[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61632-61633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24923]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-PWR-PWRO-10630; 9530-1000-SZM]
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Cattle Point Road
Relocation, San Juan Island National Historical Park, San Juan County,
Washington
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for Cattle Point Road Relocation, San Juan Island National
Historical Park.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), and the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the National Park Service (NPS)
and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with San
Juan County, Washington and the Washington State Department of Natural
Resources, have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final
EIS) for alternatives designed to respond to coastal bluff erosion that
threatens a segment of the Cattle Point Road located in San Juan Island
National Historical Park (Park), Washington. The Final EIS identifies
and analyzes three action alternatives for realignment of the road
through the park for use by residents and visitors traveling to the
east end of the Cattle Point peninsula. The potential environmental
consequences of these alternatives (and a no-action alternative which
would continue current road management), and appropriate measures to
minimize or avoid harm, are identified and analyzed.
Background: A 500-foot long segment of the Cattle Point Road, which
terminates on the southeastern tip of San Juan Island, is threatened by
coastal erosion at the base of the slope traversed by the road. This
road passes through the Park and serves residences on a peninsular area
of the island known as Cattle Point, as well as providing public access
to the Cattle Point Natural Resource Conservation Area, managed by the
Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). If erosion continues
unabated, the roadway eventually may fail, disrupting vehicular access
to these areas. The road is currently maintained by San Juan County
(County); the project area of potential effect is primarily within the
Park. The entire Park is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places as a National Historic Landmark.
A Notice of Intent to begin the conservation planning and
environmental impact analysis for the project was published in the
Federal Register on February 6, 2004. Public engagement was initiated
through a newsletter and news release, followed by two public meetings
held February 18, 2004, on San Juan Island. Project team members
presented information and gathered feedback and ideas on preliminary
alternatives and potential environmental issues. Approximately 30
public comments were received during the scoping period ending March
19, 2004. A Scoping Report was prepared which described the range of
potential alternatives identified for more detailed analysis, as well
as alternatives dismissed from further consideration (including
armoring the base of the slope in lieu of road realignment options).
The Scoping Report included comments and agency responses as
appendices. On June 17, 2004, the Scoping Report was issued, and a
notice posted on the Park Web site announced availability of the
document. Throughout 2005-2006 newsletters and press releases
summarizing progress on preparation of the EIS were distributed, and
the County and other agencies were periodically updated. The Washington
State Historic Preservation Officer provided concurrence with a
determination of No Adverse Effect on June 23, 2009.
The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS was published in the
Federal Register on September 7, 2010. Public engagement was initiated
through wide distribution of a newsletter. An article regarding pending
release of the Draft EIS was published September 1, 2010, in the
Journal of the San Juan Islands. A public open house was hosted by the
Park in the town of Friday Harbor on October 26, 2010 (approximately
three dozen persons attended). During the 60 day public comment period,
40 comment letters were received (23 by mail and 17 were submitted at
the open house); of this total, seven were from agencies and
organizations, and the remainder were received from individuals. No
substantially new information was received.
Proposal and Alternatives: Alternative A: No Action--The existing
use, maintenance, and management associated with the road would
continue without change. This alternative provides a baseline of
current conditions to aid comparison and analysis of the action
alternatives. Unless current management changes, erosion eventually
could cause the road to fail, disrupting vehicular access to
residential properties in the Cattle Point Estates and Cape San Juan
neighborhoods and to public lands east of the eroding bluff. Since
measurements began in 2002, erosion has moved approximately 14 feet
closer to the guard rail and is currently 32 feet from the guard rail
at its closest point. The continued life span of the road is difficult
to predict, however large storm events could potentially make the road
unsafe in a few years.
Life expectancy (relative to coastal erosion) of each of the three
action alternatives is estimated at approximately 100 years.
Alternative C: Long Tunnel on Minor Realignment
[[Page 61633]]
involves a short realignment (2,830 feet) relatively low on the slope
of Mt. Finlayson. Sixteen hundred feet of the realignment would be
within a bored tunnel. Maximum slope would be 7% gradient. Alternative
D: Mid-Slope Alignment with Short Tunnel involves mid-slope realignment
to the north of the existing road, utilizing a short tunnel near the
ridge line of Mt. Finlayson. Realignment length would be 4,700 feet,
775 feet of which would be within the tunnel. Maximum slope would be 8%
gradient.
The ``agency preferred'' alternative is Alternative B: Hybrid Mid-
Slope Realignment. This involves mid-slope realignment to the north of
the existing road, traversing the south-facing slope of Mt. Finlayson.
At its highest point, this alignment curves slightly south of the Mt.
Finlayson summit. The approximately 4,950 foot long realignment would
be entirely on the surface (no tunnel), with a short slope of 10.5%
gradient on the eastern end. This also is deemed to be the
``environmentally preferred'' course of action.
Not sooner than 30 days after publication by the Environmental
Protection Agency of its notice of filing of the Final EIS in the
Federal Register, a Record of Decision will be prepared. Because this
is a delegated EIS, the official responsible for the NPS decision is
the Regional Director, Pacific West Region. Subsequently the official
responsible for implementation of the approved road relocation project
is the Superintendent, San Juan Island National Historical Park.
Dated: September 26, 2012.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-24923 Filed 10-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MS-P