[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 210 (Tuesday, November 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65923-65926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21726]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[CGD09-05-127]


Remedial Action Project for Petroleum and Metals Impacted Soil at 
Passage Island Light Station, Keweenaw County, MI; Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: U.S. Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent and request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announces its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for remedial action associated with 
petroleum and metals impacted soil at the Passage Island Light Station, 
Keweenaw County, Michigan. This letter shall serve as notification for 
a thirty-day scoping period for the Draft EA. This scoping announcement 
provides interested parties with information on the USCG Passage Island 
Light Station, existing environment, and proposed action in advance of 
issuance of the Draft EA for this project. The Draft EA will assess the 
alternatives to address impacted soil at the light station. The USCG 
seeks public and agency input on the scope of the Draft EA. 
Specifically, the USCG requests input on any environmental concerns 
that the public may have related to the existing impacted soil, the 
remedial action alternatives, or sources of relevant data or 
information for inclusion in the Draft EA.

DATES: Comments and related material must be post-marked on or before 
30 days after the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments and related material regarding the USCG Passage

[[Page 65924]]

Island Draft EA scoping must be received or post-marked on or before 30 
days after the date of this notice. Comments may be submitted in 
several ways; they must be addressed directly to the Civil Engineering 
Unit Cleveland's Environmental Compliance Section and may be mailed, e-
mailed, faxed, or delivered in person. To make sure your comments and 
related material are not entered more than once in the public record, 
please submit them by only one of the following means:
    (1) By mail to Commanding Officer, USCG Civil Engineering Unit 
(CEU), Attn: Lynn Keller, 1240 East Ninth Street, Room 2179, Cleveland, 
OH 44199-2060.
    (2) By delivery to Room 2179 on the twenty-first floor of the 
Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, 1240 East Ninth Street, 
Cleveland, OH 44199-2060 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The general office telephone number is 
216-902-6200.
    (3) By fax to the USCG Civil Engineering Unit at 216-902-6277. 
Please indicate on the fax ``Attn: Lynn Keller.''
    (4) By electronic mail to [email protected] and/or 
[email protected].
    The USCG Civil Engineering Unit Cleveland will maintain the public 
record for this notice. Comments submitted as described above will 
become part of the public record and will be available for inspection 
or copying in Room 2179, located on the twenty-first floor of the 
Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, 1240 East Ninth Street, 
Cleveland, OH 44199-2060 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. Comments submitted during the Draft EA 
scoping period will be included in the Draft EA document as an 
Appendix.
    You may also view, download, and print draft and final documents 
for the Passage Island EA on the USCG CEU Cleveland Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/mlclant/ceucleveland/er/uscgpassagelight.htm. The CEU 
Cleveland Web site navigation page is located at http://www.uscg.mil/mlclant/ceucleveland/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
notice or the Passage Island EA, you may contact Mr. Frank Blaha at 
(216) 902-6255 and [email protected] or Ms. Lynn Keller at 
(216) 902-6258 and [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    The USCG requests that any interested party provide any additional 
information or potential concerns regarding the presence of significant 
natural or cultural resources that may be potentially affected by the 
project. Persons submitting comments should include their names and 
addresses, this notice reference number CGD09-05-127, and the reasons 
for each comment. You may submit your comments and materials by mail, 
hand delivery, fax, or electronic means as directed under ADDRESSES. If 
you choose to submit them by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an 
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, and suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know if they reached the CEU, please enclose a stamped, self-
addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
materials received during the comment period.

Background and Purpose

    Passage Island is located in the northwestern reaches of Lake 
Superior, about 60 miles north of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, 22 
miles east of Grand Portage, Minnesota, and 35 miles south of Thunder 
Bay, Ontario. The USCG Passage Island Light Station is located on 
Passage Island, three and one quarter miles off the northeastern tip of 
Isle Royale in Lake Superior, within the Isle Royale National Park. 
Congress designated about 99 percent of Isle Royale National Park as 
Wilderness in 1976. In addition, Isle Royale was designated a U.S. 
Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and 
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1980.
    The USCG lighthouse and associated facilities are located on the 
southernmost portion of Passage Island, Section 9, T67N R32W, Houghton 
Township, Keweenaw County, Michigan. Areas of petroleum and metals 
impacted soils from Light Station activities occupy approximately 0.25 
acres of the 6.3-acre site. In accordance with Part 201, Environmental 
Remediation, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 
(NREPA) of 1994, as amended (Michigan Part 201), the Michigan 
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) requires that the 
environmental impacts associated with former operations at the site be 
investigated and mitigated.
    The USCG performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) in 
1997. The Phase I ESA identified possible sources of environmental 
impact and recommended a Site Investigation (SI) be performed to 
characterize and delineate the potential sources. The USCG performed an 
SI at the Passage Island Light Station in 2001. Based on the results of 
the SI, the USCG concluded that petroleum and metals impacted soils 
exist at concentrations in excess of the Residential Criteria 
established under the Michigan Part 201. The impacted area is 
approximately 8,000 square feet. The depth of impact is approximately 6 
inches and the volume of impacted soil is approximately 150 cubic 
yards. In order to mitigate environmental and human health impacts of 
the impacted soils, the USCG proposes remedial actions for the site.

NEPA Requirements and Proposed Soil Remediation Project Description

    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969 (Section 102(2)(c)), as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), 
Department of Transportation (DOT) Order 5610.C (Procedures for 
Considering Environmental Impacts), and USCG Policy (NEPA: Implementing 
Procedures and Policy for Considering Environmental Impacts, COMDTINST 
M16475.1D (Commandant's Instruction)), the USCG intends to prepare an 
EA. The purpose of the EA is to develop an approach and direction for 
implementing a petroleum and metals impacted soil remedial project for 
the impacted area at Passage Island Light Station. Following completion 
of the EA, the USCG will either file a Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) or prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate 
potentially significant environmental impacts.
    NEPA requires Federal agencies to consider all significant aspects 
of environmental impacts that may result from a proposed action, to 
inform the public of potential impacts and alternatives, including the 
no action alternative, and to facilitate public involvement in the 
assessment process. The core of our impact assessment process is our 
EA. The EA will include, among other topics, discussions of the purpose 
and need for the proposed action, a description of alternatives, a 
description of the affected environment, and an evaluation of the 
environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives. To date, 
the USCG has identified the following alternatives for analysis in the 
EA:

[[Page 65925]]

     Excavation and re-contouring (no backfill) with off-site 
disposal as hazardous waste; restricted site closure;
     Excavation and re-contouring (no backfill) with on-site 
stabilization of contaminated soil and off-site disposal of stabilized 
soil as non-hazardous waste; restricted site closure; and,
     No Action (Status Quo).
    The USCG-preferred remedial action method involves excavation of 
contaminated soil using a vacuum truck located on a barge in Lake 
Superior, adjacent to the excavation area. Soils would be loosened with 
hand tools and then vacuumed up. Field screening would be conducted 
using hand-held x-ray fluorescence (XRF) equipment to assess the 
excavation extents for the metals-impacted soil. A photoionization 
detector (PID) would be used to assess the excavation extents for the 
petroleum-impacted soil. Confirmatory soil samples would be collected 
from the sidewalls and floor of the excavation to ensure that soil 
impacted at concentrations exceeding levels approved by Michigan 
Department of Environmental Quality (Michigan Residential Criteria or a 
Calculated Site-Specific Criteria) has been removed. At the request of 
the National Park Service (NPS), backfill material would not be brought 
on-site due to concerns regarding introduction of non-native and 
invasive species. Site restoration would include smoothing out the 
sides of the excavations and ensuring proper drainage and protection of 
structure foundations. Contaminated soil would be directly transferred 
to containers on a barge as the soil is vacuumed up. The containerized 
soil would then be transported by barge to Duluth, Minnesota, where it 
will be loaded onto trucks. The trucks would transport the soil to an 
approved Type I hazardous waste Treatment-Storage-Disposal Facility 
(TSDF). Due to the high lead levels, the soil would be treated at the 
landfill via stabilization to meet the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching 
Procedure (TCLP) standards prior to disposal. The proposed TSDF and 
disposal facility for hazardous soil is either Onyx Special Services in 
Menominee Falls, WI or EQ in Belleville, MI. The USCG would need to 
comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 
Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) large quantity generator 
requirements, which include payment of fees and filing necessary 
reports. In addition, due to disposal of hazardous waste, the USCG 
could be placed on the Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket and the site 
could potentially be listed as a National Priorities List (NPL) site. A 
deed restriction would be placed on the property to limit use. 
Groundwater use would be restricted and the current recreational land 
use and zoning would be maintained.
    In addition to the USCG preferred method described above, one 
alternative remedial action method under consideration would include 
contaminated soil excavation, on-site soil stabilization and off-site 
disposal as a non-hazardous waste. This alternative would include using 
a vacuum truck located on a barge in Lake Superior, adjacent to the 
excavation area. Soils would be loosened with hand tools and then 
vacuumed up. Field screening would be conducted using hand-held XRF 
equipment to assess the excavation extents for the metals-impacted 
soil. A PID would be used to assess the excavation extents for the 
petroleum-impacted soil. Confirmatory soil samples would be collected 
from the sidewalls and floor of the excavation to ensure that soil 
impacted at concentrations exceeding the Michigan Residential Criteria 
or Calculated Site-Specific Criteria (if approved by Michigan 
Department of Environmental Quality) has been removed. At the request 
of the NPS, backfill material would not be brought on-site due to 
concerns regarding introduction of non-native and invasive species. 
Site restoration would include smoothing out the sides of the 
excavations and ensuring proper drainage and protection of structure 
foundations. Soil would be mixed with a stabilizing agent prior to 
transportation to a dock in Duluth, Minnesota. The soil would then be 
transported to a non-hazardous waste disposal facility. The proposed 
non-hazardous waste disposal facility is K&W located in Ontonagon, MI. 
A deed restriction would be placed on the property to limit use. 
Groundwater use would be restricted and the current recreational land 
use and zoning would be maintained.
    Due to NEPA requirements and the sensitive nature of the sub-Arctic 
environment and presence of listed plant species at Passage Island 
Light Station, the no action alternative is also being considered in 
lieu of performing a soil removal for remedial action. The MDEQ does 
not support this alternative as the soil contamination at the site is 
seen as a threat to humans and water resources.
    Several other remedial alternatives have been considered and will 
be discussed briefly in the EA due to their limited applicability at 
the site in question. These alternatives include the following:
     Hot spot removal;
     Soil stabilization;
     Phytoremediation;
     Heap leaching;
     Soil capping/engineered barrier;
     Soil washing;
     Groundwater surface water interface (GSI) and drinking 
water pathway elimination and no further action;
     Risk Assessment and no further action;
     State listed/threatened/species of concern plant species 
relocation (combined with other alternatives).

EA Issues

    Issues that the USCG has identified for analysis to date include 
the effects of the remediation project alternatives on the following 
resources:
     Land Use (Recreation) and Aesthetics;
     Historic and Cultural Properties;
     Vegetation, Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species;
     Water Quality;
     Human Health;
     Air Quality;
     Soil Depletion and Regeneration;
     Noise;
     Transportation (Shipping and Boating); and,
     Generation of Hazardous Materials and Waste.

Cultural Resources

    The USCG Passage Island Light Station was established by Executive 
Order in 1871, and remaining structures at the site date back to 1882. 
The Passage Island Light Station is eligible for listing on the 
National Register of Historic Places. In August 2004, a Phase I 
archaeological cultural resource survey was conducted for the Passage 
Island Light Station site. Based on a Phase I survey program that 
combined archival research with pedestrian reconnaissance and 
subsurface testing, it has been determined that there are no 
significant prehistoric or historic resources within the 0.25-acre 
study area. This survey was submitted to the Michigan State Historic 
Preservation Office (SHPO) along with the required documentation for a 
project review for the proposed soil remediation work. The Michigan 
SHPO determined that the proposed action will have no adverse effect on 
historic and cultural resources at the site as long as the USCG ensures 
that structures are not damaged during clean up activities and proper 
grading is achieved.

Natural Resources

    Topographically, the Passage Island Light Station area is similar 
to the nearby Isle Royale. Elevations range

[[Page 65926]]

from 620 to 640 feet above mean sea level or approximately 20 to 40 
feet above the immediately adjacent Lake Superior (600 feet above mean 
sea level). The light station area is located at the crest of a bedrock 
outcrop, bounded on the south, east, and west by wave-cut exposures 
leading down to Lake Superior, and to the north by forested portions of 
the island. Soils have developed, accumulated, or been placed in 
general proximity to the various Light Station structures and in low 
areas between bedrock exposures. Vegetation in the Light Station 
vicinity is limited to grasses, weeds, and few small woody shrubs. No 
Federally listed plant or animal species have been identified. 
Specimens of one State Threatened plant species, prickly saxifrage 
(Saxifraga tricuspidata), are located in the vicinity of the Light 
Station, but outside of the contamination footprint. The USCG has 
obtained Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Permit 
1615 for the take of this State Threatened Species if 
necessary to perform the clean up work. Specimens of twisted whitlow 
grass (Draba arabisans), a State Species of Concern, are located within 
the contamination footprint. According to MDNR, there are no legal 
obligations to protect a State Listed Special Concern plant species.

Public Comment and Document Accessibility

    The USCG encourages public participation in the Draft EA process. 
The scoping period will start with publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. Following the scoping process, the USCG will prepare 
a Draft EA. Public notices will be mailed or e-mailed to those that 
have requested a copy of the Draft EA. This period will provide the 
public with an opportunity to review the document and to offer 
appropriate comments.
    Comments received during the public scoping period and Draft EA 
review period will be available in the public record and made available 
in the Final EA.
    All draft and final documents will be available online for viewing 
and downloading at the USCG CEU Cleveland web site (see ADDRESSES). 
Additionally, a hard copy of all draft and final documents will be 
available in the following public libraries for public inspection and 
copying:

Portage Lake District Library--Houghton, MI
Mackinaw Area Public Library--Mackinaw City, MI
Peter White Public Library--Marquette, MI
Bayliss Public Library--Sault Sainte Marie, MI
Duluth Public Library--Duluth, MN
Lansing Public Library--Lansing, MI

    If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact 
Frank Blaha or Lynn Keller of the USCG Civil Engineering Unit Cleveland 
Environmental Compliance staff at (216) 902-6255 and (216) 902-6258, 
respectively.

    Dated: October 17, 2005.
J.M. Peters,
Commanding Officer, United States Coast Guard, Civil Engineering Unit, 
Cleveland.
[FR Doc. 05-21726 Filed 10-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P