Categorical_Exclusion_Form_(NEPA).pdf

Categorical Exclusion Form George Washington Memorial Parkway

Arlington County, VA

Project: GWMP 500(1) Date: August 1, 2013

Environmental Commitments:

1) Erosion control measures will be implemented to ensure containment of soils, and prevent discharge of soils into surrounding drainage areas. Erosion control measures will be guided by National Park Service (NPS) standards and federal, state and local regulations.

2) The Contractor shall at all times conduct operations to ensure the least inconvenience to the public.

3) Any park infrastructure impacted during construction (including, but not limited to, paved and unpaved roadways, walkways, and turf) shall be restored to pre-construction conditions upon completion of the project.

4) Lead paint removal and painting preparation shall only be conducted by certified lead abatement technicians.

5) In the event that artifacts are accidentally discovered during construction work, workers on-site will notify the project leader and GWMP Cultural Resource Management immediately. Work will stop until the site can be examined or otherwise cleared for work before construction work may proceed.

6) The undertaking must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and follow plans as designed, reviewed and approved.

Project description, including location:

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, in cooperation with the NPS proposes to rehabilitate VA Route 233 bridge (Structure #3300-028P) and the bridge ramp (Structure #3300-027P) leading to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) from Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington County, Virginia. Proposed work would include the following:

1) Removal of lead-based paint from the guardrails and repainting the guardrails, or replacement of the guardrails to meet safety standards on the bridge/ramp (Structure #3300-027P) leading to southbound GWMP and the bridge over GWMP Route 233 (Structure # 3300-028P) leading to DCA;

2) Repair of damaged sidewalk sections and concrete, and replacement of deck surfaces and expansion joints on both bridges;

3) Repaving of bridge approaches, including the ramps to northbound GWMP and southbound GWMP;

4) The asphalt surface on the northbound ramp from GWMP leading to DCA would be removed and replaced with grass turf over aggregate surface course for emergency vehicle access, and Mount Vernon Trail (MVT) would be realigned away from the gate.

5) Realignment of MVT under bridge 3300-028P to move it away from the parkway.

6) Installation of a barrier separating the MVT from the GWMP roadway under bridge 3300-027P.

Describe the category used to exclude the action from further NEPA:

23 CFR 771.117 (d)(1) Modernization of a highway by resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation, reconstruction, adding shoulders, or adding auxiliary lanes (e.g., parking, weaving, turning, climbing).

23 CFR 771.117 (d)(3) Bridge rehabilitation, reconstruction or replacement or the construction of grade separation to replace existing at-grade railroad crossings.

Describe any public or agency involvement effort conducted:

The proposed project was categorically excluded from further NEPA documentation by the National Park Service on June 7, 2013. NPS reviewed the proposed project for conformity with the requirements of Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and determined that the project will have no effect on threatened, endangered or rare species, or their critical habitat.

On June 7, 2013, the NPS reviewed the proposed project for conformity with the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA). The proposed project would result in some minor visual alterations within the landscape of the MVT and GWMP. Therefore, the NPS determined that further consultation with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (SHPO) would be needed.

In a letter dated June 13, 2013, the NPS requested comments from the SHPO regarding the proposed project.

In a letter dated July 26, 2013, the SHPO concurred with NPS’s determination that the proposed project would have No Adverse Effect on the qualities that make the GWMP and MVT significant. The SHPO recommended that contractors be instructed to notify the NPS in the event of unexpected discovery of archaeological resources during construction.

23 CFR 771.117 Categorical exclusions (CEs) are actions which meet the definition contained in 40 CFR 1508.4, and, based on past experience with similar actions, do not involve significant environmental impacts.

The proposed action will: YES NO Induce significant impacts to planned growth or land use for the area x

Require the relocation of significant numbers of people x

Have a significant impact on any natural, cultural, recreational, historic, or other resource x

Involve significant air, noise, or water quality impacts x

Have significant impacts on travel patterns x Otherwise, either individually or cumulatively have any significant environmental impacts x

If any box is checked yes, the action may not be categorically excluded and an EA or EIS must be prepared. If none are checked yes, attach Environmental Screening Form, notes from consultation with agencies and/or the public, notes of site visits and any other material related to the environmental impact of the proposal. This becomes the NEPA piece of the statutory compliance file.

Environmental Screening Form

Project: GWMP 500(1) Date: August 1, 2013

Yes

No

Don’t Know

1. Described fully in one of the list of categorically excluded actions?

2. Consultation with any affected agencies or tribes complete?

3. Site visit completed?

4. Are any significant impacts possible on the following physical, natural, or cultural resources?*

A. Geological resources - soils, bedrock, streambeds, etc.

B. From geohazards?

C. Air Quality, Traffic, or from Noise

D. Water Quality or Quantity

E. Streamflow characteristics x

F. Marine or Estuarine Resources

G. Land Use, including agricultural lands

H. Rare or unusual vegetation-old growth timber, riparian, alpine, etc.

I. Species of special concern (plant or animal; state or federal listed or proposed for listing) or their habitat

J. Unique ecosystems, biosphere reserves, World Heritage sites

K. Unique or important wildlife or wildlife habitat

L. Unique or important fish or fish habitat

M. Introduce or promote non-native species (plant or animal)

N. Recreation resources

O. Visitor experience, aesthetic resources

P. Cultural resources, cultural landscape, etc.

Q. Minority and Low Income Populations

R. Socioeconomics

S. Energy Resources

Yes

No

Don’t Know

T. Other agency or tribal land use plans or policies

U. Resource, including energy, conservation potential

V. Urban quality, gateway communities, etc.

W. Long term management of resources or land/resource productivity

* Insert the word “none” in the “no column” if the reason that a resource is not impacted is because the resource is not found in the project area.

This form is meant to be annotated with relevant information, such as notes of site visit, personnel conducting the site visit, agency officials contacted and their responses, etc. A site visit is required to complete this form, and so is required to categorically exclude a project (sec 3-4), prepare an EA or prepare an EIS.

If the answers to questions 1-3 are yes, and all answers to number 4 are no, complete the categorical exclusion checklist. If any of the answers to question 4 are don’t know, complete an EA. If any are answered yes, either a mitigated EA or EIS is required.

Administrative Services

10 Courthouse Ave.

Petersburg, VA 23803

Tel: (804) 862-6416

Fax: (804) 862-6196

Capital Region Office

2801 Kensington Office Richmond, VA 23221

Tel: (804) 367-2323

Fax: (804) 367-2391

Tidewater Region Office

14415 Old Courthouse Way 2nd Floor

Newport News, VA 23608

Tel: (757) 886-2807 Fax: (757) 886-2808

Western Region Office

962 Kime Lane Salem, VA 24153

Tel: (540) 387-5428

Fax: (540) 387-5446

Northern Region Office

5357 Main Street PO Box 519

Stephens City, VA 22655

Tel: (540) 868-7031 Fax: (540) 868-7033

Figure 1

July 26, 2013

Alexcy Romero, Acting Superintendent

National Park Service

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Turkey Run Park

McLean, Virginia 22101

Received June 21, 2013

Re: Proposed Rehabilitation of and Safety Improvements to the Ronald Reagan National Airport

Overpass Bridges above the George Washington Memorial Parkway at South Airport Entrance and

Exits & Safety Improvements to Mount Vernon Trail Under the Bridges

George Washington Memorial Parkway and Mount Vernon Memorial Highway

Arlington County, Virginia

DHR File No. 2013- 3448

Dear Mr. Romero:

Thank you for your letter of June 13, 2013 requesting our comments on the referenced project through our ePIX system. We understand that ground disturbance on this project is limited to previously disturbed areas.

We agree with your opinion that no further identification efforts are warranted; however, contractors should be instructed to notify the National Park Service in the event of post review discoveries. As such and based upon the documentation provided, we concur with your determination that the proposed actions will have No

Adverse Effect on the qualities that make the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Mount Vernon

Memorial Highway significant.

If you have any questions concerning our comments, or if we may provide any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me (for archaeological issues) at (804)482-6088; fax (804) 367-2391; e-mail ethel.eaton@dhr.virginia.gov or M. Amanda Lee (for architectural issues) at (804) 482-6092;

amanda.lee@dhr.virginia.gov.

Sincerely, Ethel R. Eaton, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst

Division of Resource Services and Review

c. Matthew Virta, Cultural Resource Manager

COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA

Department of Historic Resources

2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23221

Douglas W. Domenech

Secretary of Natural Resources

Kathleen S. Kilpatrick

Director

Tel: (804) 367-2323

Fax: (804) 367-2391

TDD: (804) 367-2386

www.dhr.virginia.gov mailto:ethel.eaton@dhr.virginia.gov mailto:amanda.lee@dhr.virginia.gov