[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19105-19107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10069]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Record of Decision for Capital Improvements at the Naval Surface
Warfare Center, Acoustic Research Detachment, Bayview, ID
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations
implementing NEPA procedures (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of the
Navy announces its decision to implement capital improvements at the
Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Carderock Division (CD), Acoustic
Research Detachment (ARD), Bayview, Idaho.
The Navy is selecting the preferred alternative suite of capital
improvements presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS) for this action. Major components of the capital improvements
include construction of: an extended pier Model Engineering Support
Facility (MESF) and related improvements; a Model Support Platform
(MSP) access pier; and Acoustical Testing and Analysis Center (ATAC)
and related improvements; realignment of the main entry gate; and
expansion of the main parking lot (without acquisition of the Bayview
Public Park).
The selected capital improvements will meet four programmatic
objectives of improving model operational support, program management
support, site circulation and security, and environmental protection.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published in the
Federal Register on January 25, 1996. A public scoping meeting was held
at the Bayview Community Center in Bayview, Idaho on February 27, 1996.
A Draft EIS (DEIS) was distributed in July 1996, followed by a public
hearing to receive oral and written comment held at the Bayview
Community Center on September 5, 1996. The public and agency comment
period ended on September 23, 1996. The Environmental Protection Agency
rated the DEIS ``LO'' (lack of objections). All comments were addressed
in the FEIS which was distributed to the public on January 31, 1997. No
comments were received from the public on the FEIS.
Major issues identified during public participation and review
related to potential impacts to aesthetics, land use and land
acquisition, and noise impacts on the surrounding community, as well as
potential impacts to aquatic resources (e.g., fish and water quality)
from construction and operation associated with the selected capital
improvements. Aesthetic concerns related primarily to the visibility
and appearance of proposed new facilities as viewed from residential
areas within Bayview.
Some commenters raised the issue of compliance with existing county
ordinances, including fire regulations and zoning requirements.
Specific issues raised regarding potential noise impacts to the
community included pile driving and hours per day of construction.
Concerns about water quality and impacts to fish spawning habitat
were related to dredging activities associated with construction of the
Model Engineering Support Facility (MESF), and in-lake acoustical
testing operations. Other issues such as parking, impacts to local
recreation, utilities, water craft safety, and hazardous materials were
also raised.
Background
The Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) at Bayview, Idaho comprises
22 acres on the shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille, Kootenai County, Idaho.
The mission of ARD is to provide: (1) Research, development, test and
evaluation, fleet support, and in-service engineering for surface and
undersea vehicle hull, mechanical, and electrical systems, and
propulsors; (2) logistics research and development; and (3) support to
the Maritime Administration and the maritime industry. To do this, ARD
maintains shore support facilities in Bayview, Idaho, two remote
support facilities on U.S. Forest Service property, and five test sites
in Lake Pend Oreille.
Three types of operations are provided at ARD: (1) Waterborne
Operations, (2) Project Operations, and (3) Base Administration.
Waterborne Operations encompass all in-water operations, which include
model testing, model storage and handling, boat and barge storage,
fueling, cranes, and piers. Project Operations include all shoreside
operations that directly support in-lake testing, such as industrial
shops, project engineering and management, material storage, an
computer system operations. Base Administration includes general
operations support such as security, administration, parking, and
recreation. Capital improvement projects for each type of operation are
described below.
Proposed improvements supporting Waterborne Operations include the
construction of a Model Engineering and Support Facility (MESF),
construction of a new access pier to the Model Support Platform (MSP),
re-
[[Page 19106]]
establishment of the spill containment boom, and other related
improvements.
Two design options were identified in the EIS for construction of
the MESF: (1) A near-shore MESF, and (2) an extended pier MESF. The
near-shore MESF would be pile-supported and include dredging to provide
sufficient water depth to accommodate the movement of the models in and
out of the water. The selected design option is to locate the proposed
MESF away from the shoreline at a depth sufficient to move large scale
models to and from the water without the need for dredging. Access to
the MESF will be by an extended pile-supported pier.
Other improvements supporting waterborne operations include
construction of an access pier from the shoreline to the MSP, allowing
direct transfer of heavy equipment and machinery between the MSP and
shore; attachment pilings to allow for permanent deployment of floating
spill containment booms; and bank and shoreline stabilization above the
Lake Pend Oreille high water level to halt erosion.
Adequate access to the proposed MESF will require removal of the
existing hazardous materials storage facility to be replaced with a new
building of approximately 800 square feet. Upon completion of the MESF,
an existing barge (Green Barge, PSP-4) will be removed.
Project Operations facilities provide support for in-lake testing.
Typical activities include machine fabrication, project engineering and
management, computer testing, and analysis. Currently, these operations
are dispersed throughout ARD and there is a need to consolidate these
operations. The EIS evaluated two options: the selected option of
constructing an Acoustical Testing and Analysis Center (ATAC), and a
second option of constructing a Research and Development Support
Facility (RDSF) in combination with a new Shops Facility replacing
Building 1.
Construction of the proposed ATAC, as selected, will consolidate
all project operations facilities into one building. The ATAC will
serve as the principal facility for fabrication, test data collection
and analysis, and project management and engineering. Buildings 1 and 4
will be demolished along with construction of the proposed ATAC to
allow vehicle maneuverability. A new storage facility will be
constructed in the Remote Storage Area to make up for lost storage
space. No longer needed for project operations, Buildings 1, 101, 102,
and 103 will be demolished after construction of the ATAC. Concrete
pads will be constructed in place of Buildings 101, 102, and 103 to
accommodate existing trailers pads that will be displaced as a result
of the ATAC.
In association with the construction of the ATAC, a pedestrian path
will be constructed around the rear (west) of the building to provide a
more efficient pedestrian linkage between the upland and lower portions
of the base. All significant vegetation, including a stand of Douglas-
fir trees, will remain where feasible. A new stairway will be
constructed just east of Building 60, between the main parking lot and
Shore Road. This will replace the existing walkway west of Building 60,
which is narrow and unsafe , especially during inclement weather.
Base Administration includes general operations support such as
administration, security, and parking. The selected capital
improvements will include realignment of the main entry gate and
expansion of the main parking lot. The Navy proposes to expand the
existing main parking lot by acquiring, as appropriate funding becomes
available, only the privately-owned single-family residence adjacent to
ARD. Because this will result in a smaller main parking lot that
originally proposed, the existing overflow gravel parking lot will be
paved and used for permanent parking. In response to several public
comments on this matter, the Navy does not propose to acquire the
Bayview Public Park parcel.
The selected road alignment will shift the entry gate north,
providing enhanced visitor control, more efficient truck and heavy
equipment access, and space for short-term visitor parking. The
realignment will also provide a space for large trucks to park on ARD
property rather than on State Route (SR) 54, as currently occurs during
check-in. The existing security building (Building 100) will be either
retained and remodeled or demolished and replaced to accommodate access
from the new main gate control point.
Implementation of the selected capital improvements will occur over
the next 10 to 15 years. The MESF is planned for construction beginning
in Summer 1997. In addition, both the re-established spill containment
boom and the shoreline stabilization project are planned to begin in
1997. The MSP access pier is planned for 1998. Both the ATAC and the
new covered storage building in the Remote Storage Area are planned for
execution in 2000. No other proposed projects are currently scheduled
for execution in a specific year.
A No Action Alternative was also evaluated and would have resulted
in continued operations at ARD using the existing facilities without
any of the changes discussed in this decision. Movement of large scale
models and other equipment to and from the water would have continued
to occur from the three existing model support barges (LSV, MSP, and
Green Barge), as well as from the shoreline. The administrative,
office, and computer functions would have continued to operate from the
existing facilities dispersed throughout ARD. Neither the MESF and
ATAC, nor the RDSF would have been constructed.
Under the selected improvement program, some soils will be removed
from ARD and some vegetation will be lost. However, the removed
vegetation will be replaced with new vegetation once each capital
improvement is completed. Depending on the disposal method of removed
soils and excess materials from demolition and construction of
buildings, additional landfill space will be consumed and unavailable
for other uses. Additional truck traffic associated with construction
of the selected improvements will increase the risk of vehicle and
pedestrian conflicts on adjacent roadways in the short term. The
natural visual character of Scenic Bay will be diminished slightly as a
result of the improvements. However, given the amount of development
that has already occurred, and the fact that the proposed improvements
will occur in an area already characterized by industrial development,
such visual impacts will not be significant.
Proposed construction, including pile driving, demolition, and
material transport, will cause a short-term, localized increase in air
pollutant emissions at the project site and along area roadways.
However, implementation of individual projects will occur over a 10- to
15-year period, limiting the environmental effects at any one time.
Noise from pile driving, demolition, and material transport and
handling will be audible on site and in the vicinity, but will be
short-term and occur only during daylight hours. The selected capital
improvement program will cause fewer water quality and habitat impacts
than other alternatives because no dredging will be required for the
extended pier MESF design and related improvements.
In accordance with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899
and section 404 of the Clean Water Act, all required permits from the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform work in navigable waters of the
United States will be obtained prior to construction
[[Page 19107]]
and operation of the proposed improvements. In compliance with the
National Historic Preservation Act, potential impacts to cultural
resources have been evaluated at ARD. No sites listed in, or eligible
for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places have been
identified within the area of potential effects from the selected
capital improvements. The Idaho State Historic Preservation Officer has
concurred with this finding. To ensure compliance with the Endangered
Species Act, a Biological Assessment was completed and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service has confirmed that the selected capital
improvements will have no effect on any species under the jurisdiction
of the Endangered Species Act.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12898, Environmental Justice, potential
environmental and economic impacts on minority and low income
populations and communities were assessed. No disproportionate
concentrations of minority or low income populations were identified in
the areas of potential impacts of the selected capital improvements.
Additionally, the Navy has ensured that opportunities for community
involvement (including minority and low income individuals and
populations) in the NEPA process has been provided.
Cumulative impacts are caused by the incremental impact of the
selected capital improvements when added to other past, present, and
foreseeable future actions in the area. Navy operations have been
occurring in the ARD vicinity over the past 50 years. The tempo of
operations and maintenance has increased over time as a result of
testing demands. While there have been some limited environmental
impacts to the lake, they have been infrequent and minor, causing no
significant environmental impact overall. Acoustic testing has not
caused a significant impact to recreation and boating activity on Lake
Pend Oreille, nor to aquatic resources. No additional plans, in
addition to the selected capital improvements, are currently envisioned
by ARD. Should additional future plans develop, these will be addressed
in subsequent documentation in compliance with NEPA.
The Navy selection of capital improvements results in a balancing
of impacts and achieves the needed improvements in operations at ARD,
while still responding to the primary concerns of agencies and the
public who commented on the DEIS: Minimize or eliminate dredging,
minimize visual impacts and the height of structures, and avoid the
acquisition of the Bayview Public Park parcel. There are no significant
impacts associated with the proposed capital improvements that cannot
be mitigated through use of best management practices, proper
scheduling, and continued coordination with the community. The selected
improvements fulfill the purpose and need and represent the
environmentally preferred alternative.
Questions regarding the Environmental Impact Statement prepared for
this action may be directed to: Officer in Charge, Naval Surface
Warfare Center, Acoustic Research Detachment, PO Box 129, Bayview,
Idaho, 83803-0129 (Attention: Mr. Dave Gerzina), telephone (208) 683-
2321, extension 4200.
Dated: April 11, 1997.
Duncan Holaday,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 97-10069 Filed 4-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M
