Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Recurring Actions in Arizona, California, and Nevada October 2014 U.S. Department of Homeland Security 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200 Oakland, California 94607 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................... vi SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Disaster Programs .................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Regulatory Background ........................................................................... 1-2 1.4 Purpose of This Document....................................................................... 1-3 1.5 Activities Not Covered by This Programmatic Environmental Assessment ............................................................................................... 1-4 1.5.1 Statutory Exclusions .................................................................... 1-4 1.5.2 Categorical Exclusions................................................................. 1-4 1.5.3 Activities Requiring a Stand-Alone Environmental Assessment Instead of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment ................................................................................... 1-5 1.5.4 Activities Requiring an Environmental Impact Statement .......... 1-5 1.6 Activities Covered by the Programmatic Environmental Assessment ............................................................................................... 1-5 1.7 Purpose of and Need for Action............................................................... 1-5 1.8 Using the Programmatic Environmental Assessment .............................. 1-6 1.8.1 Organization of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment ................................................................................... 1-6 1.8.2 Use of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment ................. 1-6 1.8.3 Complementary Programmatic Documents ................................. 1-9 SECTION 2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES ................................ 2-1 2.1 No Action Alternative .............................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Non-Emergency Debris Removal ............................................................ 2-2 2.3 Constructing, Modifying, or Relocating Facilities .................................. 2-3 2.3.1 Upgrading or Otherwise Modifying Structures ........................... 2-3 2.3.2 Providing Temporary Facilities ................................................... 2-4 2.3.3 Acquiring and Demolishing Existing Facilities ........................... 2-4 2.3.4 Repairing, Realigning, or Otherwise Modifying Roads, Trails, Utilities, and Rail Lines .................................................... 2-5 2.3.5 Constructing New Facilities or Relocating Existing Facilities ....................................................................................... 2-5 2.3.6 Relocating the Function of an Existing Facility .......................... 2-6 2.3.7 Developing Demonstration Projects ............................................ 2-6 2.4 Activities Involving Watercourses and Coastal Features ........................ 2-6 2.4.1 Repairing, Stabilizing, or Armoring Embankments .................... 2-7 2.4.2 Creating, Widening, Clearing, or Dredging a Waterway ............. 2-7 2.4.3 Constructing a Water Crossing .................................................... 2-8 2.4.4 Constructing a Water Detention, Retention, Storage or Conveyance Facility..................................................................... 2-9 2.4.5 Constructing Other Flood Control Structures .............................. 2-9 2.4.6 Constructing a Coastal Feature .................................................. 2-10 2.5 Vegetation Management ........................................................................ 2-10 2.5.1 Mechanical or Hand Clearing of Vegetation ............................. 2-10 Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Federal Emergency Management Agency Recurring Activities in Arizona, California, and Nevada Page i October 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.5.2 Herbicidal Treatments ................................................................ 2-11 2.5.3 Biological Control ...................................................................... 2-11 SECTION 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Geology, Seismicity, and Soils ................................................................ 3-1 3.1.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................... 3-2 3.1.2 Geology, Geologic Hazards, and Soils ........................................ 3-3 3.2 Air Quality ............................................................................................... 3-7 3.2.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................... 3-7 3.2.2 Air Quality ................................................................................... 3-8 3.3 Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions .................................. 3-10 3.3.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-10 3.4 Water Resources .................................................................................... 3-10 3.4.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-10 3.4.2 Water Resources ........................................................................ 3-17 3.5 Biological Resources ............................................................................. 3-19 3.5.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-19 3.5.2 Biological Resources ................................................................. 3-21 3.6 Historic Properties and archaeological resources .................................. 3-22 3.6.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-22 3.6.2 Historic Properties ..................................................................... 3-24 3.7 Socioeconomics ..................................................................................... 3-25 3.7.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-25 3.7.2 Socioeconomic Conditions ........................................................ 3-25 3.8 Land Use and Planning .......................................................................... 3-26 3.8.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-26 3.8.2 Land Uses................................................................................... 3-29 3.9 Public Services and Recreation .............................................................. 3-31 3.9.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-31 3.9.2 Public Services and Recreation .................................................. 3-31 3.10 Transportation ........................................................................................ 3-32 3.10.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-32 3.10.2 Transportation ............................................................................ 3-33 3.11 Noise ...................................................................................................... 3-35 3.11.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-35 3.12 Hazardous Materials and Wastes ........................................................... 3-36 3.12.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-36 3.12.2 Hazardous Materials and Wastes and the Affected Environment ............................................................................... 3-37 3.13 Visual Resources .................................................................................... 3-38 3.13.1 Regulatory Background ............................................................. 3-38 SECTION 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIVITIES AND ALTERNATIVES ........... 4-1 4.1 Geology, Seismicity, and Soils ................................................................ 4-2 4.1.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................. 4-2 4.1.2 General Consequences of Proposed Activities ............................ 4-2 4.1.3 Consequences Attributable to Specific Activities ........................ 4-3 Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Federal Emergency Management Agency Recurring Activities in Arizona, California, and Nevada Page ii October 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.2 Air Quality ............................................................................................... 4-4 4.2.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................. 4-4 4.2.2 General Consequences of Proposed Activities ............................ 4-4 4.2.3 Consequences Attributable to Specific Activities ........................ 4-5 4.3 Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions .................................... 4-7 4.3.1 No Action Alternative .................................................................. 4-7