Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Elliott Bay Seawall Project, Seattle, WA, 30004-30005 [2010-12878]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
• Engineers Corps
• Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 103 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30004-30005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12878]


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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.

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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 patrick.t.cagney@usace.army.mil

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 patrick.t.cagney@usace.army.mil 
.

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]
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