Chapter 4 Affected Environment and Potential Consequences October 2017 Chapter 4 Table of Contents Chapter 4.0 Affected Environment and Potential Consequences ................................................... 4-1 4.1 Study Areas ................................................................................................................................ 4-2 4.2 Land Use Patterns and Consistency with Plans ........................................................................ 4-2 4.2.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ................................................................................ 4-2 4.2.2 Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 4-4 4.2.3 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................................... 4-9 4.3 Economic Development ........................................................................................................... 4-11 4.3.1 Regulatory Setting and Methodology ............................................................................... 4-11 4.3.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-11 4.3.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-12 4.4 Community Cohesion and Facilities ......................................................................................... 4-16 4.4.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-16 4.4.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-16 4.4.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-19 4.5 Property Acquisitions and Displacements ................................................................................ 4-22 4.5.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-22 4.5.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-23 4.5.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-23 4.6 Parks, Recreational Land and Open Space ............................................................................. 4-27 4.6.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-27 4.6.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-28 4.6.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-29 4.7 Historic and Archaeological Resources ................................................................................... 4-32 4.7.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-33 4.7.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-36 4.7.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-40 4.8 Visual and Aesthetic Resources .............................................................................................. 4-45 4.8.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-45 4.8.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-46 4.8.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-49 4.9 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases ......................................................................................... 4-56 4.9.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-56 4.9.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-61 4.9.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-62 4.10 Noise and Vibration .................................................................................................................. 4-64 4.10.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-64 King of Prussia Rail Project – DEIS 4-i Chapter 4 Affected Environment and Potential Consequences October 2017 4.10.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-67 4.10.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-68 4.11 Natural Resources ................................................................................................................... 4-77 4.11.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-78 4.11.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-79 4.11.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-82 4.12 Contaminated Materials and Hazardous Waste ...................................................................... 4-89 4.12.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-89 4.12.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-89 4.12.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-90 4.13 Utilities and Energy Use ........................................................................................................... 4-91 4.13.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology .............................................................................. 4-91 4.13.2 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-92 4.13.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 4-93 4.14 Environmental Justice .............................................................................................................. 4-94 4.14.1 Regulatory Context........................................................................................................... 4-94 4.14.2 Identifying Potential EJ Populations ................................................................................. 4-95 4.14.3 Standards for Evaluating Effects ...................................................................................... 4-96 4.14.4 Affected Environment ....................................................................................................... 4-96 4.14.5 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................... 4-98 4.14.6 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................... 4-102 4.14.7 Potential for Disproportionately High and Adverse Effects on EJ Populations .............. 4-108 4.15 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources ...................................................... 4-108 4.15.1 No Action Alternative ...................................................................................................... 4-109 4.15.2 Action Alternatives.......................................................................................................... 4-109 4.16 Environmental Permits ........................................................................................................... 4-110 Chapter 4 List of Tables Table 4-3.1: Local and Regional Economic Benefits of the Project ..................................................... 4-14 Table 4-4.1: Residential Neighborhoods in the Transportation Study Area ......................................... 4-17 Table 4-4.2: Community Facilities in Proposed Station Areas ............................................................. 4-18 Table 4-4.3: Brief Demographic Profile of King of Prussia ................................................................... 4-18 Table 4-4.4: Summary of Potential Community Facility Benefits and Impacts .................................... 4-20 Table 4-5.1: Potential Partial and Full Property Acquisitions ............................................................... 4-25 Table 4-6.1: Potential Effects on Parks, Recreational Land, and Open Space ................................... 4-30 Table 4-7.1: Previously Identified Historic Architectural Resources in the Project APEs .................... 4-37 Table 4-7.2: Properties Surveyed Within APEs.................................................................................... 4-38 Table 4-7.3: Potential Historic Property Impacts and Adverse Effects ...............................................