Environmental Assessment HHC Coney Island Hospital New Critical Services Structure New York City, Kings County, New York 4085-DR-NY July, 2015 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency Region II 26 Federal Plaza, NY, NY 10278 Environmental Assessment HHC Coney Island Hospital TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................ 1 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................... 1 3.0 PROJECT LOCATION AND BACKGROUND .......................................................... 2 4.0 ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................ 3 4.1 Alternative 1: No Action Alternative ................................................................ 4 4.2 Alternative 2: Proposed Alternative: New Critical Services Structure ......... 4 4.3 Alternatives Considered and Dismissed ............................................................ 6 4.3.1 Mitigation in Place ................................................................................... 6 4.3.2 Perimeter Floodwall ................................................................................. 7 4.4 Summary of Alternatives ................................................................................... 7 5.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS ................................. 7 5.1 Geology, Topography, and Soils ........................................................................ 7 5.1.1 Existing Conditions.................................................................................. 7 5.1.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ............................................. 8 5.2 Air Quality ........................................................................................................... 8 5.2.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 10 5.2.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 11 5.3 Wetlands and Water Quality ........................................................................... 12 5.3.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 12 5.3.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 13 5.4 Floodplain .......................................................................................................... 13 5.4.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 14 5.4.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 15 5.5 Vegetation .......................................................................................................... 15 5.5.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 16 5.5.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 16 5.6 Wildlife and Fish ............................................................................................... 17 5.6.1 Endangered and Threatened Species ..................................................... 17 5.6.2 Migratory Bird Treaty Act ..................................................................... 17 5.6.3 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act .................................................. 17 5.6.4 Essential Fish Habitat ............................................................................ 18 5.6.5 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 18 5.6.6 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 21 5.7 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................... 21 5.7.1 Historic (Standing) Structures ............................................................... 22 5.7.2 Archaeological Resources ...................................................................... 25 5.8 Aesthetic Resources .......................................................................................... 27 5.8.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 28 5.8.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 28 5.9 Socioeconomic Resources and Environmental Justice .................................. 28 5.9.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 28 5.9.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 29 5.10 Land Use and Planning .................................................................................... 30 5.10.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 30 ii Environmental Assessment HHC Coney Island Hospital 5.10.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 30 5.11 Infrastructure .................................................................................................... 31 5.11.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 31 5.11.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 31 5.12 Noise ................................................................................................................... 32 5.12.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 33 5.12.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 33 5.13 Transportation .................................................................................................. 34 5.13.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 34 5.13.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 35 5.14 Public Health and Safety .................................................................................. 36 5.14.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 36 5.14.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 36 5.15 Hazardous Materials ........................................................................................ 36 5.15.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 36 5.15.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 37 5.16 Climate Change ................................................................................................. 38 5.16.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................ 39 5.16.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................... 39 5.17 Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................................... 40 6.0 PERMITS AND PROJECT CONDITIONS ............................................................... 42 7.0 AGENCY COORDINATION AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.............................. 44 8.0 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 46 9.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ................................................................................................. 46 10.0 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS .......................................................................................... 47 11.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 52 iii Environmental Assessment HHC Coney Island Hospital APPENDICES APPENDIX A: Documents Document 5.2-1 Air Title V Facility Permit Document 5.4-1 8-Step Floodplain Decision Making Notice Document 5.4-2 Hydrology and Hydraulics Document 5.7-1 U.S. Department of the Interior Correspondence APPENDIX B: Figures Figure 1-1 Project Location Map Figure 1-2 Existing Campus Layout Figure 4-1 Proposed Alternative Figure 5.1-1 SSURGO Soils Figure 5.3-1 NWI Wetlands Figure 5.3-2 NYSDEC Tidal Wetlands Figure 5.4-1 FEMA Preliminary Flood Hazard Areas Figure 5.5-1 NYC Coastal Zone Boundary Figure 5.6-1 Photograph Key Figure 5.6-2 Natural Resources Photographs Figure 5.10-1 Community of Concern – Environmental Justice Study Area Figure 5.11-1 Existing Land Use Figure 5.13-1 Transportation APPENDIX C: Tables Table 5.2-1 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Table 5.2-2 Representative Monitored Ambient Air Quality Data Table 5.6-1 Vegetation Identified within the Project Site iv Environmental Assessment HHC Coney Island Hospital Table 5.7-1 New York State Breeding Bird Atlas (2000-2005) Results for Block 5849C APPENDIX D: Correspondence Correspondence 5.7-1 New York State Historic Preservation Office Consultation v Environmental Assessment HHC Coney Island Hospital LIST OF ACRONYMS APE – Area of Potential Effects BFE – Base Flood Elevation NYCBSA – New York City Board of Standards and Appeals CAA – Clean Air Act CEHA – Coastal Erosion Hazard Area CEQ – Council on Environmental Quality CFR – Code of Federal Regulations CHASP – Construction-Related Health and Safety Plan CIH – Coney Island Hospital CO – Carbon monoxide COC – Community