Record of Decision To Upgrade the Wastewater Treatment System at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Record of Decision To Upgrade the Wastewater Treatment System at

Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC

Pursuant to Section 102(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969, and the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations

(40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy announces its

decision to upgrade the wastewater treatment system at Marine Corps

Base (MCB), Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The upgrade involves the

elimination of six treated effluent discharges (three from the most

nutrient sensitive waters of the upper New River, two of which are in

proximity to high quality shellfishing waters of the lower New River,

and one discharge to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway). The existing

wastewater treatment plants will be replaced with an advanced

wastewater treatment facility to be constructed north of Frenchs Creek

that will have a design capacity of 15 million gallons per day (MGD)

and be capable of a high degree of nutrient removal. The new advanced

wastewater treatment plant will be in operation by December 31, 1998,

and will process all MCB Camp Lejeune wastewater, except for flows from

Onslow Beach which will be processed at a new rapid infiltration

facility to be constructed at that location.

Upgrade of the wastewater treatment facilities will be divided into

three phases. The first phase will require construction of

approximately 35 miles of new wastewater transmission pipeline, and

will consolidate flows from six treatment plants to an outfall located

in the New River near the existing Hadnot Point treatment plant. The

new pipeline will be constructed mostly along existing right-of-way and

will require construction of seven new pump stations. During Phase I,

the Hadnot Point Plant will be upgraded to include additional

chlorination facilities to accommodate the increased flows. Shutdown of

the Courthouse Bay and Rifle Range treatment plants will be

incorporated into Phase I of the Project as well as construction of

rapid infiltration facilities at Onslow Beach. Phases II and III will

involve construction of a new advanced wastewater treatment plant north

of Frenchs Creek, a new outfall diffuser pipe located approximately 13

miles upstream from the mouth of the New River, and shutdown of

existing treatment plants at Camp Geiger, Camp Johnson, Tarawa Terrace,

and Hadnot Point.

The North Carolina Division of Environmental Management determined

that the New River is no longer able to absorb all of the nutrients

being discharged to it. Thus, the State has established a goal to

upgrade water quality in the region and is implementing a policy that

will reduce the number of point source discharges and substantially

limit the nutrient loading of effluent streams entering the New River.

As a result of this policy initiative, the Marine Corps entered into a

Special Order by Consent with the State agreeing to reduce the number

of its outfalls and improve the quality of its treated waste

discharges.

A Wastewater Treatment Master Plan was prepared to identify

alternatives for reducing the number of outfalls and improving treated

outfall water quality. The analysis gathered information on existing

treatment plants, base operations, future development, available

treatment and disposal options, and environmental concerns. From this

effort eight options were closely examined for the development of

alternatives at each plant. From the evaluation of the eight options

came the development of five scenarios that were evaluated over a

twenty year life cycle. They were evaluated based on costs, land use

impacts that could affect the MCB Camp Lejeune military mission, and

environmental concerns. This analysis lead to the development of three

build alternatives and the ``No Action'' alternative, which were

addressed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). These

alternatives were (1) a new 15 MGD advanced treatment plant with a

river discharge to accommodate all flows, (2) a new 15 MGD secondary

treatment plant with an ocean outfall to accommodate all flows and (3)

a combination of land application for the plants currently discharging

to the lower New River (Rifle Range and Courthouse Bay Plants) and the

Intracoastal Waterway (Onslow Beach Plant), and construction of a new

13.7 MGD advanced wastewater treatment plant with river discharge for

the remaining flows.

Based on socio-economic, environmental and operational impacts of

the three wastewater treatment system upgrade alternatives, the DEIS

concluded that the alternative which combined river discharge and land

application was the least desirable option from an environmental and

operations perspective. This option would eliminate large tracts of

critical training area on the Base (750 acres ) and would

have potential adverse impacts to endangered species, floodplains and

sites contaminated with hazardous materials. The advanced wastewater

treatment of all effluent with river discharge and the ocean outfall

options were determined to have comparable environmental impacts. With

regard to nutrient loads to the New River system, the ocean outfall

alternative would contribute the smallest amount. However, the

potential permitting difficulties for an ocean outfall; the strict

schedule of compliance outlined in the Special Order by Consent between

MCB Camp Lejeune and the State of North Carolina; U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency Region IV's general policy to discourage new ocean

outfalls (as stated in their scoping response); and the lack of any

North Carolina Division of Environmental Management policy regarding

ocean outfalls resulted in the advanced wastewater treatment with river

discharge alternative being identified as the preferred option in the

DEIS.

Several commentors on the DEIS suggested the Marine Corps did not

fully study land application of wastewater flows, including off-base

land application options. In response to these comments a Land

Application Feasibility Study was undertaken to examine the potential

for large-scale land application of wastewater flows. The study

concluded that land application is not an economically feasible

alternative for disposal of all MCB Camp Lejeune wastewater. An

individual land application treatment facility was also studied for

disposal of wastewater from the Rifle Range plant and was also

determined not to be cost effective. However, the study did recommend

that treated effluent from Onslow Beach be disposed of via rapid

infiltration rather than being pumped to the new plant for treatment

and discharge to the New River. As a result, the preferred alternative

was modified, and as identified in the Final Environmental Impact

Statement (FEIS), is a combination of a new advanced wastewater

treatment facility located in the Frenchs Creek area of MCB Camp

Lejeune with diffused discharge into the New River, and a new rapid

infiltration facility at Onslow Beach. Under this alternative, a

significant length of pipeline from Onslow Beach to the Frenchs Creek

site will not be needed, and impacts to terrestrial vegetation,

wildlife, wetlands and the Intracoastal Waterway will be minimized or

eliminated.

Construction of a new 15 MGD advanced wastewater treatment plant

with river discharge and a rapid infiltration system at Onslow Beach

will result in minor socio-economic and land use impacts. About 35

miles of existing road right-of-way will be temporarily disturbed for

placement of transmission lines, and approximately 25 acres

will be used for the treatment plant site in the Frenchs Creek area.

Construction of treatment facilities is not expected to impact

population growth, but the local economy will benefit from the

$80 million construction project through job stimulation.

No impact to regional transportation systems will be felt, but traffic

on MCB Camp Lejeune will likely experience delays during pipeline

construction. Parks and recreation facilities on Base will not be

impacted; however, there will be minor disruption at several picnic

areas on MCB Camp Lejeune during pipeline construction. Proper site

layout, engineering design and operation will minimize odor impacts to

MCB Camp Lejeune recreational beaches. Existing utilities are adequate

to support the proposed action.

No cultural resources will be affected at the new plant site. Ten

archaeological sites were located during the intensive survey of the

proposed wastewater transmission line. Four sites required further

testing to determine their National Register eligibility status. One of

the sites was determined to be eligible. While pipeline construction

impact to this site cannot be avoided, mitigation through data recovery

will ensure no adverse effects occur to the site. Additional

archeological testing will also be conducted at one other site which

the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources believes has the

potential for being eligible. The Onslow Beach rapid infiltration

facility site is located on a barrier island and has been frequently

disturbed by training exercises and tracked vehicular movement;

therefore, the probability of this site containing cultural resources

is low. Consultation with the North Carolina Department of Cultural

Resources is being completed to assure full compliance with the

National Historic Preservation Act.

Impact to topography, soils, geology, and groundwater will be

minimal. Sedimentation and erosion control plans will be submitted to

the North Carolina Division of Land Resources, Land Quality Section for

review and approval. Floodplains will be crossed at several locations

by transmission lines, but subsurface placement will eliminate any

risks of increased flooding. Proper design and operation of the rapid

infiltration system at Onslow Beach will minimize any potential impact

to groundwater quality. The project will not encroach on any sites

contaminated with hazardous materials.

Water quality in the New River will be minimally impacted by

constituents commonly found in treated domestic wastewater effluent.

The Wasteload Allocation Study prepared by the North Carolina Division

of Environmental Management indicates that dilution and dispersion of

treated domestic wastewater effluent will be rapid. Concentration of

various constituents anticipated in the treated wastewater effluent

will pose only a minor impact on ambient conditions at the point of

discharge and decrease quickly from that point. A multi-port diffuser

will be used to achieve maximum initial dilution and other engineering

techniques will improve plume velocity and mixing. Details of the

diffuser design will be coordinated with the North Carolina Division of

Environmental Management during the National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process. The impact of a fresh

water discharge to the saline environment of the New River will be

minimal and will not adversely affect the movement of aquatic life

within the New River estuary. Water quality in the New River will be

beneficially impacted since the discharged treated domestic wastewater

effluent from the new advanced wastewater treatment plant will be of a

higher quality than the effluent from existing MCB Camp Lejeune

wastewater treatment plants. The much higher level of treatment will

result in a 78 percent reduction of oxygen consuming substances as

compared to the current situation. Nitrogen and phosphorus will be

reduced by 87 percent and 80 percent, respectively, from existing

conditions. Dechlorination facilities being constructed in Phase II

will eliminate chlorine residuals in the effluent. Monitoring programs

for influent and effluent will be established as part of the NPDES

permit. Potential impacts to sediments will be mitigated through a

monitoring program to address pre- and post-construction level of

contaminants around the diffuser. Parameters for this testing (i.e.,

sample period, sample size, and toxicants monitored) will be

established during the NPDES permitting process.

The potential for spills will be minimized through operation of

modern state-of-the-art monitoring equipment which allows early

detection of abnormal conditions at remote sites. Additionally, a

state-of-the-art advanced wastewater treatment facility with dual-path

treatment systems, as required by North Carolina regulations, will

mitigate the potential for spills more effectively than the existing

facilities.

Steps are being taken by MCB Camp Lejeune to reduce the wastewater

flow requiring treatment. Construction and renovation projects are

required to include water conservation devices. Studies have been

undertaken to identify opportunities to recycle and reclaim wastewater.

MCB Camp Lejeune has also recently conducted several Infiltration and

Inflow studies of the base wastewater collection system. Improvements

to the wastewater collection system underway and those planned in the

near term, along with water conservation methods, will provide MCB Camp

Lejeune the opportunity to eliminate unnecessary flows to the

wastewater system.

This action will have no impact upon ambient air quality or noise

levels.

A small amount of terrestrial habitat will be displaced by

transmission line construction and vegetation will be removed from the

25 acres needed for treatment plant construction and the two acres

required for the rapid infiltration system at Onslow Beach. The tract

at Onslow Beach to be used for the rapid infiltration system has been

cleared for some time, therefore there will be minimal impact to the

natural vegetation community.

No permanent displacement of wetlands will occur at the plant site,

rapid infiltration system site, or wetland crossings by the pipeline.

By selecting pipeline routes along existing rights-of-way, impacts to

wetlands have been minimized. Section 404 Nationwide Permit Numbers 12

and 26 will apply for these crossings. Pipeline crossings of the New

River near Camp Geiger, Northeast Creek, Bearhead Creek, and Wallace

Creek will be accomplished using directional drilling techniques that

will pass under these waterbodies and not disturb aquatic habitats or

wetlands.

No federally protected threatened or endangered species will be

affected. Limiting construction of the underwater component of the

project to certain months (1 September through 1 April) will further

reduce the short-term impacts to primary nursery areas and alligator

habitat.

The proposed action has been evaluated with respect to

environmental and social impacts, as well as access to public

information and an opportunity for public participation in the NEPA

process as mandated by Executive Order 12898, ``Federal Actions to

Address Environmental Justices in Minority Populations and Low-Income

Populations.'' The project is consistent with the goals and provisions

of that Executive Order.

A Coastal Consistency Determination was prepared for this project

and it concluded that the proposed action is being carried out in a

manner consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with the

enforceable policies of the North Carolina Coastal Management Plan. The

North Carolina Division of Coastal Management concurs with this

determination. Coordination will continue with the North Carolina

Division of Coastal Management for pipeline crossings of wetlands.

Preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement began with a

public scoping process to identify issues that should be addressed in

the document. Involvement in scoping was offered through a combination

of documented public announcements and a meeting with State of North

Carolina agencies. Public announcements were handled through scoping

letters sent to Federal, State, and local governmental agencies,

citizen groups and associations and the general public. Also, a Notice

of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement was published in

local newspapers and the Federal Register. Scoping took place between

December 1991 and January 1992.

The Notice of Availability of the DEIS appeared in the Federal

Register on June 18, 1993. The DEIS was distributed to agencies and

officials of Federal, State and local governmental agencies, citizens

groups and associations, public libraries, and to other interested

parties. The public review period for the DEIS was from June 13, 1993

through August 2, 1993. During this period a public hearing was held on

July 13, 1993 at Jacksonville Senior High School, Jacksonville, North

Carolina. The FEIS was distributed to agencies and officials of

Federal, State and local governmental agencies, citizens groups and

associations, public libraries, and to other interested parties on June

3, 1994.

The Department of the Navy believes that there are no outstanding

issues to be resolved with respect to this project. Questions regarding

the Environmental Impact Statement prepared for this action may be

directed to Mr. Robert Warren, Environmental Management Department, MCB

Camp Lejeune, NC 28542, telephone (910) 451-5003.

August 2, 1994.

Elsie L. Munsell,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Environmental and Safety).

[FR Doc. 94-19192 Filed 8-5-94; 8:45 am]

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