Draft Finding of No Significant Impact

Transcription

1 Draft Finding of No Significant Impact Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore Training Exercise for Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Response to a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake and Tsunami Introduction Cascadia Rising is an international, multi-agency training exercise designed to simulate emergency field response operations following a major Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Conducting successful response operations in the aftermath of a natural disaster requires effective coordination and integration of governments at all levels, as well as non-governmental organizations and the private sector. One of the primary goals of Cascadia Rising is to train and test a whole community approach to complex disaster operations as a joint team. The Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) component of the Cascadia Rising training exercise would demonstrate and assess the ability of United States (U.S.) Department of the Army (Army), U.S. Navy (Navy), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and Washington Army National Guard (WNG) joint assets to provide logistical support to disaster response efforts. JLOTS exercises are sponsored by U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). Logistics Over-The-Shore (LOTS) is the process of loading and unloading ships without port facilities, so that equipment and cargo can be moved from ship to shore at inadequate or damaged ports or over a bare beach. JLOTS is the integration of multiple military assets working together under a joint task force to conduct LOTS operations. USTRANSCOM has designated the U.S. Army to be the lead service in the conduct of JLOTS operations. Under the Cascadia Rising training scenario, it is expected that severe damage to existing ports, airports, roads, and bridges will require the implementation of JLOTS capabilities to establish supply lines for life-saving and life-supporting response efforts. The planned exercise is proposed to use these capabilities at four locations in Washington State. The draft Environmental Assessment (EA), prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on behalf of the Army, evaluates the impacts of the proposed JLOTS component of the Cascadia Rising training exercise. Purpose and Need The purpose of executing JLOTS training exercises is to provide an opportunity for Service personnel to gain and improve amphibious competencies at a location that allows for the focused assemblage and execution of logistics movement from the offload to locations inland. Completing these training exercises as a part of the Cascadia Rising training also provides the opportunity to integrate the JLOTS capabilities with a multi-agency disaster response operation and demonstrates these capabilities to the public. The Proposed Action is needed for the joint military assets to conduct realistic JLOTS training exercises to ensure continued readiness. The Cascadia Rising training exercise provides a unique opportunity to allow military commands to practice their individual skills as well as prepare for joint operations, where multiple units, multiple commands, and multiple services 1

2 work together with local, state, and Federal agencies as well as non-governmental agencies and Tribes. The training aims to validate, enhance, and refine tactics, techniques, procedures, and doctrine for JLOTS operations. This ultimately provides the U.S. military the capability to move cargo across the surf zone, onto land, and to inland areas in support of military missions, including the provision of aid for disaster relief. Description of the Proposed Action The proposed JLOTS action alternative would take place at four locations in western Washington: the Port of Tacoma, Naval Magazine Indian Island, Vashon Island, and Solo Point. Transport of material between sites would include waterborne distribution as well as ground transportation. The following sections outline what activities are proposed at each of the four western Washington locations. Port of Tacoma The U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) Pier, also known as Pier 23, at the Port of Tacoma would serve as the overall mission command node (hub) for the JLOTS portion of the Cascadia Rising exercise. The exercise scenario at this site presumes that the port is largely destroyed with only one usable pier remaining. Tasks at this site would be to receive cargo sent for support, stage equipment in the marshalling yard by commodity, process requests for on-ship movement of cargo to Indian Island and Vashon Island, and establish interoperability between JLOTS and other non-military Cascadia Rising exercise participants. The USAR pier currently features a logistics support vessel (LSV), barge derrick crane, and a large tug berthed at the pier; these would be utilized in the operations. A large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off (LMSR) cargo ship would also be contracted for the exercise. Additional cargo, trucks, material handling equipment (MHE) and modular causeway components would be shipped via rail to the Port of Tacoma from Virginia. The Army s modular causeway system (MCS) is an assemblage of interoperable and interchangeable components which constitute the Army's primary means of augmenting existing port facilities, or conducting LOTS operations where no port is available. The MCS is comprised of powered and non-powered floating platforms and that can be configured in multiple ways. Modular Warping Tugs, components of the MCS, power the causeway ferries. All operations at this site would be under an Army command. Operations at the Port of Tacoma would include cargo delivery and transport to the USAR Center and augmented pier, crane operations for movement of cargo at the pier (lift-on/lift-off operations), as well as bare beach landings (roll-on/roll-off operations). Bare beach operations at the Port of Tacoma would take place at a landing site adjacent to the USAR pier. This site would be used for roll-on/roll-off operations, with cargo discharged directly onto shore from LSV s and/or causeway ferries. Suitable space is available at the site for a marshalling yard/staging area on existing paved surfaces. No construction is required for these operations. Vessels would land between existing piles. 2

3 Naval Magazine Indian Island Operations at Naval Magazine (NAVMAG) Indian Island would include cargo delivery and transport (lift-on/lift-off and roll-on/roll-off operations) and liquid transfer activities conducted under a Naval command. Four activity locations have been proposed. Approximately 900 Sailors and Soldiers are expected at this location. During JLOTS operations at Indian Island, one prepositioning ship and one chartered vessel containing cargo, supplies, and equipment would be anchored in Port Townsend Bay. The cargo would consist of approximately 200 pieces of rolling stock (i.e. wheeled vehicles), MHE, and up to foot containers. During the exercise the cargo, supplies, and equipment would be offloaded using a variety of craft, including: Improved Navy Lighterage Systems (INLS), LSVs, and Landing Craft Utility (LCU). The INLS is a system of powered and non-powered barge systems that are used to transport containerized assets, rolling stock to include tracked and wheeled vehicles, or a combination thereof. Lighterage is the transportation of cargo by flat bottomed barges, also known as lighters. One configuration of the INLS is known as a Roll-On/Roll-Off Discharge Facility (RRDF). An RRDF is a floating platform that is placed underfoot the stern or side port ramps depending on the class of cargo ship. A ramp can then be lowered from the ship to the RRDF such that vehicles can be driven off of the ship onto the floating platform. Smaller landing craft can moor to the RRDF and load the vehicles and cargo for transport to the shore. A second configuration of the INLS is known as a causeway ferry. The causeway ferry is used as a transport for vehicles and large cargo from ship to shore, and has a top speed of 12 knots. The causeway ferry assembly includes a Power section (with engine and controls), an Intermediate section, and a Beach section (with ramp). In addition to the causeway ferry, other landing vessels may be used to transport vehicles and cargo from the ship to the shore. Cargo could be loaded onto the vessels via the RRDF or using the ship s crane. Vessel operations would use existing chartered navigable waterways that are available for public use and would follow all applicable navigation rules. The JLOTS afloat operations should not interfere with normal boating traffic between NAVMAG Indian Island and Port Hadlock/Port Townsend. A Notice to Mariners would be issued regarding this exercise. For all vessel landings, no anchor drops would be done (nor are permitted) within 300 feet of the shoreline (mean higher high water), due to the presence of eelgrass beds. Exercises at NAVMAG Indian Island would also include training in force security. Waterborne force protection is typical in an exercise, and would be provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and would include area patrols by up to six small (28 to 34 feet) security boats that are stationed around supply ships. Vashon Island A National Guard training exercise will be occurring on Vashon Island in conjunction with the Cascadia Rising event. JLOTS would assist the National Guard Soldiers with transport to and from the island, giving the JLOTS team training on landings under different conditions, 3

4 demonstrate the ability to assist island communities that could be isolated during a disaster as well as show the interoperability of the various military Services during disaster relief. On 7 June 2015, up to 40 National Guard vehicles would be loaded onto LSUs or a causeway ferry for transport to Vashon Island. These vehicles would be onloaded at Solo Point at JBLM. At Vashon Island, the boat ramp at Jensen Point would be used to discharge Soldiers and cargo at the beginning of the training event. Activities would involve LSUs and/or causeway ferries approaching the boat ramp and discharging cargo at the ramp. The offload would be scheduled for high tide, however if the ramp is unexpectedly inaccessible, a bare beach landing would be completed. If a bare beach landing is used, mats would be placed onto the beach to reduce the impacts of vehicles on the beach sediments. A forklift would be used to move parking barriers out of the way, replacing them at the end of the offload. Cargo would include 35 to 40 vehicles which would be moved to an offsite location. Vehicles could stage for a short duration within the parking area at the site, though site size limitations require minimal onsite staging. The offloading is expected to take a maximum of three hours. The park would be reserved for the event, but would still be open to the public. Public access would be available in limited areas to maintain public safety during offloading and vehicle movement. A viewing area would be available for spectators. On 9 June 2015, a public demonstration and media event is also proposed for this site. As on 7 June, LSUs and/or Causeway Ferries would approach the area and offload vehicles. The vehicles would travel a short duration and return to reload onto the vessel for departure. The park would again be reserved for this event with public access limited to safe areas. On 11 June 2015, JLOTS would assist the National Guard with their retreat from the island and return to Solo Point. The actions would essentially be the reverse of 7 June, with vehicles travelling to Jensen Point for loading onto JLOTS vessels either via the ramp or potentially via the bare beach. Mats would be used to protect the beach if a bare beach landing is required. The park would again be reserved for this event with public access limited to safe areas. Solo Point Solo Point is an existing gravel beach on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). This beach has been used for bare beach landings and other training events in the past. Solo Point is also a popular recreational area for Soldiers. As part of the Cascadia Rising Training, the existing boat ramp at this site would be used for landing of Army landing vessels for roll-on/roll-off operations. As discussed above, on 7 June 2015, up to 40 National Guard vehicles would be loaded onto boats or a causeway ferry for transport to Vashon Island. On 11 June, the vehicles would be offloaded at Solo Point, returning from Vashon Island. No Action Alternative The No Action Alternative would include the computer simulated portions of the Cascadia Rising training and the other military exercises (Ardent Sentry, Vigilant Guard, and Ultimate Caduceus), however the JLOTS actions would not be included. The National Guard exercise on Vashon Island would also continue with the Soldiers and equipment accessing the island via the State ferry system, though potentially with fewer vehicles and personnel. The No Action 4

5 Alternative, with the removal of JLOTS activities from the Cascadia Rising exercise, would be a lost training opportunity for the JLOTS team in the installation of their amphibious competencies and a lost opportunity to test their integration capabilities with the various exercise participants. This would also limit the effectiveness of the Cascadia Rising training for other participants as they would lose the opportunity to test their integration capabilities with JLOTS and miss the opportunity to better understand the methods of cargo import without fully functional ports. Summary of Anticipated Environmental Effects Associated with the Proposed Project The draft EA, which is attached and incorporated by reference into this draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI), examined the potential effects of the proposed action on areas of environmental concern, consisting of: air quality; noise; public safety; socioeconomics; land use and recreation; land transportation; cultural resources; wetlands and shoreline resources; water quality; visual resources; bathymetry, sediments, topography, and soils; vegetation; fish, wildlife and birds; and threatened and endangered species. Environmental Effects to Resources in the Proposed Project Area Resource Area No Action Alternative Port of Tacoma/ NAVMAG Indian Island/ Vashon Island/ Solo Point Air quality Temporary, insignificant increase in local emissions. Ambient Noise Short duration of increased noise at several project locations. Public Safety No immediate impact, however the lost opportunity for disaster response training could reduce the effectiveness of the overall Cascadia Rising Training Event 5 No negative impact expected. A beneficial impact of increased capability for humanitarian aid and disaster response is expected. Socioeconomics Overall impacts to the socioeconomics of the region would be minimal and temporary. No long-term impacts would be expected. Land Use and Recreation Land Transportation National Guard transit to Vashon Island would occur via the State ferry causing temporary traffic delays/impacts. No permanent land use changes would occur as a result of the proposed action. Short-term changes or interruptions may occur during the proposed activities, including temporary, brief closures or restrictions of recreational activities. The increase of vehicles along the highways would be minimal compared to daily traffic volumes and would be absorbed into routine traffic. Local roads may experience increased traffic volumes during the peak movements of trucks, however these will be of short duration. No significant impact to land

6 Cultural Resources Wetlands and Shoreline Resources 6 transportation is expected. Impacts are still being assessed, however no significant impact to cultural resources is expected. By maintaining adequate buffers, limiting beach landings to boat ramps, and avoiding anchoring in eelgrass areas, no impacts to wetlands or shoreline resources is anticipated. Water Quality All actions would be short in duration with no permanent structures built. No significant impact to water quality is expected. Visual Resources Bathymetry, Sediments, Topography, and Soils No permanent change to visual resources would occur as a result of the proposed actions. Short-term changes or interruptions may occur during the activities proposed at each location. Ship movement and anchoring could have minor, short-term, localized disturbances of the seafloor. Movement of rolling stock and landing craft could disturb the shoreline for a short duration in a localized area. No significant impact to bathymetry, sediments, topography and soils would be expected. Vegetation Disturbed grassy areas would be reseeded. No other vegetation impacts are expected. Fish, Wildlife, and Birds Threatened and Endangered Species Training activities could temporarily displace fish, birds and mammals due to increased noise, lighting, vessel movements, and human presence. Impacts would be negligible as the action areas are regularly used for similar activities, similar habitats are available nearby for relocation, and the overall short duration of the training exercise. The proposed actions are not likely to adversely affect listed species or their protected habitats because of the shortterm and temporary nature of the proposed actions, and the use of best management practices and conservation measures.

7 Cumulative Effects At the Port of Tacoma, given the highly modified state of the port, the cumulative effects of the JLOTS training exercise on biological and other environmental resources is expected to be negligible. The project is not likely to adversely affect federally-listed bull trout, Chinook salmon, and steelhead because of the short project duration and the use of best management practices and conservation measures that protect water quality, aquatic vegetation, and shoreline habitat. No cumulative effects are expected to occur to ESA listed rockfish, marbled murrelet, and southern resident killer whales since their occurrence in the project area is extremely rare. Ongoing Navy activities at NAVMAG Indian Island, including natural resource management and forest thinning, would generate noise on a temporary basis in the upland environment. Three future projects not associated with the JLOTS exercise, include Building 833 heat pump, missile magazines, and aboveground shore power to Ammunition Wharf would generate temporary noise during construction. The short-duration of JLOTS training activities could overlap with construction noise from present or future actions, however any cumulative impacts to the ambient noise of the area are anticipated to be minor. On Vashon Island, a significant amount of the shoreline of Quartermaster Harbor is developed, primarily as residences. At Jensen Point the entire shoreline is lined with houses. Although Jensen Point is not typically used for military offloading, the area is used as a public boat ramp. The JLOTS training event at Jensen Point would be temporary and of very short duration (maximum of 3 hours each, for a total of three times). No permanent alterations or structures would be constructed at this site that would impact or change the landscape and natural processes of the area. Use of the existing public boat ramp or bare beach landings at high tide with mats placed above mean higher high water (MHHW) would avoid or minimize cumulative effects to biological resources at Jensen Point. Since the proposed action at Solo Point would be a onetime occurrence lasting only two days using existing infrastructure, cumulatively the effects to all resources would overall be minimal. In combination with the other noise and air emission generating activities on JBLM, the proposed training would only slightly add to the noise and air emission generating activities during the training. The proposed training would be of short duration and consistent with other on-going activities at JBLM and therefore would only negligibly contribute to effects on biological resources and recreation. Public Comment The Army will publish a Notice of Availability for the draft EA and draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) on 9 March 2016, in the Tacoma News Tribune, Olympian, Tacoma Weekly, Port Townsend and Jefferson County Leader, Vashon Island Beachcomber, and Peninsula Daily News. Notice of Availability post cards will be mailed to all entities within the EA s distribution also on this date. To be considered for the project, all comments should be received by 8 April All comments will be considered, and many will be incorporated into the final EA. Individual responses to all comments received will be located in an Appendix of the final EA. 7

8 Best Management Practices and Conservation Measures Several best management practices and conservation measures will be employed during JLOTS activities to avoid and minimize the adverse effects of the proposed actions. These are listed below by location. All locations If any large woody debris must be moved from the shoreline to create safe landing areas, the material will be placed to the side during the training event and replaced to the original location upon completion of the training activities. Offshore refueling would be conducted under existing Navy/Coast Guard and state rules and regulations. A containment system, including absorbent booms, would be established and regularly inspected. Onshore refueling of vehicles or equipment would not occur within 150 feet from any water body or wetland. A secondary containment area would be established prior to fueling activities to contain any spills. All fuel hoses, transfer valves, fittings, etc. will be checked regularly for drips or leaks and shall be maintained and stored properly to prevent spills. To lessen any noise disturbance and emissions output, vehicles would be required to minimize idling. Disturbed grassy areas would be reseeded with native grasses at the end of the training. All artificial lights would be directed at the ground, away from the water and forested areas, focusing on work areas. Military ships would have personnel assigned to stand watch at all times when moving through the water. Vashon Island Roll-on/roll-off landings would occur on the boat ramp, if possible. If the boat ramp is too narrow to accommodate safe landings, bare beach landings would occur only at high tide to avoid impacts to aquatic vegetation. Mats would also be placed onto the beach above MHHW to reduce the impacts of vehicles on beach sediments if boat ramps are not used. Solo Point All landings will be restricted to the boat ramp. NAVMAG Indian Island All landings will be restricted to the seaplane/boat ramps. No anchor drops will occur within 300 feet of MHHW in order to protect eelgrass beds. Gray water from kitchens and showers will be collected and brought to a wastewater treatment plant for proper treatment and disposal. Portable latrines and a dumpster service will be available for proper and safe collection and disposal of other wastes. 8

9 Discharge rates from the IPDS will be slow to ensure that the activity would not disturb sediment to cause turbidity impacts. Conclusion I have considered the results of the analysis referenced above, comments received, and Army mission requirements. In review of the resource areas potentially impacted by the proposed action of the JLOTS 2016 training exercise, it was found that the preferred alternative would have no significant environmental impacts on the natural or human environment. Based on this documentation, which has incorporated or referenced the best information available, I have taken a hard look at known impacts and determined that the implementation of the proposed action, with the conservation measures referenced above, will not significantly affect the environment and therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement is not needed. Date STACY S. TOWNSEND COL, LG Commanding 9