Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................... iv Environmental Determination Checklist .............................................................................................................. vii Summary of Permits, Mitigation, and Commitments ......................................................................................... xiii SECTION PAGE NO. 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Environmental Assessment ............................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Where is the Proposed Project in the Development Process? ...................................................... 3 2.0 PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 What is the Purpose and Need of the Project? ............................................................................. 5 2.1.1 Structural Deficiencies ...................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Functional Deficiencies ..................................................................................................... 5 3.0 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED ...................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Which Alternatives Were Initially Considered? ............................................................................. 6 3.1.1 Stage 0 Alternatives .......................................................................................................... 6 3.1.2 Alternatives Development ................................................................................................ 6 3.1.3 Other Preliminary Alternatives ......................................................................................... 7 3.2 Which Build Alternatives are Evaluated in this EA? ....................................................................... 8 3.2.1 Replacement of the Cane River Bridge ............................................................................. 8 3.2.2 Temporary Touline Street Detour Bridge ....................................................................... 11 3.2.3 No-Build Alternative ....................................................................................................... 12 3.2.4 Summary of Build Alternatives ....................................................................................... 12 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION .................................................................. 15 4.1 The Human Environment ............................................................................................................. 15 4.1.1 Land Use and Community Character .............................................................................. 15 4.1.2 Community Facilities, Services, and Social Resources .................................................... 18 4.1.3 Economic Activities ......................................................................................................... 21 4.1.4 Demographics and Environmental Justice ...................................................................... 22 4.1.5 Travel Patterns and Accessibility .................................................................................... 25 4.1.6 Safety .............................................................................................................................. 30 4.2 The Built Environment ................................................................................................................. 31 4.2.1 Real Estate and Right-of-Way Acquisition ...................................................................... 32 4.2.2 Infrastructure .................................................................................................................. 34 4.2.3 Potential Hazardous Waste Sites and Wells ................................................................... 35 4.2.4 Section 4(f) Resources .................................................................................................... 37 4.2.5 Section 6(f) Resources .................................................................................................... 39 4.3 The Natural and Physical Environment ........................................................................................ 40 4.3.1 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................... 40 4.3.2 Wild and Scenic Rivers .................................................................................................... 40 4.3.3 Surface Water ................................................................................................................. 41 4.3.4 Subsurface Water ........................................................................................................... 42 4.3.5 Floodplains ...................................................................................................................... 44 4.3.6 Vegetation....................................................................................................................... 48 4.3.7 Wetlands and Other Waters ........................................................................................... 53 4.3.8 Wildlife and Protected Species ....................................................................................... 55 4.3.9 Farmland ......................................................................................................................... 56 Cane River Bridge Church Street Route LA 1-X | H.001271 Page i Environmental Assessment 4.3.10 Coastal Resources and Essential Fish Habitat ............................................................... 56 4.3.11 Noise .............................................................................................................................. 56 4.4 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................................... 58 4.4.1 Archaeological Resources ............................................................................................... 61 4.4.2 Architectural Resources .................................................................................................. 63 4.4.3 Aesthetic and Visual Resources ...................................................................................... 66 4.5 Constructability and Project Implementation ............................................................................. 68 4.6 Indirect and Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................. 70 5.0 PUBLIC COMMENTS AND AGENCY COORDINATION ................................................................................ 73 5.1 Public Involvement Plan............................................................................................................... 73 5.2 Solicitation of Views ..................................................................................................................... 73 5.3 Public Involvement in the Environmental Process ...................................................................... 73 5.3.1 December 2017 Public Meeting ..................................................................................... 73 5.3.2 November 2018 Public Meeting ..................................................................................... 74 5.3.3 Public Hearing ................................................................................................................. 75 5.3.4 Additional Public and Agency Outreach ......................................................................... 75 5.4 Tribal Coordination ...................................................................................................................... 76 5.5 Section 106 Consultation ............................................................................................................. 76 6.0 COMPARISON AND SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................. 77 6.1 Resource Impact Analysis ............................................................................................................ 77 6.2 Alternatives Comparison ............................................................................................................. 79 6.3 Identifying the Preferred Alternative .......................................................................................... 83 7.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ................................................................................................................................... 84 8.0 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................. 85 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Project Location .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2: Conceptual Rendering of Proposed Replacement Bridge 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