[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3010-3011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1670]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on 
General Development at the Acoustic Research Detachment, Bayview, ID

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) to evaluate the environmental effects of implementing a plan for 
General Development at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Acoustic 
Research Detachment (ARD) in Bayview, Idaho. Bayview is situated on 
Scenic Bay in the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille in Kootenai County, 
Idaho. Bayview is approximately 70 miles northeast of Spokane, 
Washington, 35 miles north of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, and approximately 
75 miles south of the Canadian border.
    The mission of the ARD is to support underwater acoustic research 
experiments. Lake Pend Oreille provides certain characteristics that 
provide an ideal acoustic and water quality environment for research 
experiments. The ARD operates facilities ashore and in Lake Pend 
Oreille. The shore facilities are generally 

[[Page 3011]]
divided into the Waterfront Industrial Area and Upland Base. The 
Waterfront Industrial Area, located along the lake shoreline, is suited 
to water access, berthing, and equipment maintenance facilities. The 
Upland Base, located on a bluff above the shoreline, is suited to 
administrative facilities. Currently, functions and facilities are 
scattered among dispersed facilities causing inefficiency in 
operations. Planning for future operations at ARD has identified a need 
to consolidate dispersed facilities and functions, bringing together 
related functions for an increased operations efficiency.
    Two alternative programs for improvements to both the Waterfront 
Industrial Area and the Upland Base have been identified to accomplish 
this goal. These alternatives will focus on design and configuration 
options for two principal developmental projects. These projects are 
the construction and operation of a Model Engineering and Support 
Facility (MESF) and an Acoustic Test and Analysis Center (ATAC). The 
EIS will address the environmental impacts of these two projects and 
associated capital improvements in comparative analysis. The EIS will 
also address ARD operations supported by these facilities, including 
acoustic experimentation in Lake Pend Oreille. The No Action 
alternative would result in continuing operations at ARD and using the 
existing facilities without change.
    The proposed MESF is needed to improve waterborne operational 
efficiency. It would incorporate an interior model life well, storage, 
maintenance shop, and laboratory space. It would replace an existing 
barge which is not adequate to support mission requirements of storage 
and handling capacity. As proposed, the MESF is a pile-supported 
structure over a dredged slip area used for retrieving models from the 
lake. Several design options are available for environmental analysis, 
including a pile support option, a floating barge support option, and 
no-dredge model slip option.
    The proposed ATAC would consolidate project management, computer 
centers, record storage, and conference facilities with Waterfront 
Industrial area shop functions in a new facility located near the 
present site of Building 1. The proposed ATAC would replace the 
existing Building 1 and provide additional vehicle maneuverability and 
laydown space along the shoreline within the Waterfront Industrial 
Area. Building 1 would be demolished. In the alternative design option 
for this facility project, management, computer, storage, and 
conference functions would be located in a new facility in the Upland 
Base. The Waterfront Industrial Area shops would be consolidated in a 
new building to be located near Building 1; Building 1 would also be 
demolished under this alternative.
    In addition to construction of these facilities, the proposed 
action includes a number of other associated capital improvements in 
the Waterfront Industrial Area and Upland Base. Improvements in the 
Waterfront Industrial Area would include extension of the floating log-
boom wave diffuser, construction of a pier to the existing model 
support platform, and relocation and construction of a new hazardous 
materials handling facility. The new construction would require removal 
of 1940's vintage buildings and other temporary structures. Associated 
with these improvements are bank stabilization projects to protect the 
lake and Navy resources. Improvements to the Upland Base would include 
the relocation of the main gate and entry road, expansion of the main 
parking lot, and construction of a new recreation activity area.
    The EIS will discuss environmental impacts resulting from 
construction and operation of these facilities, mitigation measures, 
and indirect environmental impacts to area land use patterns. 
Significant environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS will 
include, but not limited to, impacts on water quality, shoreline 
habitat, threatened and endangered species, groundwater, land use, 
transportation, noise, utilities, aesthetics, air quality, cultural 
resources, and environmental justice. Cumulative impacts associated 
with the implementation of the proposed action, including associated 
operations, will also be considered.
    Federal, State and local agencies, and interested individuals are 
encouraged to participate in the scoping process to determine the range 
of issues and general development of alternatives to be addressed by 
the EIS. A public scoping meeting to receive oral and written comments 
will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 1996, at the Bayview Community 
Center, 16304 Perimeter Road, Bayview, Idaho 83803, at 7 p.m. In the 
interest of available time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral 
comments to five minutes. To be most helpful, scoping comments should 
clearly describe specific issues or topics which the commentor believes 
the EIS should address.

ADDRESSES. Written comments should be sent to the address listed below 
and submitted no later than March 15, 1996 to become part of the 
official record. Questions regarding the scoping process should also be 
addressed to: Commanding Officer, Engineering Field Activity Northwest; 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 19917 Seventh Avenue NE, Poulsbo, 
WA 98370-7579 (Attn: Mr. Peter Havens, Code 232PH), telephone (360) 
396-0916, fax (360) 396-0854.

    Dated: January 25, 1996.
M.D. Schetzsle,
Lt, JAGC, USNR, Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-1670 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M