EFTA00796600.pdf

18. continued A detailed study was done around the entire island to determine suitable locations for dock location. All ESA listed corals were located and docks and barge landings were designed to avoid these corals. A temporary barge landing is being proposed on the northwestern facing beach. This site is to the west of the salt pond and the associated wetlands. This a shoreline ramp which is 25 feet (ft) wide and 40ft in length extends to the Mean Water Line. The landing is free of both coral and seagrass colonization. The landing is excellent for short term transfer of material or equipment. The site is well protected from normal wave action but is periodically impacted by wave action from ferries which travel through current cut between Great St. James and St. Thomas. The wakes from these vessels make it an unattractive site for mooring a barge for any length of time at the site. This landing can be quickly constructed and utilized while the combination dock and barge landing on the southeastern side of the island is constructed. The western dock is proposed on the northern end of Christmas Cove. Historically there was a dock in this location and there are still old concrete piles lying in the shallows of this site. The proposed dock will be I Oft in width and 19511 in length extending I87ft from mean low water (MLW) and 193ft from mean high water (MHW). The dock extends beyond the nearshore hardbottom to a depth of 15ft out in the uncolonized sand to allow for safe dockage for deeper vessels. The southern dock is located off the point closest to Little St. James. The dock is - L" shaped and is 20ft wide (to allow for barge landing) and 150ft in length extending 141ft from MLW and 148ft from MHW, the "L" then turns east and extends 100ft by 20ft. A wave attenuating/reef creating system is proposed beneath the dock which will allow for more protected docking inside the dock when seas from the south are rough. The dock has 9ft of water depth of the southern end and 711 to 8ft on the inside of the "L". The dock has been designed so that barges can approach and land on the end of the dock while vessels can dock along the "L". After the hurricane Irma in 2017 the owner of the Great St. James assisted many of his employees and their families who had lost their homes and housed people on the island. In order to bring in emergency supplies, two small barge ramps were created near the locations of both proposed docks; one in Christmas Cove and one off the closest point to Little St. James. Both consisted of coral rubble and boulders pushed out into the water approximately 10ft. and both were 15ft. wide. These were noticed by the USACE during aerial surveillance and the USACE requested the removal of the structures as well as the removal of some fill material which was deposited into the fringing wetland area while creating access to the southern emergency ramp. The southern ramp has been removed and the fill has been removed from the wetland EFTA00796600 area and white mangrove seeds have been being spread in the wetland and seedlings are beginning to sprout. The applicant is requesting that he be allowed to keep the emergency ramp in Christmas Cove until such time a permit is granted for the proposed barge ramp. This will facilitate the bringing of materials and supplies to the island until such time a permanent ramp can be built. EFTA00796601