FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 
PROPOSED TEMPORARAY HOUSING SITE
TOWN OF PRATTSVILLE, GREENE COUNTY, NEW YORK 

As a result of damages from heavy rainfall and flooding from Hurricane Irene from August 26-Septemeber 5, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was authorized under a Presidential disaster declaration (FEMA-4020-DR-NY) to provide Federal assistance to designated disaster areas in New York. Section 408 of the Stafford Act authorizes FEMA's Individual Assistance (IA) Program to provide emergency temporary housing for disaster victims whose homes are uninhabitable. There are insufficient rental units available to house displaced disaster victims. The use of hotel rooms, shelters, or staying with family/friends is only appropriate for a very limited time period. In response to this need, FEMA is proposing to build emergency disaster temporary housing for residents in Prattsville, Greene County, New York.
 
In order to implement its IA Program in a timely and effective manner, FEMA proposed an expedited process to assess the potential environmental impacts of building emergency temporary housing for displaced disaster victims. An Environmental Assessment (EA),dated November 2011 was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the President's Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and FEMA regulations for NEPA compliance (44 CFR Part 10). The EA's purpose is to analyze and document the proposed alternative's potential environmental impacts, serve as a vehicle to document compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, and to determine whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The EA is hereby incorporated by reference.
 
The Prattsville temporary housing site to include approximately twenty temporary housing units is located east of NYS Route 23, and off Pine Street, in the Town of Prattsville, Greene County, New York. The site consists of an approximate 2.85 acre site that is part of a larger 9.20 acre parcel which encompasses an existing mobile home park known as Moore’s Mobile Home Park. The proposed action will involve the development of up to 20 temporary housing units on the site. The property is owned and operated by Stephen Baker. The expansion area is currently an open field and maintained as an open space. Utility services including water, sewer, power, and telephone would be extended to the site from the existing mobile home park.  At this time, site occupancy is expected to not exceed 18 months. 

Site preparation will require bringing in fill and grading to create appropriate building pads, road grades, and to shed storm water to appropriate locations. Best management practices (BMPs) will be implemented to reduce or eliminate runoff impacts during proposed construction activities and reduce the potential for soil erosion after construction. 
The public comment period for the Draft EA was from December 6, 2011 to December 10, 2011 with notice published in the Schenectady Gazette and on FEMA's web site at www.fema.gov/ehp/envdocuments/ea-region2.shtm. The Public Notice notified residents of the proposed project, the availability of the Draft EA, and the opportunity to comment. 

The above described action will not result in any significant adverse impacts related to geology and soils; hydrology and floodplains; wetlands and jurisdictional waters of the U.S.; water quality; air quality; vegetation and wildlife; state and federally listed threatened and endangered species; cultural resources; socioeconomics (including minority and low income populations); safety and security; hazardous materials and toxic wastes; and traffic and transportation. The proposed alternative has been reviewed and, to the best of our knowledge, does not 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). 

The following summarizes what is outlined in the EA and are the conditions that must be met as part of implementing this proposed action alternative: 

Should human skeletal remains, be discovered during construction, all ground-disturbing activities on the project site shall cease and the applicant shall notify the coroner’s office (in the case of human remains), FEMA and NYSOEM immediately.

Each unit will be placed using one of the following methods: 1) place unit on gravel over 	geotextile, 2) place unit on existing grade, 3) place unit on poured concrete piers 2 X 2 ft or less, X 10 piers or less (less than 40 sq ft. of disturbance), and utilities are excavated using a trencher with the minimum disturbance practical. i.e. 14 inches or less in width. 

The applicant is responsible for obtaining and complying with all required local, State and Federal permits and approvals.

In addition, the applicant will adopt best management practices to reduce adverse effects to air quality and water quality.


CONCLUSIONS 

Based upon the incorporated EA, and in accordance with Presidential Executive Orders 12898 (Environmental Justice), 11988 (Floodplain Management), and 11990 (Wetland Protection), FEMA has determined that the proposed action implemented with the conditions and mitigation measures outlined above and in the EA will not have any significant adverse effects on the quality of the natural and human environment. As a result of this FONSI, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared (44 CFR Part 10.8) and the proposed action alternative as described in the EA may proceed. 

APPROVED BY: 

Megan Jadrosich,  							 
Regional Environmental Officer, FEMA Region II

on 12-16-2011