Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline Project Draft SEIS

690 Pages·2017·24.97 MB·English

Prepared for: Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline
Project
Draft Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement
Chapter 3: Affected Environment
June 2017
Photo credits: Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, U.S. National Park Service, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Alaska
Department of Natural Reources, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline Project
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
Chapter 3: Affected Environment
June 2017
United States Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District
In Cooperation with:
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration
U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, State Pipeline Coordinator’s Section
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Chapter 3: Affected Environment
Draft SEIS Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................. xvii
3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................. 3-1
3.1. Introduction................................................................................................................... 3-1
3.2. Soils & Geology ............................................................................................................. 3-1
3.2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 3-1
3.2.2. Summary ........................................................................................................ 3-3
3.2.3. Ecoregions ...................................................................................................... 3-3
3.2.4. Geomorphic Processes ............................................................................... 3-13
3.2.5. Paleontological Resources ......................................................................... 3-22
3.3. Water……….................................................................................................................3-25
3.3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 3-25
3.3.2. Summary ...................................................................................................... 3-26
3.3.3. Federal, State, and Local Regulations and Rules .................................... 3-26
3.3.4. Watershed Characteristics ......................................................................... 3-32
3.3.5. Surface Water .............................................................................................. 3-40
3.3.6. Groundwater ............................................................................................... 3-68
3.3.7. Floodplains .................................................................................................. 3-95
3.3.8. Nearshore Beaufort Sea ............................................................................ 3-100
3.4. Vegetation…...............................................................................................................3-103
3.4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-103
3.4.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-104
3.4.3. Vegetation Communities ......................................................................... 3-104
3.4.4. Ten-mile-wide Corridor ........................................................................... 3-110
3.4.5. Non-native, Invasive, and Noxious Plants ............................................ 3-113
3.4.6. Rare and Sensitive Plants ......................................................................... 3-117
3.5. Wetlands……. ........................................................................................................... 3-129
3.5.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-130
3.5.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-130
3.5.3. Analysis Methodology ............................................................................. 3-131
3.5.4. Wetlands Classification ............................................................................ 3-132
3.5.5. Wetland Mapping Corridor .................................................................... 3-134
3.6. Wildlife…….. ............................................................................................................ 3-139
3.6.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-139
3.6.2. Regulatory Setting .................................................................................... 3-139
3.6.3. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-145
3.6.4. Terrestrial Mammals ................................................................................ 3-146
3.6.5. Birds ............................................................................................................ 3-160
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3.7. Fish…………. ............................................................................................................ 3-183
3.7.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-183
3.7.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-184
3.7.3. Affected Fish Habitats .............................................................................. 3-184
3.7.4. Regional and Riverine Characteristics ................................................... 3-185
3.7.5. Essential Fish Habitat ............................................................................... 3-186
3.7.6. Fish Habitat and Species in the Proposed Project Area....................... 3-187
3.7.7. Fish Stocks of Concern ............................................................................. 3-212
3.7.8. Aquatic Nuisance Species ........................................................................ 3-212
3.8. Marine Mammals...................................................................................................... 3-215
3.8.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-215
3.8.2. Regulatory Setting .................................................................................... 3-215
3.8.3. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-216
3.8.4. Affected Communities ............................................................................. 3-217
3.8.5. Marine Mammal Description by Proposed Project Area .................... 3-219
3.9. Benthic……… ............................................................................................................ 3-239
3.9.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-239
3.9.2. Project Area ................................................................................................ 3-240
3.9.3. Prudhoe Bay Environment ...................................................................... 3-242
3.9.4. Benthic Community .................................................................................. 3-243
3.10. Threatened & Endangered Species .................................................................... 3-247
3.10.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-247
3.10.2. Regulatory Setting .................................................................................... 3-247
3.10.3. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-248
3.10.4. Project Area ................................................................................................ 3-249
3.10.5. USFWS Threatened, Endangered and Candidate Species .................. 3-252
3.11. Land Use…. ........................................................................................................... 3-295
3.11.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-295
3.11.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-296
3.11.3. Land Owners ............................................................................................. 3-300
3.11.4. Land Cover ................................................................................................ 3-306
3.11.5. Revised Statute 2477 ROW, 17(b) Easements, and Section-Line
Easements Intersected by the Proposed Project ................................... 3-307
3.11.6. Transportation and Utilities Crossed by the Proposed Project .......... 3-309
3.11.7. Waste Generation, Storage, and Disposal ............................................. 3-309
3.11.8. Existing Zoning ......................................................................................... 3-312
3.11.9. Existing Land Use Plans .......................................................................... 3-313
3.12. Recreation ............................................................................................................ 3-323
3.12.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-323
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3.12.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-324
3.12.3. Regulatory Environment ......................................................................... 3-324
3.12.4. Potentially Affected Communities ......................................................... 3-326
3.13. Visual…….. ............................................................................................................ 3-347
3.13.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-347
3.13.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-347
3.13.3. Potentially Affected Communities ......................................................... 3-348
3.13.4. Regulatory Environment ......................................................................... 3-348
3.13.5. Overview of Visual Resources by Segment .......................................... 3-352
3.14. Socioeconomics ..................................................................................................... 3-363
3.14.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-363
3.14.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-365
3.14.3. Potentially Affect Communities ............................................................. 3-367
3.14.4. Environmental Justice .............................................................................. 3-391
3.14.5. Indirect Access to Compressed Natural Gas ........................................ 3-399
3.15. Cultural Resources ............................................................................................... 3-405
3.15.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-405
3.15.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-407
3.15.3. Federal Regulatory Environment ........................................................... 3-407
3.15.4. Public Involvement ................................................................................... 3-409
3.15.5. Potentially Affected Communities ......................................................... 3-410
3.16. Subsistence ............................................................................................................ 3-449
3.16.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-449
3.16.2. Regulatory Environment ......................................................................... 3-451
3.16.3. Potentially Affected Communities ......................................................... 3-456
3.16.4. Community Subsistence Patterns ........................................................... 3-459
3.16.5. North Slope Region .................................................................................. 3-469
3.16.6. Interior Region .......................................................................................... 3-487
3.16.7. Southcentral Region ................................................................................. 3-525
3.17. Public Health ......................................................................................................... 3-571
3.17.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-571
3.17.2. Project Facilities ......................................................................................... 3-571
3.17.3. Construction Workers and Work Camps .............................................. 3-571
3.17.4. General Assessment Method ................................................................... 3-573
3.17.5. Potentially Affected Communities ......................................................... 3-574
3.17.6. Baseline Health Status .............................................................................. 3-578
3.18. Air Quality ............................................................................................................ 3-615
3.18.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-615
3.18.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-615
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3.18.3. Regulatory Requirements ........................................................................ 3-615
3.18.4. Climate ....................................................................................................... 3-630
3.18.5. Ambient Air Quality................................................................................. 3-639
3.18.6. Attainment Status ..................................................................................... 3-643
3.19. Noise…….. ............................................................................................................ 3-645
3.19.1. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-645
3.19.2. Regulatory Setting .................................................................................... 3-645
3.19.3. Acoustics Principles .................................................................................. 3-646
3.19.4. Existing Noise Environment ................................................................... 3-648
3.19.5. Pipeline Facilities ...................................................................................... 3-650
3.19.6. Fairbanks Lateral ...................................................................................... 3-652
3.19.7. Prudhoe Bay .............................................................................................. 3-652
3.19.8. Gas Conditioning Facility ........................................................................ 3-653
3.19.9. Construction Camps and Pipeline Yards .............................................. 3-653
3.19.10. Material Sites ......................................................................................... 3-654
3.19.11. Denali National Park & Preserve Route Variation ........................... 3-655
3.20. Navigation Resources .......................................................................................... 3-657
3.20.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 3-657
3.20.2. Summary .................................................................................................... 3-657
3.20.3. Affected Navigation Resources and Navigable Waterways ............... 3-658
3.20.4. Project Area ................................................................................................ 3-658
3.20.5. Commercial and Recreational Port Usage ............................................. 3-659
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List of Tables
Table 3.2-1 Alaska Ecoregions and the Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline ................ 3-6
Table 3.2-2 Active or Potentially Active Faults that Cross or Extend
toward the Proposed ASAP Pipeline Route .................................... 3-17
Table 3.3-1 Federal, State, and Local Water Regulations ................................... 3-28
Table 3.3-2 USGS Stream Gauge Record, Water Elevation
and Mean Peak Stream Flow in Watersheds near the
Proposed Project – Interior-Yukon Hydrologic Subregion............ 3-38
Table 3.3-3 Summary of Surface Area (square feet) and Maximum Depth
(feet) for Lakes Sampled in the Arctic Hydrologic Subregion ...... 3-42
Table 3.3-4 The 2010 Estimated Fresh Surface Water Withdrawals by
Borough or Census Area (MG/day) ................................................. 3-44
Table 3.3-5 Summary of Surface Water Quality – Arctic
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-51
Table 3.3-6 ADEC Waterbody Classification – Arctic
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-52
Table 3.3-7 Summary of Water Quality Data for 32 Lakes in the Arctic
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-52
Table 3.3-8 Summary of Surface Water Quality from USGS Stream
Gauge Sites – Interior-Yukon Hydrologic Subregion ..................... 3-57
Table 3.3-9 ADEC Waterbody Classification – Interior-Yukon
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-60
Table 3.3-10 Summary of Surface Water Quality – Southcentral
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-63
Table 3.3-11 Stream Surface Water Quality Data Collected in 2008
by OEA for the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension Project ................. 3-65
Table 3.3-12 ADEC Waterbody Classification – Southcentral
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-67
Table 3.3-13 2010 Estimated Fresh Groundwater Withdrawals
by Borough or Census Area (MG/day) ............................................ 3-69
Table 3.3-14 Drinking Water Wells within 500 Feet of the Proposed
Pipeline Route ...................................................................................... 3-69
Table 3.3-15 Well Data from WELTS – Arctic Hydrologic Subregion ................ 3-73
Table 3.3-16 Well Data from WELTS – Interior-Yukon Subregion ..................... 3-75
Table 3.3-17 Well Data from WELTS – Southcentral Subregion ......................... 3-79
Table 3.3-18 Summary of Groundwater Quality – Interior-Yukon
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-89
Table 3.3-19 Summary of Groundwater Quality – Southcentral
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-93
Table 3.3-20 USGS Stream Gauge Record, Water Elevation and Mean Peak
Stream Flow in Watersheds near the Proposed Project – Arctic
Hydrologic Subregion ......................................................................... 3-98
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Table 3.3-21 USGS Stream Gauge Record, Water Elevation and Mean Peak
Stream Flow in Watersheds Near the Proposed Project –
Southcentral Hydrologic Subregion ................................................. 3-99
Table 3.4-1 Ecoregions Crossed by Project Segment ......................................... 3-106
Table 3.5-1 Wetland and Water Subgroups Located within the Wetland
Mapping Corridor ............................................................................. 3-135
Table 3.5-2 Wetland Type (Acres) Mapped in the Wetland
Mapping Corridor ............................................................................. 3-137
Table 3.5-3 HGM Functional Class (Acres) Mapped in the Wetland
Mapping Corridor ............................................................................. 3-138
Table 3.6-1 Recommended Periods to Avoid for Vegetation
Clearing During Migratory Bird Breeding ..................................... 3-140
Table 3.6-2 List of Species of Greatest Conservation Need
that may occur within the Proposed Project Area ........................ 3-141
Table 3.6-3 Terrestrial Mammals Hunted or Trapped in GMUs
Crossed by the Proposed Project Area ........................................... 3-155
Table 3.6-4 Common Furbearers and Other Small Mammals
that Occur along the Proposed Project ROW................................. 3-155
Table 3.6-5 Common Shorebirds and Seabirds that Occur
along the Proposed Project ROW .................................................... 3-163
Table 3.6-6 Common Waterfowl and Other Waterbirds that Occur
along the Proposed Project ROW .................................................... 3-169
Table 3.6-7 Common Upland Game Birds that Occur along the
Proposed Project ROW ..................................................................... 3-175
Table 3.6-8 Common Landbirds that Occur along the Proposed
Project ROW ....................................................................................... 3-177
Table 3.7-1 Stream Crossings Proposed by Hydroregion in the
Proposed Project Area ....................................................................... 3-188
Table 3.7-2 Fish Species Inhabiting Waterbodies Crossed by the
Proposed Project ................................................................................ 3-195
Table 3.7-3 Salmon Spawning Run Periods within Major Drainages
of the Proposed Project Area ............................................................ 3-207
Table 3.7-4 Alaska Fish Stocks of Concern for Streams Impacted
by the ASAP Project .......................................................................... 3-212
Table 3.8-1 Non-Endangered and Non-Threatened Marine Mammals
that May Occur in or Near the Proposed Project Area ................. 3-216
Table 3.9-1 Compilation of Benthic Organisms of Stefannson Sound
(Carey and Montagna, 1982) and Prudhoe Bay Key Species ....... 3-245
Table 3.10-1 ESA Protected and Candidate Species Potentially
Occurring in or near the Proposed Project Area ........................... 3-249
Table 3.10-2 Probability of Encountering Humpback Whales from each
DPS in the North Pacific Ocean in Various Feeding Areas ......... 3-285
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