AUGUST 2000 FINAL REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN U.S. BORDER PATROL NACO-DOUGLAS CORRIDOR COCHISE COUNTY, ARIZONA IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE WASHINGTON, D.C. FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN U.S. BORDER PATROL NACO-DOUGLAS CORRIDOR, COCHISE COUNTY, ARIZONA August 2000 Lead Agency: U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Headquarters, Facilities and Engineering Division 425 I Street NW Washington, D.C. 20536 Responsible Official: Richard Diefenbeck, Director INS Facilities and Engineering Division 425 I Street NW Washington, D.C. 20536 Environmental Officer: Kevin Feeney INS Facilities and Engineering Division 425 I Street NW, Room 2030 Washington, D.C. 20536 (202) 353-9412 ABSTRACT PROPOSED ACTIONS: Infrastructure improvements that will be addressed include, but are not limited, to roads, fences, vehicle barriers, helipads, USBP stations, remote video surveillance (RVS) sites, lights, and checkpoints. The cumulative effect of these improvement projects since 1995 and into the reasonably foreseeable future, and in conjunction with other programs or projects proposed or implemented by other agencies, is the primary focus of this EA. PURPOSE AND NEED: The improvements that have been completed or are being proposed by INS and USBP are in an effort to enhance the USBP’s capability to gain, maintain and extend control of the US/Mexico border. ALTERNATIVES The No Action Alternative would require the immediate ADDRESSED: cessation of all current projects and a moratorium on any future infrastructure projects for the subsequent five years. The Current Action Alternative would involve elimination of any proposed construction activities and completion of only those actions that are currently approved. The Future Infrastructure Alternative would allow the projects currently approved or funded and those anticipated to be completed over the next five years. This is the preferred alternative. ENVIRONMENTAL The proposed action would involve minimal construction IMPACTS OF THE activities within sites that have been, for the most part, PROPOSED ACTIONS: previously disturbed. No significant adverse effects to air quality, water quality, cultural resources, unique areas, soils, protected species, or land use are expected. Once site- specific plans are formulated for currently approved and future activities, surveys for sensitive resources shall be required and mitigation may be required. In addition, coordination with the appropriate Federal and state agencies would be necessary. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this analysis and assuming that all mitigation measures recommended herein are implemented, no significant adverse impacts would occur from the preferred alternative. Increased or enhanced interdiction of illegal drug and alien entry and activities would have positive, indirect socioeconomic benefits. Naco Douglas Corridor EA ii (This page left intentionally blank) Naco Douglas Corridor EA iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................1-1 1.1.1 INS Organization ..............................................................................................1-1 1.1.2 Tucson Sector...................................................................................................1-6 1.1.3 Regulatory Authority .........................................................................................1-6 1.2 Purpose and Need .......................................................................................................1-7 1.3 Infrastructure Descriptions..........................................................................................1-10 1.3.1 Road Projects .................................................................................................1-11 1.3.2 Fences and Barriers........................................................................................1-11 1.3.3 ISIS Components............................................................................................1-15 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES..............................................................2-1 2.1 No Action Alternative ....................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1 Naco Corridor ...................................................................................................2-1 2.1.2 Douglas Corridor...............................................................................................2-5 2.2 Current Action Alternative.............................................................................................2-5 2.2.1 Naco Corridor ...................................................................................................2-9 2.2.2 Douglas Corridor...............................................................................................2-9 2.3 Future Infrastructure Alternative .................................................................................2-15 2.3.1 Naco Corridor .................................................................................................2-15 2.3.2 Douglas Corridor.............................................................................................2-15 2.4 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated From Further Consideration .........................2-21 2.5 Relationship to Other Programs .................................................................................2-21 2.5.1 Transportation.................................................................................................2-22 2.5.2 Urban Development ........................................................................................2-23 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................................3-1 3.1 Land Use......................................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Soils and Prime Farmland ..........................................................................................3-12 3.3 Vegetation ..................................................................................................................3-19 3.4 Wildlife Communities..................................................................................................3-26 3.5 Unique or Sensitive Areas ..........................................................................................3-28 3.6 Protected Species and Critical Habitats......................................................................3-33 3.7 Cultural Resources.....................................................................................................3-46 3.8 Air Quality...................................................................................................................3-60 3.9 Water Resources........................................................................................................3-63 3.9.1 Surface and Ground Water Resources ...........................................................3-64 3.9.2 Waters of the U.S. and Wetlands....................................................................3-66 3.9.3 Water Quality..................................................................................................3-67 3.9.4 Potential Sources of Contamination ................................................................3-67 3.9.5 Effective Watershed Descriptions ...................................................................3-68 3.10 Socioeconomics .........................................................................................................3-70 3.10.1 Population.......................................................................................................3-70 3.10.2 Employment and Income ................................................................................3-70 3.10.3 Housing Analysis ............................................................................................3-71 3.11 Noise..........................................................................................................................3-72 Naco Douglas Corridor EA iv 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......................................................................4-1 4.1 Land Use......................................................................................................................4-3 4.1.1 No Action Alternative ........................................................................................4-3 4.1.2 Current Action Alternative .................................................................................4-3 4.1.3 Future Infrastructure Alternative........................................................................4-3 4.2 Soils and Prime Farmland ............................................................................................4-4 4.2.1 No Action Alternative ........................................................................................4-4 4.2.2 Current Action Alternative .................................................................................4-6 4.2.3 Future Infrastructure Alternative........................................................................4-6