Appendix D 8-Step Planning Process for Floodplains and Wetlands 8-Step Planning Process for Floodplains and Wetlands City of Bay St. Louis Proposed Municipal Harbor Step 1: Determine whether the Proposed Action is located in a wetland and/or the 100-year floodplain, or whether it has the potential to affect or be affected by a floodplain or wetland. Project Analysis: The City of Bay St. Louis is a participant in good standing with the NFIP. According to the FIRM for this site (Community Panel Number 28045C0362D, October 16, 2009) the proposed project area is located within FEMA flood zone VE. A FEMA flood zone VE is an area subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance flood event with additional hazards due to storm-induced velocity wave action; and where Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown The BFE beginning at the shoreline and proceeding west are 25 feet, 23 feet, and 21 feet respectively. According to the National Wetlands Inventory Map, the Bay of St. Louis is considered estuarine and marine waters of the U.S. (USFWS, 2011). No vegetated wetlands are located on or near the project site. Step 2: Notify public at earliest possible time of the intent to carry out an action in a floodplain or wetland, and involve the affected and interested public in the decision-making process. Project Analysis: A notice will be published by the applicant in a newspaper of general circulation when the Draft EA is made available for public review. Step 3: Identify and evaluate practicable alternatives to locating the Proposed Action in a floodplain or wetland. Project Analysis: The Proposed Action is located within the 100-year floodplain. Two action alternatives as well as the no action alternative were considered initially by the City of Bay St. Louis. One of the action alternatives evaluated by the City was to rebuild the Rutherford Pier at its present location. The remains of the Rutherford Pier would be removed and the concrete debris would be transported to the Square Hankerchief Key where it would be added to the base material that forms the key. The pier would be reconstructed within the existing footprint and the parking area and restroom facilities on the east side of Beach Boulevard would be rebuilt in the same location as originally constructed. The other action alternative considered by the City was to relocate the Rutherford Pier to the site of the proposed harbor where it would be integrated into the overall design of the Harbor. Because the action alternative which involved incorporating the Rutherford Pier into the Municipal Harbor provided more opportunities for public access, more opportunities to share facilities such as parking and restrooms, and cost savings related to shared features, the action alternative which involved rebuilding the Rutherford Pier at its present location was eliminated from further consideration. Other than the No Action Alternative, there are no practicable alternatives for rebuilding the Rutherford Pier that would not involve impacts to the 100- year floodplain. Under the Proposed Action, the City of Bay St. Louis would utilize CDBG funds, in conjunction with FEMA funds, and other public funding sources, to relocate and reconstruct the Rutherford Pier in conjunction with the construction of their municipal harbor project. When completed, the municipal harbor, which will include the Rutherford Pier, will allow the City to operate the public facility which in turn will provide opportunities for recreational access to boaters, fishermen, and the general public. The relocated Rutherford Pier would be approximately 750 feet south of its original location. When completed, the municipal harbor and Rutherford Pier would allow the City of Bay Louis to operate the public access facility which would provide opportunities for recreational access to the Bay of St. Louis and other coastal waters for boaters, fishermen, and the general public. The proposed Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor Project includes the following FEMA-funded actions: * Demolition of the remains of the Rutherford Pier (Mississippi Coastal General Permit # DMR-110217 issued December 9, 2010). * Removal, transportation, and placement of the concrete demolition debris from the Rutherford Pier at the Square Hankerchief Key. Approximately 530 cubic yards of concrete rubble would be removed during the demolition of the pier and transported by barge to the Square Hankerchief Key where it would be added to the existing material which makes up the underwater key structure. * The relocation and integration of the Rutherford Pier into the harbor project. The relocated Rutherford Pier would form the north wall of the proposed Harbor. When constructed it would be approximately 1,200 feet long by 10 feet wide, and include three (3) "T" head fishing piers with pavilions at the end of each "T", and a large pavilion at the end of the pier. * Construction of a vinyl flow-through breakwater under the relocated Rutherford Pier to provide wave protection for the harbor basin. The flow-through breakwater would also serve to trap sediments that would otherwise be transported into the harbor where it would cause shoaling. * The construction and installation of a portable comfort station at the western end of the relocated Rutherford Pier. The City of Bay St. Louis will use funds provided by HUD-CDBG grants and the Mississippi Secretary of State Tidelands Trust Fund to undertake the specific actions for the proposed municipal harbor project. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA direct federal agencies to avoid improper segmentation when analyzing environmental impacts, in particular with regard to connected actions (40 CFR 1508.25). The relocation and reconstruction of the Rutherford pier is an interdependent component of the proposed harbor project and would be constructed concurrently with the proposed harbor project. Therefore, the non-FEMA funded actions listed below will be analyzed in this EA as part of the proposed action alternative. The non-FEMA funded actions include: * Dredging a 4,100 foot long by 150 foot wide entrance channel that will connect the harbor basin to the -8 foot contour in the Bay of St. Louis and dredging a 1,200 foot long by 850 foot wide harbor basin. * Disposal of approximately 150,000 cubic yards of dredged material in selected disposal areas. Approximately 40,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be placed behind the proposed bulkhead retaining wall which will be constructed along the western edge of the basin. Approximately 100,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be placed within the permitted beach renourishment areas of the Hancock County Beach, and approximately 10,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be placed in the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) designated beneficial use area in lower Hancock County near Point Clear where it will be used to provide substrate for marsh restoration. * Construction of a 1,780 foot long by 13.5 feet wide concrete walkway/pier which will form the southern and eastern margins of the basin, construction of approximately 3,550 linear feet of wooden piers 10 feet wide, construction of approximately 4,049 liner feet of wooden piers 4 feet wide; construction of 13,290 square feet of decking, installations of 216 single pile mooring piles, installation of 10 single pile channel day markers; construction of a 100 foot long timber pile breakwater structure, and the construction of 5 elevated electrical platforms. * Construction of 1,780 foot long flow-through breakwater under the proposed walkway/pier which forms the south and east walls of the basin and the construction of 985 feet of concrete bulkhead along the west wall of the basin. * Installation of two (2) 10,000-gallon double-walled steel underground fuel storage tanks in the northwest corner of the basin, and the installation of a sewer pump out system adjacent to the fuel dock in the northwest corner of the basin. * Filling of approximately 2,777 square feet of Waters of the U.S. (WOUS) and construction of a paved parking area between the proposed seawall currently being constructed as part of the MsCIP and the bulkhead which forms the western margin of the harbor basin; and excavation of approximately 12,817 square feet of beach area. * Construction of a pedestrian/vehicle access ramp across the new seawall that was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as part of the MsCIP) program to connect the paved parking area to Beach Boulevard. The FEMA-funded actions for the project involve the demolition, relocation, and reconstruction of the Rutherford Pier from its original location at the end of Ulman Avenue to the site of the proposed municipal harbor location where the pier will be integrated into the municipal harbor project. The Rutherford Pier was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and FEMA has agreed to allow the City of Bay St. Louis to relocate the Rutherford Pier to the site of the proposed Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor. The specific FEMA-funded actions include: * Demolition of the remains of the Rutherford Pier. * Removal, transportation, and placement of the concrete demolition debris from the Rutherford Pier at the Square Hankerchief Key. Approximately 530 cubic yards of concrete rubble will be removed during the demolition of the pier and transported by barge to the Square Hankerchief Key where it will be added to the existing material which makes up the underwater key structure. * The relocation and integration of the Rutherford Pier into the harbor project. The relocated Rutherford Pier will form the north wall of the proposed Harbor. When constructed it will be approximately 1,200 feet long by 10 feet wide, and include three (3) "T" head fishing piers with pavilions at the end of each "T", and a large pavilion at the end of the pier. * In conjunction with the reconstruction of the Rutherford Pier, the City of Bay St. Louis proposes to use FEMA funds to construct a vinyl flow-through breakwater under the relocated Rutherford Pier to provide wave protection for the basin. The flow-through breakwater will also serve to trap sediments that would otherwise be transported into the harbor where it would cause shoaling. * The construction and installation of a portable comfort station at the western end of the relocated Rutherford Pier. The development of the Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor also includes actions that would not utilize FEMA Funds. The City of Bay St. Louis will use funds provided by HUD-CDBG grants and the Mississippi Secretary of State Tidelands Trust Fund to undertake the following specific actions for the proposed municipal harbor project: * Dredging a 4,100 foot long by 150 foot wide entrance channel that will connect the harbor basin to the -8 foot contour in the Bay of St. Louis and dredging a 1,200 foot long by 850 foot wide harbor basin. * Disposal of approximately 150,000 cubic yards of dredged material in selected disposal areas. Approximately 40,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be placed behind the proposed bulkhead retaining wall which will be constructed along the western edge of the basin. Approximately 100,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be placed within the permitted beach renourishment areas of the Hancock County Beach, and approximately 10,000 cubic yards of dredged material will be placed in the MsCIP designated beneficial use area in lower Hancock County near Point Clear where it will be used to provide substrate for marsh restoration. * Construction of a 1,780 foot long by 13.5 feet wide concrete walkway/pier which will form the southern and eastern margins of the basin, construction of approximately 3,550 linear feet of wooden piers 10 feet wide, construction of approximately 4,049 liner feet of wooden piers 4 feet wide; construction of 13,290 square feet of decking, installations of 216 single pile mooring piles, installation of 10 single pile channel day markers; construction of a 100 foot long timber pile breakwater structure, and the construction of 5 elevated electrical platforms. * Construction of 1,780 foot long flow-through breakwater under the proposed walkway/pier which forms the south and east walls of the basin and the construction of a 985 feet of concrete bulkhead along the west wall of the basin. * Installation of two (2) 10,000-gallon double-walled steel underground fuel storage tanks in the northwest corner of the basin, and the installation of a sewer pump out system adjacent to the fuel dock in the northwest corner of the basin. * Filling of approximately 2,777 square feet of Waters of the U.S. (WOUS) and construction of a paved parking area between the proposed seawall currently being constructed as part of the MsCIP and the bulkhead which forms the western margin of the harbor basin; and excavation of approximately 12,817 square feet of beach area. * Construction of a pedestrian/vehicle access ramp that will connect the paved parking area to Beach Boulevard. Step 4: Identify the full range of potential direct or indirect impacts associated with the occupancy or modification of floodplains and wetlands, and the potential direct and indirect support of floodplain and wetland development that could result from the Proposed Action. Project Analysis: While the project is located within the 100-year floodplain, the project is not likely to impact coastal flooding. The construction of the parking lot for this project will raise the elevation of the land and theoretically reduce the ability of the "floodplain" to absorb flood waters. Also, the impervious surface of the parking lot will generate additional stormwater that may otherwise be absorbed by the pervious sand beach. Because of its coastal setting, the project area adjacent to the municipal harbor is not particularly susceptible to flooding impacts associated with heavy rains and stormwater runoff from the adjacent upland watershed. The project area is located on an open water estuarine system where flooding is more commonly associated with wind driven waves and tides. Given the large expanse of shoreline area and the relatively minor impacts the change in elevation will have on the shoreline area, the impacts to the VE Zone will be imperceptible. Also, when compared to the amount of stormwater from the surrounding upland areas of the City of Bay St. Louis, and giving full consideration to the stormwater management features for this project, the increase in stormwater is relatively minor and should not contribute to any coastal flooding problems. Step 5: Minimize the potential adverse impacts from work within floodplains and wetlands (identified under Step 4), restore and preserve the natural and beneficial values served by wetlands. Project Analysis: Under the Proposed Action Alternative, the City of Bay St. Louis will construct a municipal harbor with flow through breakwater structures, piers, decks, and walkways, mooring piles, channel markers, sewer pump out facilities, fuel service and marine convenience store, and parking for the users and visitors. Dredging operations associated with the harbor will consist of dredging an area measuring 1,200 feet in length and 850 feet in width from an existing depth ranging from 0 to 6 feet below mean lower low water (mllw) to a proposed depth of 8 feet below mllw to create the harbor basin. An area measuring 4,100 feet in length and 150 feet in width is proposed to be dredged from an existing depth ranging from 6.5 to 8 feet below mllw to 8 feet below mllw for an access channel to the proposed harbor basin. The total volume of dredge material to be removed for the project is estimated to be approximately 150,000 cubic yards. Suitable dredge material will be designated for beneficial use while unsuitable material will be disposed of in an upland disposal area. Structures proposed for the 208-slip harbor include: 3,550 linear feet of mainline piers measuring 10 feet in width, 4,049 linear feet of finger piers measuring 4 feet in width, 13,290 square feet of decking, 216 single-pile mooring piles, 10 single-pile channel daymarkers, 5 electrical platforms each measuring 10 feet in length and 10 feet in width, a concrete bulkhead 985 feet in length, a timber pile breakwater 100 feet in length, a concrete pier/walkway 1,780 feet in length and 12 feet in width and associated concrete breakwater 1,780 feet in length. In addition, the north boundary of the harbor will consist of a public pier measuring 1,200 feet in length and 10 feet in width with an attached 1,200 foot vinyl sheetpile flow-through breakwater. Accessory structures for this pier will include a terminal pavilion measuring 30 feet in length and 20 feet in width and three (3) fishing piers each measuring 40 feet in length and 10 feet in width with a terminal t-shaped pier measuring 30 feet in length and 10 feet in width. Total shading of all proposed structures is approximately 67,571 square feet. The City of Bay St. Louis will implement BMPs for soil erosion prevention and containment during staging of equipment and project activities. Should project activities be delayed for 1 year or more after the date of this EA, coordination and project review by the appropriate regulating agencies must be reinitiated. Step 6: Re-evaluate the Proposed Action to determine: 1) if it is still practicable in light of its exposure to flood hazards; 2) the extent to which it will aggravate the hazards to others; 3) its potential to disrupt floodplain and wetland values. Project Analysis: The Proposed Action remains practicable based on the building standards and consolidation efficiencies. Step 7: If the agency decides to take an action in a floodplain or wetland, prepare and provide the public with a finding and explanation of any final decision that the floodplain or wetland is the only practicable alternative. The explanation should include any relevant factors considered in the decision-making process. Project Analysis: A Notice of Intent and Availability of the Draft EA for the project will be published informing the public of the City of Bay St. Louis' decision to proceed with the project. The Draft EA will include rationale for floodplain impacts; a description of all significant facts considered in making the determination; a list of the alternatives considered; a statement indicating whether the action conforms to State and local floodplain protection standards; a statement indicating how the action affects the floodplain; and a statement of how mitigation will be achieved. Step 8: Review the implementation and post implementation phases of the Proposed Action to ensure that the requirements of the EOs are fully implemented. Oversight responsibility shall be integrated into existing processes. Project Analysis: This step is integrated into the NEPA process and the City of Bay St. Louis' project management.