Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Nustar Dos

Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Nustar Dos

FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE NUSTAR DOS LAREDOS PIPELINE PRESIDENTIAL PERMIT APPLICATION REVIEW LAREDO, WEBB COUNTY, TEXAS United States Department of State Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs 2201 C Street, NW, Suite 2727 Washington, DC 20520 May 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................... 1 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION .................................................. 5 1.3.1 Application for a New Presidential Permit ................................................. 6 1.3.2 Actions in Mexico ....................................................................................... 7 1.4 PURPOSE AND NEED .......................................................................................... 7 1.5 AGENCY, TRIBAL, AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ...................................... 8 1.5.1 Participation by Indian Tribes ..................................................................... 9 1.5.2 Public and Landowner Participation ........................................................... 9 1.6 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS ......................................................... 10 1.7 ADDITIONAL PERMITS AND REQUIRED COORDINATION ..................... 10 2.0 ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................................... 11 2.1 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT DISMISSED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION .............................................................................................. 11 2.2 ALTERNATIVE 1: PROPOSED ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................ 12 2.3 ALTERNATIVE 2: NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ........................................... 13 2.4 CHARACTERISTICS SHARED BY BOTH ALTERNATIVES ........................ 14 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................... 19 3.1 RESOURCES ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER DISCUSSION ...................... 19 3.2 AIR QUALITY ..................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1 Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change ................................................... 25 3.3 NOISE ................................................................................................................... 26 3.4 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY ...................................................................... 27 3.4.1 Soils........................................................................................................... 27 3.5 WATER RESOURCES ........................................................................................ 27 3.5.1 Surface Water and Groundwater ............................................................... 27 3.5.2 Water Quality ............................................................................................ 30 3.5.3 Floodplains ................................................................................................ 31 3.6 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES .............................................................................. 31 3.6.1 Vegetation Resources ................................................................................ 31 3.6.2 Wildlife Resources .................................................................................... 31 3.6.3 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................ 33 3.6.4 USFWS Consultation ................................................................................ 35 3.7 SOCIAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................ 36 3.7.1 Human Health and Safety ......................................................................... 36 3.7.2 Transportation ........................................................................................... 37 3.7.2.1 Current Transportation of Petroleum Products ........................... 38 3.7.3 Socioeconomics ........................................................................................ 38 3.8 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................. 39 3.8.1 Tribal Consultation ................................................................................... 40 NuStar Dos Laredos Pipeline i Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment May 2016 3.8.2 SHPO Consultation ................................................................................... 40 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ................................................................................... 41 4.1 POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF NORMAL OPERATION OF THE PIPELINE ..... 42 4.1.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................ 42 4.1.2 Noise ......................................................................................................... 47 4.1.3 Soils........................................................................................................... 48 4.1.4 Water Resources ....................................................................................... 48 4.1.5 Biological Resources ................................................................................ 49 4.1.6 Human Health and Safety ......................................................................... 51 4.1.7 Transportation ........................................................................................... 52 4.1.8 Cultural Resources .................................................................................... 53 4.2 POTENTIAL EFFECTS DUE TO ACCIDENTAL RELEASES FROM THE PIPELINE ............................................................................................................. 54 4.2.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................ 56 4.2.2 Noise ......................................................................................................... 56 4.2.3 Soils........................................................................................................... 57 4.2.4 Water Resources ....................................................................................... 57 4.2.5 Biological Resources ................................................................................ 58 4.2.6 Human Health and Safety ......................................................................... 61 4.2.7 Transportation ........................................................................................... 63 4.2.8 Cultural Resources .................................................................................... 63 4.3 COMPARATIVE SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES’ EFFECTS ON RESOURCES ....................................................................................................... 64 5.0 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ............................................................................................ 67 5.1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................. 67 5.2 PAST EFFECTS WITHIN THE REGION OF INFLUENCE ............................. 67 5.3 CURRENT AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE PROJECTS WITHIN AND NEAR THE REGION OF INFLUENCE ............................................................. 68 5.4 ANALYSIS OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS........................................................ 70 5.4.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................ 70 5.4.2 Noise ......................................................................................................... 71 5.4.3 Soils........................................................................................................... 72 5.4.4 Water Resources ....................................................................................... 72 5.4.5 Biological Resources ................................................................................ 73 5.4.6 Human Health and Safety ......................................................................... 73 5.4.7 Transportation ........................................................................................... 74 5.4.8 Cultural Resources .................................................................................... 75 6.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 77 7.0 LIST OF PREPARERS .................................................................................................. 83 8.0 LIST OF AGENCIES AND INDIAN TRIBES CONSULTED .................................. 85 NuStar Dos Laredos Pipeline ii Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment May 2016 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1. Vicinity Map ............................................................................................................2 Figure 1-2. Project Location Map ...............................................................................................4 Figure 3-1. Soils Map ...............................................................................................................28 Figure 3-2. Floodplain Map ......................................................................................................32

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