USA: Corps of Engineers Extends Harbor Deepening Comment Period

Officials from the Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, today extended the deadline for submitting comments on the proposed deepening of the Savannah Harbor to Jan. 25, 2011.

The Corps of Engineers released a draft General Re-Evaluation Report (GRR) and draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Nov. 15 with an initial 45-day comment period which began Nov. 26. Today’s announcement extends the comment period to 60 days. The extension follows numerous requests from the public. These reports detail the proposal to deepen the Savannah Harbor from its current 42-foot depth to 47 or 48 feet deep.

The GRR-EIS study, authorized by Congress, reflects an extensive analysis of the engineering alternatives, environmental impacts, and economic costs and benefits of deepening the Savannah Harbor and shipping channel. Funded by the federal government and the state of Georgia, the study examined the characteristics of future international shipping fleets, current and future trade routes, and the capacity of the Garden City terminal on the Savannah River.

[mappress]

Source: usace, December 18, 2010