efforts, the State coastal council has now determined that the proposed plan is consistent with the State Coastal Zone Management Plan. The board believes that this issue is resolved and that there is no cause to delay further report processing. 19. The board further notes that due to environmental constraints, bar channel dredging will most likely be performed with a modified pipeline dredge in place of a hopper dredge. This change in dredging equipment presents a more favorable opportunity for least cost disposal of dredged materials on the eroded beaches of Tybee Island. The board encourages the beneficial use of dredged materials whenever possible and strongly supports further consideration of the Tybee Island disposal alternative during PED studies. 20. Implementation of the recommended (LP) plan involves a substantial non-Federal financial commitment of over $27.5 million dollars. To provide for the non-Federal share of project costs and make other harbor improvements, the board understands that the State of Georgia has included in its most recently passed budget, authorization to issue $32,480,000 in general obligation bonds for deepening of Savannah Harbor. The Georgia Ports Authority, as local sponsor, has in recent correspondence also indicated its intent to cost share in the recommended plan contingent upon the availability of funds appropriated by the Georgia General Assembly and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintenance of the recommended plan as a Federal project. Accordingly, the board finds that there are clear indications that non-Federal financial commitments can be met and concludes that project authorization and development should proceed accordingly. 21. RECOMMENDATION. The board recommends that deep-draft navigation improvements for Savannah Harbor, Georgia, be authorized for implementation generally in accordance with the reporting officers' recommended plan, with such modifications as in the discretion of the Chief of Engineers may be advisable. This recommendation is made subject to cost-sharing, financing, and other requirements of Public Law 99-662 for this type of project and as additionally provided by other applicable Federal laws and policies. Federal first costs are presently estimated at $11,785,000 excluding $44,000 for aids to navigation and adjustment for non-Federal 10 percent cash contribution paid over time. The ultimate non-Federal cost with the 10 percent cash contribution paid over time is presently estimated at $27,516,000. In addition, the non-Federal interests will agree to comply with the items of local cooperation specific to this project as follows: a. Paying during construction 25 percent of the cost of construction of the general navigation feature of the NED project plan. b. Paying an additional 10 percent of the cost of the general navigation features and 10 percent of the historic preservation mitigation and data recovery costs that are in excess of 1 percent of the appropriated Federal cost of the NED project plan in cash over a period not to exceed 30 years at an interest rate determined pursuant to section 106 of Public Law 99-662. The value of lands, easements, rights-of-way, relocations, and borrow and dredged material disposal areas (LERRDS) required for the general navigation features of the NED project plan of improvement will be credited toward this payment. No credit will be given for the value of LERRDS needed for implementation of the LP plan that are in excess of the NED plan implementation requirements; c. Paying during construction 100 percent of the first cost of construction of general navigation features of the recommended project plan that are in excess of the cost of construction of the NED project plan including 100 percent of any cultural resource costs separately identified with the LP plan; d. Paying 25 percent of that portion of total historic preservation, mitigation, and data recovery costs which are in excess of 1 percent of the appropriated Federal cost for the NED project plan, including general navigation features and aids to navigation; e. Paying, during subsequent maintenance, 100 percent of any additional maintenance costs associated with maintenance of the recommended plan that are over and above the cost of maintaining the NED plan; f. Holding and saving the United States free from damages due to the construction, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and rehabilitation of the project, except for damages due to the fault or negligence of the United States or its contractors; g. Acquiring necessary lands, easements, rights-of-way, including suitable borrow and dredged material disposal areas, and providing all necessary retaining dikes, waste weirs, bulkheads, and embankments, or paying the costs of such retaining works determined by the district engineer to be necessary for the construction, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation of the project; h. Performing or assuring the performance of all relocations and alterations necessary for construction, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation of the project, including piers, dikes, pipelines, cables, sewer outlets, and other utilities (excluding aids to navigation) necessary to carry out the project; i. Providing and maintaining adequate public docks, terminals, berths, and transfer facilities open to the use of all on equal terms and provide and maintain depths in berthing areas and local access channels serving the terminals commensurate with project depths; j. Prohibiting erection of any structure or berthing of any vessels that would encroach on the Federal channels as authorized; k. Prohibiting erection of any structure within such distances from the authorized Federal channels as may be determined by the district engineer; 1. Assuming complete financial responsibility for the cleanup of hazardous materials located on project lands, including submerged lands, and regulated under CERCLA and be responsible for operating, maintaining, repairing, replacing, and rehabilitating the project in a manner so that liability will not arise under CERCLA. 22. The board's recommendation reflects the information available at this time and current department policies governing formulation of individual projects. The recommendation does not reflect program and budgeting priorities inherent in the formulation of a national civil works construction program nor the perspective of higher review levels within the executive branch. Consequently, the recommendation may be modified before it is transmitted to Congress as a proposal for authorization and implementation funding. However, prior to transmittal to the Congress, the sponsor, the State, interested Federal agencies and other parties will be advised of any modifications and will be afforded an opportunity to comment further. FOR THE BOARD: C. E. EDGAR III REPORT OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER SYLLABUS This report provides the results of engineering, economic, and environmental studies which were conducted to address the needs and problems associated with Savannah Harbor, Georgia. The study results concluded that the recommended plan to satisfy existing and projected needs of the harbor is to deepen the channel by 4 feet. The proposed plan provides for (1) a bar channel 44 feet deep, 600 feet wide, and about 8.7 miles long across the bar channel from deep water in the ocean to the end of the jetties, (2) a jetties channel 42 feet deep, 500 feet wide, and about 2.7 mile long from the end of the jetties to the harbor entrance, and (3) a harbor channel 42 feet deep, 500 feet wide, with additional depth at various wideners as required, and about 19.5 miles long to a point above the Kings Island Turning Basin. The plan would also include deepening the Kings Island Turning Basin by 4 feet to 42 feet. The plan includes the removal of about 1,320,225 cubic yards of material from the bar channel, about 231,690 cubic yards from the jetties channel, and about 4,375,142 cubic yards from the harbor channel, including the Kings Island Turning Basin. Dredged material from the bar channel and jetties channel would be placed at an existing ocean disposal site which has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Material from the harbor channel would be placed in existing diked disposal areas. A Programmatic Memorandum of Agreement has been prepared to preserve and protect where possible all cultural features in the harbor. The total estimated first cost of the project, including interest during construction, is $40,434,500. The average annual benefits are estimated to be $5,432,900 and the estimated average annual costs are $3,496,100. The resulting benefit/cost ratio is 1.6 to 1. The recommended plan is not the NED Plan, which would provide for a 40-foot depth in the harbor channel and jetties channel and 42foot depth in the bar channel. The non-Federal sponsor is willing to cost share the appropriate features of the NED plan and pay 100 percent of all incremental costs for increasing the project depth an additional 2 feet. SAVANNAH HARBOR, GEORGIA COMPREHENSIVE STUDY FEASIBILITY REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT MAIN REPORT INTRODUCTION STUDY AUTHORITY The Savannah Harbor Comprehensive Study was authorized by a resolution adopted by the Senate Public Works Committee on July 10, 1972, which reads as follows: "RESOLVED BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS OF THE The House of Representatives Committee on Public Works adopted a similar resolution for the study on October 12, 1972. The House resolution reads as follows: "RESOLVED BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS OF THE |