45-day comment period begins on federal Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Operations and Maintenance Facility – South
Three alternatives studied in Draft EIS; previous comments made on the state Draft Environmental Impact Statement (in 2021) remain valid
Today, Sound Transit launched a public comment period for a combined National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft EIS and State Environmental Policy Act Supplemental Draft EIS for the Operations and Maintenance Facility – South (OMF South). Based on its transit expertise and greater federal funding opportunities, the Federal Transit Administration will be the lead federal agency. A joint NEPA/SEPA Final EIS will follow in 2024.
All public comments provided on the SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) Draft EIS in 2021 are valid and do not need to be resubmitted. Sound Transit will respond to all substantive comments from both comment periods in the Final EIS.
After the Final EIS is published, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built, anticipated in mid-2024.
The OMF South alternatives being studied include:
- Midway Landfill alternative
- South 336th St. alternative, the preferred alternative identified by the Sound Transit Board in 2021
- South 344th St. alternative
Since the 2021 SEPA Draft EIS, additional preliminary engineering has further refined the alternatives. Changes include:
- The addition of a test track and associated access road to the proposed site layouts for South 336th Street preferred alternative and South 344th St. alternatives. The test track would help prepare new and existing light rail vehicles for service.
- Site reconfiguration and new street layouts for the South 336th St. preferred alternative, including a new entrance and fish passage improvements.
The facility is needed to support the delivery of new light rail vehicles in the early 2030s. Learn about the project, subscribe for updates and send us your questions and feedback at https://omfsouth.participate.online.
How to comment
Comment now via the online comment form.
Attend a virtual public meeting/hearing
- Thursday, Oct. 19, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Attend an in-person public meeting to make a verbal comment.
- Tuesday, Oct. 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Federal Way Performing Arts and Events Center (31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S., Federal Way, WA 98003)
Email or voicemail: OMFSouthDEIS@soundtransit.org or 206-257-2141
Mail: OMF South Project, c/o Erin Green
Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St. Seattle, WA 98104
The full Draft EIS document is available here.
The comment period closes Nov. 6, 2023.
Approved by voters in 2016, the OMF South supports the 116-mile expansion of the Puget Sound’s light rail network.
The OMF South will provide Link light rail trains with cleaning, storage, and maintenance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This new OMF is needed in the South Sound to receive, store and service a larger train fleet to support future light rail extensions to Tacoma, West Seattle and the region.