Submitted by The Port of Olympia
The Port Commission’s July 14agenda includes an advisory on the proposed Marine Terminal Master Plan and a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for each of the Port districts, beginning with the Marine Terminal District. Commission action on this item is anticipated for the August 11 meeting.
Also on the agenda is the Commission’s consideration of bids to construct Warehouse B. The Commission could go forward with warehouse construction or potentially reject all bids.
The Port’s SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) determination and the City of Olympia’s land use approval decision on Warehouse B are final and not subject to further review or challenge. However, the Port’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) dates back to 1994. While the FEIS’s underlying assumptions and analyses of the general land uses of Port properties are valid, the age of the FEIS and its many revisions and addenda to support current planning over the years make it unwieldy in terms of analysis and implementation.
If approved by the Commission at its August 11 meeting, the Marine Terminal Master Plan and SEIS project is anticipated to take 18 to 24 months to complete, exclusive of any appeals. This timeline includes preparing the Request for Qualifications, solicitation and award of contracts, preparation of the draft and final SEIS documents, and public comment.
The Marine Terminal Master Plan would not be effective until the Commission adopts it as part of the Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements and Capital Budget. Both include public process.
The Marine Terminal’s SEIS—and the SEIS for each Port district—would thoroughly assess and document the environmental impacts of planned future re-design or expansion projects. The Port would use each district’s SEIS to provide SEPA review for the district’s elements of the Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements and Budget adoption for those elements.
The SEIS process essentially follows standard Environmental Impact Statement procedures. Issuance of the SEIS and any associated appeal process are governed by the SEPA statute, implementing SEPA regulations, and the Port’s adopted SEPA Policy Resolution that is then in effect. The Port Commission is currently considering revisions to its SEPA Policy Resolution.
The public is invited to the Commission meeting on Monday, July 14, 5:30 PM, at the Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW, Olympia 98501.
