20080868 Ver 2_Draft EIS Language_20061102

• DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FOR THE PCS PHOSPHATE MINE CONTINUATION
AURORA, NORTH CAROLINA
The responsible lead agency is the US Army corps of Engineers, Wilmington District.
Abstract: The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division, Aurora
Operation (PCS) has applied for Department of the Army authorization pursuant to
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the rivers and Harbors Act to
advance its current mining operation into a 3,608 acre area east of its current mining
operation located north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina. The proposed
expansion would impact approximately 2,408 acres of waters of the United States
including wetlands adjacent to The Pamlico River and South Creek.
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Corps of Engineers has prepared
this draft Environmental Impact Statement to examine the impacts of the proposed action
and alternatives to the proposed action.
• Written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above, and the DEIS will
be received by the Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, until 5pm, January 27, 2007.
Comments should be submitted to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division. ATTN: File Number 2001-10096, Post Office Box 1890,
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890. Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be
directed to Mr. Tom Walker, Project Manager, Regulatory Division, telephone: (828) 271-
7980 extension 222.
A Public Hearing on this project and the DEIS will be held at Southside High School
located at 5700 Highway 33 East, Chocowinity, Beaufort County, NC on December 14,
2006 at 6:30 P.M.
• SUMMARY
On November 2, 2000 The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division,
Aurora Operation (PCS) applied for Department of the Army authorization to continue its
phosphate mining operation on the Hickory Point peninsula adjacent the Pamlico River
and South Creek, north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina, once reserves are
depleted under the existing permitted area. The Corps circulated a Public Notice
describing this application on January 2, 2001 (Action ID No. 200110096). PCS elected
to further reduce proposed impacts to waters of the US in response to comments on this
Public Notice and submitted a revised permit application on August 13, 2001. The Corps
circulated a second Public Notice on October 4, 2001, describing the revised application.
The PCS facility includes an open pit mining operation that supplies phosphate ore to its
onsite manufacturing facilities producing sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, purified acid,
liquid fertilizer, superphosphoric acid, diammonium phosphate, defluorinated phosphate,
animal feed and solid fertilizers. Phosphate mining activities began at this site in 1965.
On August 27, 1997, PCS was issued a Department of the Army permit to impact 1,268
acres of waters and wetlands to continue its mining operation into the current mine area.
This action is more fully described in the August, 1996 Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Texasgulf Inc. Mine Continuation. PCS is nearing the end of the
current mining area and is seeking to continue its mining operation into the adjacent tract.
• The proposed action includes a request for authorization to impact approximately 2,408
acres of waters of the US including wetlands to continue the mine advance into a 3,608
acre area located adjacent the Pamlico River and several of its tributaries. The applicant's
stated purpose and need for this project is to continue mining its phosphate reserve in an
economically viable fashion. More specifically, the applicant's stated purpose and need
is to implement a long-term systematic and cost-effective mine advance within the
project area for the ongoing PCS mine operation at Aurora, NC. The waters and wetlands
impacted by the proposed action have been categorized into community types as follows:
1. Creeks/Open Water 11 acres
2. Brackish Marsh Complex 38 acres
3. Bottomland Hardwood Forest 102 acres
4. Herbaceous Assemblage 253 acres
5. Scrub-Shrub Assemblage 202 acres
6. Pine Plantation 514 acres
7. Hardwood Forest 508 acres
8. Mixed Pine-Hardwood Forest 564 acres
9. Pine Forest 195 acres
10. Ponds 19 acres
Total 2,408 acres
0
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) federal agencies are required
• to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any agency action, including the
issuance of a permit, if that action may significantly affect the quality of the human
environment. The Corps of Engineers has prepared this draft Environmental Impact
Statement to examine the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed
action and explore reasonable alternatives. A public scoping meeting was held on
February 28, 2001 and an interdisciplinary Review Team (Review Team) comprised of
representatives from other state and federal regulatory and commenting agencies,
environmental advocacy groups, the applicant, and CZR Incorporated (CZR) (third party
consultant to the Corps in accordance with RGL-05-08). The purpose of the Review
Team is to identify major issues to be addressed in the EIS and to provide input on
potential alternatives to be explored and potentially evaluated.
The Corps, working with the applicant and the review team established a project area
comprised of three basic tracts; a 3,608 acre area east of the current operation and
adjacent South Creek identified as the NCPC tract, a 8,686 acre area south of the current
operation and south of NC Highway 33 identified as the S33 tract and an 2,806 acre area
west of the current operation and adjacent Durham Creek identified as the Bonnerton
tract. The S33 tract contains fewer wetlands than either of the other tracts (S33 = 1,130
acres, NCPC = 2,408 acres, and Bonnerton = 2,130 acres).
• Within this project area, a No Action mining alignment and 9 alternative mining
alignments have been identified for further study. A detailed description of each
alternative can be found in Section 2 of the DEIS and maps of each alternative can be
found in Section 5 of the DEIS (figures 5-43 through 5-52). The No Action mining
alignment is not an alignment that involves no mining but rather an alignment that avoids
all Waters of the US and therefore requires no Department of the Army authorization.
Seven of the alternatives (DL1B, EAPA, EAPB, SCRA, SCRB, SJAA, SJAB) involve
some mining activity in each of the three tracts. All mining in the AP alternative is
contained within the NCPC tract and the No Action and S33AP alternatives limit mining
to only the S33 tract.
The Applicant contends that the AP and EAPA alternatives are the only economically
practicable alternatives. The Corps has reviewed all information submitted by the
applicant as well as other available information regarding the economics of phosphate
and phosphate mining. At this time, the Corps concurs with the applicant that the AP and
EAPA alternatives are economically practicable and that the No Action, S33AP and
DL 1 B alternatives are not economically practicable. The Corps has not concurred with
the applicant's determination on the other alternatives.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released Friday, October 20,
• 2006. The DEIS and the public notice may be viewed on the Wilmington District's
website at http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/WETLANDS/index.html. The Corps is
seeking public input on the completeness of the document as well as the environmental
• and socioeconomic impacts of PCS' proposed mine alignment and the various
alternatives. A public hearing on this project will be held December 14, 2006 and
comments will be accepted until January 21, 2007.
C,
;7
• DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FOR THE PCS PHOSPHATE MINE CONTINUATION
AURORA, NORTH CAROLINA
The responsible lead agency is the US Army corps of Engineers, Wilmington District.
Abstract: The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division, Aurora
Operation (PCS) has applied for Department of the Army authorization pursuant to
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the rivers and Harbors Act to
advance its current mining operation into a 3,608 acre area east of its current mining
operation located north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina. The proposed
expansion would impact approximately 2,408 acres of waters of the United States
including wetlands adjacent to The Pamlico River and South Creek.
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Corps of Engineers has prepared
this draft Environmental Impact Statement to examine the impacts of the proposed action
and alternatives to the proposed action.
• Written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above, and the DEIS will
be received by the Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, until 5pm, January 27, 2007.
Comments should be submitted to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division. ATTN: File Number 2001-10096, Post Office Box 1890,
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890. Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be
directed to Mr. Tom Walker, Project Manager, Regulatory Division, telephone: (828) 271-
7980 extension 222.
A Public Hearing on this project and the DEIS will be held at Southside High School
located at 5700 Highway 33 East, Chocowinity, Beaufort County, NC on December 14,
2006 at 6:30 P.M.
0
• SUMMARY
On November 2, 2000 The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division,
Aurora Operation (PCS) applied for Department of the Army authorization to continue its
phosphate mining operation on the Hickory Point peninsula adjacent the Pamlico River
and South Creek, north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina, once reserves are
depleted under the existing permitted area. The Corps circulated a Public Notice
describing this application on January 2, 2001 (Action ID No. 200110096). PCS elected
to further reduce proposed impacts to waters of the US in response to comments on this
Public Notice and submitted a revised permit application on August 13, 2001. The Corps
circulated a second Public Notice on October 4, 2001, describing the revised application.
The PCS facility includes an open pit mining operation that supplies phosphate ore to its
onsite manufacturing facilities producing sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, purified acid,
liquid fertilizer, superphosphoric acid, diammonium phosphate, defluorinated phosphate,
animal feed and solid fertilizers. Phosphate mining activities began at this site in 1965.
On August 27, 1997, PCS was issued a Department of the Army permit to impact 1,268
acres of waters and wetlands to continue its mining operation into the current mine area.
This action is more fully described in the August, 1996 Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Texasgulf Inc. Mine Continuation. PCS is nearing the end of the
current mining area and is seeking to continue its mining operation into the adjacent tract.
. The proposed action includes a request for authorization to impact approximately 2,408
acres of waters of the US including wetlands to continue the mine advance into a 3,608
acre area located adjacent the Pamlico River and several of its tributaries. The applicant's
stated purpose and need for this project is to continue mining its phosphate reserve in an
economically viable fashion. More specifically, the applicant's stated purpose and need
is to implement a long-term systematic and cost-effective mine advance within the
project area for the ongoing PCS mine operation at Aurora, NC. The waters and wetlands
impacted by the proposed action have been categorized into community types as follows:
1. Creeks/Open Water 11 acres
2. Brackish Marsh Complex 38 acres
3. Bottomland Hardwood Forest 102 acres
4. Herbaceous Assemblage 253 acres
5. Scrub-Shrub Assemblage 202 acres
6. Pine Plantation 514 acres
7. Hardwood Forest 508 acres
8. Mixed Pine-Hardwood Forest 564 acres
9. Pine Forest 195 acres
10. Ponds 19 acres
Total 2,408 acres
E
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) federal agencies are required
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any agency action, including the
issuance of a permit, if that action may significantly affect the quality of the human
environment. The Corps of Engineers has prepared this draft Environmental Impact
Statement to examine the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed
action and explore reasonable alternatives. A public scoping meeting was held on
February 28, 2001 and an interdisciplinary Review Team (Review Team) comprised of
representatives from other state and federal regulatory and commenting agencies,
environmental advocacy groups, the applicant, and CZR Incorporated (CZR) (third party
consultant to the Corps in accordance with RGL-05-08). The purpose of the Review
Team is to identify major issues to be addressed in the EIS and to provide input on
potential alternatives to be explored and potentially evaluated.
The Corps, working with the applicant and the review team established a project area
comprised of three basic tracts; a 3,608 acre area east of the current operation and
adjacent South Creek identified as the NCPC tract, a 8,686 acre area south of the current
operation and south of NC Highway 33 identified as the S33 tract and an 2,806 acre area
west of the current operation and adjacent Durham Creek identified as the Bonnerton
tract. The S33 tract contains fewer wetlands than either of the other tracts (S33 = 1,130
acres, NCPC = 2,408 acres, and Bonnerton = 2,130 acres).
• Within this project area, a No Action mining alignment and 9 alternative mining
alignments have been identified for further study. A detailed description of each
alternative can be found in Section 2 of the DEIS and maps of each alternative can be
found in Section 5 of the DEIS (figures 5-43 through 5-52). The No Action mining
alignment is not an alignment that involves no mining but rather an alignment that avoids
all Waters of the US and therefore requires no Department of the Army authorization.
Seven of the alternatives (DL1B, EAPA, EAPB, SCRA, SCRB, SJAA, SJAB) involve
some mining activity in each of the three tracts. All mining in the AP alternative is
contained within the NCPC tract and the No Action and S33AP alternatives limit mining
to only the S33 tract.
The Applicant contends that the AP and EAPA alternatives are the only economically
practicable alternatives. The Corps has reviewed all information submitted by the
applicant as well as other available information regarding the economics of phosphate
and phosphate mining. At this time, the Corps concurs with the applicant that the AP and
EAPA alternatives are economically practicable and that the No Action, S33AP and
DL1B alternatives are not economically practicable. The Corps has not concurred with
the applicant's determination on the other alternatives.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released Friday, October 20,
• 2006. The DEIS and the public notice may be viewed on the Wilmington District's
website at http://w-ww.saw.usace.anny.mil/WETLANDS/index.htm1. The Corps is
. seeking public input on the completeness of the document as well as the environmental
and socioeconomic impacts of PCS' proposed mine alignment and the various
alternatives. A public hearing on this project will be held December 14, 2006 and
comments will be accepted until January 21, 2007.

•
DRAFT
• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FOR THE PCS PHOSPHATE MINE CONTINUATION
AURORA, NORTH CAROLINA
The responsible lead agency is the US Army corps of Engineers, Wilmington District.
Abstract: The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division, Aurora
Operation (PCS) has applied for Department of the Army authorization pursuant to
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the rivers and Harbors Act to
advance its current mining operation into a 3,608 acre area east of its current mining
operation located north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina. The proposed
expansion would impact approximately 2,408 acres of waters of the United States
including wetlands adjacent to The Pamlico River and South Creek.
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Corps of Engineers has prepared
this draft Environmental Impact Statement to examine the impacts of the proposed action
and alternatives to the proposed action.
• Written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above, and the DEIS will
be received by the Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, until 5pm, January 27, 2007.
Comments should be submitted to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division. ATTN: File Number 2001-10096, Post Office Box 1890,
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890. Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be
directed to Mr. Tom Walker, Project Manager, Regulatory Division, telephone: (828) 271-
7980 extension 222.
A Public Hearing on this project and the DEIS will be held at Southside High School
located at 5700 Highway 33 East, Chocowinity, Beaufort County, NC on December 14,
2006 at 6:30 P.M.
0
• SUMMARY
On November 2, 2000 The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division,
Aurora Operation (PCS) applied for Department of the Army authorization to continue its
phosphate mining operation on the Hickory Point peninsula adjacent the Pamlico River
and South Creek, north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina, once reserves are
depleted under the existing permitted area. The Corps circulated a Public Notice
describing this application on January 2, 2001 (Action ID No. 200110096). PCS elected
to further reduce proposed impacts to waters of the US in response to comments on this
Public Notice and submitted a revised permit application on August 13, 2001. The Corps
circulated a second Public Notice on October 4, 2001, describing the revised application.
The PCS facility includes an open pit mining operation that supplies phosphate ore to its
onsite manufacturing facilities producing sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, purified acid,
liquid fertilizer, superphosphoric acid, diammonium phosphate, defluorinated phosphate,
animal feed and solid fertilizers. Phosphate mining activities began at this site in 1965.
On August 27, 1997, PCS was issued a Department of the Army permit to impact 1,268
acres of waters and wetlands to continue its mining operation into the current mine area.
This action is more fully described in the August, 1996 Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Texasgulf Inc. Mine Continuation. PCS is nearing the end of the
current mining area and is seeking to continue its mining operation into the adjacent tract.
The proposed action includes a request for authorization to impact approximately 2,408
acres of waters of the US including wetlands to continue the mine advance into a 3,608
acre area located adjacent the Pamlico River and several of its tributaries. The applicant's
stated purpose and need for this project is to continue mining its phosphate reserve in an
economically viable fashion. More specifically, the applicant's stated purpose and need
is to implement a long-term systematic and cost-effective mine advance within the
project area for the ongoing PCS mine operation at Aurora, NC. The waters and wetlands
impacted by the proposed action have been categorized into community types as follows:
1. Creeks/Open Water 11 acres
2. Brackish Marsh Complex 38 acres
3. Bottomland Hardwood Forest 102 acres
4. Herbaceous Assemblage 253 acres
5. Scrub-Shrub Assemblage 202 acres
6. Pine Plantation 514 acres
7. Hardwood Forest 508 acres
8. Mixed Pine-Hardwood Forest 564 acres
9. Pine Forest 195 acres
10. Ponds 19 acres
Total 2,408 acres
0
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) federal agencies are required
• to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any agency action, including the
issuance of a permit, if that action may significantly affect the quality of the human
environment. The Corps of Engineers has prepared this draft Environmental Impact
Statement to examine the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed
action and explore reasonable alternatives. A public scoping meeting was held on
February 28, 2001 and an interdisciplinary Review Team (Review Team) comprised of
representatives from other state and federal regulatory and commenting agencies,
environmental advocacy groups, the applicant, and CZR Incorporated (CZR) (third party
consultant to the Corps in accordance with RGL-05-08). The purpose of the Review
Team is to identify major issues to be addressed in the EIS and to provide input on
potential alternatives to be explored and potentially evaluated.
The Corps, working with the applicant and the review team established a project area
comprised of three basic tracts; a 3,608 acre area east of the current operation and
adjacent South Creek identified as the NCPC tract, a 8,686 acre area south of the current
operation and south of NC Highway 33 identified as the S33 tract and an 2,806 acre area
west of the current operation and adjacent Durham Creek identified as the Bonnerton
tract. The S33 tract contains fewer wetlands than either of the other tracts (S33 = 1,130
acres, NCPC = 2,408 acres, and Bonnerton = 2,130 acres).
• Within this project area, a No Action mining alignment and 9 alternative mining
alignments have been identified for further study. A detailed description of each
alternative can be found in Section 2 of the DEIS and maps of each alternative can be
found in Section 5 of the DEIS (figures 5-43 through 5-52). The No Action mining
alignment is not an alignment that involves no mining but rather an alignment that avoids
all Waters of the US and therefore requires no Department of the Army authorization.
Seven of the alternatives (DL1B, EAPA, EAPB, SCRA, SCRB, SJAA, SJAB) involve
some mining activity in each of the three tracts. All mining in the AP alternative is
contained within the NCPC tract and the No Action and S33AP alternatives limit mining
to only the S33 tract.
The Applicant contends that the AP and EAPA alternatives are the only economically
practicable alternatives. The Corps has reviewed all information submitted by the
applicant as well as other available information regarding the economics of phosphate
and phosphate mining. At this time, the Corps concurs with the applicant that the AP and
EAPA alternatives are economically practicable and that the No Action, S33AP and
DL1B alternatives are not economically practicable. The Corps has not concurred with
the applicant's determination on the other alternatives.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released Friday, October 20,
2006. The DEIS and the public notice may be viewed on the Wilmington District's
website at hLtp://www.saw.usace.anny.mil/WETLANDS/index.html. The Corps is
• seeking public input on the completeness of the document as well as the environmental
and socioeconomic impacts of PCS' proposed mine alignment and the various
alternatives. A public hearing on this project will be held December 14, 2006 and
comments will be accepted until January 21, 2007.
0

DRAFT
• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FOR THE PCS PHOSPHATE MINE CONTINUATION
AURORA, NORTH CAROLINA
The responsible lead agency is the US Army corps of Engineers, Wilmington District.
Abstract: The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division, Aurora
Operation (PCS) has applied for Department of the Army authorization pursuant to
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the rivers and Harbors Act to
advance its current mining operation into a 3,608 acre area east of its current mining
operation located north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina. The proposed
expansion would impact approximately 2,408 acres of waters of the United States
including wetlands adjacent to The Pamlico River and South Creek.
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Corps of Engineers has prepared
this draft Environmental Impact Statement to examine the impacts of the proposed action
and alternatives to the proposed action.
• Written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above, and the DEIS will
be received by the Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, until 5pm, January 27, 2007.
Comments should be submitted to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division. ATTN: File Number 2001-10096, Post Office Box 1890,
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890. Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be
directed to Mr. Tom Walker, Project Manager, Regulatory Division, telephone: (828) 271-
7980 extension 222.
A Public Hearing on this project and the DEIS will be held at Southside High School
located at 5700 Highway 33 East, Chocowinity, Beaufort County, NC on December 14,
2006 at 6:30 P.M.
0
• SUMMARY
On November 2, 2000 The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division,
Aurora Operation (PCS) applied for Department of the Army authorization to continue its
phosphate mining operation on the Hickory Point peninsula adjacent the Pamlico River
and South Creek, north of Aurora, Beaufort County, North Carolina, once reserves are
depleted under the existing permitted area. The Corps circulated a Public Notice
describing this application on January 2, 2001 (Action ID No. 200110096). PCS elected
to further reduce proposed impacts to waters of the US in response to comments on this
Public Notice and submitted a revised permit application on August 13, 2001. The Corps
circulated a second Public Notice on October 4, 2001, describing the revised application.
The PCS facility includes an open pit mining operation that supplies phosphate ore to its
onsite manufacturing facilities producing sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, purified acid,
liquid fertilizer, superphosphoric acid, diammonium phosphate, defluorinated phosphate,
animal feed and solid fertilizers. Phosphate mining activities began at this site in 1965.
On August 27, 1997, PCS was issued a Department of the Army permit to impact 1,268
acres of waters and wetlands to continue its mining operation into the current mine area.
This action is more fully described in the August, 1996 Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Texasgulf Inc. Mine Continuation. PCS is nearing the end of the
current mining area and is seeking to continue its mining operation into the adjacent tract.
S The proposed action includes a request for authorization to impact approximately 2,408
acres of waters of the US including wetlands to continue the mine advance into a 3,608
acre area located adjacent the Pamlico River and several of its tributaries. The applicant's
stated purpose and need for this project is to continue mining its phosphate reserve in an
economically viable fashion. More specifically, the applicant's stated purpose and need
is to implement a long-term systematic and cost-effective mine advance within the
project area for the ongoing PCS mine operation at Aurora, NC. The waters and wetlands
impacted by the proposed action have been categorized into community types as follows:
1. Creeks/Open Water 11 acres
2. Brackish Marsh Complex 38 acres
3. Bottomland Hardwood Forest 102 acres
4. Herbaceous Assemblage 253 acres
5. Scrub-Shrub Assemblage 202 acres
6. Pine Plantation 514 acres
7. Hardwood Forest 508 acres
8. Mixed Pine-Hardwood Forest 564 acres
9. Pine Forest 195 acres
10. Ponds 19 acres
Total 2,408 acres

• Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) federal agencies are required
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any agency action, including the
issuance of a permit, if that action may significantly affect the quality of the human
environment. The Corps of Engineers has prepared this draft Environmental Impact
Statement to examine the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed
action and explore reasonable alternatives. A public scoping meeting was held on
February 28, 2001 and an interdisciplinary Review Team (Review Team) comprised of
representatives from other state and federal regulatory and commenting agencies,
environmental advocacy groups, the applicant, and CZR Incorporated (CZR) (third party
consultant to the Corps in accordance with RGL-05-08). The purpose of the Review
Team is to identify major issues to be addressed in the EIS and to provide input on
potential alternatives to be explored and potentially evaluated.
The Corps, working with the applicant and the review team established a project area
comprised of three basic tracts; a 3,608 acre area east of the current operation and
adjacent South Creek identified as the NCPC tract, a 8,686 acre area south of the current
operation and south of NC Highway 33 identified as the S33 tract and an 2,806 acre area
west of the current operation and adjacent Durham Creek identified as the Bonnerton
tract. The S33 tract contains fewer wetlands than either of the other tracts (S33 = 1,130
acres, NCPC = 2,408 acres, and Bonnerton = 2,130 acres).
• Within this project area, a No Action mining alignment and 9 alternative mining
alignments have been identified for further study. A detailed description of each
alternative can be found in Section 2 of the DEIS and maps of each alternative can be
found in Section 5 of the DEIS (figures 5-43 through 5-52). The No Action mining
alignment is not an alignment that involves no mining but rather an alignment that avoids
all Waters of the US and therefore requires no Department of the Army authorization.
Seven of the alternatives (DL1B, EAPA, EAPB, SCRA, SCRB, SJAA, SJAB) involve
some mining activity in each of the three tracts. All mining in the AP alternative is
contained within the NCPC tract and the No Action and S33AP alternatives limit mining
to only the S33 tract.
The Applicant contends that the AP and EAPA alternatives are the only economically
practicable alternatives. The Corps has reviewed all information submitted by the
applicant as well as other available information regarding the economics of phosphate
and phosphate mining. At this time, the Corps concurs with the applicant that the AP and
EAPA alternatives are economically practicable and that the No Action, S33AP and
DL1B alternatives are not economically practicable. The Corps has not concurred with
the applicant's determination on the other alternatives.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released Friday, October 20,
• 2006. The DEIS and the public notice may be viewed on the Wilmington District's
website at http://,Arww.saw.usace.ai-my.mil/WETLANDS/index.html. The Corps is
• seeking public input on the completeness of the document as well as the environmental
and socioeconomic impacts of PCS' proposed mine alignment and the various
alternatives. A public hearing on this project will be held December 14, 2006 and
comments will be accepted until January 21, 2007.
•
0