ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for the Japan-Guam-Australia (JGA) South Telecommunications Cable Landing Within the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for the Japan-Guam-Australia (JGA) South Telecommunications Cable Landing Within the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT for the Japan-Guam-Australia (JGA) South Telecommunications Cable Landing within the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Prepared for: United States Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and RTI Solutions Inc. 268 Bush Street #77 San Francisco, CA 94104 Prepared by: Duenas, Camacho & Associates, Inc. 238 E. Marine Corps Drive Suite 201 Diamond Plaza Hagatna, Guam 96910 August 2019 JGA South Cable Landing in the MTMNM EA Cover Sheet Environmental Assessment for the Japan-Guam-Australia South (JGA South) Telecommunications Cable Landing within the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Responsible Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Point of Contact: Ms. Danielle Zarlengo, USFWS Summary: RTI Solutions, Inc. (RTI) is proposing to land a portion of the Japan-Guam- Australia South (JGA South) telecommunications cable within the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (MTMNM). This Environmental Assessment (EA), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), examines the potential impacts of the No Action Alternative, and Proposed Action Alternative, including the preferred alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, RTI would not land the cable through the MTMNM, and the cable would be routed several hundred miles around the MTMNM. The No Action Alternative would impact the economic feasibility of the project by increasing the total linear distance of cable needed. The Proposed Action Alternative would land the cable through the MTMNM, which is a marine national monument managed under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge System. The JGA South cable is needed to provide connectivity between Guam and Australia within the greater Japan-Guam-Australia network. The JGA cable system will further enhance and contribute to the much-needed expansion of communications networks from Japan and Australia, to Asia and the United States, thereby improving network redundancy, ensuring highly reliable communications, and expanding onward connectivity options in Guam. This alternative would not result in significant impacts to environmental resources, and was determined to be the preferred alternative, since it meets the purpose and need of the project. JGA-South Cable Landing in MTMNM EA Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................v ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... vi 1 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR PROPOSED ACTION ........................................... 1-1 1.1 Summary of Proposed Action ....................................................................................... 1-2 1.2 Purpose of and Need for Action .................................................................................... 1-2 2 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................... 2-1 2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Cable Route Determination ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Alternatives Considered and Rejected ........................................................................... 2-4 2.3.1 JGA South CRE Alternative .................................................................................. 2-4 2.3.2 Dr. Fryer Alternative ............................................................................................. 2-4 2.4 Proposed Action Alternative ......................................................................................... 2-5 2.5 Environmental Effects of the Proposed Action and No Action Alternatives ................ 2-7 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Hydrology ...................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Geology and Topography .............................................................................................. 3-2 3.3 Biological Resources ..................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3.1 Marine Flora .......................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3.2 Fauna ..................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.3.3 Threatened and Endangered Species, and Critical Habitat .................................... 3-5 3.3.4 Essential Fish Habitat ............................................................................................ 3-9 3.4 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................... 3-12 3.5 Public Health and Safety ............................................................................................. 3-12 3.6 Land and Water Use .................................................................................................... 3-13 3.7 Noise ............................................................................................................................ 3-13 3.8 Air Quality ................................................................................................................... 3-13 3.9 Aesthetics .................................................................................................................... 3-14 3.10 Socioeconomic Characteristics .................................................................................... 3-14 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Hydrology ...................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Geology and Topography .............................................................................................. 4-1 4.3 Biological Resources ..................................................................................................... 4-1 4.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................................................. 4-3 4.5 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................... 4-4 4.6 Hazardous Materials ...................................................................................................... 4-4 4.7 Unexploded Ordnance ................................................................................................... 4-5 4.8 Military Training ........................................................................................................... 4-5 4.9 Land and Water Use ...................................................................................................... 4-5 4.10 Noise .............................................................................................................................. 4-6 4.11 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................... 4-6 4.12 Aesthetics ...................................................................................................................... 4-6 4.13 Socioeconomic Characteristics ...................................................................................... 4-6 4.14 Cumulative Effects ........................................................................................................ 4-7 iii JGA-South Cable Landing in MTMNM EA Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 4.15 Relationship Between Short-Term Use of the Environment and Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-Term Productivity ............................................................. 4-9 4.16 Probable Irretrievable and Irreversible Commitments of Resources ............................ 4-9 4.17 Environmental Compliance ........................................................................................... 4-9 4.17.1 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 ........................................... 4-9 4.17.2 Presidential Proclamation 8335 ............................................................................. 4-9 4.17.3 Military Coordination ............................................................................................ 4-9 4.17.4 Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), 33 U.S.C. 1251 ..................................................................................................................... 4-10 4.17.5 Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) ............................................................ 4-10 4.17.6 Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation & Management Act ........................ 4-10 4.17.7 Marine Mammal Protection Act .......................................................................... 4-11 4.17.8 National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) ....................................................... 4-11 4.17.9 Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. ..................................................... 4-11 4.17.10 Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), 16 U.S.C 1531 et seq. ......................... 4-12 4.17.11 Migratory Bird
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