[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 200 (Monday, October 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 56215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27119]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Wastewater Treatment Project (West Side) Environmental Impact 
Statement, Glacier National Park, Montana

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for the Wastewater Treatment Project (West Side), Glacier National 
Park.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 
the National Park Service is preparing an environmental impact 
statement for the Lake McDonald/Park Headquarters Wastewater Treatment 
System Rehabilitation for Glacier National Park. This statement will be 
approved by the Intermountain Regional Director.
    The existing system collects throughout the Lake McDonald/
Headquarters area via a series of gravity sewer lines and sewage lift 
stations and force mains. The existing wastewater treatment facility is 
comprised of a single cell aerated lagoon, irrigation pond, control 
building and spray irrigation system. At the wastewater treatment 
facility, raw wastewater flows to a 4.8 million gallon aerated lagoon 
where bacteria reduce the biological oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended 
solids concentration of the wastewater. The treated wastewater flows to 
an adjacent .5 million gallon irrigation pond where an irrigation pump 
takes flow from the pond to a 55 acre spray irrigation field, currently 
located in the 100 year floodplain of McDonald Creek. This project and 
EIS has been proposed to analyze alternatives for addressing these 
issues.
    The effort will result in a proposed course of action for park 
managers to address the issues above. A range of alternatives are being 
considered to improve the existing wastewater treatment facility 
incorporating different disposal and treatment approaches. A variety of 
factors will be considered including an evaluation of site constraints, 
State of Montana Department of Environmental Quality current standards, 
available treatment technology, operation and maintenance concerns, 
wildlife, water quality and vegetation concerns and sustainable design. 
Several alternatives will look at upgrading and rehabilitating the 
existing treatment process while continuing to utilize the existing 
spray irrigation system as the method of disposal. Others will consider 
removing the existing system from the floodplain. The use of advanced 
nitrogen removal treatment by utilizing sequencing batch reactors (SBR) 
prior to discharge to the groundwater through rapid infiltration basins 
will be considered. Due to the uncertainty of the suitability of the 
soils for rapid infiltration basins, another alternative will also be 
considered which is based on discharge of the effluent to the Middle 
Fork of the Flathead River and would involve construction of a tertiary 
treatment plant. A no action alternative will also be considered as 
required.
    Major issues include that due to the location of the spray 
irrigation field, wastewater cannot be discharged during the winter and 
spring when the ground surface is frozen, saturated or underwater from 
stream flooding. As a result, the wastewater treatment facility 
operates as a holding facility during the winter and spring until 
ground conditions at the spray field allow disposal without runoff to 
McDonald Creek. In addition, the system needs to be rehabilitated 
enabling it to operate as it was originally designed to operate.
    An open house has been scheduled for October 26 to be held at the 
Community Building in West Glacier from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Glacier National Park, 
406/888-7901.

    Dated: October 8, 1999.
Michelle D. Synder,
Acting Regional Director, Intermountain Region.
[FR Doc. 99-27119 Filed 10-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P