[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61632-61633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24923]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-PWR-PWRO-10630; 9530-1000-SZM]


Final Environmental Impact Statement for Cattle Point Road 
Relocation, San Juan Island National Historical Park, San Juan County, 
Washington

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for Cattle Point Road Relocation, San Juan Island National 
Historical Park.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), and the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the National Park Service (NPS) 
and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with San 
Juan County, Washington and the Washington State Department of Natural 
Resources, have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final 
EIS) for alternatives designed to respond to coastal bluff erosion that 
threatens a segment of the Cattle Point Road located in San Juan Island 
National Historical Park (Park), Washington. The Final EIS identifies 
and analyzes three action alternatives for realignment of the road 
through the park for use by residents and visitors traveling to the 
east end of the Cattle Point peninsula. The potential environmental 
consequences of these alternatives (and a no-action alternative which 
would continue current road management), and appropriate measures to 
minimize or avoid harm, are identified and analyzed.
    Background: A 500-foot long segment of the Cattle Point Road, which 
terminates on the southeastern tip of San Juan Island, is threatened by 
coastal erosion at the base of the slope traversed by the road. This 
road passes through the Park and serves residences on a peninsular area 
of the island known as Cattle Point, as well as providing public access 
to the Cattle Point Natural Resource Conservation Area, managed by the 
Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). If erosion continues 
unabated, the roadway eventually may fail, disrupting vehicular access 
to these areas. The road is currently maintained by San Juan County 
(County); the project area of potential effect is primarily within the 
Park. The entire Park is listed on the National Register of Historic 
Places as a National Historic Landmark.
    A Notice of Intent to begin the conservation planning and 
environmental impact analysis for the project was published in the 
Federal Register on February 6, 2004. Public engagement was initiated 
through a newsletter and news release, followed by two public meetings 
held February 18, 2004, on San Juan Island. Project team members 
presented information and gathered feedback and ideas on preliminary 
alternatives and potential environmental issues. Approximately 30 
public comments were received during the scoping period ending March 
19, 2004. A Scoping Report was prepared which described the range of 
potential alternatives identified for more detailed analysis, as well 
as alternatives dismissed from further consideration (including 
armoring the base of the slope in lieu of road realignment options). 
The Scoping Report included comments and agency responses as 
appendices. On June 17, 2004, the Scoping Report was issued, and a 
notice posted on the Park Web site announced availability of the 
document. Throughout 2005-2006 newsletters and press releases 
summarizing progress on preparation of the EIS were distributed, and 
the County and other agencies were periodically updated. The Washington 
State Historic Preservation Officer provided concurrence with a 
determination of No Adverse Effect on June 23, 2009.
    The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS was published in the 
Federal Register on September 7, 2010. Public engagement was initiated 
through wide distribution of a newsletter. An article regarding pending 
release of the Draft EIS was published September 1, 2010, in the 
Journal of the San Juan Islands. A public open house was hosted by the 
Park in the town of Friday Harbor on October 26, 2010 (approximately 
three dozen persons attended). During the 60 day public comment period, 
40 comment letters were received (23 by mail and 17 were submitted at 
the open house); of this total, seven were from agencies and 
organizations, and the remainder were received from individuals. No 
substantially new information was received.
    Proposal and Alternatives: Alternative A: No Action--The existing 
use, maintenance, and management associated with the road would 
continue without change. This alternative provides a baseline of 
current conditions to aid comparison and analysis of the action 
alternatives. Unless current management changes, erosion eventually 
could cause the road to fail, disrupting vehicular access to 
residential properties in the Cattle Point Estates and Cape San Juan 
neighborhoods and to public lands east of the eroding bluff. Since 
measurements began in 2002, erosion has moved approximately 14 feet 
closer to the guard rail and is currently 32 feet from the guard rail 
at its closest point. The continued life span of the road is difficult 
to predict, however large storm events could potentially make the road 
unsafe in a few years.
    Life expectancy (relative to coastal erosion) of each of the three 
action alternatives is estimated at approximately 100 years. 
Alternative C: Long Tunnel on Minor Realignment

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involves a short realignment (2,830 feet) relatively low on the slope 
of Mt. Finlayson. Sixteen hundred feet of the realignment would be 
within a bored tunnel. Maximum slope would be 7% gradient. Alternative 
D: Mid-Slope Alignment with Short Tunnel involves mid-slope realignment 
to the north of the existing road, utilizing a short tunnel near the 
ridge line of Mt. Finlayson. Realignment length would be 4,700 feet, 
775 feet of which would be within the tunnel. Maximum slope would be 8% 
gradient.
    The ``agency preferred'' alternative is Alternative B: Hybrid Mid-
Slope Realignment. This involves mid-slope realignment to the north of 
the existing road, traversing the south-facing slope of Mt. Finlayson. 
At its highest point, this alignment curves slightly south of the Mt. 
Finlayson summit. The approximately 4,950 foot long realignment would 
be entirely on the surface (no tunnel), with a short slope of 10.5% 
gradient on the eastern end. This also is deemed to be the 
``environmentally preferred'' course of action.
    Not sooner than 30 days after publication by the Environmental 
Protection Agency of its notice of filing of the Final EIS in the 
Federal Register, a Record of Decision will be prepared. Because this 
is a delegated EIS, the official responsible for the NPS decision is 
the Regional Director, Pacific West Region. Subsequently the official 
responsible for implementation of the approved road relocation project 
is the Superintendent, San Juan Island National Historical Park.

    Dated: September 26, 2012.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-24923 Filed 10-9-12; 8:45 am]
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