ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR MAJOR REHABILITATION EVALUATION CAPE COD CANAL HIGHWAY BRIDGES MASSACHUSETTS Prepared by: New England District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 696 Virginia Road Concord, Massachusetts 01742 MARCH 2020 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1 2.0 AUTHORIZATION AND REGULATORY HISTORY 1 2.1 Congressional Authorizations 1 2.2 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance 2 3.0 PROJECT SCOPE AND STUDY AREA 2 3.1 Scope 2 3.2 Location and Description 3 3.3 Study Area 3 4.0 PURPOSE AND NEED 4 4.1 Purpose 4 4.2 Need 4 5.0 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS 5 5.1 Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward 5 5.1.1 Replacement of Both Bridges with a Single Bridge 5 5.1.2 Construction of a New Third Highway Bridge 6 5.1.3 Replacement of One or Both Highway Bridges with Tunnels or a Single Tunnel 6 5.1.4 Replacement of One or Both Bridges with Low Level Draw Spans or Low Level Causeways 7 5.1.5 Deauthorization and Closure of the Canal 7 5.1.6 Alternative C - Replacement of Both Highway Bridges with New Bridges – 4 Lanes 8 5.2 Alternatives Evaluated 9 5.2.1 Alternative A - No Action (Without Project Condition) 9 5.2.2 Alternative B - Major Rehabilitation for Both Bridges 10 5.2.3 Alternative D (Preferred Alternative) - Replacement of Both Highway Bridges with New Bridges – 4 Lanes and 2 Auxiliary Lanes 10 6.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT and ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 11 6.1 Physical Resources 11 6.1.1 Land Use 11 6.1.2 Terrain and Topography 13 6.1.3 Geology/Soils 14 6.1.4 Climate 15 6.1.5 Seal Level Change 15 6.1.6 Air Quality 16 Cape Cod Canal Highway Bridges, MA Environmental Assessment Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report EA-i March 2020 6.2 Water Resources 19 6.2.1 Surface Water and Wetlands 19 6.2.2 Water Quality 22 6.2.3 Groundwater 24 6.2.4 Floodplains 25 6.3 Coastal Resources 26 6.3.1 Coastal Zones 26 6.3.2 Coastal Barrier Resources System 28 6.4 Biological Resources 29 6.4.1 Vegetation 29 6.4.2 Wildlife 31 6.4.3 Fisheries and Marine Wildlife 33 6.4.4 Threatened and Endangered Species 36 6.5 Historic and Archaeological Resources 43 6.6 Socioeconomics Resources 46 6.6.1 Demographics 46 6.6.2 Community Economics 50 6.6.3 Land Use and Zoning 55 6.6.4 Recreation 57 6.6.5 Public Utilities 59 6.6.6 Public Health and Safety 62 6.6.7 Traffic 70 6.6.8 Environmental Justice 78 6.6.9 Hazardous Materials and Waste 84 6.6.10 Noise 87 6.7 Summary of Effects 90 7.0 INDIRECT EFFECTS AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 96 7.1 Induced Development 96 7.1.1 Development Potential 96 7.1.2 Traffic Modelling 99 7.1.1 Population models and forecasted growth 101 7.2 Cumulative Impacts 103 7.2.1 Bourne Rotary Alternatives 104 7.2.2 Bourne Rotary with Highway Interchange 106 7.2.3 Belmont Circle 107 7.2.4 Route 6 Exit 1C Relocation 109 7.2.5 Route 6 Additional Eastbound Travel Lane 110 Cape Cod Canal Highway Bridges, MA Environmental Assessment Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report EA-ii March 2020 7.2.6 Total Cumulative Impacts 112 7.3 Cumulative Significance 112 7.4 Other Development Projects 112 8.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 113 8.1 Initial Study Comments Pre-Draft 114 8.2 Draft EA Public Comments 116 9.0 AGENCY COORDINATION 119 10.0 COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FEDERAL STATUTES AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS 120 List of Figures EA Figure 1 – Cape Cod Canal 3 EA Figure 2 – Project Study Area 4 EA Figure 3 – Land Use 12 EA Figure 4 – Wetlands 20 EA Figure 5 – MassDEP Wetlands 21 EA Figure 6 – Cape Cod Sole Source Aquifer 24 EA Figure 7 – Floodplain 26 EA Figure 8 – Coastal Zone and Coastal Barrier Resources 27 EA Figure 9 – EFH in the Cape Cod Canal 35 EA Figure 10 – Federally-listed species and critical habitat in the Cape Cod Canal 39 EA Figure 11 – MA NHESP Priority habitats of rare species and ACECs 42 EA Figure 12 – Second Home Population. 48 EA Figure 13 – Bourne Zoning Map 56 EA Figure 14 – Fire and Police Stations in the Town of Bourne 65 EA Figure 15 – Number of monthly crashes within one mile of the bridges (2010 – 2014) 68 EA Figure 16 – Traffic Routes 71 EA Figure 17 – Average Daily Volume of Traffic 72 EA Figure 18 – Minority Population in Cape Cod and Islands, National Percentiles 79 EA Figure 19 – Minority Population in the Study Area, National Percentiles 80 EA Figure 20 – Low-Income Population in Cape Cod and Islands, National Percentiles 82 EA Figure 21 – Low-Income in the Study Area, National Percentiles 83 EA Figure 22 – Hazardous sites and groundwater study plumes in the study area 85 EA Figure 23 – Cape Cod Residential and Nonresidential Development 97 EA Figure 24 – Traffic Congestion Areas on the Cape 101 EA Figure 25 – MassDOT Conceptual Improvement Projects 104 EA Figure 26 – MassDOT Alternatives Evaluated – Bourne Rotary 105 EA Figure 27 – MassDOT Bourne Rotary Interchange 107 EA Figure 28 – MassDOT Alternatives Evaluated – Belmont Circle 108 EA Figure 29 – MassDOT Route 6 Exit 1C Relocation 110 EA Figure 30 – MassDOT Route 6 – Additional Eastbound Travel Lane and Westbound Auxiliary Lane 111 EA Figure 31 – Proposed Development Projects 113 Cape Cod Canal Highway Bridges, MA Environmental Assessment Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report EA-iii March 2020 List of Tables EA Table 1 – Canal Tidal Datums in feet relative to Mean Sea Level 16 EA Table 2 – List of species that have designated EFH in the Cape Cod Canal 34 EA Table 3 – Total Population 47 EA Table 4 – Proportion of seasonal-use houses 47 EA Table 5 – Age and Ethnicity 49 EA Table 6 – Education, Employment and Income 49 EA Table 7 – Proportion of Individuals Employed by Industry 51 EA Table 8 – Proportion of small businesses 52 EA Table 9 – Proportion of business in each industry 52 EA Table 10 – Total sales, shipments, receipts, revenue and business done by establishments 53 EA Table 11 – Median housing values and rent 53 EA Table 12 – Cost of living indices for Bourne, Plymouth and Wareham 54 EA Table 13 – Cape Cod resident recreational participation 58 EA Table 14 – Utility Licenses 60 EA Table 15 – Estimated Population Exposure to Hurricane Hazard 63 EA Table 16 – Estimated Cape Clearance Times 64 EA Table 17 – Change in travel time from the Bourne Police Department to the south side of the bridges 66 EA Table 18 – Average Travel Time of Major Routes 74 EA Table 19 – Average Travel Time by Closure 2014 75 EA Table 20 – Average Travel Time by Closure 2040 75 EA Table 21 – Emergency repair and associated travel restrictions 76 EA Table 22 – Rehabilitation Lane Closure Duration Estimates 77 EA Table 23 – Percent Minority 81 EA Table 24 – Median Household Income 84 EA Table 25 – Project Alternatives: Summary of Potential Effect, Coordination and Mitigation 90 EA Table 26 – Cape Cod Buildouts by Town 98 EA Table 27 – Average speed over 13 segments of road with existing and new bridges during weekdays (WD) and weekends (WE) in fall, summer and winter seasons 100 EA Table 28 – Cape Cod Summer Traffic Growth by Subregion 102 EA Table 29 – Bourne Rotary - Environmental Impact by Alternative 106 EA Table 30 – Bourne Rotary with Highway Interchange - Environmental Impact 107 EA Table 31 – Belmont Circle Reconstruction - Environmental Impact by Alternative 109 EA Table 32 – Route 6 Exit 1C Relocation - Environmental Impact 110 EA Table 33 – Route 6 Additional Eastbound Travel Lane - Environmental Impact 111 EA Table 34 – Total Cumulative Impacts for MassDOT Projects with Alternative 1 Scenarios 112 EA Table 35 – Pre-Draft Public Comments Summary 115 EA Table 36 – Post Draft Public Comments Summary 117 Cape Cod Canal Highway Bridges, MA Environmental Assessment Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report EA-iv March 2020 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The Bourne and Sagamore bridges are two high level, fixed span highway bridges owned, operated, and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The bridges provide access across the Cape Cod Canal and are part of the authorized Cape Cod Canal Federal Navigation Project (FNP). These two steel truss bridges were constructed in the 1930s and are now more than 83 years old. The USACE, New England District, is conducting a multi-year Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Study (Study) of the Bourne and Sagamore highway bridges to evaluate whether continued repair and maintenance, major rehabilitation, or replacement of the bridges with new structures will provide safe, efficient transit for vehicular traffic across the Cape Cod Canal. The Study includes engineering, economic and environmental analyses, and evaluates alternatives to address deficiencies of bridge components that impact their structural and operational reliability. The study will result in a Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report (MRER), a decision document that will provide the basis of decision-making for the USACE and Congress on the most cost-effective, safe alternative for providing critical public transportation access across Cape Cod Canal. As part of the MRER, the USACE has developed an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to examine the potential effects associated with the alternatives examined within the MRER. 2.0 AUTHORIZATION AND REGULATORY HISTORY 2.1 Congressional Authorizations The Cape Cod Canal, which connects Cape Cod Bay and Buzzards Bay, was privately owned and built during the early 1900s.