EFTA00613879.pdf

GOVERNMENT OF THE. UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES Coastal Zone Management Program Cyril E. King Airport Terminal Building 2 Floor St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802 Telephone: (340) 774-3320 FAX: (340) 714.9524 June 8, 2011 Mr. Sindulfo Castillo Chief, Regulatory Section Corps of Engineers San Juan Area Office 400 Fernandez Juncos Avenue San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00901-3299 RE: LSJ, LLC (Little St James Island) Installation of two (2) moorings St Thomas, Virgin Islands Dear Mr. Castillo: Enclosed is an assessment of the proposed mooring sites off of Little St James for the subject project. The enclosure is forwarded to your office for an Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) permit. Questions or concerns regarding this matt to Mr. Manny C. Ramos, CZM Environmental Engineer, at or via e-mail to manny.ramosa.dpnrmov.vi 'ally, Je erre L. Oriol D tor, CZM enclosure EFTA00613879  ASSESSMENT OF PROPOSED MOORING SITES OFF OF LITTLE ST. JAMES L.S.J., LLC would like to permit two moorings off shore of the island of Little St. James. The moorings are to be primarily used when the seas are too rough for the vessels to sit at the dock. Two sites have been selected one approximately 200' from the dock and the other approximately 300' from the dock. The moorings will be double screw anchor moorings with chains held off the bottom with a large float, the mooring buoy and line is then attached to the submerged float. Oiffseara "I- TINGE Point 1 Underwater structure for moorings. 77477,INCIer(B2, KINGSHILL, ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00851 340-773-5881OFFICE 340 690-8445 MOBILE 340 773-6829 FAX [email protected] Page 1 EFTA00613880 The proposed mooring which is farthest from the dock is located at 18°18.152'N and 64°49.593W and is amid dense seagrass beds. The seagrass bed is primarily Thalassia testudinum with scattered Syringodiumfiliforme. The mooring anchors would each be placed in a small blowout. The larger of the blowouts is approximately 9' in diameter and the smaller is 5' in diameter. The blowouts are approximately 6' apart. One of the screw anchors would be placed in each blowout. BIOIMPACT, INC., P.O. BOX 132, KINGSHILL, ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00851 340-773-5881 OFFICE 340 690-8445 MOBILE 340 773-6829 FAX [email protected] Page 2 EFTA00613881 The closer mooring is located at 18°18.130'N and 64°49.573W and is also amid a dense seagrass bed. The seagrass bed is primarily Thalassia testudinum with scattered Syringodiumfiliforme. The mooring location is in the leading edge of a blowout which is recolonizing with grass species. Halodule beaudettei is present within the blowout in addition to Thalassia and Syringodium. This blow out is much lar t er and is movie L in a northerl direction. The mooring design will limit impact on the seafloor and the surrounding benthic community. The use of the moorings should have minimal impact on the surrounding seagrass since they are only proposed for temporarily periodic use, therefore shading should not become an issue. BIOIMPACT, INC., P.O. BOX 132, KINGSHILL, ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00851 340-773-5881 OFFICE 340 690-8445 MOBILE 340 773-6829 FAX [email protected] Page 3 EFTA00613882