FINAL GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Town of Brookhaven Suffolk County, New York Volume 1 of 1 Brookhaven Town Planning, Environmental & Land Management Town of Brookhaven SEPTEMBER 2013 Long Island The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement FINAL GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE CARMANS RIVER CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN in the hamlets of Brookhaven, Middle Island, Shirley and Yaphank, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York Edward P. Romaine, Supervisor Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld, Councilmember Jane Bonner, Councilmember Kathleen A. Walsh, Councilmember Connie Kepert, Councilmember Timothy P. Mazzei, Councilmember Daniel J. Panico, Councilmember LEAD AGENCY CONTACT: TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN TOWN BOARD Town of Brookhaven Tullio Bertoli, APA, AICP, LEED, Commissioner Department of Planning & Environment One Independence Hill Farmingville, NY 11738 (631) 451-6400 Prepared by: Town of Brookhaven Department of Planning & Environment, Tullio Bertoli, APA, AICP, LEED, Commissioner Bill Faulk Peter Fountaine Anthony Graves Luke Ormand Leigh Rate, Esq. Joseph Sanzano John Turner 1 The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................4 1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan (Management Plan) ..................... 5 1.3 Future Specific and Site-specific Actions ....................................................................... 5 1.4 Incorporation of DGEIS into FGEIS Document ............................................................. 6 1.5 Content of DGEIS ........................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Purpose of the FGEIS ..................................................................................................... 6 1.7 Scope and Content of the FGEIS .................................................................................... 7 2.0 RESPONSES TO SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS .....................................................8 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Responses to Comments ............................................................................................... 10 2.2.1 Pine Barrens Expansion (PB) ................................................................................. 10 2.2.2 Acquisition Program (AP) ..................................................................................... 22 2.2.3 Land Use and Zoning Questions (LZ) ................................................................... 28 2.2.4 Wild Scenic Recreation Rivers (WSR) .................................................................. 35 2.2.5 Water Quality (WQ) .............................................................................................. 36 2.2.6 Storm Water (SW) ................................................................................................. 43 2.2.7 Sanitary Systems (SS) ............................................................................................ 45 2.2.8 Natural Resources (NR) ......................................................................................... 50 2.2.9 SEQRA Compliance (SEQ) ................................................................................... 54 2.2.10 Appendix/Maps (AM) .............................................................................. 59 2.2.11 General (G) .......................................................................................................... 60 Appendices ................................................................................................................... 69 Appendix A: Correspondence from James R. Rennert ....................................................... 70 APPENDIX B: Correspondence from East Moriches Property Owners Association ........ 72 APPENDIX C: Correspondence from Joan Nickerson ....................................................... 74 APPENDIX D: Correspondence from Vision Long Island ................................................ 75 APPENDIX E: Correspondence from Open Space and Farmland Committee ................... 77 2 The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement APPENDIX F: Correspondence from Martin Van Lith ...................................................... 79 APPENDIX G: Correspondence from Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission ........................................................................................................................ 81 APPENDIX H: Correspondence from Long Island Pine Barrens Society and Nature Conservancy ........................................................................................................................ 83 APPENDIX I: Correspondence from East Moriches Property Owners Association .......... 85 APPENDIX J: Correspondence from Friends of Wertheim ............................................... 87 APPENDIX K: Joint Correspondence from Multiple Authors ........................................... 89 APPENDIX L: Correspondence from Open Space Council ............................................... 91 APPENDIX M: Correspondence from Andrea Spika ......................................................... 93 APPENDIX N: July 30, 2013 Public Hearing Transcript ................................................... 95 APPENDIX O: Pine Barrens Credit Program ..................................................................... 97 APPENDIX P: Marilyn J. Jordan Ph.D., Senior Conservation Scientist for The Nature Conservancy ...................................................................................................................... 101 3 The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background This document is the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for the proposal by the Brookhaven Town Board to adopt the Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan. This FGEIS has been prepared in compliance with Section 8-0109 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law (the State Environmental Quality Review Act, SEQRA) and the implementing regulations of SEQR at 6 NYCRR Part 617, including the specific provisions which relate to the content of final environmental impact statements contained in 6 NYCRR §617.9(b)(8). Pursuant to 6 NYCRR §617.9(b) (8), the DGEIS is hereby incorporated and part of this FGEIS. Errors within the DGEIS have been updated with corrections. These corrections are noted in the text so that both the original information within the DGEIS as accepted by the Lead Agency and the corrections are apparent. It is noted that the Action that is the subject of this EIS, the adoption of the Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan, is not anticipated to cause any significant adverse environmental impacts; rather it is intended to mitigate existing impacts to the Carmans River and reduce the potential for future adverse environmental impacts to the river. The Brookhaven Town Board is the lead agency for this action under SEQRA. A Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) dated July 2013 was prepared for the proposed action. At its July 2, 2013 meeting, the Brookhaven Town Board accepted the DGEIS as complete with respect to its scope and content for the purpose of commencing public review, in accordance with 6 NYCRR §617.9(a)(2). The DGEIS subsequently was coordinated for review to Involved Agencies and to solicit comments from interested agencies and the public, pursuant to 6 NYCRR §617.12. The DGEIS was distributed to three local libraries with the Management Plan area and posted on the Town of Brookhaven’s website. A public hearing regarding the DGEIS was held by the Town Board on July 30, 2013, pursuant to 6 NYCRR §617.9(a)(4). The public comment period was held open until August 21, 2013 to allow for the opportunity for further comments to be received. Following its official acceptance by the Brookhaven Town Board, this FGEIS will be circulated in accordance with the requirements of 6 NYCRR §617.12. It is also being posted on the Town of Brookhaven’s website and distributed through Longwood Library, South Country Library, and Middle Country Library. Before issuing Findings and making a decision on the Action, the Town Board will provide a minimum period of ten days for agencies and the public to consider the FGEIS. 4 The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement 1.2 Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan (Management Plan) The Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan presents existing conditions, land use strategies, zoning recommendations and Town of Brookhaven code amendment recommendations for the 10.5-mile long Carmans River Corridor. The river is located within the hamlets of Middle Island, Yaphank, Shirley, Southaven and Brookhaven. The primary intent of the Management Plan is to preserve and protect the natural resources of land within the Carmans