[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 122 (Monday, June 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15476]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: June 27, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Decision and Availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)
Document on the Proposed South Tongue Point Land Exchange and Marine
Industrial Park Development Project
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service (lead agency); 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 a decision on the proposed
South Tongue Point Land Exchange and Marine Industrial Part Development
Project has been made and that the Record of Decision Document is
available.
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 ROD should contact the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service's (Service) Portland Regional Office. Copies of
the ROD have been sent to all agencies and individuals who previously
received copies of the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements
and to all others who have already requested copies.
DECISION: The Service's decision is to implement the Preferred
Alternative, Alternative A, as it is described in the Final EIS for the
South Tongue Point Land Exchange and Marine Industrial Development
Project. This decision is based on a thorough review of the
alternatives and their environmental consequences.
Other Agency Decisions
A record of Decision will be produced by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps). The responsible officials at the Corps will adopt
the Final EIS as part of the permit process required by Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act.
A Record of Decision will be produced by the General Services
Administration (GSA). The responsible officials at GSA will adopt the
EIS in order to comply with National Environmental Policy Act
requirements for the disposal and exchange of Federal properties.
RATIONALE FOR DECISION: The Preferred alternative has been selected for
implementation based on consideration of a number of environmental and
social factors. Alternative A has been selected as the preferred
alternative because: (1) The land exchange provides the most durable
means for protecting wildlife habitats and exchange wildlife
populations; (2) the development component avoids significant adverse
environmental impacts; and (3) the project will result in significant
economic benefits in a economically depressed area.
Alternative A was selected because it balances resources protection
with water dependent development. The preferred alternative provides a
net benefit for wildlife and benefits for the local economy. The land
exchange is the most practical means available to secure and protect
additional lands from incompatible uses within the administrative
boundary of the Refuge. Migratory bird and resident wildlife
populations will benefit from additional secure habitat and be enhanced
through wildlife management programs which could not be implemented
without fee title ownership. The development component has been
carefully designed to minimize adverse environmental effects. Wintering
bald eagles will benefit from compensatory measures designed to enhance
foraging opportunities. A net gain in wetlands will be realized through
successful implementation of mitigation measures.
Implementation of the Preferred Alternative extends the protection
of the environmental resources and maintenance of environmental quality
beyond what would be achieved under either of the other two
alternatives. Alternative B was not selected as the preferred
alternative due to the significant impacts expected to resident bald
eagles. Alternative C, the No Action Alternative, was not selected as
the preferred alternative because it would not result in the Service
increasing habitat protection within the Refuge.
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 part 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 part at South Tongue Point, with the Navy as the
first proposed tenant.
The GSA 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 Corps 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 GSA 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 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 the Federal Register on
July 2, 1993. A Notice of Availability for the Final EIS was published
in the Federal Register on May 20, 1994.
B. Key Issues
Through public scoping and with input from various agencies and
publics, key issues were identified. These focused on the following
subject areas: (1) Certain aspects of the physical environment,
especially the potential for hazardous materials to be released from
local sediments; (2) certain aspects of the biological environment,
especially wetlands and threatened and endangered species; and (3)
certain aspects of the cultural and social environment, especially the
local and regional economy. These factors were also examined for the
State-owned islands proposed as additions to the Refuge. These issues
were thoroughly examined in the Draft and Final EIS.
C. Alternatives
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 multi-tenant
developments. Alternatives advanced for detailed analysis include (A)
the proposed land exchange and development of a multi-tenant marine
industrial development; (B) the proposed land exchange and multi-tenant
marine industrial development with connecting road to North Tongue
Point; and (C) a No Action Alternative. Adverse and beneficial impacts
of each alternative are considered.
Alternative A
Alternative A comprises two elements: (1) the land exchange, and
(2) the multi-tenant marine industrial development.
(1) Approximately 3,930 acres of State-owned land within the
administrative boundary of the Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge
would be exchanged through GSA to the Service for the 130 acres on
South Tongue Point. The remaining 950 acres would be managed under a
long-term cooperative agreement between the Division and the Service.
(2) Development of the multi-tenant marine industrial site would
occur in two phases. Phase 1 would involve site infrastructure
developments and construction of marine industrial facilities.
Construction would begin in 1994 and occur at a rate supported by
market conditions.
Alternative B
Alternative B comprises the same two elements as Alternative A with
the addition, in Phase 2, of a road connecting South Tongue Point to
North Tongue Point. Construction of the connecting road would be
dependent upon the need for additional land to support marine
industrial development and increased port activities at North Tongue
Point.
Alternative C
With the No Action Alternative, South Tongue Point would remain in
its present undeveloped condition except for the existing Corps Field
Station. There would be no land exchange. The No Action Alternative
would not have direct adverse impacts to the physical and biological
environment. However, the No Action Alternative would not have direct
economic benefits from job creation and tax revenues.
Dated: June 20, 1994.
Marvin L. Plenert,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-15476 Filed 6-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
