DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Ithaca Dredging Project Prepared by EcoLogic LLC and T.G. Miller, P.C. for The City of Ithaca, New York with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund NYS Comptroller’s Contract #C006737 Andrew M. Cuomo Cesar A. Perales Governor Secretary of State NOVEMBER 2011 Notice of Acceptance of Draft EIS and Public Hearing Tompkins County - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), as lead agency, has accepted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Ithaca Dredging Project. A public hearing on the Draft EIS will be held on December 12, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ithaca Common Council Chambers, Ithaca City Hall, 108 Green Street, 3rd Floor, Ithaca, NY. Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted until January 6, 2012. The Draft EIS is available at the following locations: City of Ithaca Planning Department, 108 Green St. Ithaca, NY; the NYS DEC - Region 7 Office, 1285 Fisher Avenue, Cortland NY; Tompkins County Public Library and on line at: www.ecologicllc.com/ithacadredging.html. The action involves the planning, development and maintenance of a sediment management basin in relation to the maintenance dredging of portions of the Cayuga Inlet and Cascadilla Creek. The NYS Canal Corporation currently holds a valid permit to perform maintenance dredging. This particular action is to address the sediment disposal options including mitigation measures. An area owned by the City of Ithaca named the Southwest Site is identified as the preferred location for the facility and is located west off Elmira Road behind the Walmart and Lowes stores. The project is located west of Elmira Road, behind the Walmart and Lowes in the City of Ithaca, New York. Contact: Joe Dlugolenski, NYS DEC - Region 7 Office, 1285 Fisher Avenue, Cortland, NY 13045, Phone: (607) 753-3095, ext. 233, E-mail: [email protected]. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Ithaca Dredging Project Lead Agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 7 Project Sponsor: City of Ithaca, New York with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund NYS Comptroller’s Contract #C006737 Prepared by: EcoLogic LLC and T. G. Miller, P.C. 11/15/2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Ithaca Dredging Table of Contents Executive Summary..................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1. Introduction to Project .......................................................................... 10 1.1 Project Description .................................................................................................. 10 1.1.1 Description of project components ............................................................ 12 1.1.2 Description of work .................................................................................... 12 1.1.2.1 Development of the sediment management facility ............................ 12 1.1.2.2 Removal of sediment from the waterways .......................................... 12 1.1.2.3 Dewatering in the Sediment Management Facility (SMF).................... 13 1.1.2.4 Removal of dewatered sediment from the SMF and/or reuse of the dewatered sediment for a beneficial use. ............................................ 13 1.1.3 Future Considerations ................................................................................ 16 1.2 Public Need & Benefit .............................................................................................. 16 1.3 Project Phasing and Segmentation .......................................................................... 21 1.4 Purpose of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) ............................... 22 1.5 Coordination of Review under SEQRA ..................................................................... 22 1.6 Location and Setting of Project ............................................................................... 23 1.7 List of Involved Agencies and their Authority ......................................................... 25 Chapter 2. Description of the Proposed Action ....................................................... 30 2.1 Overview of the SMF ............................................................................................... 30 2.2 Program Requirements ........................................................................................... 31 2.3 Site Preparation ....................................................................................................... 36 2.4 Operation Phase ...................................................................................................... 39 Chapter 3. Alternatives Considered ........................................................................ 41 3.1 Process to Identify and Screen Alternatives ............................................................ 41 3.2 Results of Alternative Screening .............................................................................. 44 Chapter 4. Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigation ..................................... 51 4.1 Land ......................................................................................................................... 51 4.1.1 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 51 4.1.1.1 Overview: Watershed Sources of Sediment ......................................... 51 4.1.1.2 Geology, Topography and Soils: Southwest Development Area .......... 52 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Ithaca Dredging 4.1.1.3 Site History and Potential Presence of Subsurface Contamination ..... 53 4.2 Potential Impacts of the Proposed Action ............................................................... 55 4.2.1 Site Topography ......................................................................................... 55 4.2.2 Presence of Buried Waste Material ........................................................... 55 4.2.3 Chemical Content of Soils .......................................................................... 55 4.2.4 Erosion potential ........................................................................................ 56 4.3 Mitigating Measures ................................................................................................ 56 4.3.1 Stormwater management and erosion control ......................................... 56 4.3.2 Contingency plans for handling buried waste ........................................... 56 4.3.3 Soil contingency plan ................................................................................. 56 4.4 Transportation ......................................................................................................... 56 4.4.1 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 56 4.4.2 Potential Impacts ....................................................................................... 57 4.4.3 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................. 60 4.5 Air ............................................................................................................................ 60 4.5.1 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 60 4.5.2 Impacts of the proposed action ................................................................. 61 4.5.3 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................. 61 4.6 Energy ...................................................................................................................... 62 4.6.1 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 62 4.6.2 Potential Impacts ....................................................................................... 62 4.6.3 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................. 62 4.7 Recreation................................................................................................................ 62 4.7.1 Scope of this discussion ............................................................................. 62 4.7.2 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 63 4.7.2.1 Rowing Programs .................................................................................. 63 4.7.2.2 Ithaca Dragon Boat Club & Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival .................................................................................................. 63 4.7.2.3 Other Non-Motorized Users ................................................................. 64 4.7.2.4 Motorized Boating ................................................................................ 64 4.7.3 Potential Impacts ....................................................................................... 64 4.7.4 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................. 65 2 Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Ithaca Dredging 4.8 Fish Community ....................................................................................................... 66 4.8.1 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 66 4.8.1.1 Lakewide fish community ....................................................................