[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 5 (Friday, January 7, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1006-1007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-368]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 7, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy

 

Record of Decision for Construction of Element II Breakwater/Pier 
at Naval Station Puget Sound, Everett, WA

    Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR part 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy announces its 
decision to construct a breakwater/pier at Naval Station Puget Sound, 
Everett, Washington. This action was identified as the preferred 
alternative in the Draft and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statements (DSEIS/FSEIS) distributed to the public in March and 
November, 1993, respectively. The process leading to the SEIS and this 
decision are consistent with a Settlement Agreement with the Friends of 
the Earth, et al. concerning homeporting actions at Everett.
    Comments received from the public on the DSEIS and during a public 
hearing held in April 1993 were concerned primarily with potential 
impacts from dredging and breakwater/pier physical obstruction/shading 
of salmonid migrations. These concerns were responded to in the FSEIS 
and there were no public comments on the FSEIS. The Navy is not aware 
of any remaining unresolved environmental issues.
    The Element II breakwater/pier project consists of dredging and 
construction of a pile-supported breakwater/pier. The breakwater/pier 
will allow berthing for the currently planned ship-mix which cannot be 
adequately accommodated at the Element I facilities, and will provide 
wave attenuation for ships berthed at the Carrier Pier. The breakwater/
pier will also provide for fish passage. Element II projects will not 
increase the number of vessels or personnel to be stationed at Everett, 
over those planned for in Element I.
    The project will require dredging and disposal of about 150,000 
cubic yards of marine sediments, construction of a baffle-wall 
breakwater structure, and, at a later date, conversion of the structure 
into a breakwater pier capable of berthing Navy ships. Dredging and 
construction of the breakwater component is expected to begin in Fiscal 
Year (FY) 1994. Construction of the pier component is scheduled to 
begin in FY 1997. The material to be dredged has been determined to be 
acceptable for disposal at the Port Gardner, Puget Sound Dredged 
Disposal site. Dredging will be scheduled to avoid the out-migration of 
juvenile salmon from the Snohomish River from March 15 to July 1.
    The no action alternative was dismissed from further consideration 
because it would make it impracticable for the Navy to safely complete 
its mission at an established home port. Alternative designs and 
concepts for wave attenuation and berthing were evaluated in the SEIS 
and were rejected in preference to the proposed action for 
environmental, operational, and safety reasons that were described in 
detail in the DSEIS/FSEIS. The FSEIS incorporates the DSEIS by 
reference and the two must be used in conjunction.
    The proposed action will not impact federally protected wetlands or 
endangered species. The proposed action conforms with the Washington 
State Implementation Plan for meeting ambient air quality standards. 
The proposed action will not impact archaeological, cultural, or 
historic resources listed, or determined eligible for listing, on the 
National Register of Historic Places. The Navy has determined that the 
proposed action is consistent with the maximum extent practicable with 
the Washington State Coastal Zone Management Plan.
    Questions regarding the SEIS prepared for this action may be 
directed to the Engineering Field Activity Northwest, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, (Attn: Mr. Don Morris), 3505 NW Anderson Hill 
Road, Silverdale, Washington, telephone (206) 396-5976.

    Dated: January 3, 1994.
Elsie L. Munsell,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Environment and Safety).
    Dated: January 4, 1994.
Michael P. Rummel,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-368 Filed 1-6-94; 8:45 am]
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