Environmental Analyses
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Final Environmental Impact Report Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses South Station Expansion June 2016 Massachusetts Department of Transportation Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Final Environmental Impact Report This Page Intentionally Left Blank June 2016 South Station Expansion Massachusetts Department of Transportation Final Environmental Impact Report Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses 3. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSES 3.1. Introduction The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) provided a complete description and analysis of the project and its alternatives. It includes a description of existing conditions and identification and analysis of potential impacts related to the physical, biological, chemical, economic, and social conditions of the project site, its immediate surroundings, and the region. It also provides a discussion of the project’s consistency with regulations pertaining to each area of potential impact. The project website provides links to the full DEIR document. Hyperlinks to each DEIR section are also provided in Appendix H, DEIR Web Links. This FEIR chapter responds to the Secretary’s Certificate by providing additional analyses of wetlands impacts; water quality and stormwater impacts; water use and wastewater impacts; climate change impacts; greenhouse gas impacts; and site contamination and hazardous materials. Proposed mitigation to avoid, reduce and/or minimize all impacts is discussed in this chapter as well. This FEIR chapter also summarizes environmental impacts identified in the DEIR related to the following: • Land use and property • Wetlands • Chapter 91 waterways and tidelands • Water quality and stormwater • Water use and wastewater • Traffic and transportation • Climate change adaptation • Air quality • Noise and vibration • Greenhouse gas emissions • Historic resources • Site contamination and hazardous materials • Construction impacts 3.2. Summary of Potential Environmental Impacts Table 3-1 provides a summary of potential environmental impacts including permanent, temporary, and construction-related impacts from the proposed project. These impacts were compared to the effects of the No Build Alternative in the year 2035, except where otherwise noted. Mitigated impacts are also included where appropriate. South Station Expansion June 2016 Massachusetts Department of Transportation Page 3-1 Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Final Environmental Impact Report Table 3-1 — Summary of Potential Environmental Impacts Environmental South Station Widett Circle Readville – Yard 2 Impacts Land Use and • Acquire United States • Acquire Cold • Partial acquisition of Property Postal Service (USPS) Storage and New James G. Grant Co. property Boston Food Market LLC property (approximately properties (approximately 14 acres). (approximately 0.7 acres). • Acquire parcel 25.1 acres). adjacent to • Acquire Widett 245 Summer Street to Circle and Foodmart reopen Dorchester Road (approximately Avenue 6.2 acres). (approximately • Acquire a portion of 0.2 acres). Department of • Reopen Dorchester Public Works Avenue to public (DPW) facility at right-of-way. Broad Interlocking (0.1 acres) Wetlands • Direct impact to • No wetland impacts. • Direct impact to approximately approximately 2.9 acres of Land 0.01 acres of Subject to Coastal Riverfront Area. Storm Flowage • Direct impact to (LSCSF). 0.3 acres of 100-foot • Direct impact to buffer zone. approximately 700 • Direct impact to linear feet of coastal 0.6 acres of isolated bank vegetated wetlands. • Direct impact to approximately 7.9 acres of coastal bank 100-foot buffer zone Chapter 91 • Removes the • Not subject to • Not subject to Waterways and nonwater-dependent Chapter 91. Chapter 91. Tidelands USPS facility from filled Commonwealth Tidelands. • Expands existing transportation infrastructure. • Reopens approximately 5.0 acres of filled tidelands to public access. • Provides approximately 0.5 miles of newly reopened public June 2016 South Station Expansion Page 3-2 Massachusetts Department of Transportation Final Environmental Impact Report Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Environmental South Station Widett Circle Readville – Yard 2 Impacts roadway. • Creates approximately 3.0 acres of pedestrian-oriented open space. Water Quality • Reduces impervious • Reduces impervious • Increases impervious and Stormwater cover by 7.3 acres. cover by 14.7 acres. cover by 2.0 acres. • Reduces peak flow • Reduces peak flow • Reduces peak flow rate and runoff volume rate and runoff rate and runoff to below pre- volume to below volume to below pre- development pre-development development conditions. conditions. conditions. • Provides stormwater • Would provide • Would provide recharge via a groundwater groundwater recharge bioretention area. recharge if feasible. if feasible. • Improves water • Improves water • Improves water quality by removing quality by removing quality by removing approximately 80% of approximately 80% approximately 80% total suspended solids of TSS. of TSS. (TSS). Water Supply • Increases water use • Decreases water use • Increases water use and Wastewater and wastewater and wastewater and wastewater generation by generation by generation by approximately 44% approximately 55% approximately 80% over existing over existing over existing conditions. conditions. conditions. Transportation • Increases ridership by • No ridership or • No ridership or approximately 11% in transit capacity transit capacity 2025 and by impacts. impacts. approximately 13% in 2035. • Would meet the MBTA’s Service Delivery Policy related to crowding impacts on rapid transit and local bus routes. • The Silver Line platform would experience a Daily pedestrian flow increase of 2% to 4% on Silver Line platforms and up to 6% on Red Line platforms. South Station Expansion June 2016 Massachusetts Department of Transportation Page 3-3 Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Final Environmental Impact Report Environmental South Station Widett Circle Readville – Yard 2 Impacts Traffic • Without mitigation, • No impact. Trip • No impact. Trip increases Level of generation at layover generation at layover Service (LOS) at one site is minimal. site is minimal. intersection and decreases LOS at three intersections; four are unchanged. With mitigation, LOS increases at seven intersections and LOS decreases at one intersection. Climate Change • Raising the seawall • Subject to flooding • Subject to increasing Adaptation will help mitigate from 1% annual incidence of extreme flooding from chance flood with heat events. projected 2 feet of sea 3.2 feet of sea level level rise by the year rise by the year 2050. 2070. • Subject to flooding • Subject to increasing from 1% annual incidence of extreme chance flood (100- heat events. year) with 3.2 feet of sea level rise by the year 2070. • Subject to increasing incidence of extreme heat events. Air Quality • No adverse air quality • No adverse air • No adverse air impacts expected as a quality impacts quality impacts result of the project. expected as a result expected as a result of the project. of the project. Noise and • Prior to mitigation, • No noise or vibration • Prior to mitigation, Vibration moderate noise impact impacts. moderate noise is projected at impact is projected 245 Summer Street along Wolcott Street and across Fort Point and Riley Road. The Channel at Necco proposed noise wall Street due to removal extension would of noise buffering mitigate this impact. USPS facility. The • No vibration impact. proposed noise wall would mitigate this impact. • No vibration impact. June 2016 South Station Expansion Page 3-4 Massachusetts Department of Transportation Final Environmental Impact Report Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Environmental South Station Widett Circle Readville – Yard 2 Impacts Greenhouse Gas • Reduction in • Stationary sources • Stationary sources Emissions stationary source not modeled.1 not modeled.1 Facility greenhouse gas Facility to comply to comply with (GHG) emissions by with Stretch Code. Stretch Code. approximately 8% in • Increase in mobile • Increase in mobile compliance with the source CO2 source CO2 emissions Massachusetts Stretch emissions by by approximately Energy Code. approximately 2,500 tons per year in • Approximately 5% net 5,800 tons per year 2025 and 2035. reduction in carbon in 2025 and 2035. dioxide (CO2) emissions from locomotives near South Station, due to decreased congestion and idling time on the tracks. • Saves 46,000 tons of CO2 per year in the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) region. Historic • No adverse effect on • No historic • No historic properties Resources historic properties properties affected. affected. identified in the Area • No archaeological • No archaeological of Potential Effect sensitivity. sensitivity. (APE). • Improved views to and from Fort Point Channel Historic District due to removal of USPS building and construction of Harborwalk. • No archaeological sensitivity. Site • Identification of three • Identification of two • Identification of four Contamination/ Recorded RECs and seven RECs. Hazardous Environmental HRECs. Materials Conditions (RECs) and six Historic Recorded Environmental 1 In a pre-DEIR filing meeting with MEPA and DOER on November 26, 2013, it was confirmed that building energy modeling was not required for the layover facility sites. South Station Expansion June 2016 Massachusetts Department of Transportation Page 3-5 Chapter 3 – Environmental Analyses Final Environmental Impact Report Environmental