99-27119. Wastewater Treatment Project (West Side) Environmental Impact Statement, Glacier National Park, Montana  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 200 (Monday, October 18, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 56215]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-27119]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
    
    National Park Service
    
    
    Wastewater Treatment Project (West Side) Environmental Impact 
    Statement, Glacier National Park, Montana
    
    AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
    
    ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
    for the Wastewater Treatment Project (West Side), Glacier National 
    Park.
    
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    SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 
    the National Park Service is preparing an environmental impact 
    statement for the Lake McDonald/Park Headquarters Wastewater Treatment 
    System Rehabilitation for Glacier National Park. This statement will be 
    approved by the Intermountain Regional Director.
        The existing system collects throughout the Lake McDonald/
    Headquarters area via a series of gravity sewer lines and sewage lift 
    stations and force mains. The existing wastewater treatment facility is 
    comprised of a single cell aerated lagoon, irrigation pond, control 
    building and spray irrigation system. At the wastewater treatment 
    facility, raw wastewater flows to a 4.8 million gallon aerated lagoon 
    where bacteria reduce the biological oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended 
    solids concentration of the wastewater. The treated wastewater flows to 
    an adjacent .5 million gallon irrigation pond where an irrigation pump 
    takes flow from the pond to a 55 acre spray irrigation field, currently 
    located in the 100 year floodplain of McDonald Creek. This project and 
    EIS has been proposed to analyze alternatives for addressing these 
    issues.
        The effort will result in a proposed course of action for park 
    managers to address the issues above. A range of alternatives are being 
    considered to improve the existing wastewater treatment facility 
    incorporating different disposal and treatment approaches. A variety of 
    factors will be considered including an evaluation of site constraints, 
    State of Montana Department of Environmental Quality current standards, 
    available treatment technology, operation and maintenance concerns, 
    wildlife, water quality and vegetation concerns and sustainable design. 
    Several alternatives will look at upgrading and rehabilitating the 
    existing treatment process while continuing to utilize the existing 
    spray irrigation system as the method of disposal. Others will consider 
    removing the existing system from the floodplain. The use of advanced 
    nitrogen removal treatment by utilizing sequencing batch reactors (SBR) 
    prior to discharge to the groundwater through rapid infiltration basins 
    will be considered. Due to the uncertainty of the suitability of the 
    soils for rapid infiltration basins, another alternative will also be 
    considered which is based on discharge of the effluent to the Middle 
    Fork of the Flathead River and would involve construction of a tertiary 
    treatment plant. A no action alternative will also be considered as 
    required.
        Major issues include that due to the location of the spray 
    irrigation field, wastewater cannot be discharged during the winter and 
    spring when the ground surface is frozen, saturated or underwater from 
    stream flooding. As a result, the wastewater treatment facility 
    operates as a holding facility during the winter and spring until 
    ground conditions at the spray field allow disposal without runoff to 
    McDonald Creek. In addition, the system needs to be rehabilitated 
    enabling it to operate as it was originally designed to operate.
        An open house has been scheduled for October 26 to be held at the 
    Community Building in West Glacier from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Glacier National Park, 
    406/888-7901.
    
        Dated: October 8, 1999.
    Michelle D. Synder,
    Acting Regional Director, Intermountain Region.
    [FR Doc. 99-27119 Filed 10-15-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4310-70-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
10/18/1999
Department:
National Park Service
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Wastewater Treatment Project (West Side), Glacier National Park.
Document Number:
99-27119
Pages:
56215-56215 (1 pages)
PDF File:
99-27119.pdf