Decision Notice – LU20-0107
The City of Tacoma issued the Shoreline Permit Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on November 30, 2023. The documents can be accessed through the City’s permitting system here. Documents are located under the “Record Info” tab. The FEIS may also be reviewed at the Planning and Development Services office between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday, or at the Tacoma Public Library Kobetich Branch in Northeast Tacoma.
The Shoreline Permit is approved, subject to conditions. The results of the FEIS found that there are adverse impacts to air quality with respect to greenhouse gases, water quality with respect to endangered species, and traffic safety with respect to construction impacts. Mitigation under the FEIS is required to address those impacts.
Requests for reconsideration of the decision are due by close of business on December 14, 2023. Any person having standing may request reconsideration of the Director's decision, based upon errors of procedure or fact, by submitting a request in writing to Planning and Development Services at SeaportPlantModernizationDEIS@cityoftacoma.org.
If no reconsideration request is timely filed, the decision shall become final and will be transmitted to the Department of Ecology. Upon receipt of the final decision, Ecology will conduct a 21-day appeal period. The Decision may be appealed by any person aggrieved by the granting, denying, or rescinding of a permit on shorelines of the state pursuant to RCW 90.58.140, who may seek review from the shorelines hearings board by filing a petition for review.
Information on filing an appeal of a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit may be obtained by contacting the State of Washington Environmental and Land Use Hearings office at www.eluho.wa.gov or PO Box 40903 Olympia, WA 98504-0903, 360-664-9160, eluho@eluho.wa.gov.
Background
SeaPort Sound Terminal, LLC (SeaPort Sound) is proposing to demolish existing refinery equipment and replace it with new storage tanks and appurtenances at the SeaPort Sound Terminal located on the Hylebos Waterway at 2628 Marine View Drive in Tacoma, Washington (see site plan linked below). The SeaPort Sound Plant Modernization Project (Project) includes demolition of existing refinery equipment, installation of new storage tanks and containment system, as well as wastewater and stormwater improvements. The purpose of the Project is to replace aging refinery infrastructure with new storage tanks and associated safety and environmental protection measures to meet functional, operational, and environmental needs at the terminal.
The current storage capacity in the refinery area is approximately 15,000 barrels; the new tanks would have a capacity of about 181,000 barrels of diesel, bio-diesel, and other fuel oils. The storage increase is roughly a 10% increase over the full capacity at the site. The applicant is not seeking an increase in overall throughput for the facility.
PDS initially issued a preliminary determination of nonsignificance in August of 2020. Based on public comment, and on the provisions of the Washington Administrative Code, PDS withdrew that preliminary determination and issued a Determination of Significance.
Scoping
Agencies, affected tribes, and members of the public were invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. PDS used the scoping comments, as well as comments on the preliminary SEPA determination, to define the topics that are examined in the project EIS.