OSSIPEE 14749 New Hampshire Department of Transportation X-A000(490) Final Categorical Exclusion/ Programmatic 4(f) Evaluation NH ROUTE 16 Bridge Replacement & Roadway Rehabilitation March 2017 Ossipee 14749 X-A000(490) Final Categorical Exclusion/ Programmatic 4(f) Evaluation Prepared by: 53 Regional Drive Concord, NH 03301 March 2017 CONTENTS PART I: FINAL CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of Purpose and Need ....................................................................................................................... 1 Project Purpose .................................................................................................................................... 1 Project Need ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Setting ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 Description of Bridges ................................................................................................................................... 2 Lovell River Bridge ................................................................................................................................ 2 Bearcamp River Bridge ......................................................................................................................... 2 Bearcamp Relief Bridge ........................................................................................................................ 2 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Lovell River Bridge ................................................................................................................................ 3 Bearcamp Bridges ................................................................................................................................. 3 Roadway Work ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Other Alternatives Considered .......................................................................................................................... 5 “No-Build” ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Lovell River Bridge Alternatives .................................................................................................................... 5 Rehabilitation ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Bearcamp River/Relief Bridge Alternatives .................................................................................................. 5 Rehabilitation ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Replacement using Temporary Detour Bridge ......................................................................................... 6 New Bridge Construction/Retention of Existing Bridges .......................................................................... 6 Evaluation of Environmental Effects ................................................................................................................. 7 Social and Economic Concerns ...................................................................................................................... 7 Safety/Transportation Patterns ................................................................................................................ 7 Community Services/Business Impacts .................................................................................................... 8 Land Acquisition ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Environmental Justice ............................................................................................................................... 9 Utilities .................................................................................................................................................... 10 Hazardous Materials/Contaminated Properties .................................................................................... 10 Remediation Sites ............................................................................................................................... 10 Asbestos Containing Material ............................................................................................................ 11 Limited Reuse Soils ............................................................................................................................. 11 Recreation ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Conservation Land/Public Lands ............................................................................................................. 12 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Noise ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Farmland Soils ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Natural Resources ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Wetlands/Surface Waters/Shoreland Protection .................................................................................. 14 Description of Wetlands and Surface Waters .................................................................................... 14 NH Stream Crossing Rules .................................................................................................................. 15 Impacts to Wetlands and Surface Waters .......................................................................................... 16 ii Ossipee, X-A000(490), 14749 Final Categorical Exclusion/Programmatic 4(f) Evaluation Mitigation ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Shoreland ............................................................................................................................................ 16 US Coast Guard ................................................................................................................................... 16 Floodplains/ Floodways .......................................................................................................................... 17 Floodway Impacts ............................................................................................................................... 17 Floodplain Impacts ............................................................................................................................. 18 Proposed Floodplain Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 18 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Water Quality/Groundwater .................................................................................................................. 19 Surface Waters ................................................................................................................................... 19 Groundwater ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Construction Water Quality ............................................................................................................... 21 Wildlife/Fisheries .................................................................................................................................... 21 Endangered Species/Natural Communities ............................................................................................ 22 Northern Long-Eared Bat ................................................................................................................... 22 Small Whorled Pogonia ...................................................................................................................... 22 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act ..............................................................................................