The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking comments on a permit application from the U.S. Navy to construct and operate a second Explosives Handling Wharf (EHW-2) at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor (Bangor) in support of its submarine fleet.
The proposed project involves construction of a pile-supported wharf and access trestles, installation of a ramp and float, and construction of an access road. The wharf and access trestle component involves the following elements: drive up to 1,250 steel pipe piles ranging in diameter from 24 to 48-inches, drive up to 150 steel falsework piles, 36-inches in diameter (piling to be removed upon construction completion), construct a 632- by 250-foot overwater wharf consisting of precast concrete sections supported on cast-in-place concrete pile caps, a 688- by 40-foot warping wharf, six 30- by 30-foot lightning protection towers, install lighting on and under the wharf and approach trestles and over the surrounding water, construct 81,208 square feet of overwater approach trestles comprised of precast concrete deck sections supported on cast in place concrete pile caps, excavate up to 300 cubic yards of material and place up to 70 cubic yards of rock and gravel bedding material to construct an abutment at the shore, and install an 80- by 3.5-foot grated ramp and a 35- by 18-foot concrete float. Construction of the access road involves excavating up to 560 cubic yards and placing up to 600 cubic yards of 8-inch minus gravel in a wetland.
The Navy proposes compensatory mitigation at two offsite locations and includes restoration to be conducted at Shine Tidelands State Park and preservation of aquatic resources and habitat at Dabob Bay. The Navy proposes to restore, enhance, and preserve marine and intertidal habitat on property owned by Washington State Parks in Hood Canal. This mitigation action would use a combination of enhancement, restoration, and preservation as the compensatory mitigation mechanism.
As an alternative, the Navy proposes to use the Hood Canal Coordinating Council (HCCC) In-Lieu Fee (ILF) program to meet requirements for compensatory mitigation if it is approved and has credits available for use. The HCCC ILF was the subject of a separate Public Notice issued by the Corps Aug. 24, 2011. The notice can be viewed at www.nws.usace.army.mil/ by selecting “Regulatory/Permits” then “Public Notices” then click on the “Public Notice Archives” link at the bottom of the page.
The proposed project is the subject of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by the U.S. Navy. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published March 18, 2011 and a Supplement to the DEIS was published Oct. 7, 2011. The Navy will prepare a Final EIS. The Corps is a cooperating agency on the EIS. The documents can be viewed at https://www.nbkeis.com/ehw/
The Corps will review the proposal as required in accordance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act.
Interested parties can find the complete public notice for the application on-line at:
http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/documents/REG/NWS-2009-572-PN.pdf
The Corps is accepting comments on the proposal until Feb. 26. Comments may be sent via e-mail to catherine.m.blackwell@usace.army.mil or via mail to:
Catherine Blackwell, CENWS-OD-RG, PO Box 3755, Seattle, WA 98124-3755
Release no. 12-001