PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
DETERMINATION OF NONSIGNIFICANCE
WAC 197-11-970
Project Name: Port of Tacoma Pierce County Terminal (PCT) Maintenance Dredging Project
Description of proposal: The Port of Tacoma needs to perform maintenance dredging at the Pierce County
Terminal (PCT) facility located along the Blair Waterway in order to remove shoaling areas that are
preventing vessels from being fully loaded with cargo. “Light loading” vessels is causing economic impacts
and safety concerns. The proposed maintenance dredging will remove shoaling caused by propwash along
the berthing areas at Pierce County Terminal allowing the terminal operator to resume normal operations.
The purpose of the proposed pro-
ject is to restore the berthing areas at PCT to the permitted depth of -51
feet MLLW, with an incidental 2-foot over-dredge allowance. Maintenance dredging is needed to allow
normal operation at the terminals to resume. The current conditions do not allow for full vessel loading
(economic impact) and could lead to grounding out of vessels (safety issue). To achieve this purpose,
the Port must dredge up to 28,000 CY of sediments, of which up to roughly 13,000 CY is over dredge.
The proposed maintenance dredging is the minimum work needed to return the terminal to normal
operations
Proponent: Port of Tacoma
Location of proposal, including street address, if any: The project location is the berth area of the Port’s
PCT Terminal: 4015 SR-509 N. Frontage Rd Tacoma, WA 98421
Lead agency: Port of Tacoma
The lead agency for this proposal has determined that the project does not have a probable significant adverse
impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required under Revised Code of
Washington (RCW) 43.21C.030(2)(c). This decision was made after review of a completed environmental
checklist and other information on file with the lead agency. Additional project and/or State Environmental Policy
Act (SEPA) information is available upon request at the Port of Tacoma’s Administrative building, located at One
Sitcum Plaza, Tacoma, WA 98421 or at the Port’s website at http://www.portoftacoma.com/sepa.
Comments and Request for Reconsideration: This Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) is issued
under Chapter 197-11-340(2) Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Pursuant to Port policy, all interested parties shall have fourteen calendar days to comment on the proposed SEPA threshold determination. Only those who commented within the fourteen-day comment period shall have standing to file a Request for Reconsideration. Any challenge to a SEPA threshold determination shall be initiated by
filing a Request for Reconsideration with the Responsible Official or designee no later than seven calendar days following the end of the fourteen-day comment period for the SEPA determination. The lead agency will not act on this proposal for fourteen days from the start date of the comment period described below. Comments shall be submitted to the Port of Tacoma, Environmental Programs, C/O Heather Curbow at One Sitcum Plaza, Tacoma, WA 98421 or at the Port’s website at http://www.portoftacoma.com/sepa.
Comment Start Date: September 8, 2022
Comment End Date: September 22, 2022
Request for Reconsideration End Date: September 29, 2022 IDX-962128
September 1, 2022
