Commonwealth of Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office

Environmental Notification Form

For Office Use Only EEA#: MEPA Analyst:

The information requested on this form must be completed in order to submit a document electronically for review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act, 301 CMR 11.00.

Project Name: Monatiquot River Restoration Street Address: Hancock Street and Plain Street Municipality: Braintree Watershed: Boston Harbor Universal Transverse Mercator Latitude: 42.198310 Coordinates: Longitude: -71.003542 334,584.25 E 4,673,737.82 N; UTMZ 19T Estimated commencement date: Estimated completion date: July 2022 June 2021 (in-water work estimated completion date: March 2022) Project Type: River Restoration Status of project design: 60 %complete Proponent: Town of Braintree, in cooperation with Hollingsworth Pond, LLC. Street Address: 1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive Municipality: Braintree State: MA Zip Code: 02184 Name of Contact Person: Matthew Sanford Firm/Agency: Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Street Address: 99 Realty Drive Municipality: Cheshire State: CT Zip Code: 06410 Phone: (203) 271-1773 Fax: E-mail: [email protected]

Does this project meet or exceed a mandatory EIR threshold (see 301 CMR 11.03)? Yes No

If this is an Expanded Environmental Notification Form (ENF) (see 301 CMR 11.05(7)) or a Notice of Project Change (NPC), are you requesting:

a Single EIR? (see 301 CMR 11.06(8)) Yes No a Special Review Procedure? (see 301CMR 11.09) Yes No a Waiver of mandatory EIR? (see 301 CMR 11.11) Yes No a Phase I Waiver? (see 301 CMR 11.11) Yes No (Note: Greenhouse Gas Emissions analysis must be included in the Expanded ENF.)

Which MEPA review threshold(s) does the project meet or exceed (see 301 CMR 11.03)? 301 CMR 11.03(3)(a)4., structural alteration of an existing dam that causes an expansion of 20% or decrease in impoundment capacity, 301 CMR 11.03(3)(b)1.b., alteration of 500 or more linear feet of bank along a fish run or inland bank, 301 CMR 11.03(3)(b)1.e., new fill or structure or expansion of existing fill or structure, except pile-supported structure, in a velocity zone or regulatory floodway; 301 CMR 11.03(3)(b)1.f., alteration of ½ or more acres of any other wetlands. Which State Agency Permits will the project require? Ecological Restoration Order of Conditions; Combined 401 Water Quality Certification & Chapter 91 Dredge Permit; Chapter 91 Waterways License; Chapter 253 Dam Safety Permit; DMF Fishway Construction Permit

Effective January 2011

Identify any financial assistance or land transfer from an Agency of the Commonwealth, including the Agency name and the amount of funding or land area in acres: State funding has supported the design and permitting efforts and is anticipated to support future construction activities. State funding allocated to date includes: MA Dam & Seawall Repair or Removal Grant program: $75,000 MA Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program: $90,000

MA Division of Ecological Restoration: $80,000

Summary of Project Size Existing Change Total & Environmental Impacts LAND Total site acreage 13.9 acres New acres of land altered 0.45 acres Acres of impervious area 6.9 acres -0.1 acres 6.8 acres Square feet of new bordering vegetated wetlands alteration * Net change in BVW. BVW will be created +3.53 acres through conversion of LUW. See Supplemental Information Report Section 6.0 for details. Square feet of new other wetland alteration Net change in LUW. LUW will be converted to BVW. See -3.40 acres Supplemental Information Report Section 6.0 for details. Acres of new non-water dependent use of N/A tidelands or waterways STRUCTURES Gross square footage N/A N/A N/A Number of housing units N/A N/A N/A Maximum height (feet) N/A N/A N/A TRANSPORTATION Vehicle trips per day N/A N/A N/A Parking spaces N/A N/A N/A WASTEWATER Water Use (Gallons per day) N/A N/A N/A Water withdrawal (GPD) N/A N/A N/A Wastewater generation/treatment (GPD) N/A N/A N/A Length of water mains (miles) N/A N/A N/A Length of sewer mains (miles) N/A N/A N/A Has this project been filed with MEPA before? Yes (EEA # ) No

Has any project on this site been filed with MEPA before? Yes (EEA # ) No

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GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION – all proponents must fill out this section

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Describe the existing conditions and land uses on the project site: This project encompasses the area along the Monatiquot River in Braintree, Massachusetts, from the stone arch Transportation Authority (MBTA) railroad bridge at the downstream project limits to the Plain Street bridge at the upstream limits. Several barriers to fish passage exist along the project river reach, and the proposed project will restore fish passage through this reach. There are three specific barriers that will be addressed as part of this restoration project. These are described from downstream to upstream. The natural fish passage barrier known as Rock Falls is located upstream of the MBTA bridge and has a 4-foot grade drop over a relatively short distance. The significant grade change and channel slope are a barrier to fish passage. Upstream of Rock Falls is the Ames Pond dam, which is a non-jurisdictional concrete dam that blocks fish passage. Lastly, the Armstrong dam is located upstream of the Ames Pond dam and impounds an approximately 3.8-acre area known as Hollingsworth Pond. The impoundment stretches from the dam to the Plain Street bridge.

The Ames Pond and Armstrong dams are both owned by Hollingsworth Pond LLC. The Ames Pond dam (also known as Factory Pond dam, MA#03101) varies between 2 to 3 feet high and is approximately 50 feet long and is considered a non-jurisdictional dam. Therefore, no hazard rating is attributed to this dam. The dam is partially breached and no longer has a formal impoundment upstream. Even though this dam is partially breached, the velocities flowing over the dam are too high for fish passage. The Armstrong dam (MA#03102) is approximately 12 feet high and 92 feet long and is located beneath a former mill building known as the Armstrong Cork building. The concrete dam is classified by MA ODS as an intermediate-sized, high hazard potential structure that is in “fair” condition. The dam has eight main bays separated by concrete piers (structural supports for the building) on the spillway and one low auxiliary bay, which acts as a low-level outlet, located 5 feet in front of the dam. The dam is a significant barrier to fish passage due to the lack of an existing fish ladder. The dam is operated in a run-of-river mode and does not provide any flood protection; in fact, under flooding conditions, the dam acts to increase the water level and area of inundation upstream of the dam.

The Armstrong dam impoundment is referenced as Hollingsworth Pond and has an approximate inundation area of approximately 3.8 acres extending approximately 2,400 linear feet upstream to the Plain Street bridge. Hollingsworth Pond has a water storage capacity of approximately 20 acre-feet. Small pockets of bordering vegetated wetlands are found along the periphery of the impoundment, but most land use surrounding the impoundment is classified as developed. Some of this development includes the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), the Bayshore Athletic Club, an auxiliary parking lot located east of the impoundment, and the MBTA Old Colony Line Middleboro Branch railroad, which parallels the impoundment to the west.

The primary goals of the project are to remove two aging and obsolete dams, improve public safety, restore fish passage along this reach of the Monatiquot River, and provide opportunities for diadromous fish to reach Great Pond for spawning and rearing habitats.

Figure 1-1 of the Supplemental Information Report and Sheets EX-1, EX-2, and EX-3 of project plans in Appendix D of the same report provide an overview of existing conditions in the vicinity of the project. Please refer to the Supplemental Information Report, Section 2.0, and relevant technical appendices for more detailed discussion of existing conditions.

Describe the proposed project and its programmatic and physical elements:

- 3 - NOTE: The project description should summarize both the project’s direct and indirect impacts (including construction period impacts) in terms of their magnitude, geographic extent, duration and frequency, and reversibility, as applicable. It should also discuss the infrastructure requirements of the project and the capacity of the municipal and/or regional infrastructure to sustain these requirements into the future.

The proposed project involves removal of the Armstrong dam and the Ames Pond dam, reconstruction of the Monatiquot River channel within Hollingsworth Pond, construction of a fish passage structure (natural bypass channel or 30-foot-long steep pass) at Rock Falls, construction of a multiuse trail adjacent to the river, and construction of a vehicular and pedestrian bridge over the river. Completion of this project would restore riverine habitat, provide uninterrupted aquatic fish and wildlife passage from Fore River Bay to Great Pond (a 180-acre high-quality fish spawning/rearing habitat), reduce flood risks, encourage public access to the river, and create a patch of open space in a relatively urbanized section of Braintree.

Armstrong Dam and Hollingsworth Impoundment Dewatering of the Hollingsworth Pond impoundment and removal of the Armstrong dam will restore approximately 5,200 linear feet of natural free-flowing habitat on the Monatiquot River and will create over 3 acres of naturalized open space. Following dam removal, the project will construct a natural meandering channel within the former impoundment. The channel location was determined based on the impoundment’s lowest bottom elevations, which presumably correspond to the river’s original channel/thalweg path through this site. During channel construction, approximately 4,500 cubic yards of contaminated sediment will be managed within the former impoundment through off-site disposal or on-site relocation. Any remaining exposed contaminated sediments within the impoundment will be capped with clean topsoil and revegetated. The eastern portion of the impoundment will be covered with geotextile fabric prior to placement of topsoil as this is the area of greatest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentration. See Sediment Management Plan in Appendix F of the Supplemental Information Report for additional details.

In addition to the dam removal, a 6-foot-wide multiuse trail and boardwalk is proposed west of the newly constructed channel. The boardwalk will be flanked with planted native wetland trees and shrubs. It will provide recreational opportunities, including walking/running, river viewing, and birdwatching. Moreover, the proposed plantings will provide a new riparian vegetation buffer and diversify the wetland system habitats within the dewatered impoundment. A bridge will be constructed near the former location of the existing building crossing over the river and the Armstrong dam. The new bridge will provide vehicular and pedestrian access to the property located west of the Monatiquot River and will accommodate relocation of utilities presently located under the existing building. The bridge will consist of a clear span cast-in-place concrete deck and will include a sidewalk for pedestrian access to the trail below.

Ames Pond Dam Downstream of the Armstrong dam, the project seeks full removal of the Ames Pond dam. Removal of this dam will provide year-round fish passage. In addition to this dam removal, there will be minor channel modifications in the area surrounding Ames Pond dam. This channel regrading will include removal of boulders/stones and/or high points that could cause fish passage impairments during low- flow conditions. The extent of channel modifications will be refined in the field concurrent with or immediately following the Ames Pond dam removal.

Rock Falls Rock Falls, located downstream of the Ames Pond dam, is a “natural” river falls that is a barrier to fish passage. This area is documented to have once passed fish but was manipulated in the late 1800s as part of the construction of the downstream railroad bridge, creating an impassable barrier. The project developed a restoration plan that maintains the rock falls and provides year-round fish passage. This fish passage restoration will be achieved by the construction of a new bypass fishway

- 4 - channel (Preferred Alternative #1) or a 30-foot-long Alaskan Steep Pass (Preferred Alternative #2). Available funding will dictate which bypass alternative is ultimately selected for implementation, but the project team plans to advance the bypass fishway Alternative #1 as it best meets the project goals. The proposed multiuse trail will extend to the Rock Falls fishway for public viewing of river herring migrating upstream.

Construction will require temporary and/or permanent impacts to bordering vegetated wetlands, land under water, bordering land subject to flooding, and mean annual high water adjacent to and/or within the Rock Falls, Ames Pond dam, and Armstrong dam/Hollingsworth Pond.

Figure 6-1 and Sheets LA-1, LA-2, IM-1, PR-3, and PR-4 of project plans in Appendix D of the Supplemental Information Report provide an overview of proposed conditions. Please see Supplemental Information Report, Section 3.0, for a complete description of proposed activities; Section 5.0 for discussion of construction sequence, water handling during construction, and sediment management; and Section 6.0 for a discussion of project impacts to wetlands and waterways.

Describe the on-site project alternatives (and alternative off-site locations, if applicable), considered by the proponent, including at least one feasible alternative that is allowed under current zoning, and the reasons(s) that they were not selected as the preferred alternative:

NOTE: The purpose of the alternatives analysis is to consider what effect changing the parameters and/or siting of a project, or components thereof, will have on the environment, keeping in mind that the objective of the MEPA review process is to avoid or minimize damage to the environment to the greatest extent feasible. Examples of alternative projects include alternative site locations, alternative site uses, and alternative site configurations.

Several alternatives were considered during development of the current project design. Potential alternatives were evaluated on the basis of achieving project goals, which include the following:

• Restore fish passage in the Monatiquot River • Restore natural habitat within the river corridor • Improve safety and reduce flooding risk • Improve public access and recreation along the river

Alternatives to each of the three proposed restoration activities are discussed below. There are additional discussions on project-related alternatives presented within Section 4.0 of the Supplemental Information Report.

Armstrong Dam and Hollingsworth Pond Impoundment

Do Nothing Under the Do Nothing alternative, the Armstrong dam would continue to deteriorate and continue to act as a barrier to fish passage. The dam would continue to present a flood risk to downstream properties due to its classification as a high hazard dam. Thus, leaving the dam in place would not achieve any of the restoration or safety goals for this project.

Dam Repair Under the Dam Repair alternative, the Armstrong dam would remain in place.

Under this alternative, the dam would continue to serve as a barrier to aquatic resources and to alter natural habitat, water temperatures, and sediment transport. The Armstrong dam has a high hazard classification and was reported to be in “Fair condition” with several deficiencies noted in the most recent dam safety inspection report. Flood risk both upstream and downstream of the dam would

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