ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Draft Environmental Assessment Gulf County Emergency Coastal Dune Construction FEMA-4399-DR-FL Gulf County, Florida June 2020 U. S. Department of Homeland Security Region IV – Atlanta, GA 1.0 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.0 APPENDICES ...........................................................................................................................4 3.0 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................5 4.0 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................6 5.0 PURPOSE AND NEED .............................................................................................................6 6.0 ALTERNATIVES......................................................................................................................7 6.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ...........................................................................7 6.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System (Preferred Alternative) ....................................................................................................................7 6.3 Alternative 3 – Full Reconstruction of the Coastal Dune System .................................7 7.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ...................8 7.1 Impact Significance and Context Evaluation Criteria for Potential Impacts .................8 7.2 Potential Environmental Consequences .........................................................................8 7.3 Geology and Soils ........................................................................................................55 7.3.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 56 7.3.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 56 7.4 Clean Air Act ...............................................................................................................56 7.4.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 56 7.4.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 56 7.5 Climate Change ............................................................................................................56 7.5.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 56 7.5.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 57 7.6 Clean Water Act ...........................................................................................................57 7.6.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 57 7.6.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 57 7.7 Floodplain Management (Executive Order 11988) .....................................................57 7.7.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 57 7.7.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 57 7.8 Protection of Wetlands (Executive Order 11990) ........................................................58 7.8.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 58 7.8.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 58 7.9 Coastal Zone Management ..........................................................................................59 7.9.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 59 7.9.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 59 7.10 Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) / Coastal Barrier Improvement Act (CBIA) 59 7.10.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 59 7.10.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 60 7.11 Fish & Wildlife Resources ...........................................................................................60 7.11.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 60 7.11.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dunes ............................... 60 7.12 Vegetation ....................................................................................................................60 7.12.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 60 7.12.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dunes ............................... 60 7.13 Threatened and Endangered Species ...........................................................................61 7.13.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 61 Page 2 of 70 7.13.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 61 7.14 Migratory Bird Treaty Act ...........................................................................................62 7.14.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 62 7.14.2 Alternative 2 - Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System .................... 62 7.15 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ................................63 7.15.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 63 7.15.2 Alternative 2 - Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System .................... 63 7.16 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act ........................................................................63 7.16.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 63 7.16.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 64 7.17 Cultural Resources .......................................................................................................64 7.17.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 64 7.17.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 64 7.18 Land Use and Planning ................................................................................................65 7.18.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 65 7.18.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 65 7.19 Noise Control Act ........................................................................................................65 7.19.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 65 7.19.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 65 7.20 Transportation ..............................................................................................................66 7.20.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 66 7.20.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 66 7.21 Environmental Justice (EO 12898) / Socioeconomic ..................................................66 7.21.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 66 7.21.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 66 7.22 Hazardous Materials/Waste and Solid Waste ..............................................................66 7.22.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 67 7.22.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Coastal Emergency Dune System ................... 67 7.23 Drinking Water ............................................................................................................67 7.23.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative ............................................................ 67 7.23.2 Alternative 2 – Construct the Emergency Coastal Dune System ................... 67 8.0 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS .....................................................................................................67 9.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .....................................................................................................68 10.0 AGENCY COORDINATION .................................................................................................69 11.0 LIST OF PREPARERS............................................................................................................69 12.0 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................69 13.0 APPENDICES .........................................................................................................................70 Page 3 of 70 2.0 APPENDICES A State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Concurrence Letter B Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) Consultation Letter C Floodplain/Wetland/CBRA Review Maps D Executive Order 11988 Floodplain Management Checklist (44 CFR Part 9) E Public Notice F Guidelines for Conducting Surveys Page 4 of 70 3.0 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS APE Area of Potential Effect CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,