You’ll find all the information you need to provide comments at the major milestones of the environmental review. Keep scrolling down to learn about the project, what we’ll be doing during the environmental review process, and opportunities for public comment.

• Seattle is a leader on the West Coast and serves as the hub for Alaska cruises with 45% of the cruise market and seven cruise brands serving Seattle. The Seattle cruise industry generates $893.6 million in annual business revenue and provides more than 5,500 local jobs every season, plus $14.5 million in state and local taxes. Each cruise ship contributes $4.2 million to the local economy.
• The Pier 66 Cruise Terminal was the Port of Seattle’s first cruise terminal, which is a one-berth facility that began operations in 1999. The Smith Cove Cruise Facility at Terminal 91, which opened in April 2009, can accommodate two vessels simultaneously. In 2019, the Port of Seattle hosted 211 cruise ships and over 1.2 million passengers.
• Additional information can be found on the Port of Seattle Cruise website: https://www.portseattle.org/maritime/cruise

• An environmental impact statement (EIS) provides an objective analysis of the likely environmental impacts, feasible alternatives, and measures that would avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts.
• An “impact” is a change in consequence that results from an activity. Impacts can be positive, negative or both. An EIS describes negative impacts and may identify ways to mitigate them.
• There are three major milestones in an EIS – Scoping, Draft EIS, and Final EIS.

• Scoping is the first step in the EIS process. During scoping, we invited agencies, tribes, and the general public to comment on the likely range of project alternatives and areas of impact that should be evaluated. These comments will be used to narrow the focus of the EIS to the likely significant environmental issues, eliminate insignificant impacts from study, and identify alternatives for analysis in the EIS.
• The scoping process began when we issued the Determination of Significance (DS)/Request for Comments on Scoping for the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development. The Determination of Significance was issued on October 23, 2019. The scoping period closed on November 27, 2019.

• Now that the scoping process is complete, we are in the process of preparing a Draft EIS. The Draft EIS will provide agencies and the public with information on environmental impacts and possible mitigation measures. We will again ask the public for comments on the Draft EIS. The Final EIS will respond to all comments received on the Draft EIS and may include revisions to the Draft EIS based on comments received and new information learned.

• Cruise building
• Cruise-related parking
• On-site transportation circulation
• Connection to the local transportation system
• Utilities
• Access to the deep-water berth
• Shorepower
• Street improvements and landscaping
• Pedestrian access and connection to the waterfront and downtown Seattle

• Description of existing roadway network in the site vicinity.
• Description of the existing vehicular traffic volumes (AM and PM peak hour), and intersection and operational conditions.
• Description of planned transportation and transit projects in the site vicinity.
• Description of existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the site vicinity.
• Analysis of trip generation and distribution from assumed site development, and AM and PM peak hour traffic impacts to key intersections in the study area.
• Analysis of non-motorized and pedestrian opportunities with proposed development and impacts on existing facilities.

• Identification of existing air quality conditions and primary sources of existing emissions on site and in the site vicinity, including vehicle traffic and vessels.
• Description of anticipated dust and emissions during excavation, grading, and construction.
• Description of emission sources during operation, including those from added project-generated traffic and vessels.
• Description of the relationship between emissions associated with on-going uses on the site and proposed new operations at the site.
• Description of likely greenhouse gas emissions.

• Description of existing noise levels on the site and site vicinity.
• Identification of existing noise-sensitive receivers.
• Analysis of anticipated noise conditions during construction.
• Analysis of predicted noise conditions with the proposal, including noise associated with traffic, vessels, construction, and operations.
• Description of the relationship between noise associated with on-going industrial uses on the site and the proposal.

• Analysis of in-water project construction and its potential impacts to sensitive species, habitat, plants, and animals.
• Description of vessel traffic and noise and its potential impacts to sensitive species.

• Earth
• Water resources
• Aesthetics/light and glare
• Historic/cultural resources
• Environmental justice

• Scoping Summary Report (February 2020)
• Notice of Scoping Period Extension (November 2019)
• Public Meeting Presentation (October 2019)
• Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal scoping meeting display boards – 9 MB (October 2019)
• Scoping Information Packet - English (October 2019)
• Scoping Information Packet - Vietnamese (October 2019)
• Scoping Information Packet - Spanish (October 2019)
• Scoping Information Packet - Chinese (October 2019)
• Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development Postcard (October 2019)
• SEPA Notice of Determination of Significance (DS) (October 2019)
• Cruise Business Development Principles (March2019)

The Port of Seattle will review all comments submitted for the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development and use them to prepare the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is tentatively scheduled to be issued in Q2 2020. Should the schedule change, updated information will be posted on this site and the Port project website.