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US Army Corps of Engineers New England District

US Army Corps of Engineers New England District. The Corps Highway Methodology South Coast Commuter Rail Kickoff Meeting MA Executive Office of Transportation September 25, 2007. Alan R. Anacheka-Nasemann, PWS Sr. Project Manager/Ecologist, Regulatory Division

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US Army Corps of Engineers New England District

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  1. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District The Corps Highway MethodologySouth Coast Commuter Rail Kickoff MeetingMA Executive Office of TransportationSeptember 25, 2007 Alan R. Anacheka-Nasemann, PWS Sr. Project Manager/Ecologist, Regulatory Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District alan.r.anacheka-nasemann@usace.army.mil

  2. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District CWA Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines: • Corps can issue a permit only if project is Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA). • Sequence: • Avoid impacts to aquatic resources • Minimize impacts • Mitigate unavoidable impacts • How determined for complex, linear project?

  3. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Overview of Highway Methodology • New England District, 1987 • A way to integrate highway (or rail) planning and design with Corps permit regulations, NEPA and Other Federal and State review processes (MEPA) • Builds on the work of Ian McHarg1 • Overlay techniques to identify environmental constraints. • Avoid impacts where possible 1 McHarg, Ian, Design with Nature, Natural History Press, 1969

  4. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District A Stepwise Approach • Pre-Application • Application • Public Notice • Evaluation • Monitoring

  5. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Pre-Application • Review Applicant’s scope of work • Determine Basic Project Purpose • ID Study Area • Corps Concurrence w/above • Project Schedule

  6. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District

  7. Integration of the MA Environmental Policy Act review with the Corps of Engineers review (Section 10/404 permit including NEPA requirements)

  8. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Pre-Application (Cont.) • Avoidance-Phase I • = First iteration of viewing potential alignments • ALL reasonable major alternatives are drawn • VIP to Clean Water Act Mandates that wetlands & waters be included as a critical constraint map overlay

  9. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Application/Public Notice • Reviewed for Completeness • Sufficient info to issue a Public Notice • Clear concise plans on 8½ X 11 Paper! • Public Notice & Hearing • Issued 30 days in advance of hearing • Expires 10 days after hearing

  10. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Evaluation • Alternatives Analysis • Wetland Impacts of each alternative disclosed • Impacts = Acreage PLUS… • Functions and Values • See Highway Methodology Workbook Supplement • Can be illustrated graphically

  11. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District LEDPA • No discharge shall be permitted: • If there is a practicable alternative…which would have less adverse impact on the aquatic ecosystem • Provided alternative does not have OTHER severe environmental consequences • Determined by Corps, with input from Federal/ State Agency Partners, Public Comments • Critical Steps: • (1) Is Alternative Practicable?? • (2) Is it Least Environmentally Damaging??

  12. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Other Constraints • Aquifers • Wildlife habitat blocks (Endangered species?) • Socio-economic factors • Historic Districts

  13. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Practicable: • Available and capable of being done, Considering: • Costs • Existing Technology • Logistics • In light of Overall Project Purposes

  14. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District LEDPA Selected • Thorough Delineation/Jurisdictional Determination • Minimization • On-site steps to further reduce resource impacts • i.e., minor shift in alignment • Skirt edge of wetland rather than through center • Increase side slopes to reduce footprint of fill • Mitigation • Late in process, but plan EARLY

  15. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Mitigation • Conceptual/Adjustable at time of Public Notice • Final Design upon selection of LEDPA • New Guidelines/Mitigation Ratios: • http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/reg/1073_001.pdf • Should target functions/values of impacted resources (i.e., in-kind mitigation) • Caveat: Don’t replicate “lousy” wetlands

  16. US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Summary/Take Home Message: • Corps encourages joint review at all levels: Federal, State, Local • Concurrent NEPA/MEPA processes • Timetables, schedules, regular meetings • Highway Methodology provides means for (relatively) quickly narrowing/refining range of alternatives toward selection of LEDPA

  17. QUESTIONS??

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