DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Proposed Ambulatory Care Center Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center December 2017 Prepared for: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4101 Woolworth avenue, Omaha, NE 68105 Prepared by: Olsson Associates 2111 S. 67th Street, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68106 Page Intentionally Left Blank Proposed Ambulatory Care Center Environmental Assessment NWIHCS Omaha VAMC December 2017 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 7 Background ................................................................................................................ 7 Purpose and Need ....................................................................................................11 Space Deficiencies ............................................................................................11 Functional Deficiencies ......................................................................................11 Technical Deficiencies .......................................................................................12 2.0 ACC Alternatives .......................................................................................................14 Alternative 1 – No-Action Alternative ..................................................................14 Alternative 2 – New On-site ACC .......................................................................14 Alternative 3 – New Off-site ACC .......................................................................14 Alternative 4 – Third-Party Contracting ..............................................................14 ACC Alternatives Eliminated from Consideration.......................................................14 ACC Alternative Concepts Retained for Detailed Analysis ........................................15 No-Action Alternative .........................................................................................15 Proposed Action Alternative ...............................................................................15 3.0 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences of the Alternatives ............23 Aesthetics .................................................................................................................23 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................23 Affected Environment .........................................................................................23 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................23 Air Quality .................................................................................................................25 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................25 Affected Environment .........................................................................................26 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................27 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................27 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................27 Affected Environment .........................................................................................28 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................29 Geology and Soils .....................................................................................................30 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................30 Affected Environment .........................................................................................30 i Proposed Ambulatory Care Center Environmental Assessment NWIHCS Omaha VAMC December 2017 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................34 Hydrology and Water Quality ....................................................................................35 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................35 Affected Environment .........................................................................................35 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................38 Wildlife, Habitat, and Threatened and Endangered Species ......................................38 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................38 Affected Environment .........................................................................................39 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................41 Noise .........................................................................................................................43 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................43 Affected Environment .........................................................................................43 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................43 Land Use ..................................................................................................................44 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................44 Affected Environment .........................................................................................44 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................46 Floodplains and Wetlands .........................................................................................46 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................46 Affected Environment .........................................................................................47 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................47 Socioeconomic ..........................................................................................................49 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................49 Affected Environment .........................................................................................49 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................50 Transportation and Parking .......................................................................................52 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................52 Affected Environment .........................................................................................52 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................53 Solid and Hazardous Materials..................................................................................59 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................59 Affected Environment .........................................................................................59 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................60 Utilities ......................................................................................................................61 ii Proposed Ambulatory Care Center Environmental Assessment NWIHCS Omaha VAMC December 2017 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................61 Affected Environment .........................................................................................61 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................62 Environmental Justice ...............................................................................................67 Definition of the Resource ..................................................................................67 Affected Environment .........................................................................................67 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................................68 Cumulative Impacts and Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ...........................................................................................................69 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions .............................70 Cumulative Impacts ...........................................................................................71 Secondary Impacts ............................................................................................72 Conclusion .........................................................................................................72 Potential for Generating