Public Notice: Water Quality Certification of North Shore Road Repairs Project in Olympic National Park
Summary
On August 12, 2024, EPA received a request from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division, for a water quality certification for the North Shore Road at Mile Post 10.2 – Big Creek Olympic NPS ERFO Repairs 2022 project (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District project number NWS-2022-52).
Section 401(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act requires applicants for federal permits and licenses that may result in discharges into waters of the United States to obtain certification that the discharge will comply with applicable provisions of the Clean Water Act. Where no state agency or Tribe has authority to give such certification, EPA is the certifying authority.
In this case, the proposed project is within Olympic National Park. Therefore, EPA is the certifying authority for this proposed project.
According to the application, the Federal Highway Administration proposes to impact wetlands and waters in order to complete bank stabilization along the North Shore Road. The project is located in Big Creek in Jefferson County, Washington (latitude 47.535793, longitude -123.758372).
EPA is requesting comments on its Clean Water Act section 401 water quality certification for this proposed project.
Project Description
The Federal Highway Administration proposes to impact approximately 350 linear feet of waters by excavating approximately 842 cubic yards of materials and discharging approximately 979 cubic yards of fill material.
The project will install long-term bank stabilization measures through the use of riprap to protect North Shore Road, following a temporary emergency action in response to storm damage in 2021.
Restoration along the Big Creek includes placement of engineered log jams with root wads, willow plantings, and habitat substrate.
A copy of the application is available upon request by contacting Jeff Brittain ([email protected]), 206-553-0532.