Posted on January 13, 2025
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (Corps) and U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) are preparing a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document to evaluate an alternate offshore sand source for renourishments of the Duval County Shore Protection Project (SPP) in Duval County, Florida. The Corps is currently seeking public comment as they gather information to define issues and concerns that will be addressed in an analysis to be prepared in compliance with the NEPA.
Borrow area “B1” is located approximately 7 nautical miles east of Atlantic Beach, just north of the currently authorized offshore borrow area (F), on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Please see the figure below. BOEM has the sole regulatory authority over the use and conveyance of OCS sand resources under the OCS Lands Act. BOEM is a cooperating agency on this project and is coordinating with the Corps on authorization of use of federal sand resources from the borrow area. In the 2023 Duval County Supplemental Environmental Assessment, B1 was excluded from detailed analysis due having an average silt content exceeding 5%. New geotechnical analysis was recently completed and shows the region of B1 with silt content exceeding 5% is isolated, and the remainder of the borrow area contains beach quality sand. Therefore, the majority of B1 remains a viable alternate sand source for the Duval SPP in accordance with the Florida Sand Rule (Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) 63B-41.007(2)(j)).
Related NEPA documents can be found on the Jacksonville District’s Environmental Planning webpage at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-Offices/Planning/Environmental-Branch/Environmental-Documents/. On that page, scroll down on the “+” next to “Duval” which will open a collection of NEPA documents.
The Corps invites the participation of Federal and State agencies, Native American Tribes, local agencies, interested parties and individuals to provide comments and to identify any issues, concerns or important features within the described project area. The Corps will accept written comments regarding the proposed project for 30 calendar days from the date of this press release. Comments should be submitted to Ms. Samantha Thomas at Samantha.K.Thomas@usace.army.mil. Thank you for your input.
Duval County Shore Protection Project area and proposed offshore sand borrow area B1.
Hopper dredge with shore-connected pipeline during the 2011 Duval Shore Protection Project Renourishment (taken from 2015 Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
