The Morrow Pacific Project Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock: Environmental Review

Reader’s Guide Contents:

What is the Environmental

Review .......................................1

Scope of the Environmental

Review .......................................2

Contents of the Environmental

Review .......................................3

Summary of Chapter 3.0 ........3-6

Helpful Acronyms

...........................6

and What Does That Mean? ......7

July 2012

IntroductionThis summary is an overview of the Environmental Review (ER)

Port of Morrow.

The ER analyzes potential impacts of constructing a barge loading

The Morrow Pacific project

designed enclosed barges.

The barges will transport the coal downriver through enclosed

will then be loaded onto oceangoing vessels bound for Asia.

What is the Environmental Review?

determination under NEPA.

www.MorrowPacific.com

Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock | A Reader’s Guide to the Environmental Review 2

About the AlternativesPreferred Alternative:environmentally responsible and advanced barge-

Applicant in its permit application.

No Action Alternative A:

coal would not be fully enclosed on the conveyor.

No Action Alternative B:

Scope of the Environmental Review

installation of temporary and permanent piles for the

Morrow in the John Day pool of the Columbia River.

Port of Morrow and continues down the Columbia

review of potential impacts from the permitting of the

The ER was prepared by Anderson Perry &

available information. Determinations in the ER are

the professional opinion of AP and are presented

Conceptual Enclosed Barge

Conceptual Barge Loading Dock at Port of Morrow (transfer of coal from trains to barges)

Conceptual Transloader Assembly at Port of St. Helens (transfer of coal from barges to oceangoing vessels)

Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock | A Reader’s Guide to the Environmental Review

Contents of the Environmental Review

contains the appendices.

ContentsExecutive Summary

Chapter 1.0 – Purpose and Need

and Mitigation Measures

Chapter 4.0 – Summary of Public Comments

Chapter 5.0 – Summary of Mitigation

Appendices

Tables and Figures

The remainder of this Readers’ Guide discusses

potential impacts to the human and natural

environment.

Summary of Chapter 3.0 – Affected Environment, Impacts, and Mitigation Measures

3.1 Land-Based Traffic

as well as additional bridge draws that may be

Port of Morrow will be highest during construction

and will be limited to additional employees during

operation. The Port of Morrow has a well-

The rail loop at the Port of Morrow is currently

may be split in two.

3.2 – NavigationThis section discusses additional barge and

navigation-related infrastructure. When the Morrow

dam will be only 97.5 percent of the highs that

occurred in the mid 1990’s. This represents a

70 percent of the historical high.

have increased navigational safety on the river in

the years since the historical high was set. Any

costs to infrastructure will be offset by increased

Section 3.3 – Land Use and RecreationNo land use impacts will occur since operations

most notable impact to recreation is anticipated

to be from increased barge tows that may interfere

with recreational boating and use of the river. The

navigation channel represents less than 10 percent

laws restricting use of the navigational channel by

recreational users there should be no impact.

occurred in the mid-1990s. Tugs are now equipped

with better technology that ensures they stay within

the navigation channel.

Section 3.4 – Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice

detailed in the accompanying illustration.

ton of coal received at Port of Morrow to schools in

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Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock | A Reader’s Guide to the Environmental Review

both Morrow and Columbia County. This will result

and low-income populations) does exist near the

availability and funding for local schools.

Section 3.5 – Visual and Aesthetics

change the current landscape.

Section 3.6 – Air Quality Air quality emissions analyzed include those from

the storage and handling facility at the Port of

facility at the Port of Morrow.

of Environmental Quality determined that an Air

on emission estimates that assume no machinery

is being implemented to reduce air emissions

throughout the operation. This technology includes

enclosed storage barns with a wet scrubber system

enclosed barge unloading and oceangoing vessel

loading system.

471Induced

431Direct

341Indirect

292Indirect

171Induced

348Induced

306Direct

265Indirect

649Indirect

388Induced

56 Direct

44 Direct

Phase 1 1,243 Jobs Phase 1 508 JobsPhase 2 919 Jobs Phase 2 1,092 Jobs

Jobs Created – Construction Jobs Created – Operations

Construction workers at the Port of Morrow and Port of St. Helens.

Construction workers building the barges, tugs and transloader. Firms in other industries will provide goods and services to the construction sector, creating additional jobs.

With the increase in direct and indirect jobs, other sectors will benefit. Workers will spend wages on food, housing, health care and entertainment. The infusion of new wages into the region will create induced jobs.

Skilled laborers operating the facility at the Port of Morrow and ILWU longshoremen at the Port of St. Helens.

Workers transporting coal via rail and barge. Firms in other industries will provide goods and services to the project and to the transportation sector, creating additional jobs.

With the increase in direct and indirect jobs, other sectors will benefit. Workers will spend wages on food, housing, health care and entertainment. The infusion of new wages into the region will create induced jobs.

Direct Jobs

Indirect Jobs

Induced Jobs

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Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock | A Reader’s Guide to the Environmental Review

Section 3.7 – Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change

greenhouse gas emissions that occur other than as

this section provides a brief discussion of greenhouse

gas emissions and concludes that such emissions

Section 3.8 – Health, Safety, Public Nuisance, and Hazardous MaterialsThis section broadly discusses issues related

waits from bridge draws.

Section 3.9 – Energy and Natural Resources

chain is equipped to handle such demands. The

the use of tugs and barges vastly reduces fuel

consumption when compared to other modes

Section 3.10 – Water ResourcesThis section discusses both consumptive use

and potential impacts to surface and groundwater

resources. Consumptive use is minimal and will be

supplied from the Port of Morrow’s municipal water

supply. Potential impacts to groundwater resources

are mitigated through the use of an impermeable

process water recycling facility and the use of

bioswales for stormwater processing.

An analysis was performed to determine potential

for sediment to enter the water during construction.

petroleum release by tugs and the impact coal

would have if any were to enter the water. The

intermountain coal in water indicates that there

are no negative impacts to surface water quality.

Section 3.11 – EcosystemsThe ecosystem section discusses seven elements:

This section also discusses the potential for

increased spread of aquatic invasive species from

beyond that which already exists in the Columbia

further limits this potential.

Section 3.12 – Earth ResourcesThis section analyzes impacts to soil conditions

present to the operation. The geological nature

undisturbed. Geologic hazards have been

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Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock | A Reader’s Guide to the Environmental Review

AP

Applicant

BA

BMPs

ER – Environmental Review

MPP

NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act

OGV

TCPs – Traditional Cultural Properties

USACE

Helpful Acronyms and Definitions

Section 3.13 – Cultural ResourcesThis section discusses the potential impacts to

This section discusses the potential impacts to

and traditional cultural properties (TCPs). The

analysis was conducted using State Historic

and TCPs are closely guarded by Tribal Nations

and were not available as part of this ER.

Archeologist to perform a comprehensive survey of

both the above- and below-water portions of their

leasehold. Records indicate the site may have been

appropriately avoid or mitigate impacts.

associated with beliefs and practices of a living

the navigation channel limits potential impacts

Section 3.14 – Cumulative Effects

and/or timeframe. Cumulative effects are challenging

analysis highlights the increased oceangoing vessel

the river has capacity to handle such increase and

proper mitigation reduces corresponding impacts

and associated cumulative effects will be reviewed

at the time of permitting.

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Coyote Island Terminal Barge Loading Dock | A Reader’s Guide to the Environmental Review 7

Are there Significant Impacts and What Does that Mean?NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare

an Environmental Assessment to identify if the

is based on two criteria: context and intensity.

Context means the affected environment in which

the impact to human health. For each of the 13

and intensity of the action is below a level of

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