Record of Decision for the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for Dredging at Pier D of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Record of Decision for the Final Supplemental Environmental

Impact Statement (FSEIS) for Dredging at Pier D of the Puget Sound

Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington

Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act

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

Implementing NEPA Procedures (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department

of the Navy announces its decision to implement the final supplemental

environmental impact statement (FSEIS) for dredging at Pier D of the

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), Bremerton, Washington. This decision

updates and supplements the Record of Decision for the Final

Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Fast Combat Support

Ship (AOE-6 Class) U.S. West Coast Homeporting Program which was issued

on March 10, 1992.

The proposed action is to dredge and make structural upgrades at

Pier D of the PSNS, and dispose of the dredged material in federally

and state approved disposal sites. The action will provide the

necessary bathymetry for permanent berthing for up to two AOE-6 Class

ships and temporary berthing of one of the largest deep draft ships

already homeported at PSNS, typically an aircraft carrier. The proposed

action has been developed from a combination of three berthing

configurations and five disposal options. The required dredging

quantity is approximately 105,000 cubic yards, of which approximately

53,400 cubic yards are contaminated and are unsuitable for in-water

disposal. The disposal method is a mixed mode of operation which

utilizes an upland facility (landfill) for contaminated sediment

disposal and an in-water site for disposing of clean material. The

primary upland disposal site is the Olympic View Sanitary Landfill

(OVSL) about 10 miles south of Bremerton. The Roosevelt Regional

Landfill (RRL) and Columbia Ridge Landfill and Recycling Center (CRLRC)

would be used as backup in the event of unforeseen problems at OVSL.

Each of these landfills is currently authorized to accept the type of

dredged materials produced by this project which have been designated

unsuitable for in-water disposal by regulatory agencies. The primary

in-water disposal site is the Puget Sound Dredge Disposal Analysis

(PSDDA) approved Elliot Bay disposal site near Seattle which is about

15 miles east of PSNS; backup sites include PSDDA approved Commencement

Bay near Tacoma or Port Gardner near Everett.

Other berthing configurations and the ``No Action'' alternative

were considered and eliminated. Other berthing configurations would not

address the Navy's need for operational flexibility at PSNS with

respect to large deep-draft vessels. The ``No Action'' alternative

would not accommodate Navy's AOE-6 homeporting mission in the west

coast.

Disposal options considered and eliminated were capped aquatic

disposal (CAD), an upland disposal facility (CDF), near-shore confined

disposal (NCDF), and a combination of PSDDA and NCDF.

Although an alternative requiring less dredging or ``no action''

would have fewer environmental impacts (but would not fulfill the

purpose and need for the project), the dredging and dredged material

disposal methods chosen will have the least practicable impacts and are

environmentally preferred.

Transfer of the dredged material designated for upland disposal

from marine to upland transportation will occur at a shoreside transfer

area located near the west side of PSNS. The shoreside transfer area

will be paved with an impervious pavement and curbing to prevent

penetration of liquids into subsurface soils, or uncontrolled release

into Sinclair Inlet. Within this area, dredged materials will be

segregated according to moisture content, and loaded onto trucks for

transport to the landfill. Runoff will be directed to sumps that will

be used to convey water to settling tanks before discharging into

Sinclair Inlet. If the moisture content of the dredged materials is too

high for disposal at the landfill site, soil stabilization/

solidification treatment measures will be employed to mitigate the

problems. Materials that are acceptable to the landfill will not be

treated prior to disposal.

Treatment will be through the addition of a portland cement/

pozzolan mixture and/or additional drying. In a portland cement/

pozzolan reaction, portland cement is combined with flyash or other

pozzolan to produce a sediment-concrete mixture. Water is entrained in

the hydration of the portland cement. The moist material will be

screened and mechanically fed to a pugmill-type mixing plant. Portland

cement/pozzolan soil additives are added through pneumatic system to

the pugmill mixer. The treated material will be delivered to the

landfill storage site thoroughly mixed and relatively uniform in

appearance with all ingredients evenly distributed.

The preferred site for upland disposal is the OVSL in Kitsap

County. The RRL and CRLRC are designated as alternative sites to

provide flexibility and ensure project completion. Although OVSL has

enough capacity for the volume determined to be unsuitable for open-

water disposal, unforeseen circumstances related to dredging,

transportation, or landfill operations could adversely affect the

overall project schedule. Rather than delay the project, the

alternative disposal sites would be used until use of the OVSL is

reestablished. Use of these sites would involve the same process as

described above for dewatering and treatment, but transportation would

occur by rail car rather than by truck.

Dredging causes localized short-term effects on water quality in

the immediate vicinity of the dredge operation. This will be mitigated

through the use of regulatory dilution zones and water quality

monitoring during the dredging operation. If water quality effects

exceed these of regulatory requirements, such as alterations in pH

value, dissolved oxygen, and/or turbidity to an unacceptable quantity,

the dredging operation will be halted until the cause of the water

quality degradation is identified and mitigated. Dredging is allowed to

proceed only after all practicable measures are taken to correct the

problem. The FSEIS and water quality permits provide water quality

mitigation requirements. These requirements are a part of the

construction specification detailing approaches and equipment

requirements to maintain environmental quality.

Temporary losses will occur in benthic infauna, epifauna, and other

bottom dwelling organisms through destruction of existing benthic

habitat in the area affected by dredging. However, these losses are

anticipated to be recovered within about a year after completion of the

work.

Dredging operation, tug-barge transportation, and truck/train

hauling operation will produce short term localized increases in air

emissions and noise. No safety related effects are anticipated from

these impacts. The affected area is in attainment with clean air

standards and an air conformity analysis is not required.

The SEIS was prepared by the Navy in coordination with the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, Region X; U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, Seattle District; Washington State Department of Ecology;

City of Bremerton; and the Suquamish Tribe. The FSEIS was distributed

to agencies and officials of federal, state and local governments,

citizen groups and associates, public libraries, and other interested

parties for review. The comment period ended on September 6, 1994. All

significant issues identified were resolved through discussions with

concerned agencies and parties.

Questions regarding the Draft and Final Supplemental Environmental

Impact Statement prepared for this action may be directed to:

Commanding Officer, Engineering Field Activity Northwest, Naval

Facilities Engineering Command, 3505 Anderson Hill Road, Silverdale,

WA, 98383-9130 (Attn: Mr. Peter Havens, Code 232.PH), telephone (206)

396-5976, fax (206) 396-7929.

Dated: September 21, 1994.

Elsie L. Munsell,

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

Dated: September 21, 1994.

Saundra K. Melancon,

Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 94-23795 Filed 9-26-94; 8:45 am]

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