PUBLIC NOTICE 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
Draft Environmental Assessment 
Q-Line Road Segment Reroute,  
Grays Harbor County, Washington 
  
  
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposes to provide funds to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to relocate a section of the Q-Line Road in the Lower Chehalis State Forest in Section 5 of Township 16 North, Range 5 East, of the Willamette Meridian at Latitude 46.90425 North, Longitude -123.3427 in Grays Harbor County, WA. The subject road was damaged during severe winter storms, flooding, mudslides, landslides, and debris flows that occurred in the region during the period January 14 through the 23, 2012. The event was declared a Presidential disaster on March 12, 2012 (FEMA-4056-DR-WA).  
The DNR evaluated the damage to the Q-Line Road, potential repair options and determined that, due to the damaged section of road being located on a steep slope, the best repair alternative would be to decommission a damaged section of the road and relocate the segment approximately 250 feet to the east on a flatter, stable area. Rebuilding the forest road at the damaged site would require stabilizing an area of steep slope and cutting into the side-hill. The DNR, therefore, has applied through the Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for funding of a lower cost alternative project, which bypasses the damaged steep-sloped road segment, and decommissions the damaged segment of the Q-Line Road.  
FEMA prepared a Draft environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and FEMA’s implementing regulations. The EA evaluates project alternatives and compliance with applicable environmental laws and Executive Orders. The alternatives evaluated in the EA are the (1) No Action, which would entail no repairs or improvements to the road at its existing location; and (2) Proposed Action (or Preferred Alternative), decommission the damaged section of road, and relocate the segment in a more stable area. Other alternatives were considered but not carried forward in the analysis. 
Analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the project alternatives is available in the Draft EA.   The Draft EA is available for viewing at the following locations: 
 
. FEMA website at:  https://www.fema.gov/environmental-planning-and-historic-preservation-program/environmental-documents-and-public-notice-1 
 
. Washington DNR website at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov 
 
If no substantive issues are identified during the comment period, FEMA will finalize the EA, issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and fund the project. The Final EA and FONSI will be available for viewing at the FEMA website noted above. Unless substantive comments are received, FEMA will not publish another notice for this project. Please submit your written comments to FEMA Region X Environmental Officer, Science Kilner, no later than 5 p.m. December 14, 2012. Comments can be:  
  
1. Mailed: Science Kilner, 130 228th Street SW, Bothell, Washington 98021  
2. Faxed: 425-487-4613  
3. E-mailed: science.kilner@fema.dhs.gov