
Application Number, and be mailed to the Corps of Engineers at the address above,
ATTENTION: REGULATORY BRANCH. The application for this proposed project is on
file with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and may be examined
weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Copies may be obtained upon payment of
costs of reproduction. Individuals or parties may request an extension of time in which to
comment on the proposed work by writing or e-mailing the Corps of Engineers Project
Manager listed above. Any request must be specific and substantively supportive of the
requested extension, and received by this office prior to the end of the initial comment
period. The Section Chief will review the request and the requestor will be promptly
notified of the decision to grant or deny the request. If granted, the time extension will be
continuous to the initial comment period and, inclusive of the initial comment period, will
not exceed a total of 30 calendar days. Letters concerning the Water Quality Certification
must reference the applicant's name and the WQC Application number and be mailed to
the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality at the address above.
Corps of Engineers Permit Criteria
The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable
impacts, 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 benefit 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 the cumulative effects thereof; among
those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns,
wetlands, historic 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.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 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 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine whether to make,
modify, condition, or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments
are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality,
general environmental effects, and other public interest factors listed above. Comments
are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental
Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also
used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public
interest of the proposed activity.
The New Orleans District is unaware of properties listed on the National Register of
Historic Places near the proposed work. The possibility exists that the proposed work may
damage or destroy presently unknown archeological, scientific, prehistorical, historical
sites, or data. Issuance of this public notice solicits input from the State Archeologist and
State Historic Preservation Officer regarding potential impacts to cultural resources.
Our initial finding is that the proposed work would neither affect any species listed as
endangered by the U.S. Departments of Interior or Commerce, nor affect any habitat
designated as critical to the survival and recovery of any endangered species.
This notice initiates the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) consultation requirements of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The applicant's proposal
would result in the destruction or alteration of N/A acres of EFH utilized by various life
stages of red drum and penaeid shrimp. Our initial determination is that the proposed
action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or federally managed fisheries
in the Gulf of Mexico. 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.
If the proposed work involves deposits of dredged or fill material into navigable waters,
the evaluation of the probable impacts will include the application of guidelines established
by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Also, a certification that the
proposed activity will not violate applicable water quality standards will be required from
the Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Environmental Services, before a
permit is issued.
Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice,
that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests for public hearings
shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing. You are requested
to communicate the information contained in this notice to any other parties whom you
deem likely to have interest in the matter.
You are requested to communicate the information contained in this notice to any other
parties whom you deem likely to have interest in the matter.
John M. Herman
Chief, Central Evaluation Section
Regulatory Branch
Enclosure
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