Final Environmental Impact Report Green Line Extension Project EEA #13886 Volume 1 | Text and Figures June 2010 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (FEIR) FOR THE GREEN LINE EXTENSION PROJECT CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE, MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS EEA FILE NO. 13886 Prepared Pursuant to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act M.G.L. CH 30 Sec. 61 through 62H by the COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (MassDOT) Green Line Extension Project Final Environmental Impact Report Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations Secretary’s Certificate on the DEIR Executive Summary 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Project Background ................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.3 The Proposed Project ............................................................................................................. 1-4 1.4 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................. 1-8 1.5 Requirements of Secretary’s Certificate ............................................................................... 1-13 2 Maintenance Facility Alternatives Analysis .................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Requirements of the Secretary’s Certificate ........................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Description of Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Responses to DEIR Comments on the Storage and Maintenance Facility ......................... 2-15 2.5 Environmental Resource Analysis ........................................................................................ 2-19 2.6 Construction Impacts ............................................................................................................ 2-53 2.7 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 2-55 3 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Background ............................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.3 DEIR Modeling Assumptions .................................................................................................. 3-2 3.4 Consistency with the SIP ........................................................................................................ 3-3 4 College Avenue Station ..................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4-1 4.2 Station Description .................................................................................................................. 4-2 4.3 Access and Circulation ........................................................................................................... 4-3 4.4 Construction Impacts .............................................................................................................. 4-6 4.5 Environmental Impacts ........................................................................................................... 4-7 4.6 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................................................ 4-8 5 Lechmere Station ................................................................................................................ 5-1 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Revised Station Layout ........................................................................................................... 5-2 5.3 Access and Circulation ........................................................................................................... 5-6 5.4 Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ................................................................. 5-17 Table of Contents i Green Line Extension Project Final Environmental Impact Report 5.5 Mitigation Measures .............................................................................................................. 5-21 6 Public Involvement Plan ................................................................................................... 6-1 6.1 Requirements of the Secretary’s Certificate ........................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Topics ................................................................................................................................ 6-4 6.3 Public Outreach Strategies ..................................................................................................... 6-9 6.4 Public Outreach During Construction ................................................................................... 6-16 7 Summary of Proposed Project Benefits and Impacts ................................................... 7-1 7.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................ 7-1 7.2 Land Use, Social,and Economic Resources ........................................................................... 7-6 7.3 Environmental Justice ............................................................................................................. 7-9 7.4 Traffic .............................................................................................................................. 7-10 7.5 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 7-11 7.6 Noise .............................................................................................................................. 7-13 7.7 Vibration .............................................................................................................................. 7-15 7.8 Visual .............................................................................................................................. 7-16 7.9 Historic Resources ................................................................................................................ 7-18 7.10 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................. 7-19 7.11 Indirect and Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................................... 7-20 7.12 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 7-22 8 Draft Section 61 Findings and Mitigation Commitments ........................................... 8-1 8.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 8-1 8.2 Project Benefits ....................................................................................................................... 8-2 8.3 Overview of Project Mitigation Measures ............................................................................... 8-3 8.4 Section 61 Findings .............................................................................................................. 8-18 9 Distribution List .................................................................................................................. 9-1 9.1 Federal Agencies and Elected Officials .................................................................................. 9-1 9.2 State and Regional Agencies and Elected Officials ................................................................ 9-2 9.3 Municipalities .......................................................................................................................... 9-5 9.4 Libraries .............................................................................................................................. 9-12 9.5 Advisory Group Members ..................................................................................................... 9-13 9.6 Additional DEIR Commenters and Other Interested Parties ................................................. 9-15 Figures Appendix A – Appendix D: .............................................................................................. on CD Appendix A: Responses to Comments on the DEIR/EA (VOLUMES 2 and 3) Appendix B: Environmental Analysis of Additional Maintenance Facilities Technical Memorandum Appendix C: Medford Hillside Neighborhood Included in College Avenue Walk Market Area Memorandum Appendix D: Lechmere Station Transportation Analysis Table of Contents ii Green Line Extension