JACKSONVILLE HARBOR NAVIGATION STUDY DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA FINAL INTEGRATED GENERAL REEVALUATION REPORT II AND SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Jacksonville District April 2014 FINAL INTEGRATED GENERAL REEVALUATION REPORT II AND FINALSUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT JACKSONVILLE HARBOR, DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA LEAD AGENCY: Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville Harbor is located in Duval County, Florida. Jacksonville Harbor consists of 20 river miles starting at the mouth of the St. Johns River where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The study focuses on the portion of the harbor up to River Mile 20. The harbor project provides access to deep draft vessel traffic using terminal facilities located in the City of Jacksonville, Florida. The primary concentration of port facilities along Jacksonville Harbor is between miles 8 and 20 of the Federal navigation project. The recommended plan is the locally preferred plan (LPP), which includes deepening the Federal channel to 47 feet from the entrance channel to approximately River Mile 13; two areas of widening at the Training Wall Reach and St. Johns Bluff Reach; and two new turning basins at Blount Island and Brills Cut. The Federal objective of water resources planning is to contribute to National Economic Development (NED) consistent with protecting the Nation’s environment, in accordance with national environmental statutes, applicable executive orders, and other Federal planning requirements. For more information, contact Paul Stodola, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Planning Division, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232-0019; phone (904) 232-3271; email: [email protected] [This page intentionally left blank] ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FINAL INTEGRATED GENERAL REEVALUATION REPORT II AND SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT JACKSONVILLE HARBOR NAVIGATION STUDY DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA Description of Report: This report is an integrated Final General Reevaluation Report (GRR) and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). This report updates the 1998 EIS prepared for the Jacksonville Harbor Navigation Study (Record of Decision signed in 2001) as well as the Jacksonville Harbor Navigation Study-General Reevaluation Report completed in 2002. The report and SEIS describe the formulation and evaluation of plans considered to address navigation needs of Jacksonville Harbor; economic and environmental conditions and potential effects of the alternative plans; environmental mitigation; and project costs and implementation information. Purpose and Need: The purpose of this study is to evaluate Federal interest in alternative plans (including the no-action plan) for reducing transportation costs at Jacksonville Harbor and the effects of the alternatives on the natural system and human environment, including economic development effects. The study area generally encompasses the St. Johns River from its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean near Mayport, Florida to River Mile 20 in Jacksonville, Florida. The non- federal sponsor is the Jacksonville Port Authority. Port facilities and users within the study area include container and bulk shipping facilities at Blount Island, Dames Point, Talleyrand and several private terminal facilities including oil terminals and naval facilities. There is an opportunity to improve navigation at Jacksonville Harbor by reducing transportation costs for larger ships forecast to call at Jacksonville Harbor. History, Authority, Prior Studies: The original deepening study was authorized through a resolution from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, U.S. House of Representatives, dated February 5, 1992 resulting in a feasibility study that recommended modifications from the entrance channel to River Mile 14.7, including deepening 38 feet to 40 feet. Deepening of that segment was authorized in 1999 Water Resources Development Act, and construction was completed in 2003. A General Reevaluation Report (GRR) recommended deepening the harbor from River Mile 14.7 to River Mile 20 from 38 feet to 40 feet; deepening of that segment was authorized in the FY2006 Appropriations Act and construction was completed in 2010. To follow through with the intent of the original 1992 study authorization, it was determined by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) that further study was needed. The Feasibility and Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA) for this study was signed July 1, 2005 and amended June 15, 2006. iii President Barack Obama issued an Executive Order (“We Can’t Wait”) expediting completion of the Jacksonville Harbor deepening study and reducing the study schedule by 14 months. Alternative Plans: The Jacksonville Harbor Federal navigation project encompasses approximately 20 river miles from the mouth of the St. Johns River at Mayport to the Talleyrand terminal near downtown Jacksonville (Figure 1). The current authorized channel depth is 40 feet for the main channel and 38 feet for the West Blount Island Channel. For planning purposes, the project was evaluated in segments (reaches). Evaluation segment 1 was originally from the entrance channel to approximately River Mile 14 (Dames Point), but was later reduced to approximately River Mile 13. Segments 2 and 3 include additional reaches between Dames Point and Talleyrand and the West Blount Island Channel (Cuts F and G). Ship simulation modeling was conducted to determine changes in the project footprint required for the larger vessels to maneuver in the channel. The modeling was also used to identify navigation problems and measures required to improve navigation in the harbor. After initial evaluation and with concurrence of the non-federal sponsor, Segments 2 and 3 were eliminated because it was determined that the majority of benefiting vessels primarily transit Segment 1. Multiple channel deepening and widening measures and turning basins were combined into alternative plans. The following alternative plans and combinations were evaluated: No action. Deepening Alternatives: Depths between 41 and 50 feet were evaluated. Widening Alternatives: Widening areas at the Training Wall Reach and St. Johns Bluff Reach were evaluated. Successful meeting in these areas was shown in ship simulation, in combination with deepening alternatives. A stand-alone widening alternative was also evaluated. Turning Basins: Turning Basins at Blount Island and Brills Cut were evaluated in combination with deepening and widening alternatives. Nonstructural Alternatives: Nonstructural measures considered included additional tug assists and the use of high tide conditions to allow deeper draft vessels to transit the harbor. iv FIGURE 1: JACKSONVILLE HARBOR STUDY SEGMENTS The National Economic Development Plan (NED) and the Recommended Plan: Based on an evaluation of alternative plan economic costs and benefits, the NED plan includes a 45-foot deep channel with associated widening and turning basins. This is the depth at which net benefits (benefits minus costs) are greatest. The benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) for the NED plan is 3.3 (Table 1). The non-federal sponsor, the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT), subsequently requested a locally preferred plan (LPP) including a 47-foot depth with associated widening and turning basins. The LPP has positive net benefits and is economically justified (BCR is 2.7). The recommendations for the widening areas and the turning basins are the same for both the NED and the LPP. In accordance with USACE policy, the LPP was submitted for consideration to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA-CW) and approved for consideration as the recommended plan on May 17, 2013. The recommended plan (preferred alternative) is the locally preferred plan (LPP). The recommended plan includes deepening the Federal channel to 47 feet from the entrance channel to approximately River Mile 13, two areas of widening at the Training Wall Reach and St. Johns Bluff Reach, and two new Turning Basins at Blount Island and Brills Cut (Figure 2). FIGURE 2: RECOMMENDED PLAN v Table 1: NED and LPP Benefits and Costs Depth AAEQ AAEQ AAEQ AAEQ BCR BCR Costs IDC Benefits Net Benefits 3.50% 7% 45ft $25,500,000 $2,700,000 $ 84,200,000 $58,700,000 3.30 1.60 47ft $33,700,000 $3,500,000 $ 89,700,000 $56,000,000 2.70 1.30 *Average Annual Equivalent Costs (AAEQ) Costs include AAEQ IDC (shown above) and AAEQ O&M Construction of the recommended plan involves dredging of approximately 18 million cubic yards of material. Fracturing (confined blasting) of consolidated sediments and underlying rock may be required prior to dredging. Dredged material is designated for an ocean dredged material disposal site (ODMDS). As that plan is refined in PED, we have the option of further pursuing beneficial uses if cost-effective and regulatory and environmental protection requirements are met. Based on hydrodynamic modeling performed to evaluate salinity changes associated with deepening the navigation channel, the recommended plan may cause minor changes in salinitywithin a portion of the study area. The predicted ecological effects would be a minor increase in salinity stress on some wetlands and submerged aquatic vegetation as well as a minor change in some fish and macroinvertebrate distributions. Uncertainty exists about the magnitude of both the effect of deepening on salinity and the ecological response to changes in salinity. Recognizing this uncertainty, a conservative approach was adopted in both the