[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1888]


[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Proposed Dredging of the Pier D Area at Naval Shipyard, Puget 
Sound, Bremerton, WA

    Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy 
announces its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS) to further assess impacts associated with dredging, 
dredge material disposal, and other in-water work to support the 
homeporting of two Fast Combat Support Ships (AOE-6 Class) at Puget 
Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), Bremerton, Washington.
    A Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the AOE-6 
Class West Coast Homeporting Program, issued in the fall of 1991, 
included the tiered analysis of the proposed homeporting at PSNS. The 
AOE-6 PEIS proposed the upgrading of Pier D to a deep-draft pier by 
dredging 170,400 cubic yards of material adjacent to both sides of the 
pier to deepen the berthing area. The impact analysis assessed 
anticipated impacts resulting from dredging operations, open water 
dredged materials disposal, and upland dredged materials disposal. A 
Record of Decision for this action was issued by the Department of the 
Navy in March 1992.
    The Suquamish Indian Tribe appealed a permit for this project that 
was issued by the City of Bremerton under the Washington State 
Shorelines Management Act and the City of Bremerton Shorelines Master 
Program. The permit is required by the State of Washington before 
certifying a proposal under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The 
appeal was resolved when the Navy, State of Washington, City of 
Bremerton, and the Suquamish Tribe agreed that the Navy would prepare 
an SEIS addressing the Pier D upgrade dredging project and additional 
work related to the dredging project and operations at the pier.
    The Pier D upgrade project involves dredging sediment and making 
upgrades to Pier D at PSNS in Sinclair Inlet at Puget Sound. The 
proposed action will provide two upgraded berths at Pier D capable of 
handling a minimum of two AOE-6 Class ships and will also provide the 
flexibility to berth other deep-draft ships assigned to PSNS. Dredging 
is proposed to enlarge the berths at Pier D, currently used for 
inactive ships. Depths at the AOE-6 berth (1,073 feet  x  117 feet) 
would be increased by this project from the current depths to -44.4 
feet mean lower low water (MLLW). The deep draft berth (1,073 feet  x  
145 feet) would be increased to -46.4 feet MLLW, and include a 400 feet 
 x  116 feet area for sea chest intake clearance that would be 
increased to -49.4 feet MLLW. A new steel fender pile system will be 
added to Pier D to increase the capacity of the existing timber fender 
piles; remaining timber fender piles will be replaced. As currently 
designed, approximately 105,000 cubic yards of marine sediments would 
be dredged and disposed of at one or more disposal sites approved for 
this purpose by various federal, state, and local environmental laws.
    As agreed during the appeal process, the scope of the SEIS will be 
limited to the potential impacts associated with the proposed dredging 
in the vicinity of Pier D, including rehandling dredged material, 
transportation of dredged material, and disposal of dredged material. 
The SEIS will address, but not be limited to, the following issues: (1) 
Potential alternatives to the proposal and appropriate mitigation 
measures; (2) project monitoring to ensure that environmental quality 
is maintained; and (3) potential environmental impacts at the Pier D 
dredge site, including impacts to land, air, water, plants and animals, 
environmental health, land and shoreline uses, transportation, public 
services, utilities, and related socioeconomic conditions. Specific 
dredging related impacts to be analyzed include: (1) Potential impacts 
to aquatic species; (2) potential impacts associated with the 
resuspension and exposure of contaminated sediments in the vicinity of 
Pier D during dredging operations; (3) potential impacts associated 
with post-dredging exposure of contamination, future contamination 
associated with Pier D dredging activities, and coordination with 
cleanup efforts to be undertaken pursuant to the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; and (4) 
potential impacts associated with the handling, transportation, and 
disposal of dredged material.
    Agencies and the public are invited and encouraged to provide 
written comments regarding issues of concern. To be most helpful, these 
comments should clearly describe specific issues or topics which the 
commentor believes the SEIS should address. Written statements and/or 
questions regarding the SEIS should be mailed no later than 30 days 
from the date of this publication to Mr. Peter Havens, Code 232, 
Engineering Field Activity Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering 
Command, 3505 NW Anderson Hill Road, Silverdale, WA 98383-9130, 
telephone (206) 396-5976.

    Dated: January 25, 1994.
Michael P. Rummel,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-1888 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
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