Intent To Prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Restoration Plan (RP) For The Green/Duwamish River Basin Restoration Project, King County, Washington

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) and Restoration Plan (RP) For The Green/Duwamish River

Basin Restoration Project, King County, Washington

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Seattle District, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers, as lead Federal agency, will prepare a

programmatic environmental impact statement evaluating alternative fish

and wildlife habitat and water quality restoration approaches for the

Green/Duwamish River Basin. This environmental impact statement will be

a combined NEPA/SEPA document. The lead agency for SEPA will be the

King County Water and Land Resources Division. Three alternatives will

be evaluated in the DEIS: no action; habitat restoration that would

benefit multiple species; and a program that benefits a single

threatened fish species. A restoration plan will also be prepared in

association with the DEIS. If approved, implementation of the

restoration plan would begin in 2001. Potential issues of concern for

the DEIS include impacts to fish and their habitat, water quality,

wetlands, riparian habitat, flood control, land use, and public safety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the scoping

process or preparation of the DEIS and RP may be directed to: Patrick

Cagney, Biologist, Environmental Resources Section, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, P.O. Box 3755, 4735 East Marginal Way S., Seattle,

Washington, 98124-3755, (206) 764-6577.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

The Corps of Engineers and the King County Water and Land Resources

Division propose to evaluate alternative habitat restoration programs

for the Green/Duwamish River Basin in King County, Washington. The U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers--Seattle District (Patrick Cagney, Biologist)

is the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA, 42 USC 4321 et seq.) and the Council on Environmental Quality

implementing guidelines (40 CFR 1500-1508). The King County Water and

Land Resources Division (Clinton Loper, Senior Engineer) is the lead

state agency under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA,

Chapter 43.21C RCW) and the SEPA guidelines (Chapter 197-10 WAC).

The Corps is authorized to implement habitat restoration programs

under Section 209 of Public Law 87-874 (Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters

Study) of the 1962 Flood Control Act, the Water Resources Development

Act of 1990, and Corps ecosystem restoration guidance (Engineering

Circular [EC] 1105-2-210). Corps activities in ecosystem restoration

will concentrate on engineering solutions to water and related land

resource problems. Priority for restoration activities will be given to

projects that restore degraded ecosystem functions and values,

including hydrology, plant, and animal communities and/or portions

thereof, to a less degraded ecological condition.

The proposed action would restore aquatic ecosystem habitat and

processes by reconnecting isolated habitat elements, increasing channel

diversity, establishing areas of estuarine habitat, increasing

floodplain habitat, restoring small tributaries, increasing the amount

of large woody debris in the river, replenishing river sediments, and

improving the water temperature regime. If the proposed action is

implemented, initial construction on projects would occur around the

year 2001.

2. Alternatives

Three programmatic restoration alternatives will be considered and

evaluated in the environmental impact statement. The first alternative

is No Action and would include various agencies and groups continuing

to implement restoration projects but by a less coordinated, intensive

means than under the other proposed alternatives. Continued

implementation of restoration projects would include reconnecting some

isolated habitat elements, some placement of sediment in the river, and

some placement of large woody debris. The second alternative is a

multiple species approach to habitat restoration. Under this preferred

alternative benefits to many fish and wildlife species will be

considered. The third alternative is restoration of a single threatened

fish species. Recently, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) have

been proposed for listing as a threatened species under the Endangered

Species Act. This alternative would evaluate restoration actions that

would benefit this species. Under alternatives two and three, three

separate restoration approaches will be evaluated: (a) an ecosystem/

habitat forming process approach; (b) an engineered design and

constructed habitat approach, and (c) an integrated approach (elements

of both (a) and (b)).

3. Scoping and Public Involvement

Public involvement will be sought during scoping and conducting of

the study in accordance with NEPA and SEPA procedures. A public meeting

will be held during public review of the DEIS. Further meetings will be

scheduled as needed. A public scoping process will be initiated to

clarify issues of major concern, identify studies that might be needed

to analyze and evaluate impacts, and obtain public input on the range

and acceptability of alternatives. This Notice of Intent formally

commences the joint scoping process under NEPA and SEPA. As part of the

scoping process, all affected Federal,

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state, and local agencies, Indian Tribes, and other interested private

organizations, including environmental interest groups, are invited to

comment on the scope of the DEIS. Comments are requested concerning

project alternatives, mitigation measures, probable significant

environmental impacts, and permits or other approvals that may be

required. To date, the following impact areas have been identified and

will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS: (1) fish and their habitat; (2)

water quality; (3) wetlands; (4) riparian habitat; (5) flood control;

(6) land use; and (7) public safety. The environmental review process

will be comprehensive and will integrate and satisfy the requirements

of NEPA (Federal) and SEPA (Washington State), and other relevant

Federal, state, and local environmental laws.

4. Scoping Meeting

A notice of the scoping meeting will be mailed to all involved

agencies and individuals known to have an interest in this project. A

scoping meeting and an open house to receive public comments on

restoration program alternatives will be held on January 20, 1999, at

the Tukwila Community Center, 12424--42nd Avenue South, Tukwila,

Washington. The meeting will occur from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. The meeting

will begin with a one-half hour open house to allow the public and

agencies to review project information/graphics and ask questions of

Corps and King County staff, followed by presentations and then a

question and answer period for the proposed alternatives. Verbal or

written comments will be accepted at the scoping meeting, or written

comments concerning the scope of the analysis may be sent to Patrick

Cagney at the above address within 45 days of when this notice is

published in the Federal Register.

5. Other Environmental Review, Coordination, and Permit

Requirements

Other environmental review, coordination, and permit requirements

include preparation of a Section 404 (b) (1) evaluation by the Corps of

Engineers; and consultation among the Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, and the State of Washington per Section 7 of the Endangered

Species Act. Coordination will also be initiated with the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service to meet the requirements of the Fish and Wildlife

Coordination Act.

6. Availability of the Draft EIS

The draft Programmatic EIS/Restoration Plan is scheduled for

release during the spring of 1999 and the Final Programmatic EIS/

Restoration Plan is scheduled for release during the fall of 1999.

Dated: December 9, 1998.

James M. Rigsby,

Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.

[FR Doc. 98-33996 Filed 12-22-98; 8:45 am]

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