Draft Environmental Assessment State Highway 200 From State Highway 361 to Farm-to-Market 1069 CSJ: 3540-01-001 San Patricio County, Texas July 2015 The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16, 2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT Environmental Assessment – SH 200 Table of Contents 1.0 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Existing ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Proposed .............................................................................................................................. 2 2.0 Funding...................................................................................................................................... 2 3.0 Need for the Proposed Project ................................................................................................. 3 4.0 Purpose of the Proposed Project .............................................................................................. 6 5.0 Alternatives ............................................................................................................................... 6 5.1. Alternatives Eliminated from Further Study ........................................................................ 6 5.2. No-Build Alternative ............................................................................................................. 8 5.3. Preferred Alternative ........................................................................................................... 8 6.0 Right-of-Way ............................................................................................................................. 9 7.0 Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations ................................................................................. 9 8.0 Surrounding Area ...................................................................................................................... 9 8.1. Visual/Aesthetics Summary ............................................................................................... 10 8.2. Utilities/Emergency Services Summary ............................................................................. 10 9.0 Community .............................................................................................................................. 10 9.1. Community Profile ............................................................................................................. 10 9.1.1. Race ............................................................................................................................. 10 9.1.2. Income ......................................................................................................................... 11 9.1.3. Limited English Proficiency .......................................................................................... 11 9.2. Socioeconomics .................................................................................................................. 11 9.3. Community Impacts ........................................................................................................... 12 9.4. Environmental Justice ........................................................................................................ 12 10.0 Land Use ................................................................................................................................ 13 Page i Print Date: 7/22/2015 4:39 PM Environmental Assessment – SH 200 11.0 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................ 14 11.1. Historic Resources ............................................................................................................ 14 11.2. Archeological Resources .................................................................................................. 15 12.0 Section 4(F) and Section 6(F) Resources ............................................................................... 15 13.0 Biological Resources ............................................................................................................. 15 13.1. Vegetation ........................................................................................................................ 15 13.2. Invasive Species and Beneficial Landscaping ................................................................... 18 13.3. Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) ............................................................................ 18 13.4. Threatened and Endangered Species/Species of Concern .............................................. 19 13.5. Migratory Birds ................................................................................................................. 20 13.6. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Action ............................................................................. 20 13.7. Texas Coastal Management Program .............................................................................. 21 13.8. Essential Fish Habitat ....................................................................................................... 21 14.0 Water Resources and Water Quality .................................................................................... 22 14.1. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act: Waters of the U.S. ................................................. 22 14.2. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act: Water Quality Certification ................................... 24 14.3. Executive Order 11990, Wetlands ................................................................................... 24 14.4. Section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (General Bridge Act/US Coast Guard Permit) .. 25 14.5. Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act ............................................................................ 25 14.6. Section 402 of the Clean Water Act: Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ..... 26 14.7. Floodplains ....................................................................................................................... 26 14.8. International Boundary and Water Commission ............................................................. 28 14.9. Wild and Scenic Rivers ..................................................................................................... 28 15.0 Traffic Noise .......................................................................................................................... 29 16.0 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 32 16.1. Traffic Air Quality Analysis ............................................................................................... 32 16.2. Congestion Management Process.................................................................................... 32 16.3. Mobile Source Air Toxics .................................................................................................. 32 Page ii Print Date: 7/22/2015 4:39 PM Environmental Assessment – SH 200 16.3.1. Background ................................................................................................................ 32 16.3.2. Project-Specific MSAT Information ........................................................................... 35 16.3.3. Incomplete or Unavailable Information for Project-Specific MSAT Health Impacts Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 36 16.3.4. Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 38 17.0 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................. 38 18.0 Construction Impacts ............................................................................................................ 40 19.0 Indirect and Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................................... 41 19.1. Indirect Effects Analysis ................................................................................................... 41 19.1.1. Step 1: Scoping .......................................................................................................... 42 19.1.2. Step 2: Identify the Study Area’s Goals and Trends. ................................................. 44 19.1.3. Step 3: Inventory the Study Area’s Notable Features ............................................... 47 19.1.4. Step 4: Identify Impact-Causing Activities of Proposed Action and Alternatives ..... 48 19.1.5. Step 5: Identify Potentially Substantial Indirect Effects for Analysis ........................ 50 19.1.6. Step 6: Analyze Indirect Effects and Evaluate Results ............................................... 52 19.2. Cumulative Effects Analysis.............................................................................................. 53 19.2.1. Step 1: Identify the resources to consider in the analysis ........................................ 53 19.2.2. Step 2: Define the study area