Attachment_2_SHEN_MR_FONSI_1.pdf

This document is an Environmental Assessment for the Meadow Run Watershed Restoration Project at Shenandoah National Park, dated April 2021. The National Park Service proposes to mitigate decades of acid rain damage by applying limestone sand to approximately 2,150 acres within the park's 199,234-acre area, with a focus on the 1,700 acres of designated wilderness. The project aims to reduce soil acidity and toxic aluminum levels in the Meadow Run watershed, which has been severely impacted by acid deposition from industrial emissions.

The selected alternative involves a split-dose limestone sand application via helicopter, using approximately 5,250 tons of limestone sand. The project is expected to have long-term beneficial impacts on soil chemistry, water quality, aquatic wildlife, vegetation, and terrestrial wildlife by increasing pH levels, improving ecosystem health, and potentially increasing the abundance of fish species and macroinvertebrates. The National Park Service conducted public engagement processes in June 2019 and October 2020, receiving 15 correspondences from unaffiliated individuals across various states. The environmental assessment concluded that the project will not significantly impair the park's resources or values.