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• <br />Attachment to Letter <br />From Mayor of La Porte, TX <br />Dated January 10, 2002 <br />Additional Comments Re~ardin~ <br />Draft Environmental Impact Statement for <br />Port of Houston Authority's Proposed <br />Bayport Channel Container/Cruise Terminal <br />Noise Pollution <br />• Homes to the north side of the channel will experience disruptive amounts <br />of noise. The DEIS notes that construction noise alone during the <br />nighttime would exceed 55 dBA (decibels, A-weighted sound level) at the <br />nearest residences for dredging, and the nighttime pile construction would <br />exceed 55 dBA at the nearest residences. Operation sound levels at the <br />residences north of the channel would increase 16 to 22 dBA and exceed <br />65 dBA Ldn. Two of the alternate sites listed would not increase noise <br />pollution or disturb area residents. <br />Air Pollution <br />The DEIS states "emissions of NOX (Nitrogen Oxides (NO + NOZ) + the <br />nitrate radical (NO3 )) , SO2 (Sulfur Dioxides), and PMIO (Particulate <br />Matter less than 10 microns in diameter) will be generated by construction <br />equipment engines as well as fugitive dust emissions. This is a short-term <br />adverse impact. Fugitive dust PMIO emissions would be mitigated by use <br />of dust control measures. Emissions of NOX, SO2, and PMIO will be <br />generated both offsite and onsite due to container and cruise terminal <br />operations. These emissions represent along-term adverse impact. The <br />impact on the Ozone Attainment Plan is stated as "2007 NOX and VOC <br />(Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions generated by terminal <br />construction and operations are included in the HGA (Houston-Galveston <br />Non-attainment Area) ozone attainment plan. Therefore, the impact on the <br />region's plans to attain the ozone standard is a long-term, less than <br />significant adverse impact. <br />• The EIS lacks discussion of fine particulate matter that will be discharged. <br />Although this area currently is in compliance at 10 microns, a small <br />increase from the port would probably cause it to be non compliant. The <br />EPA is moving towards lowering the standard from 10.0 to 2.5, which <br />mandates that the EIS address this issue. <br />