Anchor QEA was responsible for managing, writing, editing, and coordinating the development and production of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA) and related appendices for the Los Angeles District USACE Sediment Remediation Pilot Studies.  These Pilot Studies included dredging sediment from the Los Angeles River in Long Beach and evaluating a series of disposal options for the material.  Two of the disposal options required NEPA compliance: aquatic disposal and capping and cement stabilization.  The aquatic capping pilot study involved dredging 130,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and placing and capping the material at a confined aquatic disposal site.  The cement stabilization pilot study involved dredging and treating 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments through cement stabilization.  Anchor QEA prepared related appendices for this EA, which included a Dredge Plan, Water Quality Monitoring Plan, 404(b)1 determination, and California Consistency Determination.  The Consistency Determination received approval for the project implementation by the California Coastal Commission.  The ultimate goal for the project was to establish a regulatory approval process for future flood control channel maintenance dredging events.

In compliance with NEPA requirements, Anchor QEA evaluated the environmental impacts associated with each of the pilot study alternatives (aquatic capping and cement stabilization), and a “no action” alternative.  The EA included extensive evaluations of impacts to water and sediment quality, biological resources, and endangered species.  Modeling results and historical data were included in this evaluation.

The preferred alternative proposed in this EA included both the aquatic capping and cement stabilization pilot studies.  The overall objectives of these pilot studies were to evaluate the technologies for their effectiveness, implementability, impacts to the environment, and costs. 

The technical information collected from the pilot studies will be used as part of the Los Angeles County Regional Dredged Material Management Program (DMMP) Feasibility Study.  With this information, regional dredged material management decisions regarding use of appropriate remediation technologies can be made by the Contaminated Sediments Task Force.