Helber
Hastert & Fee, Planners prepared a NEPA EIS for the
expansion of the existing ammunition wharf (Kilo Wharf) at Apra Harbor Naval
Complex, Guam. The existing wharf is inadequate to accommodate modern multi-purpose
ships that will replace existing ammunition ships that are permanently forward-deployed
to Guam as well as transient ships that now use the wharf. Due to its key location
in the Western Pacific Region, the Navy’s ordnance storage and transfer capabilities
on Guam are critical to supporting operating forces of the Fifth and Seventh
Fleets. Expansion of Kilo Wharf will allow COMNAVMARIANAS to continue its support
mission.
HHF led a multidisciplinary team that evaluated the potential impacts associated with the expansion or replacement of the wharf. Dredging and its impacts to corals were critical issues in the EIS. Technical studies conducted to support the EIS analysis include marine and terrestrial biological resources assessments, ocean current monitoring, numerical modeling of sediment transport, and water quality analysis. HHF prepared a preliminary ecological review of marine resources in the project area. HHF also prepared a Community Relations Plan for the EIS that included public involvement strategies, frequently asked questions/responses, and project fact sheets. The project included pre-scoping consultation with Federal and local agencies, and conducting a public scoping meeting and a public hearing on Guam. The project involved Section 7 (ESA) and Section 106 (NHPA) consultations, as well as coordination with USACE, NOAA Fisheries, and GOVGUAM agencies. Project Status: Record of Decision signed in 2007.