[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19105-19107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10069]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Capital Improvements at the Naval Surface 
Warfare Center, Acoustic Research Detachment, Bayview, ID

    Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) 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 capital improvements at the 
Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Carderock Division (CD), Acoustic 
Research Detachment (ARD), Bayview, Idaho.
    The Navy is selecting the preferred alternative suite of capital 
improvements presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) for this action. Major components of the capital improvements 
include construction of: an extended pier Model Engineering Support 
Facility (MESF) and related improvements; a Model Support Platform 
(MSP) access pier; and Acoustical Testing and Analysis Center (ATAC) 
and related improvements; realignment of the main entry gate; and 
expansion of the main parking lot (without acquisition of the Bayview 
Public Park).
    The selected capital improvements will meet four programmatic 
objectives of improving model operational support, program management 
support, site circulation and security, and environmental protection.
    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published in the 
Federal Register on January 25, 1996. A public scoping meeting was held 
at the Bayview Community Center in Bayview, Idaho on February 27, 1996. 
A Draft EIS (DEIS) was distributed in July 1996, followed by a public 
hearing to receive oral and written comment held at the Bayview 
Community Center on September 5, 1996. The public and agency comment 
period ended on September 23, 1996. The Environmental Protection Agency 
rated the DEIS ``LO'' (lack of objections). All comments were addressed 
in the FEIS which was distributed to the public on January 31, 1997. No 
comments were received from the public on the FEIS.
    Major issues identified during public participation and review 
related to potential impacts to aesthetics, land use and land 
acquisition, and noise impacts on the surrounding community, as well as 
potential impacts to aquatic resources (e.g., fish and water quality) 
from construction and operation associated with the selected capital 
improvements. Aesthetic concerns related primarily to the visibility 
and appearance of proposed new facilities as viewed from residential 
areas within Bayview.
    Some commenters raised the issue of compliance with existing county 
ordinances, including fire regulations and zoning requirements. 
Specific issues raised regarding potential noise impacts to the 
community included pile driving and hours per day of construction.
    Concerns about water quality and impacts to fish spawning habitat 
were related to dredging activities associated with construction of the 
Model Engineering Support Facility (MESF), and in-lake acoustical 
testing operations. Other issues such as parking, impacts to local 
recreation, utilities, water craft safety, and hazardous materials were 
also raised.

Background

    The Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) at Bayview, Idaho comprises 
22 acres on the shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille, Kootenai County, Idaho. 
The mission of ARD is to provide: (1) Research, development, test and 
evaluation, fleet support, and in-service engineering for surface and 
undersea vehicle hull, mechanical, and electrical systems, and 
propulsors; (2) logistics research and development; and (3) support to 
the Maritime Administration and the maritime industry. To do this, ARD 
maintains shore support facilities in Bayview, Idaho, two remote 
support facilities on U.S. Forest Service property, and five test sites 
in Lake Pend Oreille.
    Three types of operations are provided at ARD: (1) Waterborne 
Operations, (2) Project Operations, and (3) Base Administration. 
Waterborne Operations encompass all in-water operations, which include 
model testing, model storage and handling, boat and barge storage, 
fueling, cranes, and piers. Project Operations include all shoreside 
operations that directly support in-lake testing, such as industrial 
shops, project engineering and management, material storage, an 
computer system operations. Base Administration includes general 
operations support such as security, administration, parking, and 
recreation. Capital improvement projects for each type of operation are 
described below.
    Proposed improvements supporting Waterborne Operations include the 
construction of a Model Engineering and Support Facility (MESF), 
construction of a new access pier to the Model Support Platform (MSP), 
re-

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 establishment of the spill containment boom, and other related 
improvements.
    Two design options were identified in the EIS for construction of 
the MESF: (1) A near-shore MESF, and (2) an extended pier MESF. The 
near-shore MESF would be pile-supported and include dredging to provide 
sufficient water depth to accommodate the movement of the models in and 
out of the water. The selected design option is to locate the proposed 
MESF away from the shoreline at a depth sufficient to move large scale 
models to and from the water without the need for dredging. Access to 
the MESF will be by an extended pile-supported pier.
    Other improvements supporting waterborne operations include 
construction of an access pier from the shoreline to the MSP, allowing 
direct transfer of heavy equipment and machinery between the MSP and 
shore; attachment pilings to allow for permanent deployment of floating 
spill containment booms; and bank and shoreline stabilization above the 
Lake Pend Oreille high water level to halt erosion.
    Adequate access to the proposed MESF will require removal of the 
existing hazardous materials storage facility to be replaced with a new 
building of approximately 800 square feet. Upon completion of the MESF, 
an existing barge (Green Barge, PSP-4) will be removed.
    Project Operations facilities provide support for in-lake testing. 
Typical activities include machine fabrication, project engineering and 
management, computer testing, and analysis. Currently, these operations 
are dispersed throughout ARD and there is a need to consolidate these 
operations. The EIS evaluated two options: the selected option of 
constructing an Acoustical Testing and Analysis Center (ATAC), and a 
second option of constructing a Research and Development Support 
Facility (RDSF) in combination with a new Shops Facility replacing 
Building 1.
    Construction of the proposed ATAC, as selected, will consolidate 
all project operations facilities into one building. The ATAC will 
serve as the principal facility for fabrication, test data collection 
and analysis, and project management and engineering. Buildings 1 and 4 
will be demolished along with construction of the proposed ATAC to 
allow vehicle maneuverability. A new storage facility will be 
constructed in the Remote Storage Area to make up for lost storage 
space. No longer needed for project operations, Buildings 1, 101, 102, 
and 103 will be demolished after construction of the ATAC. Concrete 
pads will be constructed in place of Buildings 101, 102, and 103 to 
accommodate existing trailers pads that will be displaced as a result 
of the ATAC.
    In association with the construction of the ATAC, a pedestrian path 
will be constructed around the rear (west) of the building to provide a 
more efficient pedestrian linkage between the upland and lower portions 
of the base. All significant vegetation, including a stand of Douglas-
fir trees, will remain where feasible. A new stairway will be 
constructed just east of Building 60, between the main parking lot and 
Shore Road. This will replace the existing walkway west of Building 60, 
which is narrow and unsafe , especially during inclement weather.
    Base Administration includes general operations support such as 
administration, security, and parking. The selected capital 
improvements will include realignment of the main entry gate and 
expansion of the main parking lot. The Navy proposes to expand the 
existing main parking lot by acquiring, as appropriate funding becomes 
available, only the privately-owned single-family residence adjacent to 
ARD. Because this will result in a smaller main parking lot that 
originally proposed, the existing overflow gravel parking lot will be 
paved and used for permanent parking. In response to several public 
comments on this matter, the Navy does not propose to acquire the 
Bayview Public Park parcel.
    The selected road alignment will shift the entry gate north, 
providing enhanced visitor control, more efficient truck and heavy 
equipment access, and space for short-term visitor parking. The 
realignment will also provide a space for large trucks to park on ARD 
property rather than on State Route (SR) 54, as currently occurs during 
check-in. The existing security building (Building 100) will be either 
retained and remodeled or demolished and replaced to accommodate access 
from the new main gate control point.
    Implementation of the selected capital improvements will occur over 
the next 10 to 15 years. The MESF is planned for construction beginning 
in Summer 1997. In addition, both the re-established spill containment 
boom and the shoreline stabilization project are planned to begin in 
1997. The MSP access pier is planned for 1998. Both the ATAC and the 
new covered storage building in the Remote Storage Area are planned for 
execution in 2000. No other proposed projects are currently scheduled 
for execution in a specific year.
    A No Action Alternative was also evaluated and would have resulted 
in continued operations at ARD using the existing facilities without 
any of the changes discussed in this decision. Movement of large scale 
models and other equipment to and from the water would have continued 
to occur from the three existing model support barges (LSV, MSP, and 
Green Barge), as well as from the shoreline. The administrative, 
office, and computer functions would have continued to operate from the 
existing facilities dispersed throughout ARD. Neither the MESF and 
ATAC, nor the RDSF would have been constructed.
    Under the selected improvement program, some soils will be removed 
from ARD and some vegetation will be lost. However, the removed 
vegetation will be replaced with new vegetation once each capital 
improvement is completed. Depending on the disposal method of removed 
soils and excess materials from demolition and construction of 
buildings, additional landfill space will be consumed and unavailable 
for other uses. Additional truck traffic associated with construction 
of the selected improvements will increase the risk of vehicle and 
pedestrian conflicts on adjacent roadways in the short term. The 
natural visual character of Scenic Bay will be diminished slightly as a 
result of the improvements. However, given the amount of development 
that has already occurred, and the fact that the proposed improvements 
will occur in an area already characterized by industrial development, 
such visual impacts will not be significant.
    Proposed construction, including pile driving, demolition, and 
material transport, will cause a short-term, localized increase in air 
pollutant emissions at the project site and along area roadways. 
However, implementation of individual projects will occur over a 10- to 
15-year period, limiting the environmental effects at any one time. 
Noise from pile driving, demolition, and material transport and 
handling will be audible on site and in the vicinity, but will be 
short-term and occur only during daylight hours. The selected capital 
improvement program will cause fewer water quality and habitat impacts 
than other alternatives because no dredging will be required for the 
extended pier MESF design and related improvements.
    In accordance with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 
and section 404 of the Clean Water Act, all required permits from the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform work in navigable waters of the 
United States will be obtained prior to construction

[[Page 19107]]

and operation of the proposed improvements. In compliance with the 
National Historic Preservation Act, potential impacts to cultural 
resources have been evaluated at ARD. No sites listed in, or eligible 
for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places have been 
identified within the area of potential effects from the selected 
capital improvements. The Idaho State Historic Preservation Officer has 
concurred with this finding. To ensure compliance with the Endangered 
Species Act, a Biological Assessment was completed and the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service has confirmed that the selected capital 
improvements will have no effect on any species under the jurisdiction 
of the Endangered Species Act.
    Pursuant to Executive Order 12898, Environmental Justice, potential 
environmental and economic impacts on minority and low income 
populations and communities were assessed. No disproportionate 
concentrations of minority or low income populations were identified in 
the areas of potential impacts of the selected capital improvements. 
Additionally, the Navy has ensured that opportunities for community 
involvement (including minority and low income individuals and 
populations) in the NEPA process has been provided.
    Cumulative impacts are caused by the incremental impact of the 
selected capital improvements when added to other past, present, and 
foreseeable future actions in the area. Navy operations have been 
occurring in the ARD vicinity over the past 50 years. The tempo of 
operations and maintenance has increased over time as a result of 
testing demands. While there have been some limited environmental 
impacts to the lake, they have been infrequent and minor, causing no 
significant environmental impact overall. Acoustic testing has not 
caused a significant impact to recreation and boating activity on Lake 
Pend Oreille, nor to aquatic resources. No additional plans, in 
addition to the selected capital improvements, are currently envisioned 
by ARD. Should additional future plans develop, these will be addressed 
in subsequent documentation in compliance with NEPA.
    The Navy selection of capital improvements results in a balancing 
of impacts and achieves the needed improvements in operations at ARD, 
while still responding to the primary concerns of agencies and the 
public who commented on the DEIS: Minimize or eliminate dredging, 
minimize visual impacts and the height of structures, and avoid the 
acquisition of the Bayview Public Park parcel. There are no significant 
impacts associated with the proposed capital improvements that cannot 
be mitigated through use of best management practices, proper 
scheduling, and continued coordination with the community. The selected 
improvements fulfill the purpose and need and represent the 
environmentally preferred alternative.
    Questions regarding the Environmental Impact Statement prepared for 
this action may be directed to: Officer in Charge, Naval Surface 
Warfare Center, Acoustic Research Detachment, PO Box 129, Bayview, 
Idaho, 83803-0129 (Attention: Mr. Dave Gerzina), telephone (208) 683-
2321, extension 4200.

    Dated: April 11, 1997.
Duncan Holaday,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 97-10069 Filed 4-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M