Issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority for the San Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion Project, South Basin Improvements Project in San Francisco Bay, CA

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) is proposing to expand berthing capacity at the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal (Ferry Terminal), located at the San Francisco Ferry Building (Ferry Building), to support existing and future planned water transit services operated by WETA and WETA’s emergency operations. The Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion Project would include construction of three new gates and overwater berthing facilities, in addition to supportive landside improvements, such as additional passenger waiting and queuing areas, circulation improvements, and other water transit-related amenities. The new gates and other improvements would be designed to accommodate future planned water transit services between Downtown San Francisco and Antioch, Berkeley, Martinez, Hercules, Redwood City, Richmond, and Treasure Island, as well as emergency operation needs.Temporary impacts to biological resources can generate underwater noise that can affect marine mammals and habitat disturbance are evaluated.