Posted on August 26, 2024
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District, has published the final General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Impact Statement (GRR/EIS) for the Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Study in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, Florida.
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the GRR/EIS and related documents will be available for public review period of 30 days.
The study investigated solutions to facilitate efficient and safe waterborne commerce in Tampa Harbor, Florida, including navigation improvements (e.g., deepening, widening) to the existing Federal navigation project.
The Recommended Plan includes deepening ship channels, expanding turning basins, and improving turn wideners throughout the harbor to allow larger vessels to efficiently access Port Tampa Bay’s terminals. The proposed improvements would remove about 21.2 million cubic yards of limestone rock, sand, and silt from the Federal channels. USACE evaluated numerous alternatives for dredged material placement including open water disposal at an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated ocean dredged material disposal site; hardbottom habitat creation; island restoration at two sites; beach placement; dredged hole restoration; seagrass creation; upland placement; and fill for upland expansion projects. The final GRR/EIS describes the existing environment of the project area and assesses the impacts of several alternatives of the proposed project.
All final report documents are available for review on the Tampa Harbor webpage at: https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Tampa-Harbor
USACE Jacksonville encourages the public to review the final GRR/EIS. Any correspondence related to this review can be sent via email to rachel.s.case@usace.army.mil or by U.S. Postal Service to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
ATTN: Ms. Rachel Case, Environmental Branch, Coastal Section
701 San Marco Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32207
The final review period will occur from August 23, 2024, to September 23, 2024.
Study fact sheets, background, and final report documents are available at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Tampa-Harbor/
