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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNEED_SEPA Approval_15-000185DEPARTMENTOFCOMMUNITYANDECONOMICDEVELOPMENTL1IDIINOTICEOFEXISTINGENVIRONMENTALDOCUMENTPursuanttoWAC197-11-600Noticeofexistingenvironmentaldocument,FinalDetailedProjectReportandEnvironmentalImpactStatement,CedarRiverSection205Renton,Washington(LUA97-192)DateofAdoption:May4,2015DateofOriginalEIS:January6,1998Proponent:CityofRentonProjectNumbers:LUA5-000185andLUA97492ProjectNames:CedarRiverMaintenanceDredgingProject(CedarRiverSection205Flood_Damage_Reduction_Project)Proposal/ConditionsAnalysis:TheCityofRentonSurfaceWaterDivisionhasrequestedthattheEnvironmentalReviewCommitteemakeadeterminationthattheexistingSEPA/NEPAElS(LUA97-192)evaluatedtheCedarRiverMaintenanceDredgeandissufficienttomitigateanyimpactsrelatedtothemaintenancedredgefLUA5-000185)withoutaSupplementalElS.PursuanttoWAC197-11-600anagencymayuseenvironmentaldocumentsthathavepreviouslybeenpreparedinordertoevaluateproposedactions,alternative,orenvironmentalimpacts.PursuanttoWAC197-11-600(3)(b)thepreparationofanewthresholddeterminationorsupplementalElSisrequiredinthefollowingcases:i)Substantialchangestoaproposalsothattheproposalislikelytohavesignificantadverseenvironmentalimpacts;orii)Newinformationindicatingaproposal’sprobablesignificanceadverseenvironmentalimpacts.AnewthresholddeterminationorSEISinnotrequiredifprobablesignificantadverseenvironmentalimpactsarecoveredbytherangeofalternativesandimpactsanalyzedintheexistingenvironmentaldocuments.TheproposedmaintenanceprojectisneededtomaintainadequatefloodconveyanceintheCedarRivertoprotectadjacentpropertiesasrequiredbytheProjectCooperationAgreementwiththeU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers(USACE)associatedwiththeinitialconstructionoftheLowerCedarRiverSection205FloodHazardReductionProjectin1998.TheproposedmaintenancedredgeextendsfromthemouthoftheCedarRiveratLakeWashingtonupstream NoticeofExistingEnvironmentalDocumentsPage2of5May8,2015approximately6,500feettotheWilliamsStreetBridge.Thissectionofriverwaslastdredgedin1998bytheUSACE,followingthepreparationandapprovalofaNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA)EnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS)fortheproject.TheNEPAElSwasadoptedbytheCityofRentontosatisfySEPA,viaCityfilenumberLUA97-192(Attached).TheSEPA/NEPAEISevaluatedalternatives,includingrequiredfuturemaintenancedredging,andidentifiedmitigationactionsthatwereimplementedforallinitialandfuturemaintenancedredgingimpacts.Maintenancedredgingwasoriginallyanticipatedtobeneededeverythreeyears,whichwasusedtoestablishprojectmitigationactions.Maintenancedredgingforthe205FloodHazardReductionProjecthasnotoccurredsincetheconceptionin1998;whichexceedstheidentifiedthresholdintheSEPA/NEPAEISby14years.The205FloodHazardReductionProjectalsoincludedthefollowingelements:futureperiodicmaintenancedredginganticipatedeverythreeyears;constructionoffloodwalls,leveesandlowberm;bankarmoring(riprap)alongtheleftbank;modificationtotheSouthBoeingBridge,includingburyingutilitiesandplacementofrock/concretebelowtheordinaryhighwatermark(OHWM);andcompensatorymitigationtooffsetimpacttofisheriesandassociatedhabitatresources.TheSEPA/NEPAEISevaluatedandrequiredmitigationfortheinitialconstructionandimpactsassociatedwiththeanticipatedfuturemaintenancedredging(every3years).ThefollowingisabrieflistoftherequiredmitigationfromtheSEPA/NEPAEIS(detailsareincludedintheattachedletterfromGeoEngineers,datedMarch18,2015),alternativemitigationcompletedfortheUSACEoverdredgeandtheimpactstoexistingmitigationfromtheNisquallyearthquake.1.1998:GroundwaterSideChannel(destroyedbyNisquallyearthquakein2001)2.1999:MaplewoodLargeWoodyDebrisLeveeProject3.2000:ElliotSpawningSideChannel(1998USACEover-dredgingmitigation,notoriginallyincludingintheSEPA/NEPAEIS)4.1999-2000:LowerCedarRiverriparianplantings5.2001to2011:Landsburgmitigation(annualgravelsupplementation,except2008)6.2010:RoyalHillsReplacementSpawningChannel(replacedGroundwaterSideChannel,notincludedintheoriginalSEPA/NEPAEIS)7.2012:ElliotSpawningChannelflooddamagerepairedGeoEngineersevaluatedtheminorchangesintheprojectandenvironmentsincetheoriginalSEPA/NEPAEISin1998(detailsintheattachedletter).Thefollowingisalistofminordifferencesbetweenthe1998anticipatedmaintenancedredgingandtodaysproposal:1.Advancementsindredgingtechnologies,whichwouldimprovetheaccuracyofdredgingactivatesandpromoteadherencetotheapproveddredgedesignswouldbeutilized.Thiswouldreducetheenvironmentalimpactoftheoverallmaintenanceproject.2.Disposalandpossiblereuseofdredgespoils.Thischangeisanticipatedtohavenoneteffectontheenvironmentalimpactsoftheproject.Infact,thereusemayresultinabeneficialeffectwhenusedonsitetofillvoidspacesinbankstabilizationmaintenancetoreducepredatoryfishhabitatandcreatehabitat/plantingbenches,asproposed. NoticeofExistingEnvironmentalDocumentsPage3of5May8,20153.Moreextensiveriparianplantings,whichareanticipatedtohaveabeneficialnetenvironmentaleffect.4.ListingofPugetSoundsteelheadunderthefederalEndangeredSpeciesActsincethetimeofthepreviousdredge.TheimpactsofthemaintenancedredgeonthisspecieswouldbegenerallyconsistentwiththeimpactstoChinooksalmon,whichwereevaluatedandmitigatedaspartofthe1998project.Assuch,thelistingofPugetSoundsteelheadisnotanticipatedtochangetheimpactanalysisandassociatedmitigationasoriginallyidentifiedin1998.5.WetlandshavebeenidentifiedintheCedarRiverChannelwithinthe205projectreach.Themaintenanceprojectisanticipatedtoimpact0.062acres(2,700sf)ofwetlands.TomitigatethisimpacttheapplicanthasproposedtobuymitigationBankCredits,whichwouldadequatelyoffsetprojectimpactsresultinginnonetenvironmentalimpact.6.Expandedmitigationproposedbeyondtheoriginal1998project,suchasfillingvoidsspacesinriprap,removalofasectionofexistinggabionbasketarmoring,andlightingimpactsreduction.Theadditionalmitigationisanticipatedtohaveabeneficialenvironmentalimpact(detailsonadditionalmitigationcanbefoundintheattachedletterfromGeoEngineers).GeoEngineersconcludesintheirletterthattheproposedCedarRivermaintenanceactivitieswereidentifiedintheoriginal1998SEPA/NEPAElSfortheprojectandwereaddressedintheregulatoryapprovalsandmitigationplanningforthe1998dredge.Theproposedmaintenanceprojecthasbeendesignedbasedontheoriginalapproveddesignfromthe1998project.Thescopeoftheprojectremainsthesameas1998withtheexceptionsasnotedaboveandasignificantreductiontoimpactsalongtheleftbank.CityStaffconcurswiththeGeoEngineersconclusionsasnotedaboveandhasdeterminedthattheproposedmaintenancedredgeisconsistentwithWAC197-11-600(3).Theproposedmaintenanceprojectwouldnotresultinsubstantialchangestothe1998proposalthatwouldresultinsignificantadverseenvironmentalimpacts.Inaddition,theexistingSEPA/NEPAEIShascovetedtheanticipatedenvironmentalimpactsthatwouldresultfromtheproposedmaintenancedredgeandmitigationwasadequatelyidentifiedandimplemented;therefore,theexistingenvironmentaldocumentationsatisfiestheSEPArequirementsforthesubjectprojectaspermittedinWAC197-11-600.TheCityofRentonhasdeterminedthattheexistingSEPA/NEPAElSissuedunderLUA97-192,CedarRiverSection205FloodDamageReductionProject,wouldmeetalltheagency’sresponsibilitiesunderSEPAtocovertheCedarRiverMaintenanceDredge,LUA15-000185,astheproposalhasminimalchangesandcomplieswithWAC197-11-600(3).Location:ExtendsfromthemouthoftheCedarRiveratLakeWashingtonupstream NoticeofExistingEnvironmentalDocumentsPage4of5May8,2015approximately6,500feettotheWilliamsStreetBridgeLeadAgency:CityofRenton,DepartmentofCommunity&EconomicDevelopmentReviewProcess:Adoptionofexistingenvironmentaldocuments,SEPA/NEPAEIS.AdditionalInformation:Ifyouwouldlikeadditionalinformation,pleasecontactVanessaDolbee,CurrentPlanningManager,CityofRentonPlanningDivision,DepartmentofCommunity&EconomicDevelopmentat(425)430-7314.Thereisnocommentperiodforthisdetermination,datedMay4,2015issuedbytheCityofRentonEnvironmentalReviewCommittee. NoticeofExistingEnvironmentalDocumentsPage5of5May1,2015ENVIRONMENTALREVIEWCOMMIHEESIGNATURES:C.E.“Chip”Vincent,AdministratorDepartmentofCommunity&EconomicDevelopment//IcDateGreggZimmerman,AdministratorDatePublicWorksDepartment/(/p;I14/iTerryHiga%iyamAdministratorDateCommunityServicesDepartment,/f///‘/r--i.MarkPeterson,1Administrator/DateFire&EmergencyServicesDepartment