Programmatic Environmental Assessment Transportation: Bridges, Culverts, Roads, and Landslides Commonwealth of Puerto Rico November 2020 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency Region II Caribbean Area Office - Joint Recovery Office 50 Carr. 165, Guaynabo, PR 00968 Programmatic Environmental Assessment FEMA Puerto Rico Transportation PEA TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ II LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ IV LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................. V 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 8 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................................................ 8 3.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND .................................................................................................... 9 4.0 ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................... 12 4.1 ALTERNATIVE 1: NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ..................................................................................................... 13 4.2 ALTERNATIVE 2: BRIDGE AND CULVERT REPLACEMENT ................................................................................... 13 4.3 ALTERNATIVE 3: REPAIR OF LANDSLIDES .......................................................................................................... 15 4.4 ALTERNATIVE 4: HAZARD MITIGATION AND REPAIR OF BRIDGES, CULVERTS, AND ROADWAYS ...................... 16 4.5 ALTERNATIVE 5: A COMBINATION OF ALTERNATIVES 2 THROUGH 4 ................................................................ 18 5.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS ........................................... 19 5.1 GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND SOILS ................................................................................................................ 20 5.1.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 20 5.1.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 22 5.2 AIR QUALITY ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 26 5.2.2 Potential Impacts and proposed Mitigation .............................................................................................. 27 5.3 WATER QUALITY ............................................................................................................................................... 29 5.3.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 30 5.3.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 31 5.4 WETLANDS ........................................................................................................................................................ 34 5.4.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 34 5.4.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 35 5.5 FLOODPLAIN ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 5.5.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 38 5.5.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 39 5.6 COASTAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................ 41 5.6.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 42 5.6.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 43 5.7 VEGETATION ...................................................................................................................................................... 45 5.7.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 45 5.7.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 46 5.8 WILDLIFE AND FISH ........................................................................................................................................... 47 5.8.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 48 5.8.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 49 5.9 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ......................................................................................................... 51 5.9.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 52 ii Programmatic Environmental Assessment FEMA Puerto Rico Transportation PEA 5.9.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation.............................................................................................. 53 5.10 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................... 55 5.10.1 Historic (Standing) Structures ................................................................................................................ 56 5.10.2 Archaeological Resources ....................................................................................................................... 58 5.11 SOCIOECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ............................................................................................ 60 5.11.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 61 5.11.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation............................................................................................ 62 5.12 LAND USE AND PLANNING ............................................................................................................................... 63 5.12.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 63 5.12.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation............................................................................................ 65 5.13 NOISE............................................................................................................................................................... 67 5.13.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 67 5.13.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation............................................................................................ 69 5.14 TRANSPORTATION ............................................................................................................................................ 70 5.14.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 70 5.14.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation............................................................................................ 71 5.15 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES .................................................................................................................... 72 5.15.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 73 5.15.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation............................................................................................ 73 5.16 PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY .......................................................................................................................... 75 5.16.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 75 5.16.2 Potential Impacts and Proposed Mitigation...........................................................................................