[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1888]
[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Dredging of the Pier D Area at Naval Shipyard, Puget
Sound, Bremerton, WA
Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy
announces its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS) to further assess impacts associated with dredging,
dredge material disposal, and other in-water work to support the
homeporting of two Fast Combat Support Ships (AOE-6 Class) at Puget
Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), Bremerton, Washington.
A Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the AOE-6
Class West Coast Homeporting Program, issued in the fall of 1991,
included the tiered analysis of the proposed homeporting at PSNS. The
AOE-6 PEIS proposed the upgrading of Pier D to a deep-draft pier by
dredging 170,400 cubic yards of material adjacent to both sides of the
pier to deepen the berthing area. The impact analysis assessed
anticipated impacts resulting from dredging operations, open water
dredged materials disposal, and upland dredged materials disposal. A
Record of Decision for this action was issued by the Department of the
Navy in March 1992.
The Suquamish Indian Tribe appealed a permit for this project that
was issued by the City of Bremerton under the Washington State
Shorelines Management Act and the City of Bremerton Shorelines Master
Program. The permit is required by the State of Washington before
certifying a proposal under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The
appeal was resolved when the Navy, State of Washington, City of
Bremerton, and the Suquamish Tribe agreed that the Navy would prepare
an SEIS addressing the Pier D upgrade dredging project and additional
work related to the dredging project and operations at the pier.
The Pier D upgrade project involves dredging sediment and making
upgrades to Pier D at PSNS in Sinclair Inlet at Puget Sound. The
proposed action will provide two upgraded berths at Pier D capable of
handling a minimum of two AOE-6 Class ships and will also provide the
flexibility to berth other deep-draft ships assigned to PSNS. Dredging
is proposed to enlarge the berths at Pier D, currently used for
inactive ships. Depths at the AOE-6 berth (1,073 feet x 117 feet)
would be increased by this project from the current depths to -44.4
feet mean lower low water (MLLW). The deep draft berth (1,073 feet x
145 feet) would be increased to -46.4 feet MLLW, and include a 400 feet
x 116 feet area for sea chest intake clearance that would be
increased to -49.4 feet MLLW. A new steel fender pile system will be
added to Pier D to increase the capacity of the existing timber fender
piles; remaining timber fender piles will be replaced. As currently
designed, approximately 105,000 cubic yards of marine sediments would
be dredged and disposed of at one or more disposal sites approved for
this purpose by various federal, state, and local environmental laws.
As agreed during the appeal process, the scope of the SEIS will be
limited to the potential impacts associated with the proposed dredging
in the vicinity of Pier D, including rehandling dredged material,
transportation of dredged material, and disposal of dredged material.
The SEIS will address, but not be limited to, the following issues: (1)
Potential alternatives to the proposal and appropriate mitigation
measures; (2) project monitoring to ensure that environmental quality
is maintained; and (3) potential environmental impacts at the Pier D
dredge site, including impacts to land, air, water, plants and animals,
environmental health, land and shoreline uses, transportation, public
services, utilities, and related socioeconomic conditions. Specific
dredging related impacts to be analyzed include: (1) Potential impacts
to aquatic species; (2) potential impacts associated with the
resuspension and exposure of contaminated sediments in the vicinity of
Pier D during dredging operations; (3) potential impacts associated
with post-dredging exposure of contamination, future contamination
associated with Pier D dredging activities, and coordination with
cleanup efforts to be undertaken pursuant to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; and (4)
potential impacts associated with the handling, transportation, and
disposal of dredged material.
Agencies and the public are invited and encouraged to provide
written comments regarding issues of concern. To be most helpful, these
comments should clearly describe specific issues or topics which the
commentor believes the SEIS should address. Written statements and/or
questions regarding the SEIS should be mailed no later than 30 days
from the date of this publication to Mr. Peter Havens, Code 232,
Engineering Field Activity Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering
Command, 3505 NW Anderson Hill Road, Silverdale, WA 98383-9130,
telephone (206) 396-5976.
Dated: January 25, 1994.
Michael P. Rummel,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-1888 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-AE-M
