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0. Other Resources. Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services. Farmland Process. Project Initiation Package Field Investigations. Non-Urbanized Area. Meets MOU. FCIR Form. NO. YES. Urbanized Area. Agency Coordination.
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0 Other Resources Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Farmland Process Project Initiation Package Field Investigations Non-Urbanized Area Meets MOU FCIR Form NO YES Urbanized Area Agency Coordination NEPA Document [2] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Agricultural District Process Project Initiation Package Field Investigations YES Agricultural District NO NO Meets ORC 929.05(a) YES Agency Coordination NEPA Document [3] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Why So Important? • Agriculture the #1 industry in Ohio • More than $107 billion annually • Nearly 1 million employees [4] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Federal Law • Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) of 1981 • Established by Congress • Requires federal agencies to be compatible with programs and policies to protect farmland • Local, State, and private • Projects sponsored or financed in whole or in part by the federal government • Highways • Airports • Dams • Federal Buildings [5] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
State Law • Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 929.05 • Ohio’s Farmland Preservation Act • Projects that take 10% or 10 acres (whichever is greater) from any individual property within an agricultural district require coordination • Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) • Utility and emergency repair projects exempt [6] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Farmland MOU • Between NRCS and ODOT • Executed March 2016 • In accordance with the FPPA and 7 CFR 658 • Establishes a process to determine which Federal-Aid highway projects require NRCS coordination • Projects that meet MOU criteria are processed with no further coordination required • Discuss in NEPA document • Standard language provided by OES [7] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
MOU Criteria • Projects that require no new right-of-way • Bridge replacement projects that require right-of-way of three acres or less (permanent/temporary) • Includes piers, wingwalls, and/or approach work • Widening projects involving linear strip right-of-way of 10 acres or less per linear mile (permanent/temporary) • Intersection improvements requiring conversion of 3 acres or less of right-of-way (permanent/temporary) • Use of any amount of temporary right-of-way providing land being used is returned to equal or greater productive capability [8] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Coordination • If MOU criteria exceeded, completion of FCIR (Farmland Conversion Impact Rating) Form required • OES coordinates with NRCS • Determines if significant impacts to prime or unique farmland will occur • No formal coordination if score is less than 60 • All documentation required in Project File [9] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
D-Listed CEs - Remarks • Discuss how project complies with MOU or results of coordination • Standard language provided by OES • On corridor projects, the scoring process of the FCIR must be discussed for eachbuild alternative • If ORC 929.05(a) threshold exceeded: • Discuss impacts • Identify properties within Agricultural District • Possible coordination with ODA [10] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
D-Listed CEs - Remarks • Include acreage of agricultural land to be taken • Indicate current use of agricultural land, if known • Cropland, fallow land, pasture • Identify and discuss known conservation easements • May require a higher level of coordination • Indicate if field tile drainage is present • Discuss measures to avoid/minimize harm • Include as environmental commitments [11] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
D-Listed CEs - Remarks • Discuss impact to farming operations, if any • Farm structures, storage or staging areas • Quantify landlocked parcels • Consider indirect and cumulative development • For large corridor projects • How project will impact regional farm economy • Amount of farmland to be converted to other uses as a result of the project • Reduction of support services, which may adversely affect remaining farms [12] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Project File • Documentation can include: • USGS Topo Quad Map (upload to General) • U.S. Census Urbanized Area Map • FCIR Form • OES and/or NRCS Correspondence • Ohio Department of Agriculture Coordination • Follow ODOT NEPA File Management and Documentation Guidance [14] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Contacts • Doug App – NEPA Document Coordinator 614-644-0170 or Doug.App@dot.ohio.gov • Kevin Davis – OES Policy Supervisor 614-752-2788 or Kevin.Davis@dot.ohio.gov [15] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
0 Other Resources Drinking Water
0 Process Overview Project Initiation Package Field Investigations Not Present or Present, No Coordination Required Coordination NEPA Document [17] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
0 Role & Responsibilities • OES provides oversight on projects that impact community water resources • Monitors new rule making and legislation • Serves as liaison to regulatory agencies • Provides training • Provides assistance to districts and consultants • Districts responsible for identification/coordination [18] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
0 Water Resource Types • Residential Wells • Public Water Systems • Ground and Surface Water • Wellhead Protection Areas • Sole Source Aquifers [19] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
0 Identification • Where the intake of raw water occurs • Water lines are not drinking water resources • OEPA and/or ODOT GIS mapping [20] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Residential Water Wells • No removal = No coordination • Removal = Commitments and likely coordination • Mapping is limited or non-existent • ODNR Well Logs • ODNR Division of Water • Local Health Department [21] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Residential Water Wells • Coordination with owner not required • Removals will require an environmental commitment • Drilling a new well • Providing connection to a public water supply • If neither is feasible, property/dwelling may be acquired • Impacted wells are abandoned in accordance with ODNR’s Guidelines for Sealing Unused Wells [22] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Public Water Systems • Approximately 6,200 in Ohio • Over 95% use a ground water source • Three types: • Community • Cities, mobile home parks, nursing homes • Transient non-community • Rest areas, restaurants, churches • Non-transient non-community • Schools, businesses, and industries [23] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Water Source Protection Areas • Regulated by Ohio EPA • Ground Water • Coordinate if project is within 1 and 5 year time of travel zones (Corridor Management Zone) • Surface Water • Coordinate if project is within a designated Emergency Management Zone [24] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Wellhead Protection Areas • Prevents contamination of public water supplies • Approved by USEPA in 1992 • In conjunction with contaminant source control and pollution prevention at all levels of government [25] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Sole Source Aquifers • Regulated by USEPA • Primary drinking water aquifers • Only in Districts 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8 • FHWA and USEPA MOU • CE projects meet the criteria [26] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
[27] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Coordination • Coordination occurs when OES and the coordinating agency negotiate impacts upon a specific resource • For example, a concrete ditch crossing a one year time of travel zone or crossing a well field [28] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
0 Other Resources Tab - EnviroNet • Answer drop-downs appropriately for presence of and impacts to drinking water resources • Sole Source Aquifer • Water Source Protection Area • Groundwater and Surface Water • Residential Wells (ODNR well logs) • If impacts anticipated, coordination required for documentation and mitigation purposes [29] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Other Resources Tab - EnviroNet [30] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Remarks • Identify drinking water resources • Water lines are not drinking water resources • Summarize coordination, if any • Requesting information is not coordination • List mitigation and environmental commitments [31] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
No Coordination Example [32] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
No Coordination Example The Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters was contacted to identify the presence of drinking water resources within the proposed project area. In an e-mail dated June 28, 2018, OEPA provided a map showing the proposed project area in relation to surrounding drinking water resources. There are no drinking water source protection areas within one mile of the proposed project area. In addition, the proposed project area does not lie over a Federally-designated sole source aquifer. The ODNR well logs were reviewed and no residential wells were identified within the proposed project area. • The OEPA water resources map can be found in the project file under Other Resources/Drinking Water/Mapping [33] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Water Source Protection Area Example The proposed project area is located within (on eastern edge of) the OEPA designated Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer System and an OEPA designated Water Source Protection Area (City of Hamilton Municipal Water System). The City of Hamilton is the reviewing and approving agency for actions within their WSPA, and is also the sponsor of the proposed project for the CNG refueling station. The city water utility department has reviewed and approved the proposed action (November 2017 internal city reviews), and has not requested special conditions or environmental commitments. [34] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Corridor Management Zone Example The Ohio EPA (OEPA) Division of Drinking and Ground Waters was contacted to determine if drinking water resources were present within the proposed project area. Based on the information provided by OEPA, the proposed project is located within the Corridor Management Zone (CMZ) for Henry County Regional Water & Sewer District McClure intake. In addition, ODNR’s Division of Soil and Water Resources on-line mapping was reviewed for residential well locations and none were noted. Therefore, a plan note will be included in the plans. • Secondary Source Review information can be found in the project file under Other Resources/Drinking Water/Site Specific Resource Map and Literature Review Results [35] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Sole Source AquiferExample The proposed project area is located within the boundaries of a designated sole source aquifer. However, the proposed project is not located within the boundaries of a designated Water Source Protection Area. The proposed project area is served by the City of Dayton public water supply. A plan note requiring precautions to protect groundwater resources will be included. As the project falls under the Categorical Exclusion classification, sole source aquifer coordination is not required under the Memorandum of Understanding between FHWA Region 5 and USEPA Region V. [36] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services
Project File • Documentation can include: • Coordination and/or correspondence with OES, OEPA, or USEPA • Secondary Source Review • Site Specific Resource Mapping • Follow ODOT NEPA File Management and Documentation Guidance [37] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services