Final Environmental Impact Statement
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NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM Final Environmental Impact Statement PREPARED BY: FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION and NEW JERSEY TRANSIT CORPORATION April 2020 NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM Final Environmental Impact Statement TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Purpose and Need............................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Severe Weather and the Existing Commercial Power Grid ................................................ 2 1.1.3 Frequency of Severe Weather Events Affecting NJ TRANSIT Service ................................. 2 1.1.4 Regional Mobility and Reliable Electrical Power ................................................................ 3 1.2 REGULATORY CONTEXT .................................................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Applicable Regulations ........................................................................................................ 3 1.2.1.1 Final EIS Errata Sheet Approach .......................................................................... 3 1.2.1.2 Combined FEIS/ROD ............................................................................................ 4 1.3 ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................................................. 4 1.3.1 No Action Alternative ......................................................................................................... 4 1.3.2 Preferred Alternative .......................................................................................................... 5 1.4 PUBLIC AND AGENCY COORDINATION............................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Scoping ................................................................................................................................ 6 1.4.2 Draft Environmental Impact Statement ............................................................................. 7 1.4.3 Limited English Proficiency Communities ........................................................................... 7 1.4.4 Technical Advisory Committee ........................................................................................... 8 1.4.5 Public Comments Received on DEIS ................................................................................... 8 1.5 DEIS ERRATA ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.5.1 Introduction to DEIS Errata ................................................................................................. 9 1.5.2 Errata .................................................................................................................................. 9 1.5.2.1 Comments that do not warrant revisions or additional information to DEIS ...... 9 1.5.2.2 General Comments ............................................................................................ 10 1.5.2.3 Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 10 1.5.2.4 Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need .......................................................................... 13 1.5.2.5 Chapter 2 – Project Alternatives ........................................................................ 13 Page | FEIS-i NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM FEIS 1.5.2.6 Chapter 3 – Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy ............................................... 14 1.5.2.7 Chapter 4 – Community Facilities ...................................................................... 14 1.5.2.8 Chapter 6 – Air Quality....................................................................................... 15 1.5.2.9 Chapter 7 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions ............................................................. 16 1.5.2.10 Chapter 10 – Traffic, Navigation and Public Transportation ........................... 18 1.5.2.11 Chapter 11 – Noise and Vibration .................................................................... 18 1.5.2.12 Chapter 12 – Natural Resources ...................................................................... 19 1.5.2.13 Chapter 14 – Contaminated Materials ............................................................ 19 1.5.2.14 Chapter 16 – Safety and Security ..................................................................... 21 1.5.2.15 Chapter 17 – Construction Effects ................................................................... 22 1.5.2.16 Chapter 18 – Indirect and Cumulative Effects.................................................. 23 1.5.2.17 Chapter 19 – Environmental Justice ................................................................. 24 1.5.2.18 Chapter 20 – Section 4(f) Evaluation ............................................................... 24 1.5.2.19 Chapter 21 – Agency Coordination and Public Participation ........................... 24 1.6 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................. 25 1.6.1 Effects of the NEPA Preferred Alternative ........................................................................ 25 1.6.2 Summary of Required Permits and Mitigation Commitments ......................................... 37 Page | FEIS-ii NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM FEIS LIST OF FIGURES Key Map Project Components Key Map Figure 1-1 Project Components A/B Figure 1-2 Project Components C/D Figure 1-3 Project Components E/G Figure 1-4 Project Component G (North) Figure 1-5 Project Components F/G Figure 1-6 Project Component G (South) ERRATA FIGURES Figure 14-1 Contaminated Sites on Kearny Peninsula Figure 14-2 Contaminated Sites on Kearny Peninsula LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Technical Advisory Committee Coordination Schedule Table 2 Summary of Potential Impacts and Mitigation Commitments for Preferred Alternative Table 3 Summary of Required Permits, Certifications and Agreements LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A Final Section 4(f) Evaluation APPENDIX B Section 106 - Programmatic Agreement APPENDIX C Response to Agency and Public Comments APPENDIX D Scoping Alternatives Analysis APPENDIX E Public Outreach Update APPENDIX F Agency Correspondence APPENDIX G Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page | FEIS-iii NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM FEIS Chapter 1 Final Environment Impact Statement 1.1 INTRODUCTION The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), together with the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT) has prepared this Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation (Appendix A) pursuant to the federal environmental laws, regulations and executive orders applicable during the environmental review process. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are serving as Cooperating Agencies. NJ TRANSIT proposes to design and construct the NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM (proposed Project), a first-of-its-kind “microgrid” designed to provide highly reliable power to support limited service in a core segment of NJ TRANSIT’s and Amtrak’s critical service territory. As defined by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), a microgrid is a local energy grid with “control capability,” which means it can disconnect from the commercial power grid and operate autonomously1. The microgrid would be resilient, making the transportation system substantially less vulnerable to power outages, and thereby able to provide reliable and safe service to customers. The proposed Project would be designed to generate enough electrical power to maintain operation of commuter and passenger rail service on key segments of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, NJ TRANSIT’s Morris & Essex Line, and NJ TRANSIT’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) system indefinitely and without requiring electrical power from the commercial electrical grid. Specifically, the proposed Project is intended to produce and distribute enough electricity to provide traction (i.e., train locomotive) power to the following service territories: • Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor between New York Penn Station and County Yard/Jersey Avenue Station in New Brunswick, NJ (approximately 32.8 rail miles); • NJ TRANSIT commuter rail service between Hoboken Terminal and Maplewood Station in Maplewood, NJ, on the Morris & Essex Line (approximately 15.2 rail miles); and • NJ TRANSIT HBLR (approximately 16.6 rail miles). The proposed Project would also be designed to support non-traction functions (i.e., NJ TRANSIT signal power, switches, tunnel ventilation, pumping, station and lighting loads) in the above rail segments. Furthermore, the proposed Project will support the signal system on a portion of the NJ TRANSIT Main Line from the intersection with the Morris & Essex Line to the Upper Hack Lift Bridge (approximately 2.5 rail miles) so that diesel trains can operate on that non-electrified segment during power outages. In addition to the equipment required for the microgrid, up to four acres of land is proposed for a solar (photovoltaic cells) facility. The proposed Project also includes the installation of electrical lines, new 1 USDOE web page “How Microgrids Work” https://www.energy.gov/articles/how-microgrids-work, accessed in July 2016. Page | FEIS-1 NJ TRANSITGRID TRACTION POWER SYSTEM FEIS substations, and natural gas-fired emergency generators at the HBLR