DRAFT FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT JUSTICE CENTER COMMUNITY TEMPORARY HOUSING SITE, GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS FEMA-1791-DR-TX As a result of damages from Hurricane Ike on September 13, 2008, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was authorized under Presidential disaster declaration (FEMA-1791-DR-TX) to provide Federal assistance to designated disaster areas in Texas. Section 408 of the Stafford Act authorizes FEMA’s Individual and Households Program (IHP) to provide emergency temporary housing for disaster victims whose homes are uninhabitable or destroyed. There are insufficient rental resources or other temporary housing alternatives available to house displaced disaster victims. The use of hotel rooms, shelters, or staying with family/friends is only appropriate for a very limited time period. In response to this need, FEMA is proposing to build emergency temporary housing for residents in Galveston County. In order to implement its IHP in a timely and effective manner, FEMA used an expedited process to assess the potential environmental impacts of building emergency temporary housing for displaced disaster victims. An Environmental Assessment (EA), dated December 31, 2008 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 site, known as Justice Center Mobile Home Park, is bordered on the north by the Justice Center complex, on the south by I-45/87 also known as Broadway, on the east by 59th St. and west by 54th St.. FEMA contractors have been tasked with building a community temporary housing site, hereafter “site,” of approximately 120 Mobile Homes. The land would be leased by the General Service Administration. At this time, Park occupancy is not expected to exceed 24 months. New utilities would be installed in the site, including tie-in of wastewater, potable water, and electrical service to existing infrastructure. This temporary mobile home park will have asphalt roads and pads, underground water and sewer, and above ground electricity. When the temporary housing need has ended, FEMA expects that the units will be hauled from the site and returned to a FEMA storage yard. The site would then be seeded and restored to previous conditions, to the extent practicable, and/or used by the landowner in a manner consistent with county zoning classification. The public comment period for the Draft EA and FONSI will be from Jan. 3 to Jan. 5, 2009 with notice published in the Galveston Daily and draft documents available on FEMA’s web site at http://www.fema.gov/plan/ehp/envdocuments/ea-region6.shtm. FINDINGS FEMA has made the following determinations from the information contained in the Justice Center Temporary Community Housing Site EA and 25% design prepared by CH2MHill. 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 FEMA’s 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 much of what is outlined in the mitigation column of Table 1 of the EA and are the conditions that must be met as part of implementing this proposed action alternative: Construction contractor is required to obtain and comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, ordinances and permits (or applicable waivers). This may include but is not limited to; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits (e.g., Nationwide Permits), stormwater construction permits (e.g., a Texas Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit), Texas Department of State Health Services permits, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality permits; and meeting local building codes and standards as well as Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, and manufacturer’s unit installation requirements. The following best management practices apply: 1. Site preparation (clearing and grading) will require removal of vegetation and may increase short-term soil erosion. Appropriate erosion control measures will be used during construction, such as installation of silt fences and straw bales. If fill is stored on site, the contractor should appropriately cover it to prevent erosion. 2. In order to control stormwater runoff, the contractor will be required to design drainage features so that flows will not cause nuisance flooding during heavy rainfall events. The drainage system will be required to meet local and county requirements. 3. To minimize dust, site soils should be wetted during site preparation activities, and seeded following construction. 4. Any debris located on the project site would be removed and disposed of by the construction contractor prior to occupancy. 5. 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 Texas State Historic Preservation Office, FEMA Environmental Advisor, and other interested parties. 6. Fencing shall be erected on the temporary housing site to protect historic cotton pressing structures from construction activities and to prevent access fro the duration of the site’s use as temporary housing. 7. If necessary to reduce construction noise impacts, where there are adjacent sensitive noise receptors such as residential areas, construction activities with elevated noise levels should be limited to 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. 8. If any hazardous materials are found during construction, 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. 10. Once the temporary housing need has ended, the site would be seeded and restored to previous conditions to the extent practical and/or in accordance with site lease terms. 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. APPROVE: Donald R. Fairley, REM Date Environmental Liaison Officer FEMA- DR-TX-1791 John Veach Date Human Service Branch Chief FEMA- DR-TX-1791 Steve DeBlasio Date Federal Coordinating Officer FEMA- DR-TX-1791 CONCUR: Scott Armey Date Regional Administrator General Services Administration FEMA-1791-DR-TX Justice Center West Temporary Housing Site Draft Finding of No Significant Impact U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA Region 6 FEMA-1791-DR-TX 800 N. Loop 288 Denton, Texas 76209-369