REVIEW DRAFT 10/15/99 DREDGE MATERIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (DMMP) DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (DEIR) FOR SALEM HARBOR MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT (CZM) PREPARED BY: MAGUIRE GROUP INC. GROUP REVIEW DRAFT 10/15/99 DREDGE MATERIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (DMMP) DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (DEIR) FOR SALEM HARBOR DMMP CONSULTANT TEAM: Maguire Group Inc. The BSC Group CoastalVision GEi Consultants SAIC REVIEW DRAFT - 10/15/99 TABLE OF CONTENTS Secretary's Certificate on the Salem Harbor DMMP 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................... 1 - 1 2.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 2 - 1 2.1 Background of the MA CZM DMMP ................................... 2 - 1 2.2 Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEP A) Procedural History ....... 2 - 4 2.3 Scoping and Coordination Summary .................................... 2 - 4 2.3.1 Coordination with Port Planning Process ............................ 2 - 5 2.3.2 Coordination with Federal Agencies ................................ 2 - 9 3.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ..................................................... 3 - 1 3.1 Project Purpose ..................................................... 3 - 1 3.1.1 Basic Project Purpose .......................................... 3 - 1 3.2 Port Planning Context ................................................ 3 - 2 3.3 Sediment Quality and Quantity ........................................ 3 - 5 3.3.1 Dredging Inventory ............................................ 3 - 5 3.3.2 Sediment Quality - Conformance with Regulatory Requirements ....... 3 - 9 EPA Protocol ................................................. 3 - 9 Physical Testing .............................................. 3 - 10 Bulk Chemistry ............................................... 3 - 10 Biological Testing ............................................. 3 - 14 3.3.2 Sediment Quantity-Suitable versus Unsuitable Volumes ............ 3 - 15 4.0 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS ............................................... 4- 1 4.1 Introduction ........................................................ 4 - 1 4.2 No Action Alternative . 4 - 2 SALEM HARBOR DMMP - DEIR REVIEW DRAFT - 10/15/99 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 4.3 Description of Disposal Alternatives . ........................ 4 - 2 4.3.1 Aquatic Disposal Alternatives .................................... 4 - 3 Confined Aquatic Disposal . ....................... 4 - 3 Confined Disposal Facility ....................................... 4 - 6 Tidal Habitat . ....................... 4 - 7 4.3.2 Alternative Technologies and Methodologies ....................... 4 - 9 4.3.3 Dewatering Alternatives ....................................... 4 - 1O 4.3.4 Upland Reuse Disposal Alternatives .............................. 4 - 14 4.4 Disposal Site Screening Process ....................................... 4 - 17 4.5 Initial Screening of Candidate Disposal Types ..... : ..................... 4 - 19 4.5.1 Aquatic Disposal Site Screening ................................... 4 - 19 Screening Process . ...................... 4 - 19 Screening Factors ............................................. 4 - 22 Screening Results ............................................. 4 - 28 4.5.2 Alternative Technology Assessment .............................. 4- 39 Screening Process . ...................... 4 - 3 9 Screening Factors ............................................. 4 - 66 Screening Results . ...................... 4 - 69 4.5.3 Dewatering Site Selection ...................................... 4 - 77 Screening Process . ...................... 4 - 77 Screening Factors ............................................. 4 - 77 Screening Results . ........................... 4 - 80 Potential Alternatives .......................................... 4 - 84 4.5.4 Upland Reuse Disposal Alternatives ............................. 4 - 85 Screening Process ............................................. 4 - 85 Screening Factors ............................................. 4 - 90 Screening Results . ...................... 4 - 94 Potential Alternatives .......................................... 4 - 96 SALEM HARBOR DMMP - DEIR REVIEW DRAFT - 10/15/99 TABLE OF CONTENTS ( continued) 4.6 Detailed Screening of Potential Aquatic Disposal Sites ................... 4 - 97 4.6.1 General ............................... ~ ...................... 4 - 97 4. 6.2 Sediments and Water Quality .................................... 4 - 97 Short-term Water Quality Impacts ................................ 4 - 97 Long-Term Water Quality Impacts .............................. 4 - 103 Sediment Composition ........................................ 4 - 106 Offshore Salem .............................................. 4 - 107 Circulation Impacts ........................................... 4 - 108 Bioaccumulation in Plants and Animals from Disposal Sites .......... 4 - 110 Capping .................................................... 4 - 113 . Testing . .. 4 - 114 4.6.3 Benthos ................................................. 4 - 118 Impacts on Benthic Invertebrates . ............................ 4 - 118 Impacts on Commercially and Recreationally Harvestable Shellfish .... 4 - 119 Impacts on Lobsters .......................................... 4 - 120 Impacts to Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ........................ 4 - 121 4.6.4 Finfish ...................................................... 4 - 121 Impacts on General Fishery Resources . ... 4 - 122 Impacts on Fishery Resources of Disposal Sites .................... 4 - 122 4.6.5 Wetlands .................................................... 4 - 123 Impacts on Freshwater Wetlands ................................ 4 - 123 Impacts on Coastal Wetlands . .. 4 - 123 4. 6. 6 Wildlife ..................................................... 4 - 124 General .................................................... 4 - 124 Impacts on Shorebird Habitats .................................. 4 - 124 Impacts on Marine Mammals ................................... 4 - 124 Impacts on Reptiles/Amphibians ................................ 4 - 125 4.6. 7 Endangered Species ........................................... 4 - 125 General . .. 4 - 125 Impacts to Endangered Species ................................. 4 - 126 4.6.8 Navigation and Shipping ....................................... 4 - 126 SALEM HARBOR DMMP - DEIR REVIEW DRAFT - 10/15/99 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 4.6.9 Land Use .................................................. 4 - 126 General .................................................... 4 - 127 Land Use in the Vicinity of Disposal Sites ......................... 4 - 127 Consistency With Port Plan .................................... 4 - 130 4.6.10 Air Quality/Noise ........................................... 4- 131 4. 6.11 Historic and Archaeological Resources ........................ 4 - 131 4.6.12 Recreation .................................................. 4 - 132 4.6.13 Economic Environment ..................................... 4- 134 Costs of Aquatic Disposal Options ............................... 4 - 134 4.6.14 Local/Federal Screening-Proposed Preferred Alternative ........... 4 - 135 4.6.15 Results of Detailed Screening ................................... 4 - 135 4. 7 Detailed Screening of Potential Upland Disposal Sites ................... 4 - 136 4. 7.1 General ...................................................... 4 - 136 4. 7.2 Soils and Groundwater for the Upland Sites ........................ 4 - 13 8 Soil .................. : .................................... 4 - 138 Groundwater ................................................ 4 - 139 Bioaccumulation in Plants and Animals from Disposal Sites .......... 4 - 140 4. 7.3 Wetlands ................................................... 4 - 141 General .................................................... 4 - 141 Impacts on Freshwater Wetlands ................................ 4 - 141 4. 7.4 Wildlife ..................................................... 4 - 142 Amphibian/Reptile Habitat Impacts .............................. 4 - 143 4. 7.5 Endangered Species ........................................... 4 - 143 Impacts to Endangered Species ................................. 4 - 143 4. 7.6 Land Use .................................................... 4 - 144 General . ..... 4 - 144 Impacts on Land Use in the Vicinity of Disposal Sites ............... 4 - 145 Consistency with Port Plan ..................................... 4 - 145 SALEM HARBOR DMMP - DEIR REVIEW DRAFT - 10/15/99 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 4. 7. 7 Air Quality/Noise ............................................ 4 - 145 Air Quality Impacts . ... 4 - 146 Noise ...................................................... 4 - 146 4. 7.8 Historic and Archaeological Resources ............................ 4 - 147 General .................................................... 4 - 147 Consequences for Historic and Archaeological Resources ............ 4 - 147 4. 7.9 Recreation ................................................... 4 - 148 General . ... 4 - 148 Impact on Recreational Resources of Sites ........................ 4 - 148 4. 7.10 Economic Environment ....................................... 4 - 148 Costs of Disposal Options ..................................... 4 - 149 Upland Disposal Impacts ...................................... 4 - 149 4. 7.11 Local/Federal Screening-Proposed Preferred Alternatives .......... 4 - 150 4.7.12 Results of Detailed Screening .................................. 4-