VT Halter Marine to add floating dock

VT Halter Marine is planning to expand its Pascagoula shipyard, adding a floating dry dock. It has started the process rolling by applying for a coastal wetlands permit.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR COASTAL WETLANDS PERMIT AND WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION

V.T. Halter Marine, Inc. has filed an application with the Department of Marine Resources requesting permission to conduct regulated activities under the provision of the Coastal Wetlands Protection Law Act, Title 49, Chapter 27, Mississippi Code of 1972. The applicant is proposing to install and operate a floating dry dock at their existing shipyard located on Bayou Casotte in Pascagoula, Jackson County, MS. The dry dock structure measures approximately 715′ X 389′ and will require the dredging/excavation of a mooring basin measuring approximately 800′ X 500′ in area and construction of approximately 1,000 linear feet of bulkhead. Approximately 811,865 cubic yards of material shall be dredged and 189,263 cubic yards of uplands shall be excavated to a depth of 65 feet below mean low water (mlw). Suitable dredged material will be utilized for an approved beneficial use according to MS Code Section 49-27-61 or placed in an approved upland location. The applicant will also be required to request a variance from Chapter 8, Section 2, Part III.C.5, which states in part: “Marina basins and boatslips shall be designed to avoid sumps and other conditions which would result in longterm degradation of water quality. Depths of marina basins, boatslips, and access channels shall not be any deeper than the controlling depth of the parent body of water and shall become gradually shallower proceeding from the parent body of water to the nearshore area.” In compliance with Section 401 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251, 1341), as amended by PL 95-217, the applicant will request certification from the Office of Pollution Control that the above mentioned activity will be in compliance with applicable provisions of Section 301 (33 U.S.C. 1311), Section 302 (33 U.S.C. 1312), Section 303 (U.S.C. 1313), Section 306 (U.S.C. 1316), and Section 307 (U.S.C. 1317) of the Act and appropriate requirements of the State Law. Any person wishing to make comments or objections to the proposed regulated activity must submit those comments in writing to the Department of Marine Resources at 1141 Bayview Avenue, Biloxi, Mississippi 39530 and the Office of Pollution Control, Post Office Box 2261, Jackson, Mississippi 39225-2261 before 1:00 p.m. on the day July 6, 2011. PLEASE PUBLISH: June 20, 2011 June 26, 2011 July 3, 2011 Please Furnish Proof. 1456923

June 21, 2011