Park Ave Noise Assessment
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant for the Lexington Avenue Subway Line between the 33rd Street/Park Avenue South Station and the Grand Central Station/42nd Street Station July 2017 MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line This page intentionally blank. MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line COVER SHEET Document: Final Environmental Impact Statement Project Title: Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant for the Lexington Avenue Subway Line between 33rd Street/Park Avenue South Station and the Grand Central Terminal/42nd Street Station Location: The Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant would be located in the streetbed of Park Avenue between East 36th Street and East 39th Street, New York City, New York County, New York Lead Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit (MTA NYCT), 2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 Lead Agency Contact: Mr. Emil F. Dul P.E., Principal Environmental Engineer, New York City Transit, phone 646-252-2405 Prepared by: Michael Tumulty, Vice President STV Group; Steven P. Scalici, STV Group; Patrick J. O’Mara, STV Group; Douglas S. Swan, STV Group; Niek Veraart, Vice President, Louis Berger; G. Douglas Pierson, Louis Berger; Leo Tidd, Louis Berger; Jonathan Carey, Louis Berger; Steve Bedford, Louis Berger; Allison Fahey, Louis Berger; Cece Saunders, President, Historical Perspectives, Inc.; Faline Schneiderman, Historical Perspectives, Inc. Date of Lead Agency Acceptance: July 5, 2017 MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line This page intentionally blank. MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line FOREWORD A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) has been completed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) for the Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant for the Lexington Avenue Subway Line tunnel segment between the 33rd Street/Park Avenue South Station and the Grand Central Terminal/42nd Street Station. This FEIS was prepared pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL §§ 8-0101 et seq.) and its implementing regulations, Title 6 NYCRR §617. This FEIS addresses the comments received during the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) comment period, including written and oral testimony received at the DEIS Public Hearing. The FEIS identifies the comments received, and provides responses in Appendix A: Response to Comments. In addition, several chapters of the DEIS have been revised, where appropriate, in response to the comments received. Updates, revisions, and additions to the document since the publication of the DEIS are double- underlined in this FEIS. This FEIS identifies a Preferred Alternative in Chapter 3: Alternatives. MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line This page intentionally blank. MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... i LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................ ix LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................. xi LIST OF ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................... xiii SUMMARY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ..................................................... xv 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Identification of the Proposed Action ...................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Problem Identification ............................................................................................................. 1-2 System Deficiencies ................................................................................................... 1-4 National Fire Protection Association Conformance .................................................. 1-4 1.4 Project Purpose and Need ....................................................................................................... 1-4 1.5 Project Goals ............................................................................................................................ 1-6 2.0 PROCEDURAL AND ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK .........................................................................2-1 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2-1 Alternative 11 ............................................................................................................ 2-1 Alternative 11A .......................................................................................................... 2-3 Alternative 12 ............................................................................................................ 2-3 Alternative 12A .......................................................................................................... 2-6 2.2 Required Approvals and Agency Coordination ........................................................................ 2-6 2.3 Environmental Review Process ................................................................................................ 2-8 Establishing a Lead Agency ........................................................................................ 2-8 Determination of Significance ................................................................................... 2-8 Scoping ...................................................................................................................... 2-9 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) ......................................................... 2-9 Public Review .......................................................................................................... 2-10 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) ......................................................... 2-10 Statement of Findings ............................................................................................. 2-10 2.4 Framework for Environmental Analysis ................................................................................. 2-11 Scope of Environmental Analysis ............................................................................ 2-11 Periods of Analysis................................................................................................... 2-11 Definition of Study Areas ........................................................................................ 2-12 Definition of Baseline Conditions and the No Action Alternative ........................... 2-12 Alternatives ............................................................................................................. 2-12 Cumulative Effects Assessment ............................................................................... 2-13 Construction Environmental Protection Plan/ISO 14000 Standards/State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act ....................................................... 2-13 2.5 Operational and Emergency Level Analyses and Analyses Not Included .............................. 2-15 2.6 Mitigation ............................................................................................................................... 2-16 3.0 ALTERNATIVES .........................................................................................................................3-1 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Public Input to Development of Project Alternatives .............................................................. 3-2 Final Environmental Impact Statement i MTA New York City Transit Proposed Emergency Ventilation Plant Lexington Avenue Subway Line 3.3 Project Alternatives Considered .............................................................................................. 3-2 Preliminary Alternatives Screening ........................................................................... 3-3 Preliminary Alternatives Feasibility Evaluation ......................................................... 3-5 Engineering Evaluation of Potential Alternatives ...................................................... 3-9 Environmental Evaluation of Potential Alternatives ............................................... 3-11 Economic Evaluation of Potential Alternatives ....................................................... 3-12 Integrated Engineering/Environmental/Economic Comparative Analysis .............. 3-13 3.4 Alternatives Identified after Issuance of the Final Scoping Document.................................. 3-14 3.5 Description of Alternatives for Detailed Analysis in the FEIS................................................