The Little Rock Port Authority released a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed Mooring Upgrade Project on January 13, 2023.
The Mooring Upgrade Project will restore and expand current barge fleeting operations by replacing 15 deteriorated deadman anchors in two locations on the Arkansas River shoreline with 36 steel monopile mooring dolphins and installing 11 monopile dolphins in a third location in the Slackwater Harbor.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration reviewed the project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4332(2) and determined that the project will have no significant effects on the human or natural environment under normal conditions.
To address public comments related to the project’s impacts, the Little Rock Port Authority included commitments intended to reduce and avoid negative effects. In particular, the Port committed to use vibratory pile driving rather than impact pile driving to reduce vibration levels from the Project, and to limit construction hours to 8:00 am and 5:00 pm during weekdays.
Copies of the full Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) document can be found at:
