[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9058]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 18, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers

 

Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for a Municipal Solid-Waste Landfill Proposed by Resource Investments, 
Inc. in Pierce County, WA

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Resource Investments, Inc. (RII) of Puyallup, Washington is 
proposing construction and operation of a private solid-waste landfill 
on a 320-acre site in central Pierce County, Washington. The project 
site is located at the intersection of State Route (SR) 161 (Meridian) 
and 304th Street East (Kapowsin Highway), approximately 15 miles south 
of Puyallup, Washington. Construction of the landfill's cells and 
support facilities will impact approximately 33 acres of wetlands, 
including palustrine emergent, scrub-shrub, and forested wetlands. The 
proposed project may also require relocating 2,600 linear feet of the 
South Fork of Muck Creek (South Creek) which flows through the 
northwest corner of the site. South Creek is a seasonal tributary to 
Much Creek, which is a tributary of the Nisqually River. The proposed 
site is located over the Clovers-Chambers Creek Sole Source Aquifer 
which has been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as a 
``Sole Source Aquifer.'' Work in wetlands and South Creek will require 
a Department of the Army Permit under section 404 of the Clean Water 
Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be answered by: Dr. 
Stephen Martin, Planning Branch, Environmental Resources Section, 
Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Washington 
98124-2255, telephone (206) 764-3631.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Action

    RII has proposed the facility because the existing landfill in 
Pierce County (Hidden Valley, owned and operated by an affiliated 
company, Land Recovery, Incorporated) has nearly reached maximum 
capacity and is scheduled for closure sometime between January and 
September 1996. To extend the life of the existing Hidden Valley 
Landfill, Pierce County has opted to use this existing facility for 
approximately 80 percent of Pierce County's solid-waste disposal needs. 
The remaining 20 percent is long-hauled to the Rabanco Landfill 
(located in eastern Washington) via truck and rail.
    The proposed project site is located in central Pierce County, 
approximately 15 miles south of Puyallup, Washington and approximately 
12 miles north of Eatonville, Washington, adjacent to SR 161. The site 
is bounded by SR 161 (Meridian) to the west and 304th Street East 
(Kapowsin Highway) to the north. The landfill facility will occupy up 
to 177 acres of the relatively level 320-acre site. Fill in wetlands 
and in South Creek is necessary under the proposed action to construct 
the landfill's cells and support facilities.
    The landfill design includes a bottom liner, temporary and 
permanent cover cap systems, a leachate collection system, a leak 
detection and collection system, a gas collection and combustion 
system, and a storm drainage system. The landfill would be constructed 
in a series of seven cells (one cell constructed and filled at a time) 
over approximately 20 years. The life of the proposed project would 
depend upon the waste stream volume and any fluctuations (i.e., 
increases or decreases from established 20-year projections.
    RII's project purpose is to provide the unincorporated areas and 
the incorporated cities in Pierce County that participated in the 1989 
Tacoma-Pierce County Solid Waste Management Plan and specifically not 
the military bases located within Pierce County with a viable, 
affordable, environmentally sound solid waste project to meet projected 
needs for the next 20 years.

Alternatives

    a. The Corps of Engineers has three alternative courses of action 
available:
    (1) The section 404 permit could be issued with standard conditions 
for the proposed action as described above.
    (2) The section 404 permit could be issued with standard and 
special conditions that would mitigate impacts resulting from the 
proposed action.
    (3) The section 404 permit could be denied. This option would 
prohibit all proposed work impacting the wetlands and the stream on the 
project site as well as prevent environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed action in these areas. The economic and social benefits of 
the project to Pierce County residents would also be foregone.
    b. Alternatives to be examined in the EIS include:
    (1) No action.
    (2) Off-site alternatives.
    (3) On-site alternatives.

Scoping and Public Involvement

    An EIS was prepared under the Washington State Environmental Policy 
Act (SEPA) regarding this proposal. A public scoping meeting and public 
hearings were held by Pierce County during development of the Draft 
SEPA EIS. After receiving extensive comments on the Draft, Pierce 
County issued a Final SEPA EIS in November 1990. In addition, over 200 
comments have been submitted to the Corps of Engineers in response to 
the Corps' public notice for the permit application. Public involvement 
will be sought during scoping and conduct of the EIS in accordance with 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures. This Notice of 
Intent formally commences the scoping process under NEPA. As part of 
the scoping process, all affected Federal, State and local agencies, 
Indian Tribes, and other interested private organizations and citizens, 
including environmental groups, are invited to comment on issues of 
major concern and to identify any additional studies that might be 
needed in order to analyze and evaluate impacts. Comments are requested 
concerning project alternatives, probable significant environmental 
impacts, mitigation measures, and permits or other approvals that may 
be required. The following key areas have been identified to be 
analyzed in depth in the draft EIS:

 1. Alternative Sites
 2. Project Design
 3. Potential for Surface and Groundwater Contamination
 4. Wetlands
 5. Water Quality
 6. Amphibians and Reptiles
 7. Waterfowl and Fisheries
 8. Cultural Resources
 9. Aesthetics
10. Transportation/Traffic
11. Social and Economic Characteristics
12. Cumulative Impacts
13. Endangered Species
14. Air Quality
15. Noise
16. Land Use/Zoning
17. Human Health and Safety
18. Earth/Geologic Resources
19. Wildlife and Plants

Scoping Meeting

    Because over 200 comments have been submitted in response to a 
Corps of Engineer's public notice for the permit application covering a 
wide variety of issues, a formal scoping meeting pursuant to NEPA is 
not planned at this time. To assist the Corps in developing the scope 
of the EIS and in identifying important issues, comments are invited to 
be submitted in writing and should be forwarded to Seattle District, 
Corps of Engineers, before 15 May 1994. Previous comments provided to 
the Corps of Engineers on this project are on file and will be 
addressed in the NEPA EIS.

Other Environmental Review, Coordination, and Permit Requirements

    Other environmental review, coordination, and permit requirements 
include preparation of a section 404(b)(1) evaluation by the Corps of 
Engineers; consultation among the Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, and the State of Washington per section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act; acquisition by the applicant of a Conditional Use Permit 
and a Solid Waste Handling Permit from Pierce County, a Water Quality 
Certification and Hydraulics Project Approval from Washington State, 
and State concurrence with consistency pursuant to the Washington State 
Coastal Zone Management Program.

Availability of Draft EIS

    The draft EIS is scheduled for release in December 1994.

    Dated: March 30, 1994.
Rex N. Osborne,
Lt. Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 94-9058 Filed 4-15-94; 8:45 am]
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