PORT ANGELES — Congress has approved $20.6 million for a pier and support facilities on Ediz Hook for Naval Base Kitsap submarine escort vessels.
The project could generate 267 jobs during construction, according to an environmental assessment of the project.
The funding, for fiscal year 2016, was in a military construction budget Congress approved Friday as part of a $1.15 trillion spending bill.
The Navy’s preferred Alternative 1 for what’s called a Transit Protection System was penned in at $27 million in construction costs in a draft environmental assessment issued in November.
It’s available at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Hookpier.
Public comment on the draft environmental assessment will be taken through Jan. 28.
The review foresees the project creating $10.5 million in wages during construction, which would begin next fall and last up to 18 months.
“Most construction positions are expected to be filled locally, and induced effects on spending for goods and services would provide an overall benefit to the local and regional economy,” according to the assessment.
Annual operating costs are estimated at $180,000 and annual wages at $72,000.
The assessment describes the pier and support facilities for escort vessels that would accompany ballistic-missile submarines to and from dive-surface points used during exercises in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, according to the environmental assessment.
Alternative 1
Under Alternative 1, the facilities — which would include an armory, offices and sleeping areas for 20 to 30 people — would be located within a quarter-mile inside the entrance gate to Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles.
Pier space would be built for up to seven vessels, ranging from 33 feet to 250 feet, that would comprise the Transit Protection System.
The ships would dock at the facility to provide a forward staging location for escort vessels and Coast Guard crews who “routinely exceed their underway hour limits, often for multiple days,” which puts them out of compliance with Coast Guard requirements, according to the environmental assessment.
Public meeting
Navy Region Northwest spokesman Chris Haley said Tuesday that a two-hour public meeting on the project continues to be slated at 6 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St., Port Angeles.
Attendees can expect an open-house style meeting, with information stations set up to address questions about particular topics concerning the project, and can submit written comments.
“We need to do outreach and engage and understand what the impacts are of our proposed plan,” Haley said.
The project is still undergoing review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Four alternatives
There are four alternatives, three of which are in the area of the Coast Guard station and one of which is a no-action plan.
Preferred Alternative 1 would extend into state Department of Natural Resources’ aquatic lease lands leased by Icicle Seafoods for floating fish pens.
Alternative 2 would be located on a jetty east of the entrance gate and cost $30.7 million.
Building it there would cut off access to a popular scuba-diving site known as the rock pile, which is not a designated recreation site.
“Other diving opportunities are present in the general area,” according to the environmental assessment.
Alternative 3 would be at the east end of the Coast Guard station near an abandoned runway and cost $33.6 million.
“At the end of NEPA, we will determine which alternative is the most appropriate and how to limit the impacts of that decision,” Haley said.
The assessment does not address the impacts of vessel movement activities but does examine activities while ships are moored there.
Restrictions
Kayakers and other recreational boaters who navigate along the south shore of the Hook would be restricted from entering the Naval Protection Zone while vessels are moored or around the Transit Protection System pier.
Though the aquatic area open to public use would be reduced, “this would not result in the loss of any designated recreation area or park, and would not be a significant impact on recreation,” according to the assessment.
In addition, small non-motorized watercraft such as kayaks and canoes that ply close to shore on the south side of the Hook would be temporarily banned from entering the in-water construction area.
Noise during construction
Visitors to the popular Hook would experience noise increases during the pile-driving phase of construction, which would occur between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Under all three action alternatives, the increase in noise levels “could result in annoyance and interference with outdoor speech and communication,” according to the assessment.
Under Alternative 1, it would last up to four hours a day for up to 75 days over 18 weeks and would be conducted during daylight hours.
The nearby Puget Sound Pilots Station would be most affected by Alternatives 1 and 2.
Under Alternative 2, pile driving would occur 15 days over five weeks 350 feet west of the Pilots Station.
Under Alternative 2, “earplugs could be used to reduce noise during pile driving,” according to the assessment.
Written comments on the draft environmental assessment can be submitted to Commanding Officer, NAVFAC NW, Attn: NEPA PM, 1101 Tautog Circle, Silverdale, WA 98315-1101; or emailed to NWNEPA@navy.mil.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
