June 2018 West Virginia 2 – Proctor to Kent State Project U352-2-11.66 00 Federal Project NH-0002(528)D ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Prepared for: TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... v ES. 1 Project Description ...................................................................................................................... v ES. 2 Purpose and Need ....................................................................................................................... v ES. 3 Alternatives Considered .............................................................................................................. vi Alternative 1 .............................................................................................................................. vi Alternative 2 .............................................................................................................................. vi Alternative 3 ............................................................................................................................. vii Alternative 1A – The Preferred Alternative .............................................................................. vii ES. 4 Environmental Impacts .............................................................................................................. vii ES. 5 Recommended Preferred Alternative – Alternative 1A............................................................ viii Chapter 1. Introduction and Purpose and Need ............................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.2 Existing Highway Network ...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Regional Transportation Plans ................................................................................................ 1-1 1.4 Project Funding ....................................................................................................................... 1-3 1.5 Project Need ........................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.5.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 1-4 1.5.2 Traffic Volume Capacity ............................................................................................. 1-4 1.5.3 Traffic Safety .............................................................................................................. 1-5 1.5.4 Traffic Operations ...................................................................................................... 1-6 1.5.5 Project Need .............................................................................................................. 1-6 1.5.6 Project Purpose ......................................................................................................... 1-6 Chapter 2. Alternatives ................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.1 Alternative 1 ........................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.2 Alternative 2 ........................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.3 Alternative 3 ........................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.4 Alternative 1A – The Preferred Alternative ............................................................................ 2-6 2.5 No Build Alternative ............................................................................................................... 2-8 2.6 Comparison of Alternatives .................................................................................................... 2-8 2.6.1 Overview .................................................................................................................... 2-8 2.6.2 Recommended Preferred Alternative ..................................................................... 2-10 2.7 Public and Stakeholder Involvement .................................................................................... 2-10 Chapter 3. Affected Environment & Mitigation ............................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Socioeconomics ...................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Demographics ............................................................................................................ 3-1 WEST VIRGINIA 2 PROCTOR TO KENT │ i Table of Contents │ DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 3.1.2 Environmental Justice ................................................................................................ 3-3 3.1.3 Economics .................................................................................................................. 3-5 3.1.4 Community Facilities and Services ............................................................................ 3-7 3.1.5 Relocations and Displacements ................................................................................. 3-8 3.2 Land Use and Land Cover ....................................................................................................... 3-8 3.2.1 Land Cover ................................................................................................................. 3-9 3.2.2 Land Use .................................................................................................................... 3-9 3.3 Farmland and Soils ................................................................................................................ 3-11 3.4 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................ 3-14 3.4.1 Historic Resources ................................................................................................... 3-14 3.4.2 Archaeological Resources ........................................................................................ 3-21 3.5 Section 4(f) Resources .......................................................................................................... 3-23 3.6 Section 6(f) Resources .......................................................................................................... 3-23 3.7 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 3-23 3.7.1 Attainment Status .................................................................................................... 3-23 3.7.2 Transportation Conformity ...................................................................................... 3-24 3.7.3 Air Toxics .................................................................................................................. 3-25 3.7.4 Construction Emissions............................................................................................ 3-26 3.8 Noise ..................................................................................................................................... 3-26 3.9 Geology ................................................................................................................................. 3-30 3.10 Groundwater ........................................................................................................................ 3-31 3.11 Streams and Wetlands .......................................................................................................... 3-33 3.12 Floodplains ............................................................................................................................ 3-39 3.13 Terrestrial Vegetation and Wildlife ...................................................................................... 3-42 3.14 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................. 3-43 3.14.1 Registered Hazardous Waste Sites .......................................................................... 3-43 3.14.2 Nearest Superfund Site ............................................................................................ 3-44 3.14.3 Implementation of Hazardous Materials Contingency Plan .................................... 3-44 3.15 Energy ................................................................................................................................... 3-46 3.16 Secondary and Cumulative Impacts ..................................................................................... 3-46 3.16.1 Secondary Impacts................................................................................................... 3-46 3.16.2 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................. 3-46 Chapter 4. References .................................................................................................................. 4-1 Chapter 5. List of Preparers and Reviewers .................................................................................. 5-1 Chapter