BIA has adopted the Environmental Assessment (EA) completed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in which a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was issued on September 14, 2016. This decision is consistent with 43 CFR 4.120(D) use of existing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents by supplementing, tiering to, incorporating by reference, or adopting previous NEPA environmental analyses to avoid redundancy and unnecessary paperwork.

The proposed action included many components:

• 1920 linear feet of roads
• Construction/relocation of 15 homes
• 15 driveways and gravel pads

The potential of the proposed action to impact the human environment was analyzed in the previously approved EA, as required by NEPA. The BIA revisited the information within the document and determined that the document adequately assessed the environmental effects and reasonable alternatives. Based on that EA and BIA's review of current information, BIA has determined that the proposed action will not significantly affect the quality of the human or natural environment. In accordance with Section 102(2)( c) of NEPA, as amended, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required.

• Finding of No Significant Impact, Environmental Assessment for Newtok Relocation Project - Phase I and Phase II Housing Development; Village Center Development; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, September 2016, Mertarvik, Alaska; HUD Program IHBG/ICDBG HUD Project Number 55IH0202000

HUD's environmental review determined the potential affect that its activity through the Indian Community Development Block Grant Program under HUD grant B-l 6-SR-02-1106 and the Tribal Housing Activities Loan Guarantee Program Title VI Loan will have on the environment at Mertarvik. The proposed project is located at Sec. 34, T9N, R86W and Sec. 2, TSN, R87W, Seward Meridian in Mertarvik, Alaska. The proposed project activities include the development and construction of a village center, development of lots for houses, fuel tank farm, power plant, multi-purpose building, water plant for a laundry facility and water well, community hall, church, public safety building, community clinic, post office, library, store, school and teacher housing. Plans include a 2.5-mile road in the proposed site and a 3-mile road to the quarry. The site has plans for 25 lots for housing with each lot about .75 acres in size for an estimated total of 100 acres of wetland.

• Part I
• Part II
• Part III
• Part IV
• Part V

• June 2016 BIA FONSI

Through this EA, FEMA initiated the assessment of the impacts of relocating 12 homes from Newtok to Mertarvik, associated road construction, interim utilities to support occupancy of the homes once in Mertarvik, and other ‘connected actions’ funded or planned by non-federal entities that will require outlining in the environmental assessment. The environmental assessment is not yet complete.

• Notice of Intent to Prepare Environmental Assessment, March 25, 2016 (pdf)
• Environmental Assessment Scoping Overview, March 25, 2016 (pdf)
• Public Scoping Presentation, April 5, 2016 (pdf)
• Public Comment Sheet (pdf)
• Environmental Assessment Scoping Summary, Newtok Relocation Project - Pioneering Phase, May 6, 2016 (pdf)

The Department of Defense's EA and FONSI amended and supplemented the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' 2008 EA and FONSI. The Department of Defense subsequently modified and adopted the EA in January 2010. Plans for the action substantially changed during the summer and autumn of 2010, and the EA was further amended to bring those changes to the public and the Federal decisionmaker before IRT continued relocation activities at Mertarvik in 2011. Changes in the proposed action that required this amendment include:

• Evacuation center changes in size, configuration, and location
• Wastewater treatment changes and other utilities changes for the center
• A quarry site is identified and conceptual plans for developing the quarry are presented
• Road alignment changes for the main access road and for other project roads
• Staging, turnarounds, and other construction fills to support the construction camp and the evacuation center are identified
• Temporary roads or trails are identified for construction, including a pioneer trail from the existing road to the quarry site, and restoration of trails is discussed

• 2011 EA and FONSI, Innovative Readiness Training at Mertarvik, Nelson Island, Alaska (.pdf)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assessed the environmental effects of an emergency evacuation center at Mertarvik, including the following construction features:

• An access road from a barge landing that will be constructed by the State of Alaska
• A 13,000-square-foot building on a 32,400 square-foot gravel pad. The center will be designed to shelter 150 people, but could temporarily shelter up to 300 people until evacuation to other shelters or communities could be organized. The population of Newtok is about 350 people, but not all people are expected to need evacuation during most emergencies. The total area of the project is estimated to be 33.34 acres.
• A service road to the water well drilled by the State of Alaska
• A sewage lagoon and land fill with a service road
• A road to a quarry site. Diesel generators for electrical power will be provided.

An EA for this action was released for NEPA review in March 2008. This EA was revised from the March 2008 EA to accommodate a change in the location of the barge landing by the State of Alaska and recommendations from a value engineering review. It also provided additional information requested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

• 2008 July: EA and FONSI, Newtok Evacuation Center (.pdf)

EDA assessed the environmental impact of a barge landing facility at Mertarvik consisting of a 20-foot wide barge ramp, approximately 60 foot by 120 foot upland multiuse staging area, and a float system for resident and transient vessels. The location identified was the closest to the navigable deep water channel of the Ninglick River according to Newtok residents and preliminary site investigations.

• 2006 EDA FONSI, Mertarvik Barge Landing Facility(.pdf)