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Home My WebLink About19970093 Ver 1_Env Assessment_20081219GLOBAL TRANSPARK RAID ACCESS KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA L.ENOIR COUNTY FEDERAL AID PROJECT NO. STATE WBS NO. 41739 TIP NO, U•2928 Administrative Action GJ? °s Environmental Assessment cif r December 2008 Elate Documentation Prepared by Stantec Consulting Services Inc Paul R Koch, PE, AICP Project Manager Stantec Consulting Services Inc Documentation Prepared for NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, RAIL DIVISION Elate l?a? Ffairtel Rail Environmental Planning Engineer Rail Division, Environmental and Planning Branch GLOBAL TRANSPARK RAIL ACCESS KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA LENOIR COUNTY Federal Aid Project No State WBS No 41739 TIP No U-2928 Administrative Action Environmental Assessment December 2008 Automatic Login FTP site link ftp Hs0205123321 6472531 Ca)ftptmp stantec com By clicking on the link above (or pasting the link into your browser) you will be automatically logged into your FTP site Manual Login _ If your email system has disabled the link above, use the information provided below to log in FTP link ftp //ftptmp stantec com Login name s0205123321 Password 6472531 Expired Date: 2/5/2009 Disk Quota 2GB EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY S1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) 2009-2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) includes the construction of a rail spur that would service the multi-modal North Carolina Global TransPark (GTP, see Section 1 5 2) The proposed project is designated as TIP Project No U-2928 and is located within the city limits of Kinston in Lenoir County, North Carolina Exhibit 1 1 1 shows the project location The proposed project is a railroad spur that would connect the existing North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) line to the GTP The new connection would run perpendicular to the existing rail line in a north-south direction, for approximately 5 5 miles roughly parallel to US 258, before terminating within the GTP Exhibit 1 2 1 displays the project study area The purpose of this project is to create rail access between the GTP and the existing rail network providing access to the North Carolina Port at Morehead City The Recommended Alternative ties to the existing NCRR east-west line paralleling US 70 Provision of rail access is an integral component of planned infrastructure necessary to support the functions of the GTP as addressed in the 1997 EIS S2 OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS REQUIRED Construction of the Build Alternative would create wetland impacts, therefore it is anticipated that an Individual Section 404 permit and an Individual Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) would be required for this project, pursuant to the Clean Water Act (16 USC 1344) Section 404 and 401 permits authorize activities from the perspective of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the NC Division of Water Quality Other federal, state, or local permits, approvals, or authorizations may also be required S.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED No-Build Alternative - The No-Build Alternative does not meet the purpose and need of providing rail access to the GTP as it would forego any railroad S-1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY improvements to connect the GTP to the existing NCRR Mainline within the project study area Conceptual Alternatives (Western, Central, and Eastern Corridors) - The Western Corridor would roughly follow an extension of existing SR 2010 (C F Harvey Parkway) west from US 258 to the NCRR west of Kinston The Central Corridor runs north-south from the NCRR line in the north portion of Kinston to the GTP The Eastern Corridor would extend from the GTP to the existing CSX rail line that runs along NC 11 on the east side of Kinston After a preliminary evaluation, the Western and Eastern Corridors were eliminated from further study because the Central Corridor provides a shorter more direct alignment with fewer anticipated impacts Preliminary Alternatives within the Central Corridor (Alternatives A- F) - Six preliminary alternatives, designate as A through F, were developed within the Central Corridor The alignments of these alternatives were evaluated as public comments, agency input, and natural resources data collection were obtained These alternatives were either eliminated or sections of each combined, in order to avoid and minimize impacts to the extent possible Each of these six alternatives was therefore eliminated from consideration as the Recommended Alternative Recommended Alternative (Alternative G) - Following refinement of the preliminary alternatives, Alternatives A-C were eliminated and segments of Alternatives D-F were combined to form Alternative G Because it avoids and minimizes impacts to the extent possible while satisfying the purpose and need, Alternative G is the Recommended Alternative Alternative G has a southern terminus along the NCRR at a point set as far west from the Hillcrest neighborhood as feasible without directing the alignment towards impacting Barnet Park on its west From the south, the alignment heads north to Hull Road and then northwest to C F Harvey Parkway, enters the GTP and terminates well south of Stonyton Creek S-2 EXECUTIVE S4 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS SUMMARY Summary descriptions of the anticipated impacts for the Recommended Alternative are provided in the following section Table S 1 quantifies the impacts associated with the Recommended Alternative Land Use - The corridor is currently zoned primarily as low-density residential Trends in the area suggest that development in and immediately adjacent to the GTP will be industrial and commercial with residential uses continuing to in-fill along the corridor between SR 1573 (Dobbs Farm Road) and the NCRR The proposed project is consistent with the policies presented in the Future Land Use Plan, Lenoir County, NC, 2001 and is in-line with the long-range goals of the GTP Relocations - There are no residential relocations and no business relocations associated with the Recommended Alternative Farmlands - A Farmland Conversion Impact Rating Form was submitted to the NRCS for the Build Alternative corridors The rating indicates that some consideration should be given for protection None of the land within the study corridor is zoned as agricultural and growth trends suggest that the area will continue to expand in residential land use The Recommended Alternative impacts portions of some small farming operations that are interspersed among residentially-zoned land in the southern half of the study corridor No substantial adverse effects to existing and future farm operations are anticipated as a result of this project Community Facilities - No schools, churches, or emergency services facilities will be impacted by this project No parks or recreation areas (including Section 4f or 6f properties) would be impacted by this project Indirect and Cumulative Effects - The proposed rail spur is an integral component of the GTP The potential effects associated with development of the GTP were addressed in a 1997 EIS which described potential indirect and cumulative effects (ICEs) of the full build-out of the GTP This full build-out S-3 EXECUTIVE included extending a rail spur into the GTP The effects and mitigation SUMMARY requirements associated with this action were, therefore, addressed in that document Therefore, no additional ICEs beyond those described and addressed in the 1997 EIS are anticipated with the currently proposed action Environmental Justice - The project would not create a concern for human health, environmental, or other adverse impacts, to minority groups, as there are no residential relocations or other adverse social impacts associated with the proposed project Noise impacts are not anticipated to disproportionately affect minority or low-income populations Air Quality - Lenoir County is in compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards The proposed project is located in an attainment area, therefore, 40 CFR Parts 51 and 93 are not applicable This project is not anticipated to create any adverse effects on the air quality of this attainment area Noise - One residential receiver is within the predicted impact area of the Recommended Alternative Construction of an earth berm is proposed at this location in order to minimize potential noise impacts Water Quality - The proposed project is a single-track rail spur on a gravel ballast foundation which will not introduce a substantial amount of impervious surface to the area Any runoff from the proposed project will be accommodated in accordance with the Neuse River Basin Buffer Rules and Best Management Practices to minimize potential impacts to surface water quality within the study area Biotic Communities - The study area includes six terrestrial plant communities Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp (Brownwater Subtype), Nonrivenne Wet Hardwood Forest, Coastal Plain Bottomland Hardwoods (Brownwater Subtype), and Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest (Coastal Plain Subtype), pine flat, and disturbed/maintained land The Recommended Alternative impacts 10 3 acres of wetland/aquatic systems and 23 7 acres of upland natural areas S-4 EXECUTIVE Waters of the United States - The Recommended Alternative is anticipated to SUMMARY impact 10 8 acres of wetlands and 239 linear feet of jurisdictional streams The project also impacts 161 of linear wetlands which are considered to be DWQ buffered streams Rare and Protected Species - The proposed project would not adversely affect any federal or state protected species Riparian Buffers - The Recommended Alternative is anticipated to impact 0 9 acres of riparian buffer Utilities - The Recommended Alternative is not anticipated to require substantial relocation or impacts to utilities Archaeological and Historic Architectural Resources - The survey found one potentially eligible property, the Dobbs Farm School, within the study area The Recommended Alternative traverses the eastern edge of the Dobbs Farm School property, but impacts no structures, is shifted east to the extent possible to maximize the distance from existing structures, and maintains an approximately 500-foot tree buffer between the track and existing buildings Therefore, the Recommended Alternative received a finding of "No Adverse Effect" from the State Historic Preservation Office Archeological resources will be evaluated following selection of a Preferred Alternative Hazardous Material Sites/Underground Storage Tanks - The presence of four geoenvironmental sites within the project study area or immediate vicinity would create low to moderate monetary and scheduling impacts No adverse environmental effects are anticipated by the alteration of these sites Mineral Resources - There are no mineral production operations within the project study area, therefore, the proposed project does not pose any impacts to mining or mineral resources Preliminary Cost Estimate - The total estimated construction cost for the project is $25,936,000 S-5 TABLE S 1 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS FOR THE RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVF /Altarnnfixin r1 EVALUATION FACTOR CONSTRUCTION FACTORS ASSOCIATED IMPACT ` Inside GTP Outside GTP Permit Area Permit Area Total Impact Mainline Length - miles 2 83 2 83 5 66 Number of Roadway Crossings 5 3 8 Construction Cost --_ --- $25,936,000 SOCIOE?CON0M1C•FACTORS - Residential Relocations 0 0 0 Business Relocations 0 0 0 Schools Impacted 0 0 0 Parks Impacted 0 0 0 Churches/Cemeteries Impacted 0 0 0 Receptors Impacted by Noise 0 1 1 CULTUPAL RESdURCE FWC TORS Potential Archaeological Sites TBD TBD TBD Recorded Archaeological Sites TBD TBD TBD Historic Properties Effected 1 0 1 NATURAL RESOURCE FACTORS Protected Species Impacted 0* 0* 0* Stream Crossings 1 2 3 Upland Natural Systems - acres 50 187 237 Wetland/Aquatic Systems - acres 35 73 108 Jurisdictional Streams - linear feet 0 239 239 DWQ Buffered Streams - linear feet 161 0 161 Stream/Riparian Buffer Impacts - linear feet 161 239 400 _ Riparian Buffer Impacts - acres 04 05 09 LAND USE FACTORS - acres z Residential 0 0 0 Commercial 0 0 0 Institutional 0 0 0 Industrial 258 0 258 Recreational 0 0 0 Agricultural 0 0 0 Open/Maintained/Undeveloped 86 249 335 P4YSICA 'FACTORS - 100-year Floodplain - acres 0 55 55 Prime and Unique Farmland - acres 675 675 135 Hazardous Materials Sites (no adverse effect) 4 0 4 Number of Exceedances of CO NAAQS NA NA NA V V LCJ 1 Impact quantities based on construction limits of the Build Alternative plus 25 feet 2 Impact quantities are based on the proposed 100-foot right-of-way 3 Category includes government, churches, and schools 4 Includes impacts to upland and wetland systems 5 Impact quantities are based on the proposed 200-foot corridor on farmland soils * Red-cockaded woodpecker is "Unresolved" pending a survey following leaf-fall S-6