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www.rwustoncnronlae.co~~n~ rnlsweorr Corps delays release of final impact study for Bayport terminal By ROBERT CROWE Houston Chronicle The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers delayed release of the final environmental im- pact study for the proposed Bayport Container Terminal untIl Jan. 3, 2003, and also de- layed the fmal permitting de- cision until March 17, 2003. "This is an adjustment that was anticipated from the be- ginning of this three-phase project," said Thomas Korne- gay, port executive director, in a press release. "We are committed to cooperating in every way possible to aid the Corps in completing its FEIS." Corps officials said the de- lay was necessary to review more than 2,000 letters from citizens, but Bayport termi- nal opponents speculate the Corps has delayed the proj- ect because it still must per- form new studies in response to concerns from federal and state regulatory agencies. The port on Monday autho- rized $1.5 million for URS Corp. to continue work on the Bayport project. The change brings to $5.5 million the total amount the port has paid URS Corp. for Bayport-related studies. The port and Corps said the $1.5 million would pay for URS Corp. to compile the public comments to address portions of the final study, but opponents doubt that contention. "Reviewing the 2,000 let- ters is what takes time. We need to put those in a data- base to see what's going on," said Marilyn Uhrich, Corps spokeswoman. "We also plan to go into deeper depths on noise and traffic studies." While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has asked for a comprehensive environ- mental habitat study, Uhrich said there are no plans for such a study yet. "They're saying it will cost $1.5 million to put comments in a database? I'm not saying they won't review the com- ments, but they should be honest and say the primary motivation is to conduct stud- ies they didn't get right the first time," said Jim Black- burn of the Galveston Bay Conservation and Preserva- tion Association, which op- poses the Bayport project. Richard Raycraft, the Har- ris County director of man- agement services, also told the port it would have to de- lay selling Bayport-related bonds until 2003. "In light of the Corps' re- cent decision to delay the FEIS, this makes sound fi- nancial sense for Harris County taxpayers," said James T. Edmonds, port chairman. Opponents have asked the Corps to provide a supple- mental draft enviromnental impact study in response to changes this spring to esti- mates of total wetlands af- fected and proposed berths for container terminals for the Bayport project. The Corps has not responded to those requests. "This project has been fouled up so many times, but they continue to attempt to piecemeal what is fundamen- tally aflawed project," Black- burn said.