[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 103 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30004-30005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12878]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Elliott Bay Seawall Project, Seattle, WA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a
proposed seawall replacement project along the Elliott Bay shoreline in
Seattle, WA. The City of Seattle is the non-Federal sponsor for the
project.
The Feasibility Study for the Elliott Bay Seawall is being
conducted under the authority of Section 209 (Puget Sound and Adjacent
Waters) of the Flood Control Act of 1962 (Pub. L. 87-874). The
Reconnaissance Study was initiated following specific authorization by
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of
Representatives, House Resolution 2704, dated September 25, 2002. The
Feasibility Study was initiated in August 2004 with signing of a
Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement between U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Seattle District (USACE) and the City of Seattle, Washington
(City). The Feasibility Study authority was subsequently modified in
Section 4096(a) of WRDA 2007 to include an evaluation of reducing
future damages to the seawall from seismic activity.
The existing Elliott Bay Seawall (seawall) provides protection to
Seattle's downtown waterfront from storm waves and the erosive tidal
forces of Puget Sound. It supports Seattle's waterfront surface street,
Alaskan Way and other critical transportation infrastructure (including
the Burlington Northern--Santa Fe Railway main line) and utilities that
serve downtown Seattle (including water, electric, gas/petroleum,
steam, communications, sanitary sewers and storm water drainage). The
Seawall also protects numerous commercial, public and residential
structures and facilities, including the Washington State Ferry
Terminal at Coleman Dock, Seattle's busiest fire station, the Seattle
Aquarium, and the Port of Seattle. The seawall is 75 years old and is
reaching the end of its useful design life. The timber elements of the
structure have experienced significant decay and deterioration from
continued exposure to storm waves and tides, leading to potential
structural instability. Seawall structural instability, and the likely
further deterioration from future waves and tidal forces, is putting a
tremendous amount of public and private infrastructure, residential and
business development, and transportation facilities at risk of being
damaged from several different types of failure. An earthquake of
moderate intensity and/or duration can cause liquefaction of the soils
supported by the wall, resulting in loading conditions for which the
structure was not designed. Failure of the seawall under any of these
circumstances would result in a high risk to public safety and
substantial environmental degradation from subsequent storm-generated
waves and tidal forces.
The purpose of the proposed rehabilitation effort is to protect
public safety, critical infrastructure and associated economic
activities along the Elliott Bay shoreline from expected future damages
associated with coastal storms, shoreline erosion and earthquake damage
that could lead to failure of the existing seawall.
DATES: Submit comments by July 19, 2010 on the scope of issues to be
addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).
ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Mr. Patrick
Cagney, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, P.O. Box 3755,
Seattle, WA 98124-3755. Submit electronic comments and supporting data
to [email protected]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the scoping
process or preparation of the DEIS may be directed to Mr. Patrick
Cagney, telephone (206) 764-3654, email [email protected]
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action: The Elliott Bay Seawall extends for a distance
of approximately 7,166 feet along Seattle's waterfront, between
Washington Street to the south and Broad Street to the north. The
proposed action would involve an extensive structural rebuild or
replacement of the seawall in order to reduce damage resulting from
storms, tidal forces, erosion and earthquakes.
The proposed action was previously considered along with the
proposed replacement of the State Route (SR) 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct,
which runs parallel to a portion of the seawall. The SR 99 Alaskan Way
Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (AWVSRP DEIS) was issued by the U.S. Department of
Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Washington State
Department of Transportation (WSDOT), and City of Seattle on April 9,
2004 (69 FR 18898). A Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(AWVSRP SDEIS 1) was issued by the same parties on July 28, 2006 (72 FR
42846). The AWVSRP DEIS and SDEIS 1 included evaluation of the
rebuilding of the Alaskan Way Seawall because it is essential to the
function of transportation facilities and is at risk of collapsing in a
large earthquake. The geographic area covered in the AWVSRP DEIS and
SDEIS 1 was virtually the same as the study area proposed by the USACE.
The USACE EIS will evaluate the seawall from a coastal storm and
earthquake damage reduction perspective; the seawall is the primary
focus of the analysis. The USACE is reviewing the existing body of work
and coordinating closely with the city of
[[Page 30005]]
Seattle, FHWA, and WSDOT to incorporate all relevant material from
their NEPA efforts, share information, and reduce duplication of
efforts.
2. Alternatives: A number of seawall replacement alternatives are
being considered including the no action alternative. Several
structural, non-structural and construction technique options will be
considered including soil improvement, secant piles, and buttress fill,
among others; more than one option may be included in the preferred
alternative. Additionally; in conjunction with any of the structural
options, the seawall alignment will be considered; examining where the
seawall face can be reconstructed in the existing alignment or if it
can be pulled back landward. Similarly, habitat restoration and
recreational access options will be considered with any of the
structural options. Public input is specifically invited regarding the
reasonableness of the build alternatives and whether any additional
alternatives are appropriate for consideration.
3. Scoping and Public Involvement: An initial notice of intent for
this project was issued on March 31, 2006 (71 FR 16293). Since that
time, the scope of the project has changed to include the evaluation of
seismic damages and to consider additional alternatives. This present
notice of intent formally re-commences the scoping process under NEPA.
As part of the scoping process, all affected Federal, State and local
agencies, Native American Tribes, private organizations, and the public
are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. To date, the following
issues of concern have been identified for in-depth analysis in the
draft EIS: (1) Construction impacts, particularly those related to
noise, transportation, and effects to businesses and residences within/
adjacent to the construction zone; (2) impacts associated with
potential variations of the existing seawall alignment; (3) potential
impacts to historical properties; and (4) potential benefits to the
Elliott Bay aquatic ecosystem.
4. Scoping Meeting: One public scoping meeting will be held to
identify issues of major concern, identify studies that might be needed
in order to analyze and evaluate impacts, and obtain public input on
the range and acceptability of alternatives. This meeting will be held
at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center, Pier 66 on
Wednesday, June 16, 2010. An informal open house will be held between 4
and 5:30 p.m. A presentation to summarize the purpose of scoping and
existing information will be made between 5:30 and 6 p.m. Then,
testimony will be taken between 6 and 7 p.m. Verbal (maximum 3 minutes)
or written comments will be accepted at the scoping meeting or written
comments may be sent by regular or electronic mail to EIS Scoping
Comments c/o Patrick Cagney (see ADDRESSES). Ongoing communication with
agencies, Native American tribes, public interest groups, and
interested citizens will take place throughout the EIS development
through the use of public meetings, mailings, and the Internet.
Additional meetings will be scheduled upon completion of the DEIS.
5. Other Environmental Review Coordination and Permit Requirements:
The environmental review process will be comprehensive and will satisfy
the requirements of both NEPA and the Washington State Environmental
Policy Act (SEPA) per preparation of a joint NEPA/SEPA document with
the City of Seattle. All other relevant Federal, State and local
environmental laws will be complied with during the feasibility and/or
design phases of the project.
Dated: May 20, 2010.
Anthony Wright,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2010-12878 Filed 5-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P