Environmental Assessment Emergency Temporary Housing Hurricanes Katrina and Rita FEMA-1603-DR-LA, FEMA-1607-DR-LA Gillis W. Long Center Emergency Temporary Housing Site Louisiana Army National Guard Iberville Parish, Louisiana A. Introduction: Hurricane Katrina, a Category 4 hurricane with a storm surge above normal high-tide levels, moved across the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama gulf coasts on August 29, 2005. Maximum sustained winds at landfall were estimated at 140 miles per hour. On September 24, 2005 Hurricane Rita made landfall just east of Sabine Pass, Texas, near the Louisiana border. The storm was a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds in excess of 120 mph. President Bush declared a major disaster for Louisiana due to damages from Hurricane Katrina, and signed a disaster declaration (FEMA-1603-DR-LA) on August 29, 2005, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide federal assistance in designated areas of Louisiana. A second Presidential disaster declaration in response to damages from Hurricane Rita was declared on September 24, 2005. FEMA proposes to administer this federal disaster assistance per the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 USC 5121-5206, as amended (Stafford Act). Section 403 of the Stafford Act authorizes the Public Assistance Program to provide federal assistance to eligible local and state governments and private non-profit organizations. The Governor of the State of Louisiana has requested assistance under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for temporary housing. Consistent with FEMA’s guidance Temporary Shelter for Workers of Public Entities (September 30, 2005), the proposed activities are required to provide emergency temporary housing for essential workers who are also disaster victims eligible for temporary housing assistance. This Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the President’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1800), and FEMA’s regulations implementing NEPA (44 CFR 10.9). The purpose of this EA is to analyze potential impacts of temporary and transient emergency group housing for disaster victims as part of an expedited review process. FEMA will use the findings in this EA to determine whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). B. Purpose and Need: The catastrophic damage that has resulted from the hurricanes has had a tremendous impact on the Louisiana Army National Guard (LAARNG). Many LAARNG personnel stationed at military facilities in hurricane damaged areas have been displaced from their homes. These personnel are currently living in billeting, barracks, or with friends and relatives and have been assigned to the Gillis W. Long Center located in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. As a result, the LAARNG has applied for federal assistance to provide suitable temporary housing for the displaced personnel and their families near the LAARNG facility at the Gillis W. Long Center. C. Environmental Review Process: In order to meet the urgent needs of the LAARNG personnel requiring temporary housing, FEMA has implemented an expedited environmental review process. The purpose of this document is to assist FEMA in fulfilling its environmental review responsibilities under NEPA and serve as a vehicle to document compliance under other applicable environmental laws. Laws and Executive Orders addressed through this EA include: the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management), Executive Order 11990 (Protection of Wetlands), Executive Order 12898 (Environmental Justice), and Farmland Protection Policy Act. Expedited agency consultation consisted of establishing a programmatic agreement with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office and an expedited review process with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Other resource areas evaluated in this EA include noise, visual resources, traffic, socioeconomics, safety and security, and hazardous and toxic waste. The scope of FEMA’s environmental review includes evaluating project alternatives, characterizing the affected environment, identifying potential environmental impacts, and outlining ways to reduce or minimize adverse affects. This EA examines the site-specific environmental impacts associated with building a proposed FEMA group housing park. This EA was prepared based on a site evaluation conducted between October 18 and 20, 2005, document research, and agency information. An electronic version of the Draft EA will be provided to interested agencies prior to and during the public comment period. The public participation period will be brief, as necessitated by the emergency circumstances. Agency coordination and consultation will be deemed complete at the end of the public comment period. FEMA believes that this process will allow for sufficient action analysis and meet the goal of providing timely federal assistance to disaster victims. D. Site Selection and Alternatives Analysis: NEPA requires investigation and evaluation of reasonable project alternatives as part of the project environmental review process. Federally assisted housing options, including hotel/rental assistance and locating a travel trailer or mobile home on a private site or in an existing park, would not satisfy the need of providing housing in close proximity to the LAARNG facility at the Gillis W. Long Center. Therefore, the LAARNG identified potentially feasible sites for placement of temporary housing. Factors considered in choosing a site include: site topography, property owner willingness, cost, past land use, if it is already planned for development, access to existing utilities, engineering feasibility, and environmental/cultural resource sensitivities. The proposed project site was selected for further analysis because it meets specific site selection criteria. E. Project Location: The proposed project is located on property owned by the Louisiana Department of Corrections, adjacent to the Gillis W. Long Center. The project site is located approximately 0.3-mile north of LA Highway 141, west of Carville, Iberville Parish, Louisiana (Coordinates: 30.2046° North / 91.1249° West) (Figures 1 and 2). F. Site Description: The site consists of approximately 34 acres of former agricultural land located adjacent to and east of the Gillis W. Long Center (Figure 3). A portion of the site has been previously graded, with the remaining site consisting of fallow fields. The project site is bound on the west by the Gillis W. Long Center, by agricultural fields on the north and east, and by LA Highway 141 and the Mississippi River to the south. G. Project Description: The project description is based on the site design completed on September 29, 2005 (Forte and Tablada 2005). The proposed action would involve the construction of a travel trailer site (hereafter “the Park”) which would accommodate approximately 198 travel trailers (Figure 3). The travel trailers would serve as temporary housing for military personnel displaced by damages resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Louisiana Army National Guard has entered into an agreement with the Louisiana Department of Corrections to utilize this site as a temporary travel trailer site. Based on the site design (Forte and Tablada 2005), the following features would be included with this temporary housing site: * Potable water and electricity services would be connected to existing utilities located near the project site. * Three lift stations would be installed to lift wastewater through a forcemain to a proposed wastewater treatment plant. Three ponds would be constructed as part of the wastewater treatment plant. Effluent would be discharged through rock filters into the leach field. * Access to the Park would be provided via an access road to LA Highway 141. * Site preparation would include mowing, site grading, and the installation of drainage features to provide positive drainage of stormwater. * Geotextile grade fabric and limestone rock would be used for the interior roadways and trailer pads. The remaining disturbed area would be seeded following grading activities. When the temporary housing need has ended, FEMA expects that the travel trailers would be transported from the site to suitable locations elsewhere (to be determined on a case-by-case basis). The Park would then be seeded and restored to previous conditions and/or used by the landowner in a manner consistent with the parish zoning classification. H. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Table 1 summarizes the results of the environmental review process. Potential environmental impacts that were found to be negligible are not evaluated further. Resource areas that have the potential for impacts of minor, moderate, or major intensity are further developed in the following Section I. Definitions of the impact intensity are described below: Negligible: The resource area (e.g., geology) would not be affected, or changes would be either non-detectable or if detected, would have effects that would be slight and local. Impacts would be well below regulatory standards, as applicable. Minor: Changes to the resource would be measurable, although the changes would be small and localized. Impacts would be within or below regulatory standards, as applicable. Mitigation measures would reduce any potential adverse effects. Moderate: Changes to the resource would be measurable and have both localized and regional scale impacts. Impacts would be within or below regulatory standards, but historical conditions are being altered on a short-term basis. Mitigation measures would be necessary and the measures would reduce any potential adverse effects. Major: Changes would be readily measurable and would have substantial consequences on a local and regional level. Impacts would exceed regulatory standards. Mitigation measures to offset the adverse effects would be required to reduce impacts, though long-term changes to the resource would be expected. Table 1. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences Matrix Resource Area: Geology and Soils Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Potential for localized increase in soil erosion during construction. Agency Coordination/Permits: LAPDES stormwater construction permit to be obtained by construction contractor. Mitigation: Implement construction BMPs, install silt fences/straw bales to reduce sedimentation. Area soils would be wetted during construction to minimize wind erosion. If fill is stored on site, the contractor would be required to cover it appropriately. Resource Area: Hydrology and Floodplains (Executive Order 11988) Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Project area is located in an area designated as Zone C, which is outside of the 100-year floodplain, per the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (Panel 220083 0008 C) (FEMA 1991). No impacts anticipated. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: None Resource Area: Wetlands (Executive Order 11990) Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: No wetlands were observed at the project site during the site reconnaissance and none were noted on the USFWS National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps (USGS 2005). Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: None Resource Area: Coastal Zone Management Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Project site is not located within the boundaries of the Coastal Zone. No impacts to Coastal Zone Management. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: None Resource Area: Water Quality Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Potential for localized increase in sedimentation during construction. Proposed project would include the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, oxidation and settling ponds, and a rock filter leach field. No impacts to groundwater quality would be anticipated with this treatment system. Agency Coordination/Permits: LAPDES stormwater construction permit and discharge permit for wastewater treatment plant to be obtained by construction contractor. Mitigation: Contractor to implement requirements of LAPDES wastewater discharge permit. Wastewater would receive primary and secondary treatment in compliance with State standards. Implement construction BMPs as required by the stormwater construction permit, including the use of silt fences/straw bales to reduce sedimentation. Resource Area: Air Quality Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Parish is in attainment for criteria pollutants per the Clean Air Act. Negligible impact would be anticipated from vehicle exhaust emissions and increased dust during construction. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: Area soils would be covered and/or wetted during construction to minimize dust. Rock cover for roads and housing pads would be wetted and/or treated periodically to minimize dust particles. Resource Area: Vegetation and Wildlife Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Site is former agricultural field with low quality wildlife habitat. No impacts would be anticipated with the conversion of 34 acres of agricultural land. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: None Resource Area: Threatened and Endangered Species (Endangered Species Act Section 7) Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: According to information obtained form the Louisiana Natural Heritage Program and the USFWS, the only threatened or endangered species with the potential to occur near the project area is the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). No bald eagle habitat is located within or adjacent to the project site; therefore, the project would not result in adverse impacts to this species. Agency Coordination/Permits: USFWS determination of no effect. (11/4/05). Mitigation: None Resource Area: Cultural Resources (National Historic Preservation Act Section 106) Impact Intensity: Minor Impact Summary: The project site is located adjacent to the Gillis W. Long Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Gillis W. Long Center is outside of the Area of Potential Effect for the proposed project, and no other known cultural resources were recorded in the area. Initial background review conducted for different project, same property resulted in a verbal no effect determination by the LA SHPO. See Section I. Agency Coordination/Permits: Initial SHPO review conducted 9/25/05. Coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office is currently being performed. Mitigation: See Section I. Resource Area: Socioeconomics Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Park occupancy would consist exclusively of military personnel and their family assigned to the Gillis W. Long Center. This facility would be considered a host facility for LAARNG personnel displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Agency Coordination/Permits: None. Mitigation: None. Resource Area: Environmental Justice (Executive Order 12898) Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: The population density within this area of Iberville Parish is less than 90 individuals per square mile, with a minority population of approximately 77 to 84 percent and a family poverty rate of approximately 19 percent. The proposed action would provide a beneficial impact to the military personnel that would occupy the housing, regardless of race and income. The project would not be expected to pose disproportionately high and adverse public health or environmental effects on minority and low-income populations near the project site. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: None. Resource Area: Noise Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: During the construction period, an increase in noise levels may be experienced at the Gillis W. Long Center near the project area. No other residences or facilities are located near the project area. No impacts would be anticipated from this minor increase in noise. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: If necessary, the following noise reduction measures should be considered: (1) restricting the 24-hour schedule to the first two weeks of construction; (2) using a 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. construction schedule; (3) completing construction closest to adjoining residents first; and (4) completing noisier activities during the day if a 24-hour schedule is used. Resource Area: Safety and Security Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: No impact anticipated. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: The Park would be a military facility, and safety and security would be consistent with Army National Guard security procedures. Appropriate signage and barriers should be in place prior to construction activities in order to alert pedestrians and motorists of project activities and traffic pattern changes. Resource Area: Hazardous Materials and Toxic Wastes Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: A search of hazardous materials databases was completed on November 4, 2005. The Gillis W. Long Center was identified as being the site of a former leaking underground storage tank. The site has been remediated and closed with LDEQ approval. No impacts would be anticipated with respect to hazardous materials or toxic wastes. Agency Coordination/Permits: None Mitigation: If any hazardous materials are found during construction or occupation, all hazardous materials shall be remediated, abated, or disposed of as appropriate, and otherwise handled in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Resource Area: Traffic and Transportation Impact Intensity: Negligible Impact Summary: Traffic volumes in the area would not increase since the residents of the proposed Park would be those individuals currently stationed at the LAARNG unit at the Gillis W. Long Center. The existing infrastructure would be able to accommodate all traffic without impacting local traffic. Agency Coordination/Permits: None. Mitigation: None I. Additional Impact Analysis Cultural Resources The project site consists of a former agricultural field, a portion of which has been recently graded. To determine the presence of recorded archaeological sites in the project area, and to assess the potential or likelihood for unrecorded sites occurring in the project area, FEMA conducted a cultural resource review at the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office (LA SHPO) (September 25, 2005). A supplemental database search was conducted November 11, 2005. The review and database search indicated that no cultural resources are located in the project area. The nearest recorded resource, the Gillis W. Long Center, is located immediately west of the project area. The Gillis W. Long Center is listed on the National Register of Historic; this property comprises a former plantation subsequently converted to a treatment facility for leprosy. The treatment center, later renamed Hansen’s Disease Center, closed its doors in 1999; the center now hosts the LAARNG, Carville Job Corps Academy, Youth Challenge Program, the First Tee of Carville, and the National Hansen’s Disease Museum. The placement of temporary housing and a permanent wastewater treatment plant would be outside the Area of Potential Effect for the Gillis W. Long Center; no adverse impacts are anticipated. Initial background site review (September 25, 2005) for a separate project (Maryland Farms) on the same property resulted in a verbal no effect determination from the SHPO; however, given that the proposed undertaking for the current project may result in impacts not covered under the earlier project, supplemental coordination with the LA SHPO to review these potential impacts has been initiated and is ongoing. In addition, FEMA is recommending that an archaeologist be on site to monitor all ground disturbing activities. If unanticipated historic or cultural materials are discovered during construction, all construction activities shall immediately cease within 100 feet of the resources until their cultural affiliation and ultimate disposition are determined in consultation with the LA SHPO, FEMA Environmental Liaison Officer and other interested parties. I. References Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 1991. Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Community Panel 220083 0008 C. Revised February 2. Forte and Tablada, Inc. 2005. Site Design for Gillis W. Long Center Housing Site. September 29. U.S. Bureau of the Census (Census). 2005. American Factfinder. . Website accessed November 4. U.S. Geological Survey. 2005. The National Map. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory Map. . Website accessed November 4. J. Public Involvement A Public Notice was published in the Baton Rouge Advocate on November 15, 2005. Due to the emergency nature of this action, the public comment period will be brief - November 15 to November 17, 2005. Written comments on the Draft EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) can be faxed to FEMA’s Joint Field Office in Baton Rouge at (225) 346-5848; and verbal comments will be accepted at (225) 376-5270 and TTY for hearing or speech-impaired at 800-462-7585; between 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. The Draft EA and FONSI are available for public review at the Disaster Recovery Center located at the Iberville Parish Library, 24605 J. Gerald Barrett Boulevard, Plaquamine, Louisiana 70764. The library hours are 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Saturday. The Draft EA and FONSI are also made available for viewing and download from FEMA’s website at . If no substantive comments are received, the Draft EA and FONSI will become final and this initial Public Notice will also serve as the final Public Notice. Substantive comments will be addressed as appropriate in the Final documents. K. Figures Figure 1: Project Location This is a map of the general location of the project map. Project is located near Carville, Louisiana. Figure 2: Site Location This map shows where the site is with respect to the roads in the neighborhood. Project is located east of the Gillis W. Long Center. Figure 3: Photographs Two photographs are shown. Photo 1 shows typical landscape of non-graded portion of the site and Photo 2 show the graded portion of the site. Attachment 1. Hazardous Materials Database Search FirstSearch report is not available online in text format. Please view the .pdf file at http://www.fema.gov/ehp/docs.shtm Attachment 2. Finding of No Significant Impact Draft FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT EMERGENCY TEMPORARY HOUSING PROJECT GILLIS W. LONG CENTER TEMPORARY HOUSING SITE, IBERVILLE PARISH, LOUISIANA FEMA-1603-DR-LA, FEMA-1607-DR-LA As a result of damages from Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was authorized under two Presidential disaster declarations (FEMA-1603-DR-LA; FEMA-1607-DR-LA) to provide Federal assistance to designated disaster areas in Louisiana. FEMA proposes to administer federal disaster assistance funds per the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 USC 5121-5206, as amended (Stafford Act). Section 403 of the Stafford Act authorizes the Public Assistance Program to provide federal assistance to eligible local and state governments and private non-profit organizations. The Governor of the State of Louisiana has requested assistance under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for temporary housing. Consistent with FEMA’s guidance Temporary Shelter for Workers of Public Entities (September 30, 2005), the proposed activities are required to provide emergency temporary housing for essential workers who are also disaster victims eligible for temporary housing assistance. In order to implement its Public Assistance Program in a timely and effective manner, FEMA proposed an expedited process to assess the potential environmental impacts of building emergency temporary housing for displaced disaster victims. An Environmental Assessment (EA), dated November 11, 2005 was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the President’s Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and FEMA regulations for NEPA compliance (44 CFR Part 10). The EA’s purpose is to analyze and document the proposed alternative’s potential environmental impacts, serve as a vehicle to document compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, and to determine whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The EA is hereby incorporated by reference. The proposed project is located on property owned by the Louisiana Department of Corrections, adjacent to the Gillis W. Long Center. The project site is located approximately 0.3-mile north of LA Highway 141, west of Carville, Iberville Parish, Louisiana. The site consists of approximately 34 acres of former agricultural land located adjacent to and east of the Gillis W. Long Center. The project site is currently owned by the Louisiana Department of Corrections and is used for agricultural purposes. The project site is bound on the west by the Gillis W. Long Center, and by agricultural fields on the north, east, and south. The proposed action would involve the construction of a travel trailer site that would accommodate approximately 198 travel trailers. The travel trailers would serve as temporary housing for military personnel and their families displaced by damages resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. New utilities will be installed, including connecting potable water and electrical service to existing infrastructure. A wastewater treatment plant, including oxidation and settling ponds and a rock filter leach field would be constructed for sanitary wastewater. Site preparation would include vegetation removal and site grading. Geotextile grade fabric and limestone rock would be used for the interior roadways and trailer pads. The remaining disturbed area would be seeded following grading activities. When the temporary housing need has ended, FEMA expects that the trailers will be hauled from the site, to suitable locations elsewhere (to be determined on case-by-case basis). The project site will then be seeded and restored to previous conditions and/or used by the landowner in a manner consistent with county zoning classification. FINDINGS FEMA has made the following determinations from the information contained in the Gillis W. Long Center Temporary Housing Project EA: The above described action will not result in any significant adverse impacts related to geology and soils; hydrology and floodplains; wetlands and jurisdictional waters of the U.S.; water quality; air quality; vegetation and wildlife; state and federally listed threatened and endangered species; cultural resources; socioeconomics (including minority and low income populations); safety and security; hazardous materials and toxic wastes; and traffic and transportation. The proposed alternative has been reviewed and, to the best of our knowledge, does not have the potential for significant cumulative effects when combined with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions in accordance with 44 CFR Part 10.8 (d)(3)(x). The following summarizes what is outlined in the EA’s Mitigation Actions section and are the conditions that must be met as part of implementing this proposed action alternative: 1. Use of best management practices (e.g., installation of silt fences and straw bales) will be required to reduce soil erosion and sedimentation. If fill is stored on site, the contractor is required to appropriately cover it to prevent erosion. 2. Construction contractor would be required to apply for and obtain all applicable wastewater and stormwater construction permits, including a LAPDES permit or waiver from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. 3. In order to control stormwater runoff, the contractor will be required to design drainage features so that flows will not flood Park residents or surrounding properties during storm events. The drainage system will be required to meet local and Parish requirements, including the acquisition of easements if applicable. 4. Area soils would be covered and/or wetted during construction to minimize dust. 5. An archaeological monitor would be placed onsite during all ground disturbing activities. 6. In accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, if unanticipated historic or cultural materials are discovered during construction, all construction activities shall immediately cease within 100 feet of the materials until their cultural affiliation and ultimate disposition are determined in consultation with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office, FEMA Environmental Liaison Officer and other interested parties. 7. If necessary, the following noise reduction measures should be considered: (1) restricting the 24-hour schedule to the first two weeks of construction; (2) using a 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. construction schedule; (3) completing construction closest to adjoining residents first; and (4) completing noisier activities during the day if a 24-hour schedule is used. 8. If any hazardous materials are found during construction or Camp Carville occupation, all hazardous materials shall be remediated, abated, or disposed of as appropriate, and otherwise handled in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. 9. The contractor will post appropriate signage and fencing to minimize potential adverse public safety concerns. Appropriate signage and barriers should be in place prior to construction activities in order to alert pedestrians and motorists of project activities and traffic pattern changes. CONCLUSIONS Based upon the incorporated EA, and in accordance with Presidential Executive Orders 12898 (Environmental Justice), 11988 (Floodplain Management), and 11990 (Wetland Protection), FEMA has determined that the proposed action implemented with the conditions and mitigation measures outlined above and in the EA will not have any significant adverse effects on the quality of the natural and human environment. As a result of this FONSI, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared (44 CFR Part 10.8) and the proposed action alternative as described in the EA may proceed. APPROVAL: ___________________________________________________ Science Kilner Date Deputy Environmental Liaison Officer FEMA-1603-DR-LA ___________________________________________________ Stephen DeBlasio Housing Area Command Date FEMA-1603-DR-LA ___________________________________________________ William Lokey Date Federal Coordinating Officer FEMA-1603-DR-LA