Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC)-Lake Borgne Surge Barrier
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released a supplemental environmental report that outlines the proposed action for constructing shoreline protection along an expanded right-of-way (ROW) of the IHNC-Lake Borgne Surge Barrier’s construction access channel. This work is a proposed change to the authorized action due to the unexpected acceleration of bank line erosion in the project area, and is necessary to avert further erosion near the project.
The proposed action is fully described in “Draft Individual Environmental Report Supplemental (IERS) 11.c Tier 2 Borgne,” which is available for a 30-day public review and comment period. As described in the document, work includes constructing approximately 2.5 miles of shoreline protection along the flood and protected side of the barrier. About 75 feet of additional ROW on the protected side and 150 feet on the flood side would be acquired in areas where erosion has previously occurred, is anticipated to occur over the next year, or where the banks need to be re-shaped.
Shoreline protection would consist of placing a geotextile fabric and a cover layer of rock along the bank line. A rock dike would be constructed in areas adjacent to open water ponds where no shoreline exists.
The draft IER Supplemental is available online at: http://www.nolaenvironmental.gov/nola_public_data/projects/usace_levee/docs/original/DraftIERS11T2_feb11%20.pdf
Written or verbal comments on IERS 11.c Tier 2 Borgne must be submitted to the Corps by midnight on Friday, March 4, 2011. Comments received during the public review period will become part of the official record.
Questions or comments concerning the Corps’ environmental process may be addressed to:
Laura Lee Wilkinson, Environmental Coordinator
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-1212
Fax: 504-862-1557
E-mail: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil
Release no. 11-108