HomeMy WebLinkAbout19970093 Ver 1_Env Assessment_20081219 (31)GLOBAL 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
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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