Maine State Library Digital Maine Transportation Documents Transportation 1-2015 I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study. Appendices to the Final Environmental Impact Statement 2015 Maine Department of Transportation Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalmaine.com/mdot_docs Recommended Citation Maine Department of Transportation, "I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study. Appendices to the Final Environmental Impact Statement 2015" (2015). Transportation Documents. 92. https://digitalmaine.com/mdot_docs/92 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Transportation at Digital Maine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Transportation Documents by an authorized administrator of Digital Maine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study Appendices to the Final Environmental Impact Statement Brewer, Holden, Eddington, and Clifton, Maine FHWA-ME-EIS-12-01-F MaineDOT Project Identification Number: 008483.20 FHWA: NH-8483(20)E January 2015 Submitted Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332 (2)(c) by the Federal Highway Administration and Cooperating Agencies U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration–National Marine Fisheries Service, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and Maine Historic Preservation Commission Appendix A Responses to Substantive Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page · 189 · THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK · Responses to Substantive Comments On the I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study Draft Environmental Impact Statement Brewer, Holden, Eddington, and Clifton, Maine FHWA-ME-EIS-14-01-D MaineDOT Project Identification Number: 008483.20 FHWA: NH-8483(20)E Submitted Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332 (2)(c) by the Federal Highway United States Army Administration Corps of Engineers and Cooperating Agencies U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration–National Marine Fisheries Service, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and Maine Historic Preservation Commission Contents Introduction ...................................................1 Economic Environment ....................................... 29 Endangered and Threatened Species .............. 31 Exhibit 1- Summary of Substantive Environmental Impacts ....................................... 31 Comments ......................................................5 Farmland ................................................................ 31 Federal Agencies ......................................................5 FEIS ........................................................................... 31 State Agencies ..........................................................8 Future Development ............................................ 32 Regional and Local Entities ...................................8 Induced Development ......................................... 33 Interest Groups and Other Groups .......................9 Land Use .................................................................. 34 Special Business Interests .......................................9 Maps ........................................................................ 35 Public ....................................................................... 10 Mitigation ............................................................... 35 Public Hearing, May 2, 2012 ............................... 16 NEPA ......................................................................... 36 Noise ........................................................................ 36 Exhibit 2 - Responses to Substantive Permits ..................................................................... 37 Comments ....................................................18 Project Construction............................................. 37 Access Management ............................................ 18 Public Coordination ............................................. 37 Agency Coordination ........................................... 18 Road-Stream Crossings ....................................... 38 Alternatives ............................................................ 18 Safety ....................................................................... 38 Anti-Icing ................................................................ 25 Significant Habitat ............................................... 39 Community Facilities and Services ................... 26 Storm Water ........................................................... 40 Construction Impacts .......................................... 26 System Linkage ...................................................... 41 Cumulative Impacts ............................................. 27 Traffic ....................................................................... 42 East-West Highway ............................................... 28 Trail Access .............................................................. 44 Page · i Contents Vernal Pools ............................................................ 44 Water Resources .................................................... 46 Wildlife ..................................................................... 46 Zoning ..................................................................... 47 Index .............................................................49 Attachment ..................................................53 Page · ii Responses to Substantive Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Under the CEQ’s regulations implementing NEPA identify factual errors, omissions, areas of controversy, (40 CFR Part 1503.1), an agency that publishes a DEIS and provide new information to be considered in the is required to: analysis of alternatives and prior to decision-making. An agency’s focus in preparing the FEIS is the con- • Obtain the comments of Federal agencies with sideration of and responses to these comments. The jurisdiction by law or special expertise, and comment-response process includes all steps from • Request comments from: receipt and consideration of comments through the x agencies at all levels of government autho- preparation of responses and any needed revisions to rized to develop and enforce environmental the EIS. An agency cannot complete the NEPA process standards until it has considered and responded to substantive x Indian tribes, when the effects may be on a comments on the DEIS in the FEIS. The comment- reservation response process is intended to help make better and x an agency that has requested EISs on ac- more informed decisions. tions of the kind proposed In early March 2012, MaineDOT mailed ap- x the public, including actively soliciting proximately 200 newsletters to property owners in the comments from those persons or organiza- study area advising them of the status of the study, the tions that may be interested or affected circulation of the DEIS, opportunities to pose ques- tions to MaineDOT and FHWA and receive answers, Comments received can range from statements of and provide comments. MaineDOT delivered ap- support for, or opposition to, an agency’s proposed proximately 250 copies of the newsletter to the City action to detailed critiques of the DEIS’s analyses and of Brewer and the towns of Holden, Eddington, and suggestions for new alternatives. Comments might Clifton for distribution. Page · 1 Responses to Substantive Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement From the March 2012 Newsletter Open Houses The public is invited and encouraged to comment April 4 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Brewer Auditorium on the DEIS. Comments will be addressed when a May 2 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. Eddington Town Office Final EIS is published at a later date. MaineDOT and key agencies involved in the NEPA process have Public Hearing scheduled two open houses to provide members May 2 ~ 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. of the public with opportunities to learn about the Eddington Elementary School DEIS and the NEPA process, and to ask questions and share concerns directly with the federal and Next Steps state officials conducting the study. Following the While the formal public hearing will take place open houses and in accordance with the NEPA on May 2, 2012, the public comment period will process, there will be a formal public hearing. At continue through May 15. Comments received the hearing, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will during the comment period and at the public also receive comments on the Section 404 (Clean hearing will be summarized and addressed in the Water Act) permit application. Final EIS. The MaineDOT and the FHWA announced the Two open houses and a public hearing were held availability of the I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study during the 60-day comment period. The first open DEIS and Section 404 Permit Application Supporting house was on April 4, 2012 at the Brewer Auditorium Information on March 23, 2012 (Federal Register, Vol. and the second open house was on May 2, 2012 at the 77, No. 57). A 60-day comment period immediately Eddington Town Office. The purposes of the two open followed, during which MaineDOT and FHWA in- houses were to 1) meet with people with an interest in vited Federal, State and local agencies, Tribes, orga- the study to answer questions about the study and, 2) nizations, and individuals to submit comments on the receive suggestions for further avoidance and minimi- I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study DEIS and Section zation of