Stabilization of the Dungeness Ruins Cumberland Island National Seashore DRAFT Environmental Assessment February 2004 EDAW Prepared for: The National Park Service i TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ ii 1.0 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION ............................................................................. 6 1.1 Purpose and Significance of the Park .................................................................................... 6 1.2 Project Background and Scope .............................................................................................. 6 1.3 Relationship to Other Planning Projects ................................................................................ 7 1.4 Issues and Impact Topics ....................................................................................................... 8 Issues Evaluated in Detail ....................................................................................................... 8 Derivation of Impact Topics ................................................................................................... 8 Impact Topics Included in This Document ............................................................................. 8 Impact Topics Dismissed from Further Analysis ................................................................... 9 2.0 PREFERRED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ............................................................... 11 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Description of Alternatives .................................................................................................. 11 Alternative A (No Action) .................................................................................................... 11 Alternative B (Preferred) ...................................................................................................... 11 Alternative C (Comprehensive) ............................................................................................ 12 Environmentally Preferred Alternative ................................................................................. 13 2.2 Staging Area ........................................................................................................................ 14 2.3 Mitigation Measures of the Preferred Alternative ............................................................... 15 Natural Resources ................................................................................................................. 15 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................ 15 2.4 Sustainability ....................................................................................................................... 15 2.5 General Construction Schedule and Costs ........................................................................... 16 2.6 Alternatives Considered, But Dismissed ............................................................................. 17 2.7 Impact Comparison Matrix .................................................................................................. 17 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................................. 19 3.1 General Environmental Setting ........................................................................................... 19 3.2 Natural Resources ................................................................................................................ 19 Vegetation and Wildlife ........................................................................................................ 19 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................... 21 Field Definitions ................................................................................................................... 23 Attribute Definitions ............................................................................................................. 24 Soils....................................................................................................................................... 25 3.3 Visitor Use and Experience ................................................................................................. 25 Visitation Patterns ................................................................................................................. 25 Visitor Experience/Activities ................................................................................................ 26 Interpretation ......................................................................................................................... 26 3.4 Cultural, Historic, and Archeological Resources ................................................................ 27 Historic, Archeological and Ethnographic Resources .......................................................... 27 Cultural Landscapes .............................................................................................................. 27 Listed Properties on the National Register of Historic Places .............................................. 27 3.5 Seashore Operations ............................................................................................................ 28 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ............................................................................. 29 4.1 General Environmental Effect ............................................................................................. 29 ii 4.2 Natural Resources ................................................................................................................ 30 Vegetation & Wildlife........................................................................................................... 30 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................... 30 Soils....................................................................................................................................... 31 4.3 Visitor Use and Experience ................................................................................................. 31 Visitation Patterns ................................................................................................................. 31 Visitor Experience/Activities ................................................................................................ 32 Interpretation ......................................................................................................................... 33 Human-Caused Sound .......................................................................................................... 34 4.4 Cultural, Historic, and Archeological Resources ................................................................ 35 Historic, Archeological and Ethnographic Resources .......................................................... 35 Cultural Landscapes .............................................................................................................. 35 Listed Properties on the National Register of Historic Places .............................................. 36 Section 106 Assessment ........................................................................................................ 36 4.5 Seashore Operations ............................................................................................................ 37 5.0 LIST OF PREPARERS........................................................................................................... 38 6.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ........................................................................ 38 Public Review ....................................................................................................................... 38 Agency Consultation List ..................................................................................................... 38 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Map of Cumberland Island Figure 2 Map of Dungeness Historic District LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Preferred Action Table 2 Comprehensive Action Table 3 Summary of Direct and Indirect Impacts for Alternatives Considered Table 4 Plants Table 5 Animals Table 6 Federal Status Attribute Definitions Table 7 State Status Attribute Definitions Table 8 GA-DNR Global Rank Table 9 GA-DNR State Rank Table 10 Dungeness Historic Structures Table 11 National Register Information System iii This Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluates alternatives and associated environmental impacts arising out of the proposed stabilization of the Dungeness Ruins located at Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS). Comments and Availability Comments on this draft EA for the Stabilization of the Dungeness Ruins on Cumberland Island National Seashore must be delivered or postmarked no later than April 15, 2004. If you wish to comment on this draft EA, you may mail comments to the name and address below. Our practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses, available for public review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their names and/or home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law.