NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District is seeking public comments for a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and its appendices for Port of Iberia, which were released Friday.
This draft EA is available for a 30-day public review and comment period beginning on Aug. 24, 2026, and ending on Sept. 24, 2026.
The purpose of the Port of Iberia project is to provide a continuous channel at -16 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), which is the average water height of the lowest tide, between the Port of Iberia and the Gulf, according to a release from the New Orleans District.
The draft EA evaluates the initial deepening of 34 miles and subsequent maintenance dredging of up to 57.5 miles of existing navigation channel which consists of three segments of existing inland waterway system: Freshwater Bayou Canal, a portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), and the non-federally constructed Commercial Canal. It also includes replacement of the existing barge swing gates in the Freshwater Bayou Canal bypass channel, placement of 3,650 feet of rock revetment south of the Fresh Water Bayou Lock, and the relocation of existing utilities. Dredge material would be used beneficially to nourish marsh and wetland habitat.
All comments postmarked by the public review and comment end date will be addressed in the final EA. The Finding of No Significant Impacts will not be signed until all environmental review and compliance requirements are complete, the release states.
An electronic copy of the draft EA and appendices can be found at the following link: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/Port-of-Iberia/
Comments may be mailed to the attention of:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Planning and Environment Division, South
New Orleans Environmental Branch, CEMVN PDS
7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
Comments may also be provided by email to: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil.
Parties interested in receiving the public review of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents via email should provide their email address when submitting their public comments.
