Posted on January 30, 2023
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, plans to perform maintenance dredging of the shoaled areas of the Essex River Federal Navigation Project in Essex, to restore vessel navigation, and place dredged material in the most appropriate location incorporating beneficial use of material where feasible
The proposed project involves maintenance dredging of approximately 23,400 cubic yards (CY) of sandy-silt and approximately 13,900 CY of sand from the Essex River FNP and placement of the sandy-silt material at either the Isles of Shoals North Disposal Site or the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site, and placement of the sand at the Ipswich Bay Nearshore Disposal Site, the Salisbury Nearshore Disposal Site or the Newburyport Nearshore Disposal Site.
The work will be performed by a private contractor using a mechanical dredge. Dredged material will be transported by scow to the open-water or near-shore disposal locations.
Maintenance dredging will return the channel to its authorized depths, plus one foot of allowable overdepth. The work will be accomplished over a two- to three-month period between Oct. 1 and Feb. 15 in the year(s) in which funds become available. No additional dredging by others has been planned or is expected.
The proposed work is being coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, Massachusetts Historical Commission, Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the Narragansett Tribe, the Town of Essex and the City of Gloucester. A draft Environmental Assessment is available for review upon request.
The proposed work in the navigable waters of this District is subject to the provisions of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (Public Law (P.L.) 95-217); Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-532); and subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (P.L. 91-190).
The Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from members of the public; federal, state and local agencies; American Indian Tribes; and other interested parties to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. The public notice with more detailed information is available for review on the District website at https://nae.usace.afpims.mil/Portals/74/docs/regulatory/PublicNotices/2023/Essex_River_PN_Jan2023.pdf?ver=KcWNT7cEGE0_T1-R8caBKA%3d%3d .
Public comments on this proposed work should be forwarded no later than Feb. 26, to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Attn: Craig Martin, Programs and Project Management Division, 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742 or by email to: nae-pn-nav@usace.army.mil.
