Environmental Assessment Remediating Native Fish Spawning Habitat in the St. Clair – Detroit River System Detroit River and St. Clair River, Michigan June 2014 Prepared by: United States Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center 1451 Green Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105 In Cooperation with University of Michigan Michigan Sea Grant SmithGroupJJR __________________________ ______________________________ Date Approved for U.S. Geologic Survey Leon Carl, Midwest Regional Director For additional information concerning this proposed project or document, please contact: Jennifer Read, Ph.D. Bruce Manny, Ph.D. Deputy Director Research Fishery Biologist University of Michigan Water Center USGS Great Lakes Science Center 214 S. State St., Suite 200 1451 Green Road Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Phone: 734.763.2642 Phone: 734.214.7255 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] http://graham.umich.edu/water http://www.glsc.usgs.gov/ PREFACE The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 requires that federal government agencies identify and consider the social, economic, and natural environmental impacts of proposed actions as part of their decision-making processes. NEPA also requires that agencies receiving federal aid for a project provide information to the public and consider their input when reaching decisions. This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to satisfy these requirements. Proposed federal actions are classified into three different categories under NEPA. Class I actions “significantly” affect the environment and require preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Class II actions, deemed “categorical exclusions” do not have a significant effect on the environment, and do not require an EA or an EIS. Class III actions are those for which the significance of impacts is not clear. These actions require preparation of an EA to determine if an EIS or Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is the appropriate type of documentation. This EA has been prepared for the Remediation of Native Fish Spawning Habitat in the Detroit – St. Clair River System, Michigan. It includes several sections that address the following topics: • The purpose and need for the project. • Alternatives that were considered when designing and locating the proposed actions. • Existing environmental conditions in the project area. • Likely impacts and benefits of the proposed actions. • Consultation and coordination that has taken place with the public and government agencies. The worked described in this EA is part of a larger overall effort to remediate the St. Clair and Detroit rivers. Both rivers were identified as Areas of Concern (AOCs) under the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (Annex 2 of the 1987 Protocol and the 2012 Amendment) because they experienced severe environmental degradation resulting in a number of formally designated Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs). The proposed habitat remediation work is an important part of the restoration and delisting process for two Beneficial Use Impairments: 1) Loss of fish and wildlife habitat (BUI 14); and 2) Degradation of fish and wildlife populations (BUI 3). For this reason, the project team has already received funding for the St. Clair River projects from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Environmental Assessment June 2014 Remediating Native Fish Spawning Habitat in the St. Clair – Detroit River System Page i 50350.001 REMEDIATING NATIVE FISH SPAWNING HABITAT IN THE ST. CLAIR – DETROIT RIVER SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................... 1 SECTION 1 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................ 2 1.1 Project Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Target Fish Species ............................................................................................................ 2 1.2.2 Historic Impacts to Fish Habitat .......................................................................................... 3 1.2.3 Remediation of Areas of Concern ....................................................................................... 6 1.2.4 Research Strategies and Consensus-Based Approach ..................................................... 6 1.2.5 Scoping and Issues ............................................................................................................. 8 1.3 Decision to be Made ........................................................................................................................ 8 1.4 Legal Mandates ................................................................................................................................ 8 SECTION 2 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED .......................................................................................... 9 2.1 Basis for Alternatives Considered .................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Alternatives Considered and Dismissed ........................................................................................ 11 2.2.1 Site Selection .................................................................................................................... 11 2.3 Preferred Alternative ...................................................................................................................... 12 2.3.1 St. Clair River Projects ...................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Detroit River Projects ........................................................................................................ 15 2.3.3 Project Monitoring ............................................................................................................. 17 2.4 No Action Alternative ...................................................................................................................... 17 SECTION 3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ............................................................................................ 19 3.1 Topography and Soils .................................................................................................................... 19 3.2 Utility Impacts ................................................................................................................................. 19 3.3 Social Impacts ................................................................................................................................ 19 3.3.1 Harts Light Reef (St. Clair River) ...................................................................................... 20 3.3.2 Pointe Aux Chenes Reef (St. Clair River) ......................................................................... 21 3.3.3 Detroit River Reef Sites .................................................................................................... 22 3.3.4 Impacts for Communities .................................................................................................. 23 3.4 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.1 Attainment Status .............................................................................................................. 24 3.4.2 Regulatory Setting............................................................................................................. 24 3.4.3 Impacts to Air Quality ........................................................................................................ 25 3.5 Noise .............................................................................................................................................. 25 3.6 Summary of Water Resources ....................................................................................................... 26 3.6.1 Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 26 3.6.2 Surface Hydrology............................................................................................................. 27 3.7 Federal Threatened and Endangered Species .............................................................................. 28 Environmental Assessment June 2014 Remediating Native Fish Spawning Habitat in the St. Clair – Detroit River System Page i 50350.001 3.8 State Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................. 29 3.9 Invasive Species ............................................................................................................................ 33 3.9.1 Round Goby ...................................................................................................................... 33 3.9.2 Sea Lamprey ..................................................................................................................... 33 3.9.3 Invasive Mussels ............................................................................................................... 34 3.10 Section 4(f)