[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 64 (Monday, April 4, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7952]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 4, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy

 

Record of Decision for Final Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (FPEIS) for Dredged Material Disposal in San Diego Bay, San 
Diego, CA

    Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
Implementing NEPA Procedures (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy announces its decision to implement the final programmatic 
environmental impact statement (FPEIS) for dredged material disposal in 
San Diego Bay, San Diego, California. This decision establishes the 
framework to guide the Navy in the San Diego Bay region in making 
future decisions regarding project-specific dredged material disposal 
actions. The Navy has acknowledged that additional project-specific 
tiered environmental documentation will be undertaken in the future. 
Complete details of mitigation applicable for a particular dredged 
material disposal alternative must await completion of those future 
documents.
    Examination of disposal alternatives began with a review of 
locations where historical disposal of dredged material has taken place 
in the San Diego Bay region. All reasonable alternatives practicable. 
They are: beach nourishment, ocean disposal, upland disposal (existing 
landfills), habitat enhancement, and fastland creation. The most 
practicable candidate disposal site within each alternative (except for 
upland disposal which has two siting options) were used as the basis 
for impact description. Although evaluated, the no action alternative 
(no dredged material disposal) and an alternative of limited disposal 
have been eliminated as prohibitively detrimental to continued Navy 
mission in San Diego Bay.
    In addition to evaluating the existing environments and the 
consequences of disposing dredged material for each of the 
alternatives, the key issues of limiting criteria, schedule, capacity, 
and unit cost factors were examined. These issues will influence the 
choice of which alternative to select for disposing dredged material 
from a particular future project.
    The Draft PEIS was prepared by the Navy and distributed to agencies 
and officials of federal, state and local governments, citizen groups 
and associates, public libraries, and other interested parties for 
review and comment. Over 100 copies were distributed and a public 
hearing was held in San Diego on February 18, 1993. No public oral 
statements were made and no written comments were received at the 
public hearing.
    Copies of all comments received were included in the Final PEIS. 
Copies of all comments received were included in the Final PEIS. All 
submissions except two were complimentary of the Navy being willing to 
undertake the significant effort required to prepare the PEIS. Some 
comments encouraged Navy to use dredged material for specific purposes 
including beach nourishment and habitat enhancement to gain positive 
benefits associated with such disposal.
    The vast majority of comments addressed specific details. Some 
questioned cited data and others asked for clarification of 
interpretations. All errors or omissions pointed out were corrected by 
revisions or clarifications presented in the FPEIS.
    The most often stated concern addressed the Fastland Creation 
disposal alternative. This alternative would construct an aquatic 
contained disposal facility for contaminated sediment along the San 
Diego Bay waterfront and would cause loss of existing bay-bottom 
habitat. Some commenters suggested the Navy should investigate the 
potential for disposing of contaminated sediment in a capped facility 
somewhere within the Bay, but none identified locations or suggested 
where such a facility might be placed.
    The key issues still to be resolved are identification of specific 
dredged material handling methodology and selection of the final 
disposal sites for contaminated sediment. While disposal alternatives 
for contaminated sediment have been identified in principle, there are 
many details left unaddressed. For example, disposal at landfill is 
feasible, but such disposal requires dewatering and specialized 
transportation. No mechanisms for such handling are addressed in the 
FPEIS, nor can they be addressed until specific disposal needs become 
known. The Navy will continue to explore these issues through tiered 
project-specific environmental documentation.
    Questions regarding the Draft and Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement prepared for this action may be directed to: U.S. 
Department of the Navy, Southwest Division, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, 1220 Pacific Highway, rm 231, San Diego, 
California 92132-5178 (ATTN: Mr. Lowell Martin, Code 232.LM), telephone 
(619) 532-2991 (FAX (619) 532-3824).

    Dated: March 29, 1994.
Elsie L. Munsell,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Environment and Safety).

    Dated: March 30, 1994.
Michael P. Rummel,
LCDR, JACG, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-7952 Filed 4-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-01-M