Notice of Wetland Involvement for the Site Integrated Parking Area/Access Road Project at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Wetland Involvement for the Site Integrated Parking

Area/Access Road Project at the Fernald Environmental Management

Project (FEMP)

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice Of Wetland Involvement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to construct a

570-meter (1870-foot) long and 8-meter (26-foot) wide gravel road

within the non-radiologically contaminated area of the Fernald site

located approximately 29 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of downtown

Cincinnati, Ohio. The road will support site activities and provide

access to the proposed parking area providing a capacity for 280

vehicles.

Construction of the proposed access road includes placement of a

121-centimeter (48-inch) corrugated metal pipe in a .01 hectare (.04

acre) section of an emergent wetland. The area will be backfilled with

152 cubic meters (200 cubic yards) of clean soil to the proposed road

elevation of 575 feet mean sea level (MSL). The maximum linear extent

of the proposed fill within the wetland would extend 15 meters (50

feet). Appropriate, erosion control devices (i.e., silt fences and

straw bales) will be implemented to mitigate the potential impacts to

wetland areas and other natural resources outside the project boundary.

DATES: Comments are due to the address below November 2, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments and requests for maps or further information

about this project to: Mr. Wally Quaider, Acting Associate Director,

Office of Safety, Operations and Technical Support, DOE Fernald Area

Office, P.O. Box 538705, Cincinnati, Ohio 45253-8705, Fax: (513) 648-

3077.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office

of NEPA Oversight, EH-25, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action will provide access to a

new 91-meter (300-foot) by 131-meter (430-foot) gravel parking area

supporting Operable Unit 1 activities, the Operable Unit 4

Vitrification Pilot Plant Project, and future remedial activities for

the Operable Unit 2 Lime Sludge Ponds. The access road and parking area

will be equipped with fencing, lighting, and proper drainage devices.

In addition, a security guard post will be installed equipped with

accountability badge scanners.

The proposed action will impact 0.01 hectares (0.04 acres) of a

larger emergent wetland [0.25 hectares (0.62 acres)] associated with an

unnamed tributary to Paddys Run Stream. The proposed road crossing has

been designed to minimize the restriction of normal and expected high

flows within the wetland channel. Impacts to the wetland area and other

natural resources outside the boundary of the project will be minimized

through the implementation of administrative and engineering controls

(i.e., erosion and siltation prevention devices). Consequently, impacts

resulting from the proposed action will be minimal.

The wetland delineation for the project area was made during a 1993

wetland delineation report for the entire Fernald site. The delineation

was conducted using the Routine On-site Methodology, established in the

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual and

was subsequently approved by the ACOE in August 1993. All drainage

ditches delineated as wetlands, within the FEMP site boundaries, occur

in Fincastle or Henshaw soils and exhibit soil colors and chromas

indicative of hydric situations. Furthermore, onsite drainage ditches

and swales support shrub and/or emergent vegetation. Broad-leaf cattail

(Tyoha latifolia) is the most common species found within site wetland

areas. Other species include yellow nutgrass (Cyperus esculentus),

green bulrush (Scirpus atrovirens), and swamp milkweed (Asclepias

incarnata).

In accordance with DOE wetlands review requirements (10 CFR part

1022), DOE will prepare a wetlands assessment for this project.

Issued this 30th day of September, 1994.

Jack R. Craig,

Acting Director, Fernald Area Office.

[FR Doc. 94-25753 Filed 10-17-94; 8:45 am]

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