U.S. Department of Homeland Security Louisiana Recovery Office 1 Seine Court New Orleans, Louisiana 70114 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT COASTAL AREA RESEARCH STATION FACILITIES CHANGE OF LOCATION/ALTERNATE PROJECT TO LSU AGCENTER AQUACULTURE RESEARCH STATION EAST BATON PARISH, LOUISIANA FEMA-1603-DR-LA (HURRICANE KATRINA) Introduction Hurricane Katrina, a strong hurricane with high wind and a destructive storm surge, made landfall and caused catastrophic damage within the parishes of Louisiana. As a result of damages from Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was authorized under Presidential disaster declaration FEMA-1603-DR-LA to provide federal assistance to designated disaster areas in Louisiana. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (PL 93288) Section 406 authorizes FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program to provide financial and other forms of assistance to State and local governments to support response, recovery, and mitigation efforts following Presidentially declared disasters. The Louisiana Facility Planning and Control (FP&C) has submitted an application for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program being administered in response to FEMA-1603-DR-LA. The LSU AgCenter Coastal Area Research Station (CARS) facilities in Plaquemines Parish Louisiana were substantially damaged by Hurricane Katrina’s winds and coastal flooding and were deemed eligible for grant funding to replace the facilities to predisaster condition. The damaged CARS is located at 22193 Highway 23 in the town of Port Sulphur in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Facilities at the CARS included residential buildings, greenhouses, pump houses, a chemical storage building, a shop/storage building, an office, sheds, ponds, and other appurtenant facilities. FP&C determined that reconstruction of the facility to its predisaster configuration in its existing location would not best meet the needs of the community. Therefore, FP&C requested approval and federal grant funds for a change of location alternate/improved project to replace the eligible facilities with new facilities providing similar and new functions at a new location at the existing Louisiana State University (LSU) Aquaculture Research Station (LSU ARS) in East Baton Rouge Parish approximately 105 miles to the northwest of the damaged facility. In accordance with 44 CFR Part 10, FEMA regulations to implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared. The purpose of this EA is to analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with the relocation and construction of the LSU AgCenter CARS and to determine whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Findings The above described action would not result in any significant adverse impacts related to land use and zoning, geology, soils, water resources, wetlands, floodplains, air quality, vegetation, essential fish habitat, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, socioeconomics (including minority and low income populations), traffic and safety, hazardous materials or wastes. Based on the information analyzed, FEMA has determined that the implementation of the proposed action would not result in significant adverse impacts to the quality of the natural and human environment. The proposed alternative is not anticipated to 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). As a result of this FONSI, an EIS will not be prepared (44 CFR Part 10) and the proposed action as described in the EA may proceed. CONDITIONS AND MITIGATION MEASURES Based upon the studies and consultations undertaken in this EA, several conditions must be met and mitigation measures must be taken by the applicant prior to and during project implementation. * In accordance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations, the applicant is responsible for acquiring any necessary permits and/or clearances prior to the commencement of any construction related activities and must remain in compliance with permit conditions. * FEMA Public Assistance grant funded projects carried out in the base floodplain or affecting the base floodplain must be coordinated with the local floodplain administrator for a floodplain development permit and the action must be undertaken in compliance with relevant, applicable and required local codes and standards and thereby, will reduce the risk of future flood loss, minimize the impacts of floods on safety, health, and welfare, and preserve and possibly restore beneficial floodplain values as required by Executive Order 11988. * If human bone or unmarked grave(s) are present with the project area, compliance with the Louisiana Unmarked Human Burial Sites Preservation Act (R.S. 8:671 et seq.) is required. The applicant shall notify the law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction where the remains are located within twenty-four hours of the discovery. The applicant shall also notify FEMA and the Louisiana Division of Archaeology at 225-342-8170 within seventy-two hours of the discovery. * If during the course of work, archaeological artifacts (prehistoric or historic) are discovered, the applicant shall stop work in the vicinity of the discovery and take all reasonable measures to avoid or minimize harm to the finds. The applicant shall inform their Public Assistance (PA) contacts at FEMA, who will in turn contact FEMA Historic Preservation (HP) staff. The applicant will not proceed with work until FEMA HP completes consultation with the SHPO. * To minimize air quality impacts, FP&C, LSU AgCenter, and its contractors must implement BMPs to limit air emissions, fugitive dust and exhaust. BMPs would include maintaining and covering spoil piles, covering the loads of haul vehicles and keeping construction equipment properly tuned. * FP&C, LSU AgCenter, and its contractors must ensure all project activities are conducted in a safe manner and in compliance with all state and federal occupational safety regulations, including OSHA, to protect workers and the general public. * Project construction would involve the use of potentially hazardous materials (e.g., petroleum products, cement, caustics, acids, solvents, paint, electronic components, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, treated timber) and may result in the generation of small volumes of hazardous wastes. Appropriate measures to prevent, minimize, and control spills of hazardous materials must be taken and generated hazardous and non-hazardous wastes are required to be disposed in accordance with applicable federal, state and local regulations. * If any solid or hazardous wastes, or soils and/or groundwater contaminated with hazardous constituents are encountered during the project, notification to LDEQ’s Single-Point-of-Contact at (225) 219-3640 is required. Additionally, precautions should be taken to protect workers from these hazardous conditions. Approvals: ________________________________________________________________________ Katherine Zeringue, Environmental Liaison Officer Date 1 Seine Court, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70114 FEMA-1603/1607-DR-LA ________________________________________________________________________ Joseph Threat, Executive Director Date 1 Seine Court, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70114 FEMA-1603/1607-DR-LA East Baton Rouge Parish – LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Research Station Finding of No Significant Impact FEMA-1603-DR-LA May 2012 - Page 3