Documents filed under Washington’s environmental review process reveal a list of projects in the works for the Mid-Columbia. 

The State Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA, often provides the first look at the mixed-use projects, mini-storage facilities, apartments, industrial expansions, subdivisions and more that are working their way through the various planning departments of Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties. 

Here’s a look at projects that appeared in the SEPA register in the past month.  

AtkinsRéalis Technology Center
LAW Cold Commissioning Simulant

Richland

Atkins Energy Federal EPC Inc. has submitted a proposal to store and blend hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals in the high bay area of the AtkinsRéalis Technology Center at 2801 George Washington Way. About 4,700 square feet of the 16,000-square-foot facility will be used for storage.

Both dry and liquid chemicals will be stored. Portable HEPA filtration will mitigate dust emissions and administrative controls will ensure only compatible dry solids are combined. Temporary berms or spill pallets for spill or release control will be in place for all liquid chemicals.

The chemicals may be stored up to two years, with the quantities diminishing as their use is warranted for the project. All chemicals will be stored in their original packaging. Only the dry chemicals will be opened and transferred and blended into supersacks as needed to support the simulant making process. Supersack batches will be transported to Atkins Engineering Lab at 2774 Q Ave. for the final simulant chemical mixing process.

Stevens Substation modifications

Richland

Richland Energy Services is proposing to expand the Stevens Substation. One of the aging transformer/metal clad banks will be relocated into the expansion yard, while Bonneville Power Administration will remove the 115 kV superstructure and replace it with a new 115 kV bus and infrastructure. The substation facility at 1715 Stevens Drive will be enclosed by an 8-foot-tall nonconductive fence for safety and security.

Holiday Inn Express

Kennewick

Knutzen Engineering has submitted plans to build a new four-story Holiday Inn Express with civil site improvements at 1123 N. Columbia Center Blvd., northwest of the existing Red Lion Hotel. The hotel will be 56,000 square feet with 96 units and 110 parking spaces. Grading activities will occur on the southwest portion of the property to generate the fill material needed, and a small portion of the Holiday Inn Express’ parking lot will be constructed on the Red Lion Hotel property.

Babs Meadows subdivision

Benton City

Rudd McClory has submitted plans to divide three existing lots totaling 13.27 acres into 46 new lots for single family residential development. The property is on the northwest corner of Babs Avenue and Ninth Street and is zoned for medium density residential development.

Transmission pipeline

Kennewick Irrigation District

Kennewick Irrigation District has submitted plans to install about 960 feet of irrigation pipeline and infrastructure to upgrade facilities at 5401 S. Garfield St., Kennewick. Pipes will be at least 24 inches and no more than 36 inches, though the final pipe sizes have not yet been determined. A new concrete turnout will be installed, and an existing division box will be modified.

Desert Sands

Kennewick

Knutzen Engineering has submitted plans to subdivide 14.23 acres into 153 lots for single-family townhome units at 11292 W. Clearwater Ave. Sewer, water, power and communication services will be extended as necessary to service the new lots. Stormwater conveyance and infiltration facilities will be constructed to collect and dispose of stormwater, and a right turn lane will be added to West Clearwater Avenue for the new intersection.

Canyon View Estates

Kennewick

PBS Engineering and Environmental has submitted plans for a planned residential development and preliminary plat consisting of 53 single-family lots, three open space tracts, 21 multifamily structures with 126 units and a community building south of Highway 395 and east of Interstate 82.

Pasco Business Park grading

Pasco

Don Faley of Port of Pasco has submitted plans to place and compact about 92,000 cubic yards of soil north of West Argent Road between Morasch and Varney lanes. About 8.7 acres will be filled to a depth of about 3 feet. The project will include associated improvements for utilities, drainage and erosion control measures.

Underwood development

Franklin County

Harpster Land Development has submitted plans to allow for the development of a single-family residential planned unit development subdivision. The project would take place on 151.99 acres north of Selph Landing Road, southwest of Columbia River Road and west of Fraser Drive, bordered on the west by the Columbia River. More than 120 single-family residential lots with an average lot size of 0.86 acres are proposed. The property is zoned rural community 1.

RWC Pasco

Pasco

Brandon Votaw has submitted plans for a new 39,000-square-foot pre-engineered metal building along Adams Street, between North Railroad and Rainier avenues. The building will be a semi-truck dealership, and the building will be divided into an 8,563-square-foot office, a 19,500-square-foot repair garage and a 10,937-square-foot parts storage area. The project includes all associated improvements for utilities, drainage and erosion control measures.

Corwin Ford

Pasco

Shane O’Neil has submitted plans for the development of an 8.5-acre site with a new automobile dealership. A 50,100-square-foot building will be built along the south side of Sandifur Parkway and the west side of Outlet Drive. The remainder of the site will be treated with asphalt parking and landscaping.

DNR reservoir

Department of Ecology

The Washington Department of Natural Resources recently discovered that a reservoir was constructed without its knowledge and without a required permit. To be in compliance, DNR is submitting a reservoir permit application even though the reservoir is already under construction and in use. The reservoir will be 6 acres in size with an average depth of 5 feet. The property is located north of North Shore Road near Wallula.

Century Pipe manufacturing building

Walla Walla County

Knutzen Engineering has submitted plans to build a 52,800-square-foot plastic pipe manufacturing facility at 1181 Railex Road in Burbank in the industrial agriculture mixed zoning district. Additional site improvements, including parking and grading, are planned.