PIERCE COUNTY NOTICE OF A FINAL DETERMINATION OF SIGNIFICANCE AND REQUEST FOR COMMENTS ON SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) Environmental Application Number: 1057430 Proposal: Replacement of Fox Island Bridge No. 26211-A / County Road Project (CRP) 5807 Description of proposal: Pierce County is proposing to replace the existing County owned/maintained 1950s-era Fox Island Bridge. It is the only bridge connecting the island with the mainland. Location of proposal: The bridge is in south Puget Sound, east of Carr Inlet, and crosses Hale Passage. It is within unincorporated Pierce County and Gig Harbor Peninsula Community Plan area. Per the County Shoreline Code (Title 18S), the location has shoreline environment designations of Aquatic Marine, High Intensity, and Residential. Per the County Zoning Code (Title 18A), the location is zoned Rural 10 (R10). The site is within Section 26, Township 21N, Range 1 East, within County Council District #7. Proponent: Pierce County Planning and Public Works Department – Office of the County Engineer Lead agency: Pierce County Planning and Public Works Department – Development Services Division EIS to be Prepared: Pursuant to Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Chapter 197-11 and Pierce County Code (PCC), Title 18D, the County is required to conduct a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review of the proposal. Upon review, the County has determined that the proposal is likely to result in probable significant adverse environmental impacts. Therefore, SEPA requires the issuance of this Determination of Significance (DS) which provides notification that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposal. An EIS is intended to provide an impartial discussion of significant environmental impacts and inform decision makers and public of reasonable alternatives, including mitigation measures, that would avoid or minimize adverse impacts or enhance environmental quality. It enables government agencies and interested citizens to review and comment on the proposal. An EIS is not a permit approval itself, but the information it contains will be considered prior to issuance of permits, decisions, etc. An EIS is a two-step process that first consists of a Draft (DEIS) and then a Final (FEIS). However, prior to its preparation, scoping is required: Elements of the Environment: Scoping narrows the focus of the EIS to significant environmental issues and to eliminate insignificant impacts from detailed study. WAC 197-11-444 lists elements of the environment that may be potentially studied. From that list, the County has narrowed the scope to the following: 1. Natural environment Earth: *Geology *Soils *Topography *Unique physical features *Erosion/enlargement of land area (accretion) Air Quality Water: *Surface water movement/quantity/quality *Runoff/absorption *Floods Plants and animals: *Habitat for and numbers or diversity of species of plants, fish, or other wildlife *Unique species *Fish or wildlife migration routes 2. Built environment: Environmental health: *Noise *Releases or potential releases to the environment affecting public health, such as toxic or hazardous materials Land and shoreline use: *Relationship to existing land use plans and to estimated population *Housing *Light and glare *Aesthetics *Recreation *Historic and cultural preservation Transportation: *Transportation systems *Vehicular traffic *Waterborne and air traffic *Movement/circulation of people or goods *Traffic hazards Public services and utilities: *Fire *Police *Schools *Parks or other recreational facilities Maintenance *Communications *Water/stormwater *Other governmental services or utilities Alternatives: Scoping also identifies alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS. Per SEPA, reasonable alternatives include actions that could feasibly attain or approximate a proposal's objectives, but at a lower environmental cost or decreased level of environmental degradation. The County has narrowed the scope to the following: No build. The current bridge would not be replaced but would require basic repairs, maintenance, and inspections to keep the current bridge safe and operational for as long as possible. Due to the current bridge's age and condition, it is anticipated that repairs and maintenance can only be continued for 20 more years, until the current bridge would start to have major structural issues that would be difficult and/or cost-prohibitive to repair. 2,000-foot-long bridge replacement on the east side of the current bridge. The replacement bridge would mimic the existing bridge in terms of location and length. The replacement would be 10-15 feet higher than the current bridge to account for taller bridge girders and to accommodate the effects of sea level rise. The causeway approach would also be widened and raised to match the replacement bridge that includes a multiuse path. The replacement bridge would also fit current design and stormwater standards. 2,000-foot-long bridge replacement on the west side of the current bridge. The replacement bridge would mimic the existing bridge in terms of location and length. The replacement would be 10-15 feet higher than the current bridge to account for taller bridge girders and to accommodate the effects of sea level rise. The causeway approach would also be widened and raised to match the replacement bridge that includes a multiuse path. The replacement bridge would also fit current design and stormwater standards. 3,000-foot-long bridge replacement. The replacement bridge would use a new curved alignment approximately 200 feet west of the current bridge. A new embankment into the shallow bay northwest of the Bella Bella Dr. intersection would be required. The replacement bridge would be 10-15 feet higher than the current bridge to account for taller bridge girders and to accommodate the effects of sea level rise. Scoping: Agencies, affected tribes, and members of the public are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. You may comment on alternatives, mitigation measures, probable significant adverse impacts, and licenses or other approvals that may be required. Request for Comments: Comments on the scope of the EIS are due on or before August 25, 2025. If providing email/written comments, reference the proposal name, application number, and include your full mailing (non-email) address. Comments can be provided as follows: By email to Brian Johnston at brian.johnston@piercecountywa.gov In writing to Brian Johnston, Pierce County Office of the County Engineer, 2702 S 42nd Street, Suite 109, Tacoma, WA 98409-7490 In person at the Nichols Community Center located at 690 9th Ave., Fox Island In-Person Comments: Two Pierce County staff members will be at the Nichols Community Center on Fox Island to accept written comments on printed comment forms and to answer any questions related to the SEPA EIS in an informal manner. Minimal displays will be available Dates: August 19th, 2025, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, and August 20th, 2025, between the hours of 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM Location: 690 9th Ave., Fox Island Issue Date: August 4, 2025 Comment Deadline: August 25, 2025 Appeal Deadline: September 8, 2025 IPL0261066 Aug 6 2025