PORT HADLOCK — The U.S. Navy is asking for public comment on its plans to build new missile magazines at Naval Magazine Indian Island.
The Navy is proposing to replace three World War II igloo-style magazines on the west side of the island with five new high explosive magazines, according to the draft environmental assessment.
“The purpose of the proposed action is to provide safe storage of modern ordnance to support U.S. Pacific Fleet operations,” the Navy said in a news release Wednesday.
“The existing magazines are not large enough for modern ordnance, and there are insufficient numbers of magazines to support U.S. Pacific Fleet operations.”
Indian Island is the Navy’s ammunition ordnance storage center for the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet. It loads, offloads and stores ordnance used on Navy vessels.
The magazines on the island are concrete, dome-like above-ground structures covered with grass. Naval Magazine Indian Island is the only deep-water ordnance facility on the West Coast with no access restrictions, such as shallow bridges or water.
The draft environmental assessment is available at: http://go.usa.gov/tAr4. The Navy is accepting written comments. The comment period, which began Friday, ends Feb 12.
The Navy issued a news release about the draft environmental assessment project Wednesday, five days into the comment period.
The document proposes one course of action, referred to as the “preferred alternative,” in addition to a “no action” alternative.
Navy officials hope to have a Record of Decision signed in the spring, said Phillip L. Guerrero, public affairs officer.
The Navy wants to build five new magazines specifically engineered for storage of missiles, construct a pre-engineered metal building to store inert materials, provide a two-stall charging station for two forklifts and construct about 3,500 feet of new road.
Construction would begin this summer and end in 2020, according to the draft environmental assessment.
The Navy would clear about 13 acres of second growth forest during the project.
The Navy says in the draft environmental assessment that increasing capacity for missile storage does not pose a public safety risk.
“The preferred alternative would not result in any environmental health risks or safety risks to children,” the draft environmental assessment says. “Therefore, no impacts to public health and safety are anticipated.”
Indian Island is restricted from public access, except for an easement that allows people to drive to Marrowstone Island. There are no schools, daycare centers or housing on the island.
The Navy had considered renovating the magazines, but they are too small and not rated for the amount of explosives the Navy says it needs to store there, it said.
The Navy also considered storing the weapons at other installations outside the Northwest. The Navy also ruled out building the magazines on other areas of Magazine island.
“Land uses within a certain distance of each ordnance storage facility are restricted to assure protection of life and property in the event of an accident,” the draft environmental assessment says.
Written comments may be sent by email to NWNEPA@navy.mil, or mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle, Room 203, Silverdale, WA 98315, Attn: NEPA Project Manager (Missile Magazines at NAVMAG Indian Island).
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
