Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Construction of a Replacement Outfall for the Wastewater Treatment Plant at Fort Kamehameha, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

the Proposed Construction of a Replacement Outfall for the Wastewater

Treatment Plant at Fort Kamehameha, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on

Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Navy

announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for the proposed construction of a replacement outfall for the existing

wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Fort Kamehameha, Pearl Harbor,

Oahu, Hawaii.

The action covered by the EIS is replacement of the existing

outfall, which discharges into the entrance channel of a Class 2 inland

estuary, with a multiport deep ocean outfall which will discharge into

Class A open coastal marine waters. The proposed outfall will reduce

nutrient mass loading on the Pearl Harbor estuary. The proposed action

is consistent with the State of Hawaii's management plan for the Pearl

Harbor estuary, pursuant to Section 304(1) of the Clean Water Act. The

EIS will analyze reasonable alternatives for disposal of secondary

treated effluent and will assess their direct and cumulative

environmental impacts.

Navy will initiate a scoping process to identify significant issues

for study in the EIS and to identify and notify parties interested in

and affected by the proposed action. It is important that interested

agencies, individuals, and organizations take this opportunity to

identify environmental concerns and feasible alternatives that should

be addressed in the EIS. Public scoping meetings will be held on 1 and

2 October 1996, during which oral comments may be presented. To allow

all views to be shared, each speaker will be asked to limit comments to

five minutes.

Interested parties are also invited and encouraged to provide

written comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the

public meetings. Scoping comments should clearly describe specific

issues or topics that the EIS should address. The scoping period for

receipt of comments will end on 18 October 1996.

DATES/LOCATIONS: Two public scoping meetings will be held on Oahu: (1)

Honolulu, Oahu: October 1, 1996, 7:00 - 10:00 pm, Washington

Intermediate School, 1633 South King Street, and (2) Pearl Harbor,

Oahu: October 2, 1996, 7:00 - 10:00 pm, Makalapa Elementary School,

4435 Salt Lake Boulevard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Written statements and/or questions

regarding the scoping process should be mailed no later than October

18, 1996 to Mr. Melvin Kaku (Code 23), Pacific Division, Naval

Facilities Engineering, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860, telephone (808) 471-

9338; fax (808) 474-4890.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action consists of constructing

a 12,000-foot long, 42-inch diameter wastewater outfall extension,

which will discharge through a multiport diffuser at a water depth of

between 70 and 150 feet.

Construction activities include excavating an underwater trench

across the shallow offshore limestone reef and in the Pearl Harbor

entrance channel, installing pipe in the trench, and covering pipe with

protective material. Construction equipment and supplies will be staged

in the immediate vicinity of the treatment plant. Construction on the

reef will require installation of a temporary earthen berm for

equipment access; the berm will be removed after pipe installation.

Construction in the channel will be carried out from one or more

barges. Approximately 30,000 cubic yards of excavated material will be

disposed at an approved offshore dredged material discharge site.

Outfall piping will be assembled on land and floated to the outfall

alignment. Piping in the trench will be supported by gravel beds and

capped with concrete mats or tremie concrete. In shallow water, the top

of the protective concrete mats will be approximately even with or just

below the existing bottom contour. In deep water, the protective layer

will be one meter below the design maintenance dredge depth.

Construction activities will occur over a period of approximately 18

months. The existing outfall will be retained for emergency operations.

Alternatives to be evaluated include (1) no action, (2) several

outfall alignments with variations of construction methodology, dredged

material disposal, and diffuser depth and length, and (3) upland

disposal of wastewater effluent, either by reuse or disposal through

underground injection wells. The alternative outfall alignments all

exit the existing WWTP discharge pump station and terminate at a depth

of between 70 and 150 feet; they differ in the locations at which they

cross the shoreline reef flat and enter deeper water. Construction

method options include use of barges, use of a temporary berm across

the reef flat, and possibly directional drilling. Dredged materials may

be used to construct a temporary berm, disposed at the existing

approved offshore disposal site, or disposed at an undetermined upland

location. The upland disposal/reuse alternative for wastewater consists

of constructing infrastructure to further treat WWTP effluent and

redirect it to an undetermined upland site. The upland/underground

injection alternative consists of constructing underground injection

wells at suitable locations for effluent disposal.

Environmental issues to be addressed will include, but not be

limited to, effects on surface and ground water quality, terrestrial

and aquatic habitats, threatened or endangered species, cultural

resources, infrastructure, traffic, noise and the socioeconomic

environment. Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts will be analyzed,

and mitigation measures will be developed as required. Related

regulatory processes will include a National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) permit under the Clean Water Act (CWA), a

Department of the Army permit under Section 404 of the CWA, and a

Section 401 Water Quality Certification by the State of Hawaii

Department of Health.

[[Page 47899]]

Dated: September 6, 1996.

D.E. Koenig,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 96-23198 Filed 9-10-96; 8:45 am]

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