Notice2024-26393
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Expansion and Modernization of Base Seattle
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 15, 2024
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) announces the availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Expansion and Modernization of Base Seattle. In accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA implementing regulations, the Final PEIS analyzes the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and identifies related mitigation measures, associated with land acquisition, facility and infrastructure modernization, and continued operation to support current and future Coast Guard missions at Base Seattle.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90302-90304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26393]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket Number USCG-2021-0183]
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the
Expansion and Modernization of Base Seattle
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement Expansion and Modernization of Base Seattle.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) announces the availability
of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the
Expansion and Modernization of Base Seattle. In accordance with
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA implementing regulations, the Final
PEIS analyzes the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts,
and identifies related mitigation measures, associated with land
acquisition, facility and infrastructure modernization, and continued
operation to support current and future Coast Guard missions at Base
Seattle.
DATES: The Coast Guard will not issue a final decision on the proposed
action until at least December 16, 2024, or at least 30 days after the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability of
this Final PEIS in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: The complete text of the Final PEIS is available in the
docket, which can be found by searching the docket number USCG-2021-
0183 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> or at <a href="https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/NEPA">https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/NEPA</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be sent to U.S. Coast Guard, Shore Infrastructure Logistics
Center, Environmental Management Division, ATTN: Dean Amundson, 1301
Clay Street, Suite 700N, Oakland, CA 94612-5203. ; phone 510-637-5541;
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6c2e0d1f093f090d181800093c29253f2c191f0f0b42010500"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="337152405660565247475f5663767a6073464050541d5e5a5f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final PEIS was prepared in accordance
with the requirements of NEPA, the CEQ regulations implementing NEPA
(40 CFR 1500-1508), DHS procedures for implementing NEPA (DHS
Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01 (series)), Coast Guard Environmental
Planning Policy (Commandant Instruction [COMDTINST] 5090.1), and other
applicable DHS and Coast Guard policies and guidance. A Notice of
Intent (NOI) to prepare the PEIS was published in the Federal Register
on May 7, 2021 (86 FR 24637). On October 11, 2022, the Coast Guard
published a Notice of Availability (NOA) and a request for comments on
the Draft PEIS (87 FR 61344). In response to a comment in the docket
the Coast Guard extended the public comment period until December 16,
2022, which was announced in the Federal Register (87 FR 73011) and in
local newspapers on November 28, 2022.
The purpose of the proposed action is to provide adequate and
efficient shore facilities and infrastructure at Base Seattle to
support the Coast Guard's execution of its current and future statutory
missions, pursuant to 14 United States Code (U.S.C.) 102. Base Seattle
is the largest Coast Guard installation in the Pacific Northwest and is
an essential facility to support Coast Guard missions in the Pacific
Northwest and polar (the Arctic and Antarctica) areas of responsibility
(AOR), now and for the foreseeable future.
The Coast Guard identified three reasonable alternatives that would
meet the purpose and need of the proposed action. The PEIS analyzed the
potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with the
proposed action, action alternatives and the no action alternative;
including direct, indirect, and cumulative effects, and
[[Page 90303]]
potential mitigation measure to minimize impacts. The Coast Guard has
actively considered the full range of alternatives when determining the
preferred alternative for the Final PEIS. The Coast Guard continues to
consider each alternative and will document the Guard's decision as
part of the Record of Decision.
The Draft PEIS identified Alternative 1 as the Coast Guard's
preferred alternative. Based on public comments, the Coast Guard
conducted additional technical analysis which provided greater detail
about the context and intensity of environmental impacts. While the
significant findings remained consistent, additional information was
obtained to better inform the Coast Guard decision-maker. The
socioeconomic analysis considered each of the alternatives, as well as
different land acquisition options, based on acreage, within each
alternative to establish a range of impacts. The socioeconomic study
found that the magnitude of socioeconomic impacts to the Port of
Seattle are largely dependent upon the amount of acreage that is
acquired.
Therefore, acquiring fewer acres of land in Alternative 1 would
cause less long-term socioeconomic impacts than acquiring more acres of
land in Alternatives 2 or 3. Additionally, Alternative 1 is the
environmentally preferable alternative as it avoids and minimizes
impacts to biological, visual, and cultural resources. Finally,
Alternative 1 would enable the Coast Guard to more quickly achieve the
purpose of the proposed action. Consequently, Alternative 1 remains the
Coast Guard's preferred alternative in the Final EIS.
The details of all three Action Alternatives are provided in
Section 2.5. The Socioeconomic Report can be found in Appendix R of the
Final PEIS.
Alternative 1: Modernization with Additional Land and Two Berths at
Terminal 46 (Preferred Alternative). Alternative 1 would involve
acquisition of land to the north at Terminal 46, including onshore
development and access to existing berth space for two Coast Guard
cutters. While additional work would occur on the existing Base
property, this alternative would provide a single, large piece of
property that would enable efficient expansion of Base facilities while
providing the capability to incorporate the most effective Anti-
Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) setbacks of all the alternatives.
Acquiring two existing, structurally adequate berths would be the most
cost-effective and efficient action and would reduce potential effects
by eliminating the need to construct new berths. Under Alternative 1,
approximately 27 to 54 acres of land would be acquired from the Port of
Seattle, including the 1.1-acre Belknap property, and between 26 and 53
acres from the Port of Seattle at Terminal 46. The acquired property at
Terminal 46 would provide 1,070 linear feet of new Coast Guard berthing
space. The alternative would provide flexible space for parking,
equipment staging, emergency storage, and other similar or related uses
would distributed throughout the current Base boundaries as well as on
acquired property at Terminal 46 acquired property. Alternative 1 would
include construction of several new facilities on Base.
Alternative 2: Modernization with Additional Land from Terminals 30
and 46. Alternative 2 would expand Base Seattle both to the north and
south. Under Alternative 2, many of the proposed infrastructure
modernization and expansion elements would occur within the current
Base boundaries or on land acquired at Terminal 30, and berthing
requirements would be satisfied by the development of two new berths to
the south at Pier 35 E/F. Land acquired at Terminal 46 would be used
for active cutter support services, material laydown areas for cutter
materials and equipment, and AT/FP setbacks. Existing Base Seattle
deficiencies would be resolved, AT/FP measures would be implemented,
and aging infrastructure would be upgraded to meet current building
codes (including seismic). Land acquisition under Alternative 2 would
include 21.5 to 29.5 acres of land with the majority being 13.5 to 21.5
acres at Terminal 30 and would include Jack Perry Memorial Park. Two
new berths would provide 1,120 linear feet (LF) of wharf space. The
berths would be constructed with one berth on currently owned Coast
Guard property and a second berth constructed on property acquired at
Terminal 30. Flexible space for parking, equipment staging, emergency
storage, and other similar or related uses would be distributed
throughout the current Base boundaries as well as a portion of the
newly acquired property at Terminal 30. Alternative 2 would include
construction of several new facilities on Base.
Alternative 3: Modernization with Additional Land and One Berth at
Terminal 46. Alternative 3 would expand Base Seattle to the north
through land acquisition at Terminal 46 and would infill the current
Base footprint by acquiring currently leased properties. Under
Alternative 3, many of the proposed infrastructure modernization and
expansion elements would occur within the current Base boundaries and
on land acquired at Terminal 46. These elements include satisfying
berthing requirements with construction of one new berth within the
current Base boundaries (Pier 35 E) and one additional existing berth
at Terminal 46. Under Alternative 3, existing Base Seattle deficiencies
would be resolved, AT/FP measures upgraded, and aging infrastructure
would be upgraded to meet current building codes (including seismic).
Under Alternative 3, the minimum acquired land would total
approximately 24.25 to 32.25 acres, with the majority of land 21.75 to
29.75 acres at Terminal 46. Under this alternative, one existing berth
totaling 560 LF would be acquired at Terminal 46. No further
modifications are required for this berth. A new berth would be
constructed on Coast Guard property at Pier 35 E. Work would likely
include typical construction for waterfront facilities, such as pile
and decking installation and possibly dredging. The construction
configuration and details for this berth are unknown at this time due
to the unknown extent of a Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) action that would have
to occur prior to any pier construction. Flexible space for parking,
equipment staging, emergency storage, and other similar or related uses
would be distributed throughout the current Base boundaries as well as
a portion of the newly acquired property at Terminal 46. Alternative 3
would include construction of several new facilities on Base.
No-Action Alternative. Under the No-Action Alternative, the Coast
Guard would not implement land acquisition, facility modernization
requirements, or infrastructure enhancements. Base Seattle would not be
upgraded to make it a suitable location to homeport up to eight future
major cutters. The No-Action Alternative would also eliminate the
possibility of Coast Guard personnel relocating to Base Seattle from
current facilities in downtown Seattle. Further, several buildings on
Base could be forced to reduce capacity or risk losing functionality
altogether if ongoing structural deterioration is not addressed.
Delaying necessary demolition and construction projects would result in
increased risks to the environment, the public, and the health and
safety of Coast Guard personnel and visitors. Selecting the No-Action
Alternative would significantly impair the Coast
[[Page 90304]]
Guard's ability to accomplish its operational mission requirements
throughout the Pacific Northwest and Arctic operational areas from Base
Seattle. The No-Action Alternative would also leave requirements
unfulfilled. The Coast Guard would not be able to continually comply
with its statutory mandated missions effectively and efficiently. This
alternative was analyzed in the PEIS to comply with Council of
Environmental Quality (CEQ) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Sec. 1502.14[c]) and
to provide a comparative baseline against which to evaluate impacts of
the Proposed Action and alternatives.
Resource areas analyzed in the Final PEIS include land use and
coastal zone management, geological resources, water resources,
transportation, air quality, biological resources, socioeconomics and
environmental justice, cultural resources, noise, utilities and public
services, hazardous materials and wastes, visual resources,
recreational resources, and greenhouse gases and climate change.
Based on the analysis presented in the Final PEIS, potentially
significant direct or indirect adverse impacts could occur to land use,
socioeconomics and environmental justice, and cultural resources.
Adverse cumulative impacts could occur to geological resources, water
resources, biological resources, cultural resources, hazardous
materials and wastes, and visual resources. Impacts to all other
resource areas would be less-than-significant or beneficial. Base
facilities and infrastructure improvements represent a long-term
development program that will require a multi-year capital investment
strategy. Specific projects may require additional NEPA evaluation and
compliance with other environmental laws and regulations when they are
programmed for implementation.
Following a 30-day waiting period, after publication of the
Environmental Protection Agency's NOA in the Federal Register, the
Coast Guard will announce its Record of Decision, which will be
published in the Federal Register.
Dated: November 5, 2024.
A. Grable,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Engineering
and Logistics.
[FR Doc. 2024-26393 Filed 11-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 15, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.