DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Implementation of Real Property Master Plan Projects at Fort Rucker, Alabama Prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District April 2018 CH2M HILL, Inc. 6600 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Building 400, Suite 600 Atlanta, Georgia 30328 Signature Page Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for the Implementation of Real Property Master Plan Projects Fort Rucker, Alabama REVIEWED BY: Leigh B. Jahnke Date Environmental Coordinator Fort Rucker, Alabama Alfred T. Townsend Date Chief, Environmental and Natural Resources Division Fort Rucker, Alabama Edwin P. Janasky Date Director of Public Works Fort Rucker, Alabama Trevor Hanzeli Date Office of Staff Judge Advocate Fort Rucker, Alabama Lisa E. Eichhorn Date Public Affairs Officer Fort Rucker, Alabama APPROVED FOR RELEASE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT (30 DAYS) NG1122170736ATL CH2M HILL, INC. • COMPANY PROPRIETARY III Contents Section Page Signature Page .................................................................................................................................. iii Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. ix Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... ES-1 1 Purpose, Need, and Scope ................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need............................................................................................................ 1-1 1.3 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.4 Public Involvement .......................................................................................................... 1-5 2 Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives ........................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 No Action Alternative .................................................................................................... 2-30 2.4 Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward ........................................................ 2-30 2.4.1 Expand Only Through Renovation of Existing Buildings ................................... 2-30 2.4.2 Use of Other Military Installations .................................................................... 2-30 2.4.3 Lease Private Facilities ...................................................................................... 2-31 3 Affected Environment and Consequences ............................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Resources Eliminated from Further Consideration ......................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Land Use.............................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Prime Farmland ................................................................................................... 3-2 3.1.3 Floodplains .......................................................................................................... 3-2 3.1.4 Visual ................................................................................................................... 3-2 3.1.5 Demographics ..................................................................................................... 3-2 3.1.6 Environmental Justice ......................................................................................... 3-3 3.2 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................ 3-3 3.2.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 3-5 3.2.2 Consequences ..................................................................................................... 3-6 3.3 Noise ................................................................................................................................ 3-7 3.3.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.2 Consequences ..................................................................................................... 3-8 3.4 Geology and Soils ........................................................................................................... 3-13 3.4.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-13 3.4.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-15 3.5 Water Resources ............................................................................................................ 3-16 3.5.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-16 3.5.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-20 3.6 Biological Resources ...................................................................................................... 3-22 3.6.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-22 3.6.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-24 3.7 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................... 3-26 3.7.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-26 3.7.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-27 3.8 Socioeconomics ............................................................................................................. 3-28 NG1122170736ATL CH2M HILL, INC. • COMPANY PROPRIETARY V CONTENTS Section Page 3.8.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-28 3.8.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-28 3.9 Transportation ............................................................................................................... 3-30 3.9.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-30 3.9.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-30 3.10 Utilities ........................................................................................................................... 3-32 3.10.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-32 3.10.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-33 3.11 Hazardous and Toxic Substances ................................................................................... 3-34 3.11.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-34 3.11.2 Consequences ................................................................................................... 3-35 3.12 Cumulative Impacts Summary ....................................................................................... 3-37 3.12.1 Projects Identified with the Potential for Cumulative Effects .......................... 3-38 3.12.2 Preferred Alternative ........................................................................................ 3-38 3.12.3 No Action Alternative ....................................................................................... 3-40 4 Findings and Conclusions .................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Findings ............................................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1.1 Consequences of the Preferred Alternative ....................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Consequences of the No Action Alternative ....................................................... 4-1 4.2 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 4-1 5 References .......................................................................................................................... 5-1 Tables ES-1 List of Proposed Projects ............................................................................................................ ES-1 ES-2 Summary of Impacts ................................................................................................................... ES-3 ES-3 Project Design Measures to be Implemented with the Proposed Action .................................. ES-6 2-1 List of Proposed