Environmental Assessment for US Army Corps of Engineers Land Exchange of Properties at Artificial Island, Salem Co

Environmental Assessment for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Land Exchange of Properties at Artificial Island, Salem County, New Jersey for Properties in Oldmans Township, Salem County and Logan Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey; Development of Confined Disposal Facility U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District Wanamaker Building, Room 643 100 Penn Square East Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 January 2015 [This page left intentionally blank] Table of Contents 1.0 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 1 2.0 NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTION ............................................. 3 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND ALTERNATIVES ....................................... 5 3.1 Project Description .......................................................................................... 5 3.2 Proposed Action .............................................................................................. 6 3.2.1 Properties Proposed to be Exchanged .................................................. 6 3.2.1.1 Authorization ..................................................................................... 10 3.2.2 Design and Development of Type B CDF ........................................... 10 3.2.2.1 Design ................................................................................................ 10 3.2.2.2 Schedule ............................................................................................ 13 3.2.2.3 Operation and Maintenance ........................................................... 13 3.2.2.4 Economic Benefits ........................................................................... 14 3.2.3 Real Estate Transaction ......................................................................... 14 3.2.3.1 Alternatives ....................................................................................... 15 3.3 No Action Alternative .................................................................................... 16 3.4 Proposed Action with Alternate Properties ............................................... 16 4.0 Affected Environment .................................................................................... 18 4.1 Project Area ................................................................................................... 18 4.1.1 Location .................................................................................................... 18 4.1.2 Socioeconomics ...................................................................................... 20 4.2 Land Use ........................................................................................................ 23 4.2.1 Agriculture ................................................................................................ 24 4.2.2 Coastal Zone Management Area .......................................................... 24 4.3 Geology and Soils ......................................................................................... 25 4.4 Hydrology ....................................................................................................... 26 4.4.1 Floodplains ............................................................................................... 27 4.4.2 Groundwater ............................................................................................ 28 4.5 Wetlands ......................................................................................................... 30 4.6 Water Quality ................................................................................................. 33 4.7 Aquatic Resources ........................................................................................ 37 4.8 Terrestrial Resources ................................................................................... 40 4.8.1 Vegetation ................................................................................................ 40 4.8.2 Wildlife ....................................................................................................... 43 4.9 Threatened and Endangered Species ....................................................... 47 4.10 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................... 55 4.11 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 56 4.12 Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste (HTRW) ................................ 57 5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ....................................................................... 59 5.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................................... 59 5.2 Alternative Locations .................................................................................... 59 5.3 Proposed Land Exchange and Development of Type B Upland CDF .. 60 5.3.1 Physical Environment ............................................................................. 60 5.3.2 Socioeconomics ...................................................................................... 61 i 5.3.3 Land Use .................................................................................................. 62 5.3.4 Geology and Soils ................................................................................... 62 5.3.5 Hydrology ................................................................................................. 63 5.3.5.1 Floodplains ........................................................................................ 63 5.3.6 Wetlands ................................................................................................... 65 5.3.7 Water Quality ........................................................................................... 65 5.3.8 Aquatic Resources .................................................................................. 70 5.3.9 Terrestrial Resources ............................................................................. 72 5.3.9.1 Vegetation ......................................................................................... 72 5.3.9.2 Wildlife ............................................................................................... 73 5.3.10 Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................. 73 5.3.11 Cultural Resources .............................................................................. 73 5.3.12 Air Quality......................................................................................74 5.4 Cumulative and Secondary Effects ............................................................ 75 5.4.1 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................. 75 5.4.1.1 Potential New Nuclear Plant .......................................................... 76 5.4.1.2 Delaware River Maintenance Dredging ........................................ 76 5.4.1.3 Delaware River Main Channel Deepening ................................... 77 5.4.1.4 Future Development at Artificial Island CDF Cell 3 .................... 77 5.4.2 Secondary Effects ................................................................................... 82 5.4.2.1 Sea Level Rise and Climate Change ............................................ 82 5.4.2.2 Greenhouse Gases .......................................................................... 82 5.4.2.3 Confined Disposal Facilities ........................................................... 83 5.4.2.4 Unavoidable Adverse Environmental Effects .............................. 83 5.4.2.5 Short-term Uses of the Environment and Long-term Productivity 83 5.4.2.6 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ........ 84 5.4.2.7 Environmental Justice ..................................................................... 84 5.4.2.8 Other Permits and Approvals ......................................................... 85 5.5 Environmental Laws and Compliance ....................................................... 85 5.5.1 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 USC 4321 et seq.) 87 5.5.2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 USC 661) ..................... 87 5.5.3 Endangered Species Act (ESA), as amended 16 USC 1531 et seq.) 87 5.5.4 Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) (16 USC 715- 715s) .................... 87 5.5.5 Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 USC 1251 et seq.) ................................ 88 5.5.6 Clean Air Act of 1970 (42 USC 7401 et seq.) ..................................... 89 5.5.7 Noise Control Act of 1972, as amended (42 USC 4901 et seq.) ..... 89 5.5.8 National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 USC 460b, 470l- 470n) 90 5.5.9 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42 USC 9601 et seq.) ................................................ 90 5.5.10 Executive Order (EO) 11514, Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality, amended by Executive Order 11991, Relating to Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality ................................. 91 ii 5.5.11 Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management .......................... 91 5.5.12 Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands ............................ 91 5.5.13 Executive Order 12088, Federal Compliance with Pollution Control Standards ................................................................................................. 92 5.5.14 Executive Order 12898, Environmental Justice Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations

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