Port of Corpus Christi Authority Channel Deepening Project

Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:

Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works

Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Description:

CURRENT STATUS:  The Corps is working with the Project Sponsor and EIS Contractor to respond to comments on the integrated Regulatory and 408 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 

PURPOSE: The project’s purpose is to safely, efficiently, and economically export current and forecasted crude oil inventories via Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC), a common vessel in the world fleet. Crude oil is delivered via pipeline from the Eagle Ford and Permian Basins to multiple locations at the Port of Corpus Christi. Crude Oil inventories exported at the Port of Corpus Christi have increased from 280,000 barrels per day in 2017 to 1,650,000 barrels in January 2020 with forecasts increasing to 4,500,000 barrels per day by 2030. Current facilities require vessel lightering to fully load a VLCC which increases cost and effects safety.

BACKGROUND/CONTEXT:  This project was determined to be a covered project under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and added to the Permitting Dashboard as of June 2019. PCCA proposes to deepen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel (CCSC), a federal project, to -81 feet MLLW to Harbor Island and extend the terminus an additional 29,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico.  The dredging will generate 48 MCY of material requiring placement.  PCCA has requested use of the ocean dredged material disposal site (ODMDS) as well as several private and federal placement areas.

Update:

The Executive Director granted a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers request to extend the Section 106 Review completion date on June 14, 2022. The Executive Director determination is posted here.

The Executive Director granted a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers second request to extend the Section 106 Review completion date on September 15, 2022. The Executive Director determination is posted here.

The Executive Director granted a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers request to extend the EIS or the Section 10/404/103 and Section 408 completion date on January 9, 2023. The Executive Director determination is posted here.