[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 11, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47898-47899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23198]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Construction of a Replacement Outfall for the Wastewater
Treatment Plant at Fort Kamehameha, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Navy
announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the proposed construction of a replacement outfall for the existing
wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Fort Kamehameha, Pearl Harbor,
Oahu, Hawaii.
The action covered by the EIS is replacement of the existing
outfall, which discharges into the entrance channel of a Class 2 inland
estuary, with a multiport deep ocean outfall which will discharge into
Class A open coastal marine waters. The proposed outfall will reduce
nutrient mass loading on the Pearl Harbor estuary. The proposed action
is consistent with the State of Hawaii's management plan for the Pearl
Harbor estuary, pursuant to Section 304(1) of the Clean Water Act. The
EIS will analyze reasonable alternatives for disposal of secondary
treated effluent and will assess their direct and cumulative
environmental impacts.
Navy will initiate a scoping process to identify significant issues
for study in the EIS and to identify and notify parties interested in
and affected by the proposed action. It is important that interested
agencies, individuals, and organizations take this opportunity to
identify environmental concerns and feasible alternatives that should
be addressed in the EIS. Public scoping meetings will be held on 1 and
2 October 1996, during which oral comments may be presented. To allow
all views to be shared, each speaker will be asked to limit comments to
five minutes.
Interested parties are also invited and encouraged to provide
written comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the
public meetings. Scoping comments should clearly describe specific
issues or topics that the EIS should address. The scoping period for
receipt of comments will end on 18 October 1996.
DATES/LOCATIONS: Two public scoping meetings will be held on Oahu: (1)
Honolulu, Oahu: October 1, 1996, 7:00 - 10:00 pm, Washington
Intermediate School, 1633 South King Street, and (2) Pearl Harbor,
Oahu: October 2, 1996, 7:00 - 10:00 pm, Makalapa Elementary School,
4435 Salt Lake Boulevard.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Written statements and/or questions
regarding the scoping process should be mailed no later than October
18, 1996 to Mr. Melvin Kaku (Code 23), Pacific Division, Naval
Facilities Engineering, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860, telephone (808) 471-
9338; fax (808) 474-4890.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action consists of constructing
a 12,000-foot long, 42-inch diameter wastewater outfall extension,
which will discharge through a multiport diffuser at a water depth of
between 70 and 150 feet.
Construction activities include excavating an underwater trench
across the shallow offshore limestone reef and in the Pearl Harbor
entrance channel, installing pipe in the trench, and covering pipe with
protective material. Construction equipment and supplies will be staged
in the immediate vicinity of the treatment plant. Construction on the
reef will require installation of a temporary earthen berm for
equipment access; the berm will be removed after pipe installation.
Construction in the channel will be carried out from one or more
barges. Approximately 30,000 cubic yards of excavated material will be
disposed at an approved offshore dredged material discharge site.
Outfall piping will be assembled on land and floated to the outfall
alignment. Piping in the trench will be supported by gravel beds and
capped with concrete mats or tremie concrete. In shallow water, the top
of the protective concrete mats will be approximately even with or just
below the existing bottom contour. In deep water, the protective layer
will be one meter below the design maintenance dredge depth.
Construction activities will occur over a period of approximately 18
months. The existing outfall will be retained for emergency operations.
Alternatives to be evaluated include (1) no action, (2) several
outfall alignments with variations of construction methodology, dredged
material disposal, and diffuser depth and length, and (3) upland
disposal of wastewater effluent, either by reuse or disposal through
underground injection wells. The alternative outfall alignments all
exit the existing WWTP discharge pump station and terminate at a depth
of between 70 and 150 feet; they differ in the locations at which they
cross the shoreline reef flat and enter deeper water. Construction
method options include use of barges, use of a temporary berm across
the reef flat, and possibly directional drilling. Dredged materials may
be used to construct a temporary berm, disposed at the existing
approved offshore disposal site, or disposed at an undetermined upland
location. The upland disposal/reuse alternative for wastewater consists
of constructing infrastructure to further treat WWTP effluent and
redirect it to an undetermined upland site. The upland/underground
injection alternative consists of constructing underground injection
wells at suitable locations for effluent disposal.
Environmental issues to be addressed will include, but not be
limited to, effects on surface and ground water quality, terrestrial
and aquatic habitats, threatened or endangered species, cultural
resources, infrastructure, traffic, noise and the socioeconomic
environment. Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts will be analyzed,
and mitigation measures will be developed as required. Related
regulatory processes will include a National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit under the Clean Water Act (CWA), a
Department of the Army permit under Section 404 of the CWA, and a
Section 401 Water Quality Certification by the State of Hawaii
Department of Health.
[[Page 47899]]
Dated: September 6, 1996.
D.E. Koenig,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-23198 Filed 9-10-96; 8:45 am]
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