[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71109-71110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33996]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) and Restoration Plan (RP) For The Green/Duwamish River
Basin Restoration Project, King County, Washington
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Seattle District, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers, as lead Federal agency, will prepare a
programmatic environmental impact statement evaluating alternative fish
and wildlife habitat and water quality restoration approaches for the
Green/Duwamish River Basin. This environmental impact statement will be
a combined NEPA/SEPA document. The lead agency for SEPA will be the
King County Water and Land Resources Division. Three alternatives will
be evaluated in the DEIS: no action; habitat restoration that would
benefit multiple species; and a program that benefits a single
threatened fish species. A restoration plan will also be prepared in
association with the DEIS. If approved, implementation of the
restoration plan would begin in 2001. Potential issues of concern for
the DEIS include impacts to fish and their habitat, water quality,
wetlands, riparian habitat, flood control, land use, and public safety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the scoping
process or preparation of the DEIS and RP may be directed to: Patrick
Cagney, Biologist, Environmental Resources Section, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, P.O. Box 3755, 4735 East Marginal Way S., Seattle,
Washington, 98124-3755, (206) 764-6577.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action
The Corps of Engineers and the King County Water and Land Resources
Division propose to evaluate alternative habitat restoration programs
for the Green/Duwamish River Basin in King County, Washington. The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers--Seattle District (Patrick Cagney, Biologist)
is the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA, 42 USC 4321 et seq.) and the Council on Environmental Quality
implementing guidelines (40 CFR 1500-1508). The King County Water and
Land Resources Division (Clinton Loper, Senior Engineer) is the lead
state agency under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA,
Chapter 43.21C RCW) and the SEPA guidelines (Chapter 197-10 WAC).
The Corps is authorized to implement habitat restoration programs
under Section 209 of Public Law 87-874 (Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters
Study) of the 1962 Flood Control Act, the Water Resources Development
Act of 1990, and Corps ecosystem restoration guidance (Engineering
Circular [EC] 1105-2-210). Corps activities in ecosystem restoration
will concentrate on engineering solutions to water and related land
resource problems. Priority for restoration activities will be given to
projects that restore degraded ecosystem functions and values,
including hydrology, plant, and animal communities and/or portions
thereof, to a less degraded ecological condition.
The proposed action would restore aquatic ecosystem habitat and
processes by reconnecting isolated habitat elements, increasing channel
diversity, establishing areas of estuarine habitat, increasing
floodplain habitat, restoring small tributaries, increasing the amount
of large woody debris in the river, replenishing river sediments, and
improving the water temperature regime. If the proposed action is
implemented, initial construction on projects would occur around the
year 2001.
2. Alternatives
Three programmatic restoration alternatives will be considered and
evaluated in the environmental impact statement. The first alternative
is No Action and would include various agencies and groups continuing
to implement restoration projects but by a less coordinated, intensive
means than under the other proposed alternatives. Continued
implementation of restoration projects would include reconnecting some
isolated habitat elements, some placement of sediment in the river, and
some placement of large woody debris. The second alternative is a
multiple species approach to habitat restoration. Under this preferred
alternative benefits to many fish and wildlife species will be
considered. The third alternative is restoration of a single threatened
fish species. Recently, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) have
been proposed for listing as a threatened species under the Endangered
Species Act. This alternative would evaluate restoration actions that
would benefit this species. Under alternatives two and three, three
separate restoration approaches will be evaluated: (a) an ecosystem/
habitat forming process approach; (b) an engineered design and
constructed habitat approach, and (c) an integrated approach (elements
of both (a) and (b)).
3. Scoping and Public Involvement
Public involvement will be sought during scoping and conducting of
the study in accordance with NEPA and SEPA procedures. A public meeting
will be held during public review of the DEIS. Further meetings will be
scheduled as needed. A public scoping process will be initiated to
clarify issues of major concern, identify studies that might be needed
to analyze and evaluate impacts, and obtain public input on the range
and acceptability of alternatives. This Notice of Intent formally
commences the joint scoping process under NEPA and SEPA. As part of the
scoping process, all affected Federal,
[[Page 71110]]
state, and local agencies, Indian Tribes, and other interested private
organizations, including environmental interest groups, are invited to
comment on the scope of the DEIS. Comments are requested concerning
project alternatives, mitigation measures, probable significant
environmental impacts, and permits or other approvals that may be
required. To date, the following impact areas have been identified and
will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS: (1) fish and their habitat; (2)
water quality; (3) wetlands; (4) riparian habitat; (5) flood control;
(6) land use; and (7) public safety. The environmental review process
will be comprehensive and will integrate and satisfy the requirements
of NEPA (Federal) and SEPA (Washington State), and other relevant
Federal, state, and local environmental laws.
4. Scoping Meeting
A notice of the scoping meeting will be mailed to all involved
agencies and individuals known to have an interest in this project. A
scoping meeting and an open house to receive public comments on
restoration program alternatives will be held on January 20, 1999, at
the Tukwila Community Center, 12424--42nd Avenue South, Tukwila,
Washington. The meeting will occur from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. The meeting
will begin with a one-half hour open house to allow the public and
agencies to review project information/graphics and ask questions of
Corps and King County staff, followed by presentations and then a
question and answer period for the proposed alternatives. Verbal or
written comments will be accepted at the scoping meeting, or written
comments concerning the scope of the analysis may be sent to Patrick
Cagney at the above address within 45 days of when this notice is
published in the Federal Register.
5. Other Environmental Review, Coordination, and Permit
Requirements
Other environmental review, coordination, and permit requirements
include preparation of a Section 404 (b) (1) evaluation by the Corps of
Engineers; and consultation among the Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the State of Washington per Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act. Coordination will also be initiated with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to meet the requirements of the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act.
6. Availability of the Draft EIS
The draft Programmatic EIS/Restoration Plan is scheduled for
release during the spring of 1999 and the Final Programmatic EIS/
Restoration Plan is scheduled for release during the fall of 1999.
Dated: December 9, 1998.
James M. Rigsby,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 98-33996 Filed 12-22-98; 8:45 am]
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