Final Environmental Assessment Bay Park Conveyance Project FEMA DR-4085-NY HMGP #4085-0091 Nassau County, New York September 2020 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency Region II 26 Federal Plaza, NY, NY 10278 Environmental Assessment Bay Park Conveyance Project TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED .......................................................................................................... 1 3.0 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 2 4.0 ALTERNATIVES................................................................................................................... 3 4.1 ALTERNATIVE 1: NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ...............................................................................................................3 4.2 ALTERNATIVE 2: PROPOSED ACTION—BAY PARK CONVEYANCE PROJECT ......................................................4 4.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND DISMISSED ............................................................................................................7 4.4 SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES ...........................................................................................................................................7 5.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS ........................................... 8 5.1 GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND SOILS .............................................................................................................................8 5.1.1 Existing Conditions................................................................................................................................ 8 5.1.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ........................................................................................... 9 5.2 AIR QUALITY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 5.2.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 11 5.2.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 11 5.3 WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................................................................................ 13 5.3.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 13 5.3.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 15 5.4 WETLANDS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17 5.4.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 18 5.4.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 18 5.5 FLOODPLAIN ......................................................................................................................................................................... 19 5.5.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 20 5.5.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 20 5.6 COASTAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 5.6.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 22 5.6.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 22 5.7 VEGETATION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 23 5.7.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 23 5.7.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 24 5.8 WILDLIFE AND FISH ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 5.8.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 25 5.8.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 29 5.9 CULTURAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................................... 31 5.9.1 Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 31 5.9.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ......................................................................................... 33 5.10 AESTHETIC RESOURCES.................................................................................................................................................... 34 5.10.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 34 5.10.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 35 5.11 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ............................................................................................................................................... 36 5.11.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 37 5.11.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 37 i Environmental Assessment Bay Park Conveyance Project 5.12 LAND USE AND PLANNING .............................................................................................................................................. 38 5.12.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 38 5.12.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 39 5.13 NOISE ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 5.13.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 41 5.13.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 41 5.14 TRANSPORTATION .............................................................................................................................................................. 43 5.14.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 44 5.14.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 44 5.15 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES .................................................................................................................................. 46 5.15.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 46 5.15.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 46 5.16 PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY ........................................................................................................................................ 47 5.16.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 47 5.16.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation .................................................................................... 48 5.17 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ................................................................................................................................................. 49 5.17.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 49 5.17.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation ...................................................................................