[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71109-71110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33996]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) and Restoration Plan (RP) For The Green/Duwamish River 
Basin Restoration Project, King County, Washington

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Seattle District, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers, as lead Federal agency, will prepare a 
programmatic environmental impact statement evaluating alternative fish 
and wildlife habitat and water quality restoration approaches for the 
Green/Duwamish River Basin. This environmental impact statement will be 
a combined NEPA/SEPA document. The lead agency for SEPA will be the 
King County Water and Land Resources Division. Three alternatives will 
be evaluated in the DEIS: no action; habitat restoration that would 
benefit multiple species; and a program that benefits a single 
threatened fish species. A restoration plan will also be prepared in 
association with the DEIS. If approved, implementation of the 
restoration plan would begin in 2001. Potential issues of concern for 
the DEIS include impacts to fish and their habitat, water quality, 
wetlands, riparian habitat, flood control, land use, and public safety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the scoping 
process or preparation of the DEIS and RP may be directed to: Patrick 
Cagney, Biologist, Environmental Resources Section, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, P.O. Box 3755, 4735 East Marginal Way S., Seattle, 
Washington, 98124-3755, (206) 764-6577.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

    The Corps of Engineers and the King County Water and Land Resources 
Division propose to evaluate alternative habitat restoration programs 
for the Green/Duwamish River Basin in King County, Washington. The U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers--Seattle District (Patrick Cagney, Biologist) 
is the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA, 42 USC 4321 et seq.) and the Council on Environmental Quality 
implementing guidelines (40 CFR 1500-1508). The King County Water and 
Land Resources Division (Clinton Loper, Senior Engineer) is the lead 
state agency under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA, 
Chapter 43.21C RCW) and the SEPA guidelines (Chapter 197-10 WAC).
    The Corps is authorized to implement habitat restoration programs 
under Section 209 of Public Law 87-874 (Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters 
Study) of the 1962 Flood Control Act, the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1990, and Corps ecosystem restoration guidance (Engineering 
Circular [EC] 1105-2-210). Corps activities in ecosystem restoration 
will concentrate on engineering solutions to water and related land 
resource problems. Priority for restoration activities will be given to 
projects that restore degraded ecosystem functions and values, 
including hydrology, plant, and animal communities and/or portions 
thereof, to a less degraded ecological condition.
    The proposed action would restore aquatic ecosystem habitat and 
processes by reconnecting isolated habitat elements, increasing channel 
diversity, establishing areas of estuarine habitat, increasing 
floodplain habitat, restoring small tributaries, increasing the amount 
of large woody debris in the river, replenishing river sediments, and 
improving the water temperature regime. If the proposed action is 
implemented, initial construction on projects would occur around the 
year 2001.

2. Alternatives

    Three programmatic restoration alternatives will be considered and 
evaluated in the environmental impact statement. The first alternative 
is No Action and would include various agencies and groups continuing 
to implement restoration projects but by a less coordinated, intensive 
means than under the other proposed alternatives. Continued 
implementation of restoration projects would include reconnecting some 
isolated habitat elements, some placement of sediment in the river, and 
some placement of large woody debris. The second alternative is a 
multiple species approach to habitat restoration. Under this preferred 
alternative benefits to many fish and wildlife species will be 
considered. The third alternative is restoration of a single threatened 
fish species. Recently, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) have 
been proposed for listing as a threatened species under the Endangered 
Species Act. This alternative would evaluate restoration actions that 
would benefit this species. Under alternatives two and three, three 
separate restoration approaches will be evaluated: (a) an ecosystem/
habitat forming process approach; (b) an engineered design and 
constructed habitat approach, and (c) an integrated approach (elements 
of both (a) and (b)).

3. Scoping and Public Involvement

    Public involvement will be sought during scoping and conducting of 
the study in accordance with NEPA and SEPA procedures. A public meeting 
will be held during public review of the DEIS. Further meetings will be 
scheduled as needed. A public scoping process will be initiated to 
clarify issues of major concern, identify studies that might be needed 
to analyze and evaluate impacts, and obtain public input on the range 
and acceptability of alternatives. This Notice of Intent formally 
commences the joint scoping process under NEPA and SEPA. As part of the 
scoping process, all affected Federal,

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state, and local agencies, Indian Tribes, and other interested private 
organizations, including environmental interest groups, are invited to 
comment on the scope of the DEIS. Comments are requested concerning 
project alternatives, mitigation measures, probable significant 
environmental impacts, and permits or other approvals that may be 
required. To date, the following impact areas have been identified and 
will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS: (1) fish and their habitat; (2) 
water quality; (3) wetlands; (4) riparian habitat; (5) flood control; 
(6) land use; and (7) public safety. The environmental review process 
will be comprehensive and will integrate and satisfy the requirements 
of NEPA (Federal) and SEPA (Washington State), and other relevant 
Federal, state, and local environmental laws.

4. Scoping Meeting

    A notice of the scoping meeting will be mailed to all involved 
agencies and individuals known to have an interest in this project. A 
scoping meeting and an open house to receive public comments on 
restoration program alternatives will be held on January 20, 1999, at 
the Tukwila Community Center, 12424--42nd Avenue South, Tukwila, 
Washington. The meeting will occur from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. The meeting 
will begin with a one-half hour open house to allow the public and 
agencies to review project information/graphics and ask questions of 
Corps and King County staff, followed by presentations and then a 
question and answer period for the proposed alternatives. Verbal or 
written comments will be accepted at the scoping meeting, or written 
comments concerning the scope of the analysis may be sent to Patrick 
Cagney at the above address within 45 days of when this notice is 
published in the Federal Register.

5. 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; and consultation among the Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, and the State of Washington per Section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act. Coordination will also be initiated with the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service to meet the requirements of the Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act.

6. Availability of the Draft EIS

    The draft Programmatic EIS/Restoration Plan is scheduled for 
release during the spring of 1999 and the Final Programmatic EIS/
Restoration Plan is scheduled for release during the fall of 1999.

    Dated: December 9, 1998.
James M. Rigsby,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 98-33996 Filed 12-22-98; 8:45 am]
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