CONNECT COBB CORRIDOR Environmental Assessment
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CONNECT COBB CORRIDOR Environmental Assessment APRIL 2015 Environmental Assessment Page i Table of Contents Glossary ........................................................................................................................................... iii List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................ viii 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Document Purpose ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Sponsors ............................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Comment Period and Next Steps ..................................................................................... 1 2.0 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................ 2 2.1 Project Location................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 Project Setting .................................................................................................................. 2 2.3 Existing Transportation Systems ...................................................................................... 3 2.4 Analysis and Decision-Making Background ...................................................................... 6 2.5 Selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative ..................................................................... 7 2.6 Project Purpose ................................................................................................................ 8 2.7 Project Need ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.8 Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................... 20 3.0 Alternatives ........................................................................................................................ 22 3.1 No Build Alternative ....................................................................................................... 22 3.2 Proposed Project ............................................................................................................ 23 3.3 Other Alternatives Considered But Eliminated .............................................................. 40 4.0 Environmental Analysis ...................................................................................................... 42 4.1 Transportation Impacts .................................................................................................. 42 4.2 Utilities ........................................................................................................................... 56 4.3 Land Use ......................................................................................................................... 59 4.4 Neighborhood and Community Resources .................................................................... 64 4.5 Cultural Resources.......................................................................................................... 71 4.6 Parks and Public Lands ................................................................................................... 78 4.7 Section 4(f)/Section 6(f) ................................................................................................. 81 4.8 Visual .............................................................................................................................. 82 4.9 Displacements and Relocations ..................................................................................... 86 4.10 Safety and Security ..................................................................................................... 88 4.11 Hazardous Materials ................................................................................................... 91 4.12 Noise ........................................................................................................................... 93 4.13 Air Quality ................................................................................................................. 100 4.14 Federal and State Protected Species ........................................................................ 106 4.15 Hydrology/Floodplains ............................................................................................. 112 April 2015 Environmental Assessment Page ii 4.16 Water Quality/Stormwater ...................................................................................... 114 4.17 Navigable Waterways ............................................................................................... 118 4.18 Waters of the US and Buffered State Waters .......................................................... 119 4.19 Indirect and Cumulative Impacts .............................................................................. 123 4.20 Environmental Justice and Limited English Proficiency ........................................... 134 5.0 Agency Coordination and Public Involvement ................................................................. 148 5.1 Agency Coordination/Permits and Approvals .............................................................. 148 5.2 Public Involvement ....................................................................................................... 149 Appendix A. Agency Correspondence Appendix B. Meeting Summaries Appendix C. Transportation Supporting Information Appendix D. Land Use Supporting Information Appendix E. Cultural Resources Supporting Information and Correspondence Appendix F. Hazardous Materials Supporting Information Appendix G. Noise Supporting Information Appendix H. Air Quality Supporting Information and Correspondence Appendix I. Ecology Supporting Information and Correspondence Appendix J. Environmental Justice Supporting Information Appendix K. Concept Plan Exhibits Appendix L. List of References April 2015 Environmental Assessment Page iii Glossary Access or Accessibility: In transportation, “access” or accessibility refers to the ease with which people can reach multiple destinations. People in places that are highly accessible can reach many other activities or destinations quickly and easily. Accident Potential Zone I: the area beyond a Clear Zone that has a significant potential for military aircraft accidents Activity center is a destination where people gather. Activity centers include concentrated work locations, shopping areas, recreation areas, sports stadiums, educational institutions, government centers, museums, and so forth. Alignment is the horizontal location of a transit system as described by curved and tangent track. Archaeological site: Any place where evidence of past human life is found. Sites can range in size from small locations of artifacts to entire villages and cities. Area of Potential Effect (APE): According to 36 CFR 800.16(d), this is the geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause changes in the character or use of historic properties, if such properties exist. Arterial Rapid Transit (ART): bus rapid transit that generally operates on arterial roads Best management practices (BMPs) are the most efficient and effective means to achieve a desired goal, such as preventing pollution. Biota: the plant and animal life of a specific region Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): flexible system of transit using rubber tired vehicles operating on dedicated guideways, HOV lanes, or in mixed traffic. Systems use signal priority or queue jumper lanes to increase operational efficiency and reliability. Capital cost is the one-time cost to build a project. Capital investment is money invested in a business venture with an expectation of income. Clear Zone: the area immediately beyond the end of the end of a military runway that has a high potential for aircraft accidents Compensatory mitigation measures are actions required to offset the use of a Section 4(f) resource (see definition below) when impacts are unavoidable; such as photo-documentation of a historic building. Connect Cobb Corridor (the corridor): proposed project alignment and station areas as defined in Sections 3.2.1 and 3.2.3, respectively, and including adjacent parcels Contaminated site is a location where a substance has been released to the environment and its presence creates a risk to human health or natural ecosystems. Cultural resource(s) are defined as the buildings, structures, districts, objects and sites that are listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP or National Register). Cumulative Impacts: The CEQ regulations (40 CFR 1508.7) define cumulative impacts as the impact on the environment that results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (federal or non-federal) or person undertakes such other actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor, but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time. April 2015 Environmental Assessment Page iv Dedicated guideway: a public transportation facility using and occupying a separate right-of- way for the exclusive