Environmental Assessment for Remote Video Surveillance Systems Upgrade Program (New Towers) U.S
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR REMOTE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS UPGRADE PROGRAM (NEW TOWERS) U.S. BORDER PATROL, TUCSON AND YUMA SECTORS, ARIZONA U.S. U.S.Department Customs of and Homeland Border SecurityProtection U.S. DepartmentCustoms and of Border Homeland Protection Security U.S.Washington, Border Patrol DC SEPTEMBER 2012 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT NAME OF PROPOSED ACTION Remote Video Surveillance Systems (RVSS) Upgrade Program (New Towers), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), Tucson and Yuma Sectors, Arizona DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition (OTIA) proposes to upgrade existing RVSS capabilities within the USBP Tucson and Yuma Sectors, Arizona. The upgrade includes replacement of existing RVSS equipment and installation of new cameras on existing and relocated RVSS towers and the construction of new RVSS towers for improved border surveillance in Arizona. The Proposed Action includes the construction, operation, and maintenance of up to 20 RVSS towers and upgrade of command and control facilities in the USBP Yuma, Ajo, Nogales, Naco, and Douglas Stations’ jurisdictions. Each tower will be equipped with a suite of day/night cameras, communications and support equipment. The Proposed Action also includes construction of two access roads (approximately 72 feet) and improvement of 14 approach roads (approximately 19.2 miles). The access roads would typically be constructed to provide a 12-foot-wide driving surface with 2-foot shoulders (16 feet total width). Road construction consists of blading native material. Road improvements include reconstruction, widening, or straightening of existing roads, and installation of drainage structures, such as concrete low-water crossings. Road maintenance would be performed as part of CBP’s comprehensive maintenance and repair program to ensure full-time access to the towers and other infrastructure. Alternative 1: Alternative 1 consists of the construction, operation and maintenance of up to 20 RVSS towers; 14 at preferred sites and six at alternate sites. The same suite of day/night cameras, communications and optional equipment as the Proposed Action would be mounted on these RVSS towers. It also includes construction of one access road (approximately 25 feet) and improvement of 13 approach roads (approximately 19.8 miles). No Action Alternative: Under the No Action Alternative, construction of the proposed RVSS towers will not take place and the current USBP operational practices and procedures will continue. FONSI-2 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT OTIA initiated public involvement and coordination with Federal, state and local agencies and Federally recognized tribes during site selection activities in June 2011. On June 6, 2012, OTIA released the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to the public for review and comment. A Notice of Availability for the draft EA and proposed FONSI was published in the Arizona Daily Star, Yuma Sun, Ajo Copper News, Nogales International, Douglas Dispatch and Bisbee Observer. The draft EA was also available for review at the four public libraries in Yuma, Ajo, Nogales, Bisbee and Douglas from June 6, 2012 to July 6, 2012. Comment letters were received from California Department of Transportation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Bureau of Reclamation, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Native American Heritage Commission. Comments are included in Appendix A of the final EA, and each comment was addressed, as applicable. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES Best management practices (BMPs) to reduce or minimize potential impacts on a particular resource are described in Section 5.0 of the final EA and are incorporated by reference to this Finding of No Significant Impact. Physical Environment: The Proposed Action will have a permanent, direct impact on 64.5 acres of land, and approximately 37.1 acres will be temporarily disturbed. Standard erosion control and soil stabilization BMPs will be implemented during and following construction. Construction will not occur in wetlands. The withdrawal of water for construction purposes could have a short-term, minor impact on groundwater resources. Temporary and minor increases in air emissions and fugitive dust will occur during the construction, but would not exceed Federal and state criteria. Natural Environment: The loss of approximately 64.5 acres of habitat will have a permanent, minor impact on wildlife. Increased noise and human presence during construction and maintenance could potentially affect wildlife. The short-term and intermittent use of spotlights at up to 12 towers will also have a minor impact on wildlife. Six Federally-listed species may be affected, but are not likely to be adversely affected, they include: the lesser long-nosed bat, ocelot, Mexican spotted owl, jaguar, Chiricahua leopard frog and southwestern willow flycatcher. Endangered Species Act consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been completed for these species. Designated Critical Habitat for the Chiricahua leopard frog and southwestern willow flycatcher will not be affected by the Proposed Action. The Proposed Action will not affect designated Critical Habitat for the Mexican spotted owl. The Proposed Action will have no effect on Sonoran desert tortoise and would have a potential minor impact on flat-tailed horned lizard. CBP will complete coordination with Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management to ensure compliance with the Flat-tailed Horned FONSI-3 Lizard Rangewide Management Strategy. Conservation measures developed in consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce or minimize potential impacts on Federally protected species will be followed. Qualified biological monitors will be present during all construction activities with the potential to disturb Federally-listed and state-listed species or damage their habitats and will be in sight of all construction equipment, vehicles and personnel during all construction activities. Removal of vegetation will be limited in areas with the potential to affect the lesser long-nosed bat and the Mexican spotted owl. Cultural Resources: There will be no adverse effects on any properties eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Concurrence from the Arizona SHPO has been received through the Section 106 process. Cultural resources sites will be avoided during construction as requested by Arizona SHPO during consultation. Human Environment: The Proposed Action will have a long-term, negligible impact on utilities and negligible to minor impacts on the night sky from the use of spotlights. The spotlights at 12 towers will operate, on average, twice per night for a period of approximately 5 minutes each use. The Proposed Action will have a long-term, negligible impact on the radio frequency environment. During construction, there will be a temporary, minor impact on roadways and traffic. Construction expenditures will have a short-term beneficial effect on the local economy. No direct impacts on minority or low-income populations or children will occur. Depending on the location of an observer, most towers will be visible from 3 to 5 miles away, and thus some towers will have a long-term, moderate impact on the aesthetic qualities of the region. There will be no exposure of the environment or public to any hazardous materials. FINDING: On the basis of the [mdings of the EA, which is incorporated by reference, and has been conducted in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, and Department of Homeland Security Management Directive, 023-0 1, and after careful review of the potential environmental impacts of implementing the proposal, we find there would be no significant impact on the quality of the human or natural environment, either individually or cumulatively, therefore there is no requirement to develop an Environmental Impact Statement. Further, we commit to implement BMPs and environmental design measures indentified in the EA and supporting documents. Because of overall program assessments, CBP has determined that only 18 of the proposed towers will be built at this time. RVSS tower sites TCA-AlO-0523 and TCA-AlO-0553 may be developed at some time in the future if funding is available; the appropriate level of environmental analysis will be determined subsequent to future activities regarding these two towers. 9/;/~612 s. Sonia N. Padill Date . Executive Director gram Management Office Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition U.S. Customs and Border Protection ~//-ZOJ2- ~ Date Chief, Strategic Planning, Policy, and Analysis Division Headquarters, U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Customs and Border Protection ~h~' q/;z/;z I I MfrlH:CalV(; , Date Executive Director Facilities Management and Engineering U.S. Customs and Border Protection FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR REMOTE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS UPGRADE PROGRAM (NEW TOWERS) U.S. BORDER PATROL, TUCSON AND YUMA SECTORS, ARIZONA U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON, D.C. September 2012 Lead Agency: Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs & Border Protection Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition 1901 S. Bell Street, Room 7-001 Arlington, VA 20598 Points of Contact: