[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 97 (Friday, May 20, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11910]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 20, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on
the Proposed South Tongue Point Land Exchange and Marine Industrial
Park Development Project
agencies: Fish and Wildlife Service (lead agency), Interior; General
Services Administration, Army Corps of Engineers, and Oregon Division
of State Lands (cooperating agencies).
action: Notice of availability.
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summary: This notice advises the public that the Final Environmental
Impact Statement on the proposed South Tongue Point Land Exchange and
Marine Industrial Park Development Project is available. Preparation of
the Record of Decision to implement the preferred alternative will
begin no sooner than 30 days from this notice.
for further information contact: Benjamin Harrison, South Tongue Point
EIS Team Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eastside Federal
Complex, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-4181 or David
Blum, South Tongue Point Project Coordinator, Oregon Division of State
Lands, 775 Summer Street NE., Salem, Oregon 97310.
Individuals wishing copies of this Final EIS for review should
immediately contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
Portland Regional Office. Copies of the Final EIS have been sent to all
agencies and individuals who previously received copies and to all
others who have already requested copies.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
In 1979, the U.S. Government declared the property known as South
Tongue Point near Astoria, Oregon, to be excess to the Federal
inventory. In 1981, the State of Oregon contacted the Federal
Government regarding a possible exchange of property involving south
Tongue Point and state-owned islands in the Columbia River.
In May 1989, the U.S. Navy contacted the Oregon Division of State
Lands (Division) in regard to the possibility of homeporting mine
hunter coastal vessels at South Tongue Point. At the time, the Division
was studying the feasibility of acquiring South Tongue Point and
developing the site as a marine industrial park in conjunction with the
Federal Government's proposal to exchange property with the State of
Oregon. The Navy's interest led to the development of a master plan for
the marine industrial park at South Tongue Point, with the Navy as the
first proposed tenant.
The General Services Administration is proposing to convey
approximately 130 acres of land at South Tongue Point near Astoria,
Oregon (section 12, T.8N., R.9W.), administered by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers to the State of Oregon. In exchange for the Federal land,
the Division is proposing to convey approximately 3,930 acres of State-
owned land within the administrative boundary of Lewis and Clark
National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), to the General Services
Administration which will in turn transfer those lands to the Service.
An additional 950 acres of State-owned land within the Refuge is
proposed for Service management under a long-term cooperative
agreement.
The State is proposing to develop a multitenant shallow draft
marine industrial park and moorage facility for a variety of water-
dependent and general industrial uses. Water-dependent uses would have
water access by means of pile-supported piers. General industrial uses
would be located in upland areas without water access.
This development activity is intended to create real property
assets and associated income for the Common School Fund of the State of
Oregon, encourage new industrial employment within the area, and
contribute to the economic stability and employment diversification of
Clatsop County and the State of Oregon. Under the proposed action, the
Service would gain fee title to lands within the administrative
boundary of the Refuge. This would provide the Service with the needed
management flexibility to control future expected incompatible uses and
enhance wildlife populations and their habitats.
Scoping activities were undertaken preparatory to developing an EIS
with a variety of Federal, State, and local entities. A Notice of
Intent to prepare the EIS was published in the Federal Register on
November 4, 1991. A Draft EIS was issued in June 1992. A notice of
availability for the Draft EIS was published in Federal Register on
July 2, 1993.
In January 1993, the U.S. Navy announced that Navy vessels would
not be homeported at South Tongue Point as previously planned. Since
the decision by the U.S. Navy, the South Tongue Point Master Plan has
been revised with only minor changes. Proposed site developments are
the same as described in the June 1992 Draft EIS except that now a
Marine Environmental Research and Technology Station operated
principally by Clatsop Community College is expected to be the first
tenant rather than the U.S. Navy. A replacement tenant for the Navy is
not known but will be a shallow draft water dependent tenant.
Project impacts are expected to be the same or less as described in
the June 1992 Draft EIS since dredging will not be required to
accommodate water dependent tenants.
B. Development of the Final EIS
This Final EIS has been developed cooperatively by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Pacific Division (lead agency); U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Portland District; U.S. General Service Administration,
San Francisco Office; and Oregon Division of State Lands.
In the development of this Final EIS, the Service has initiated
action to assure compliance with the purpose and intent of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.
Key issues addressed in this Final EIS are identified as the
effects that implementation of various alternatives would have upon:
(1) Threatened and endangered species and their habitats, (2) other
wildlife and their habitats, (3) physical environmental factors, and
(4) local and regional economy.
C. Alternatives Analyzed in the Final EIS
More than 20 alternatives were considered before limiting the
alternatives to be advanced for further study. Alternatives considered
but not advanced for detailed analysis included alternative development
concepts, alternative sites, and single versus multitenant
developments. Alternatives advanced for detailed analysis include: (A)
The proposed land exchange and development of a multitenant marine
industrial development, (B) the proposed land exchange and multitenant
marine industrial development with connecting road to North Tongue
Point, and (C) a No Action Alternative. Alternative A is the Service's
preferred alternative.
Implementation of Alternatives A and B would result in a beneficial
situation in terms of meeting the project objectives. Both alternatives
would result in some detrimental environmental affects, for the most
part, to biological factors. Alternative B would result in greater
impacts on biological factors than Alternative A. Impacts under
Alternative A can be mitigated to a degree of less than significant
whereas impacts under Alternative B cannot be mitigated to a degree of
less than significant. Alternative C would have no impact on biological
factors but would not meet the project objectives and would not have
the beneficial economic impacts of either Alternative A or B.
Dated: May 10, 1994.
Don Weathers,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-11910 Filed 5-19-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
