[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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