KOSCIUSZKO BRIDGE PROJECT PIN X729.77.123 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SCOPING PROCESS Summary Report New York State U.S. Department of Transportation Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration New York State Department of Transportation Kosciuszko Bridge Project Environmental Impact Statement Scoping Process Summary Report Table of Contents Summary Report Appendix A – List of Meetings Appendix B – List of Commenters Appendix C – Summary of Public Comments Appendix D – Meeting Advertisements Appendix E – Draft NEPA Scoping Memorandum Appendix F – Scoping Meeting Announcements KOSCIUSZKO BRIDGE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SCOPING PROCESS Summary Report Introduction and Background The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) conducted an intensive scoping process for the Kosciuszko Bridge Project during the period between November 2001 and July 2002. This scoping process was the initial stage of developing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). In accordance with NEPA, all affected agencies and the public must be informed of the environmental consequences of any major proposed action that uses federal funds. The scoping process is designed to identify the purpose and need, range of alternatives, and significant issues to be addressed in the EIS. Scoping creates opportunities for the interested public and governmental agencies to participate in the earliest phases of decision-making on the project, by identifying issues and options that should be considered in the EIS before the work has progressed to a point where incorporating new ideas is difficult. In identifying key issues, the scoping process may also serve to focus the EIS and make it a more efficient document. NYSDOT’s scoping activities for the Kosciuszko Bridge Project included small group briefings and presentations, meetings with elected officials and Community Board representatives, bus tours, open houses, and public scoping forums. These activities introduced and described the environmental, planning, and engineering procedures that will guide the selection and evaluation of alternative designs for the repair, reconstruction, or replacement of the Kosciuszko Bridge. It is anticipated that a 30-month study period will be needed to complete the detailed traffic, engineering, socioeconomic, and environmental analyses that will be performed. These studies 1 will be documented in the resulting EIS and supported by a comprehensive public involvement program. The purpose of this Scoping Report is to document the activities performed, as well as the public and agency input received, during the scoping process. It identifies all issues raised during meetings and in written statements submitted to the project team. All relevant comments and issues introduced in oral or written testimony will be addressed in the EIS. In addition, consideration of project issues, including those raised through the public scoping process, will be fully coordinated with all appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. Scoping Activities The activities described below summarize NYSDOT’s outreach efforts during the scoping process. See Appendix A for a complete list of activities conducted as part of the scoping process, Appendix B for a list of commentors, and Appendix C for a summary of public comments. Meetings Twenty-two meetings were held with elected officials, Community Board representatives, civic organizations and business associations. These meetings, which were held in Brooklyn and Queens, ranged from small informal discussions with civic leaders and elected officials to larger more formal presentations to broader audiences. All meetings were highly interactive, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns, and allowing the project team to learn about local issues. Open Houses During February and March 2002, NYSDOT hosted three informational open houses in Brooklyn and Queens. The first was held on February 21st at P.S. 199 in Long Island City, Queens. Approximately 30 individuals, including representatives of community organizations, agencies, elected officials and the news media, attended the meeting. New York State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan was present, as well as representatives of the Federal 2 Highway Administration, the New York City Police Department, and the Office of Congressman Joseph Crowley. Appoximately 60 people attended the second open house, which was held on February 27th at St. Cecelia’s Roman Catholic Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Those present included New York State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, representatives of the Federal Highway Administration, the United States Coast Guard and the Office of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, members of several neighborhood organizations, and the media. The third Open House took place on March 21st at St. Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church in Woodside, Queens and was attended by approximately 70 people. They included New York City Councilman Eric Gioia and representatives of the Offices of State Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, State Senator Martin Connor, State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Other participants included representatives of Queens Community Boards 2 and 5, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Transit Authority, the New York City Department of City Planning, a number of community organizations and the local media. The Open Houses were conducted in an informal manner. Graphic displays illustrating and describing the project site, current conditions and the EIS process were set up throughout the meeting area, and project team members were available to answer questions and listen to and record comments from the community. Comment forms were distributed; a total of 31 were completed and returned to the project team. Bus Tours In an effort to become more familiar with local concerns and conditions, the project team participated in mini-bus tours with residents of Maspeth and Woodside, Queens and Greenpoint, Brooklyn on April 24, June 27 and July 15, 2002. Issues that were raised included concern about potential impacts on properties adjacent to the Kosciuszko Bridge, traffic patterns on ramps leading to the bridge, traffic congestion on local streets and proposed commercial and industrial projects in the study area. 3 Scoping Meetings The first Public Scoping Meeting for the Kosciuszko Bridge Project was held on May 14, 2002 from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Martin Luther High School, 60-02 Maspeth Avenue, Maspeth, NY. During the formal presentations, which were made at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Joseph Brown, Project Director for NYSDOT, provided an overview and introduced the project team. Steve Bennett, Project Manager for Parsons, described current conditions on the bridge and the need to determine a course of action. Pat Monte, Project Manager for Vollmer Associates, outlined the Draft EIS process and the public participation program. The Open House portion of the Scoping Meeting, which began at 3:00 p.m., provided the public with the opportunity to discuss the project on a one-on-one basis with agency and consultant staff. Graphic displays included: aerial photographs and maps of the Kosciuszko Bridge and the project’s Primary and Secondary Study Areas; illustrations of current bridge conditions; charts describing project background, schedule and process; and a summary of the public outreach program. Handouts provided to attendees included: an agenda; the Draft Scoping Memorandum in English, Spanish, Polish, and Italian; information about Thaddeus Kosciuszko; and comment sheets. Small-scale copies of the presentation boards were also available upon request. Thirty-four people attended the meeting, including community residents and representatives of state and city agencies, elected officials, Queens Community Board #5, local institutional and civic organizations, and the media. The second Public Scoping Meeting was held on May 21, 2002 at St. Cecilia’s Roman Catholic Church, 84 Herbert Street, Brooklyn, NY. Presentations by Joseph Brown, Steve Bennett and Pat Monte were given at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., as was done at the Queens meeting. Fifty-five people attended the meeting, including community residents and representatives of state and city agencies, elected officials, Brooklyn Community Board #1, local institutions, and neighborhood and business organizations. A stenographer was present to record the presentations and public testimony at both the Queens and Brooklyn meetings. 4 In an effort to notify the broadest number of people, both Scoping Meetings were advertised in nine citywide, local and foreign language (Spanish, Polish, Italian) publications. (See Appendix D for a copy of the advertisement and a list of newspapers in which it appeared.) In addition, the project’s Draft Scoping Memorandum was sent to approximately 400 people (See Appendix E) and 1,500 flyers about the meetings, in English, Spanish, Polish and Italian, were distributed at community facilities in Brooklyn and Queens. (See Appendix F.) Translators were available at each scoping session to assist meeting participants. Issues Issues raised during the scoping process fall into nine broad, and occasionally overlapping, categories: Traffic and Transportation; Construction; Coordination with Other Agencies, Projects and Plans; Environmental Impact Statement Process;