As required under Executive Order 12322, the Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of the report of the proposed Savannah Harbor channel deepening project for Savannah Harbor, Georgia.

The OMB does not object to your submission of this report to Congress for authorization of construction. The project configuration and cost sharing as recommended by your office on June 24, 1992, and as described in the "Comprehensive Study; Feasibility Report; Environmental Impact Statement; Environmental Assessment is consistent with the program of the President.

Sincerely

Robert E. Grady

Executive Associate Director

A meeting was held September 16, 1991 between the Savannah Distric U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer to discuss the Savannah Harbor Long Term Management Strategy and Savannah Harbor Deepening project. We understand that a Programmatic Agreement will be prepared to address the effect of these projects on historic properties including the C.S.S. Georgia and Old Fort Jackson. We concur with the approach that was outlined during the meeting for study and assessment of historic properties and the potential impacts. We look forward to working with the Corp as the Programmatic Agreement is developed and subsequent studies are conducted.

CHB/mr

Encl: Georgia Ports Authority, December 2, 1991

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, January 21, 1992

Form NCC
April 1987

This notice is considered to be consistent with those
State (goals), (policies), (objectives), (plans),
(programs), and (fiscal resources) with which this
organization is concerned. (Line through inappropriate
word or words).

This notice is recommended for further development with the following recommendations for strengthening the project (additional pages may be used for outlining the

recommendations).

This notice is not recommended for further development (accompanied by detail comments which explains this organization's rationale for this decision).

This notice does not impact upon the activities of this organization.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) appreciates the opportunity to review and comment on the Final Interim Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Savannah Harbor Comprehensive Study. We understand this report will be revised as a result of the decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to close New Cut and permanently discontinue tide gate operation. The DNR fully supports the Corps decision to take these actions because of the positive impact this will have on the lower Savannah River ecosystem and fish and wildlife resources. It is our understanding that the revised report will address the positive impacts of these actions and describe how they will offset the adverse impact of harbor deepening. The DNR recommended in comments provided June 21, 1991 that these issues be addressed in the EIS, and we are pleased that this information will now be included.

We remain concerned, however, that the Interim Feasibility Report and EIS still will not contain adequate measures to protect threatened and endangered marine turtles. Hopper dredging should be restricted to the months December through March to protect turtles from entrainment by the dredges. In addition, the precautions to protect the endangered right whale (Main Report Page 139, #8) should be more specific. The report states that the contractor shall restrict vessel speeds during December to March to reduce the risk of collisions with whales but does not provide a speed limit. Vessel speeds during nighttime operations should not exceed 5 knots unless comprehensive aerial surveys conducted the previous day indicated that no right whales were within 15 miles of the channel or the disposal site. These changes will significantly strengthen the protection of endangered marine species.

is

The Department will support the proposed deepening of the Savannah Harbor provided the authorized Section 1135 work completed prior to harbor deepening, and provided adequate measures to protect threatened and endangered marine turtles and the endangered right whale are included in the report and implemented during harbor deepening.

The Department appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Interim Feasibility Report and EIS. We would like to review a copy of the revised document when it becomes available.