Notice2022-11852
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Bremerton Waterfront Infrastructure Improvements, Bremerton, Kitsap County, WA, and To Announce a Virtual Public Scoping Meeting
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Published
June 8, 2022
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentNavy Department
Abstract
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, the Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with construction, modification, replacement, demolition, and operation of multiple waterfront infrastructure and facilities at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) at Naval Base (NAVBASE) Kitsap Bremerton, Washington. The DON is initiating a 30-day public scoping period to receive comments on the scope of the EIS including identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action, identification of environmental concerns, issues the public would like to see addressed in the EIS, and the project's potential to affect historic properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34863-34865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11852]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Bremerton Waterfront Infrastructure Improvements, Bremerton, Kitsap
County, WA, and To Announce a Virtual Public Scoping Meeting
AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DON), Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations, the Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the
potential environmental impacts associated with construction,
modification, replacement, demolition,
[[Page 34864]]
and operation of multiple waterfront infrastructure and facilities at
the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility
(PSNS & IMF) at Naval Base (NAVBASE) Kitsap Bremerton, Washington. The
DON is initiating a 30-day public scoping period to receive comments on
the scope of the EIS including identification of potential
alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the Proposed
Action, identification of environmental concerns, issues the public
would like to see addressed in the EIS, and the project's potential to
affect historic properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.
DATES: The public 30-day scoping period begins on June 8, 2022, and
extends to July 11, 2022. Comments must be postmarked or submitted
electronically via email or the website no later than 11:59 p.m.
Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on July 11, 2022, for consideration in the
Draft EIS.
The DON will hold a virtual public scoping meeting, consisting of
presentations and a question-and-answer session. The meeting will be
held on June 23, 2022, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PDT. Information about
how to participate in the meeting, including how to submit questions to
be discussed at the meeting, is available at the DON project website
address below. The DON will also publish participation details for the
virtual public scoping meeting in local newspapers and in press
releases.
ADDRESSES: The DON invites all interested parties to submit scoping
comments on the Bremerton Waterfront Infrastructure Improvements EIS to
the physical and electronic addresses listed in the section below.
Please visit the project website at
<a href="http://www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com">www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com</a> for further information.
Comments may be received:
<bullet> electronically via email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#335a5d555c737141565e5641475c5d645247564155415c5d477a5e43415c45565e565d4740767a601d505c5e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dfb6b1b9b09f9dadbab2baadabb0b188beabbaadb9adb0b1ab96b2afadb0a9bab2bab1abac9a968cf1bcb0b2">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> electronically via the project website:
<a href="http://www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com">www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com</a>; or
<bullet> by mail, postmarked no later than July 11, 2022, to the
following address: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command
Northwest, Attn: Bremerton EIS Project Manager, 1101 Tautog Circle,
Room 210, Silverdale, WA 98315.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems
Command Northwest, Attn: Ms. Christine Stevenson, Bremerton EIS Project
Manager, 1101 Tautog Circle, Room 210, Silverdale, WA 98315,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b1d8dfd7def1f3c3d4dcd4c3c5dedfe6d0c5d4c3d7c3dedfc5f8dcc1c3dec7d4dcd4dfc5c2f4f8e29fd2dedc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f464149406f6d5d4a424a5d5b4041784e5b4a5d495d40415b66425f5d40594a424a415b5c6a667c014c4042">[email protected]</span></a>, 360-396-0080.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Proposed Action is to
address critical deficiencies in dry dock capability, capacity, and
seismic survivability at NAVBASE Kitsap Bremerton to enable PSNS & IMF
to meet its mission to support the DON's nuclear fleet. The Proposed
Action is needed because PSNS & IMF does not have the dry dock
capability to support the DON's newest class of nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier (CVN), USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78); PSNS & IMF does
not have the dry dock and pier capacity to conduct the required future
overhauling, refueling, inactivating, and recycling of submarines; and
Dry Dock (DD) 6, the only dry dock on the West Coast that can
accommodate a CVN, and other existing infrastructure do not meet
current Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria design
standards for seismic performance.
The Proposed Action will address critical deficiencies in dry dock
capability, capacity, and seismic survivability at NAVBASE Kitsap
Bremerton to enable PSNS & IMF to meet its mission to support the DON's
nuclear fleet. The DON considers an EIS the appropriate document for
comprehensively analyzing the Proposed Action, which will affect
existing facilities and construct new infrastructure and facilities at
PSNS & IMF.
The Proposed Action would occur along the PSNS & IMF waterfront,
beginning as early as 2026. Components include: construction of a new
multi-mission dry dock (M2D2) at PSNS & IMF that can accommodate all
classes of CVNs along the PSNS & IMF waterfront; seismic upgrade of
existing DD6; and modification, demolition, and/or replacement of other
piers, wharves, quay walls, buildings, cranes, and utilities. Although
the majority of the Proposed Action is expected to occur at NAVBASE
Kitsap Bremerton, the DON could replace some demolished facilities at
other NAVBASE Kitsap installations.
The DON has identified two preliminary action alternatives to carry
forward for analysis in the EIS along with the No Action alternative.
These alternatives will be further refined based on input received from
the public and resource agencies during scoping.
Under Alternative 1 (No Action Alternative), there would be no
change from the status quo. The DON would not build an M2D2, upgrade
DD6 to meet current seismic standards, or take other component actions.
However, the DON would continue to rely on, maintain, and repair
existing facilities to perform its mission.
Under Alternative 2, the DON would construct a new M2D2 on the east
side of PSNS & IMF, at the location of existing DD3. Additionally, the
DON would seismically upgrade DD6 and construct a new Forge Shop at
NAVBASE Kitsap Bangor. The DON would also demolish Piers 4, 5, 6, and
7, including the Hammerhead Crane on Pier 6, and construct a new Pier
2. The DON would replace Piers 4 and 6 with new piers. The DON would
dredge bottom sediments to create entrance channels and provide
adequate draft at wharves and piers.
Under Alternative 3, the DON would construct an M2D2 in the center
of the PSNS & IMF waterfront, at the current location of Mooring A.
Additionally, the DON would seismically upgrade DD6. The DON would also
demolish Mooring A, the Hammerhead Crane on Pier 6, and Pier 4. The DON
would replace Pier 4 with a new pier. The DON would dredge bottom
sediments to create entrance channels and adequate draft at wharves and
piers.
The environmental issues and resource areas the DON would examine
in the EIS include, but are not limited to, the following: Air Quality,
Water Quality, Geological Resources, Biological Resources, Cultural
Resources, American Indian Traditional Resources, Land Use and
Recreation, Visual Resources, Noise, Infrastructure and Utilities,
Transportation and Traffic, Marine Navigation, Public Health and
Safety, Hazardous Materials and Waste, Socioeconomics, and
Environmental Justice. The EIS will also analyze measures that would
avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental effects.
Additionally, the DON will conduct all coordination, consultation,
and permitting activities required by the Clean Water Act, Rivers and
Harbors Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act,
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, NHPA, Coastal
Zone Management Act, and other laws and regulations applicable to the
project. Since project components would be phased over multiple years,
the DON will coordinate with each agency regarding timing of
consultations and permitting.
The DON encourages federal, state, and local agencies, tribes, and
interested persons to provide comments concerning potential
alternatives and environmental issues for analysis in the EIS, as well
as to identify specific
[[Page 34865]]
environmental resources that the DON should consider when developing
the Draft EIS. Additionally, the DON encourages interested persons to
submit comments concerning historic resources under Section 106 of the
NHPA. The DON will prepare the Draft EIS, including analysis of
potential effects on those resources that the DON and the public
identify. The DON will consider all comments received during the public
scoping period during EIS preparation.
The project website is available at
<a href="http://www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com">www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com</a>. The project website
provides information on the Proposed Action, NEPA process and schedule,
and includes a document library. The public can use this website to
submit scoping comments electronically between June 8, 2022, and July
11, 2022. In addition, the public can submit substantive questions for
discussion with DON representatives at the virtual public meeting.
Questions should be submitted by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4821262e27080a3a2d252d3a3c27261f293c2d3a2e3a27263c0125383a273e2d252d263c3b0d011b662b2725"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8fe6e1e9e0cfcdfdeae2eafdfbe0e1d8eefbeafde9fde0e1fbc6e2fffde0f9eae2eae1fbfccac6dca1ece0e2">[email protected]</span></a> or by completing the form
at <a href="http://www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com">www.BremertonWaterfrontImprovementsEIS.com</a> between June 8, 2022, and
June 22, 2022.
Additional opportunities for public comment will occur after the
release of the Draft EIS. The DON intends to publish the Draft EIS in
spring 2023, publish the Final EIS in spring 2024, and sign a Record of
Decision following the 30-day Final EIS wait period.
Dated: May 27, 2022.
J.M. Pike,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-11852 Filed 6-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
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