APPENDIX D Environmental Assessment ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BRONX RIVER GREENWAY WESTCHESTER AVENUE TO EAST TREMONT AVENUE Bronx, New York NYSDOT Contract No. D015284/PIN X027.05.122 Prepared for: New York City State of Transportation One Hunters Point Plaza 47-20 41st Street Long Island City, New York 11101 Prepared by: AKRF, Inc. 440 Park Avenue South New York, New York 10016 NOVEMBER 2006 Table of Contents D-1: Project Description...................................................................................................... D-1-1 A. Introduction................................................................................................................ D-1-1 B. Project Description .................................................................................................... D-1-1 Project Location.................................................................................................. D-1-1 Bronx River Greenway Corridor......................................................................... D-1-2 Proposed Plan...................................................................................................... D-1-2 D-2: Land Use, Community Facilities, Zoning and Public Policy .................................... D-2-1 A. Introduction................................................................................................................ D-2-1 B. Existing Conditions.................................................................................................... D-2-1 Land Use............................................................................................................. D-2-1 Project Site.................................................................................................... D-2-1 Study Area.................................................................................................... D-2-2 Community Facilities................................................................................................. D-2-3 Zoning........................................................................................................................ D-2-3 Project Site.................................................................................................... D-2-3 Study Area.................................................................................................... D-2-3 Public Policy.............................................................................................................. D-2-4 C. Probable Impacts........................................................................................................ D-2-5 No Action............................................................................................................ D-2-5 Proposed Project.................................................................................................. D-2-6 Construction.................................................................................................. D-2-6 Operation...................................................................................................... D-2-6 D-3: Open Space and Parklands.......................................................................................... D-3-1 A. Introduction................................................................................................................ D-3-1 B. Existing Conditions.................................................................................................... D-3-1 Project Site.......................................................................................................... D-3-1 Adjacent to the Project Site................................................................................. D-3-1 C. Probable Impacts........................................................................................................ D-3-2 No Action............................................................................................................ D-3-2 Project Site.................................................................................................... D-3-2 Adjacent to the Project Site .......................................................................... D-3-2 Proposed Project.................................................................................................. D-3-3 Construction.................................................................................................. D-3-3 Operation...................................................................................................... D-3-4 TOC-1 Bronx River Greenway D-4: Economic Conditions....................................................................................................D-4-1 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................D-4-1 B. Existing Conditions....................................................................................................D-4-1 Crotona Park East................................................................................................D-4-1 Bronx Park South.................................................................................................D-4-2 Bronx River.........................................................................................................D-4-2 Soundview-Bruckner...........................................................................................D-4-2 West Farms..........................................................................................................D-4-3 C. Probable Impacts........................................................................................................D-4-3 No Action.............................................................................................................D-4-3 Proposed Project..................................................................................................D-4-3 Direct Displacement .....................................................................................D-4-3 Construction .................................................................................................D-4-4 D-5: Environmental Justice..................................................................................................D-5-1 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................D-5-1 B. Methodology ..............................................................................................................D-5-1 Establish Study Area............................................................................................D-5-1 Identify Population of Concern............................................................................D-5-1 Identification of Minority Communities .......................................................D-5-2 Identification of Low-Income Communities.................................................D-5-2 C. Identification of Affected Population Within the Study Area....................................D-5-2 Bronx Park South.................................................................................................D-5-3 Bronx River.........................................................................................................D-5-3 Crotona Park South..............................................................................................D-5-3 West Farms..........................................................................................................D-5-5 D. Significant Adverse Environmental Impacts..............................................................D-5-5 E. Positive Benefits to Community from the Proposed Project......................................D-5-6 Open Space..........................................................................................................D-5-6 Traffic..................................................................................................................D-5-6 F. Conclusions on Disproportionate Project Impacts .....................................................D-5-6 D-6: Noise.............................................................................................................................. D-6-1 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................D-6-1 B. Existing Conditions....................................................................................................D-6-1 C. Probable Impacts........................................................................................................D-6-1 No Action............................................................................................................D-6-1 Proposed Project................................................................................................. D-6-1 Operation.......................................................................................................D-6-1 Construction..................................................................................................D-6-2 TOC-2 Table of Contents D-7: Air Quality .................................................................................................................... D-7-1 A. Introduction................................................................................................................ D-7-1 B. Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................