Environmental Assessment Village of Patchogue Out-of-District Sewer Extension Patchogue, Suffolk County, New York FEMA-4085-DR-NY May 2016 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region II 26 Federal Plaza, NY, NY 10278 Environmental Assessment Village of Patchogue Out-of-District Sewer Extension, Patchogue, NY TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Suffolk County Coastal Resiliency Initiative .............................................................. 1 1.2 Village of Patchogue Out-of-District Sewer Extension Project Environmental Review Process ......................................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................. 2 3.0 Project Location and Background .................................................................................. 3 4.0 Alternatives ........................................................................................................................ 4 4.1 Alternative 1: No Action ............................................................................................. 4 4.2 Alternative 2: Proposed Action: Out-of-District Low-Pressure Sewer Extension ...... 4 4.3 Alternative 3: Vacuum Sewer Extension .................................................................... 6 4.4 Alternatives Considered and Dismissed ...................................................................... 8 4.4.1 Gravity Sewer Extension ................................................................................. 8 4.4.2 Central Pump Stations ..................................................................................... 8 4.5 Summary Evaluation of Alternatives .......................................................................... 9 5.0 Affected Environment and Potential Impacts ................................................................ 9 5.1 Geology, Soils, and Topography ............................................................................... 10 5.1.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 10 5.1.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 11 5.2 Air Quality ................................................................................................................. 13 5.2.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 14 5.2.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 14 5.3 Water Resources ........................................................................................................ 15 5.3.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 15 5.3.1.1 Water Quality ................................................................................................ 15 5.3.1.2 Wetlands ........................................................................................................ 18 5.3.1.3 Floodplains .................................................................................................... 19 5.3.1.4 Coastal Resources .......................................................................................... 19 5.3.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 20 5.4 Vegetation ................................................................................................................. 24 5.4.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 24 5.4.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 24 5.5 Wildlife and Fish ....................................................................................................... 25 5.5.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 25 5.5.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 26 5.6 Threatened and Endangered Species and Critical Habitat ........................................ 28 5.6.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 28 5.6.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 29 ii Environmental Assessment Village of Patchogue Out-of-District Sewer Extension, Patchogue, NY 5.7 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................... 29 5.7.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 30 5.7.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 32 5.8 Land Use and Planning .............................................................................................. 34 5.8.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 34 5.8.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 34 5.9 Environmental Justice ............................................................................................... 35 5.9.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 36 5.9.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 38 5.10 Noise .......................................................................................................................... 38 5.10.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 39 5.10.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 39 5.11 Transportation ........................................................................................................... 40 5.11.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 40 5.11.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 41 5.12 Public Services and Utilities ...................................................................................... 42 5.12.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 42 5.12.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 42 5.13 Public Health and Safety ........................................................................................... 44 5.13.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 44 5.13.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 44 5.14 Hazardous Materials .................................................................................................. 45 5.14.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 45 5.14.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 46 5.15 Climate Change ......................................................................................................... 47 5.15.1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 47 5.15.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ................................................... 48 5.16 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................... 49 5.16.1 Projects Considered for Analysis of Cumulative Impacts ............................. 50 5.16.2 Cumulative Impacts ....................................................................................... 50 5.17 Irreversible and Irretrievable Impacts ....................................................................... 52 6.0 Permits and Project Conditions ..................................................................................... 52 6.1 Permits, Reviews and Approvals ............................................................................... 52 6.2 Project Conditions ..................................................................................................... 53 7.0 Agency Coordination and Public Involvement ............................................................ 56 8.0 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 57 iii Environmental Assessment Village of Patchogue Out-of-District Sewer Extension, Patchogue, NY 9.0 List of Preparers ............................................................................................................. 57 10.0 Summary of Impacts....................................................................................................... 58 11.0 References ........................................................................................................................ 65 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Evaluation Criteria for Potential Impacts ...................................................................