[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 75 (Monday, April 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21751-21754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09007]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5866-N-01]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Coastal and Social Resiliency Initiatives for Tottenville 
Shoreline, Staten Island, NY

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This provides notice that the State of New York, as the 
``Responsible Entity,'' as that term is defined by 24 CFR 
58.2(a)(7)(i), intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) that will evaluate alternatives for increasing coastal and social 
resiliency along the Tottenville shoreline on the South Shore of Staten 
Island and help to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the quality of 
the human environment (``Proposed Actions''). The State of New York is 
the Grantee of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery 
(CDBG-DR) funds appropriated by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 
2013 (Pub. L. 113-2, approved January 29, 2013) related to disaster 
relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, 
and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas 
resulting from a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 (Stafford 
Act) in calendar years 2011, 2012, and 2013. The Governor's Office of 
Storm Recovery (GOSR) implements the State's obligations under the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through duly authorized 
Certifying Officers. GOSR was formed under the auspices of the New York 
State Homes and Community Renewal's Housing Trust Fund Corporation 
(HTFC), a public benefit corporation and subsidiary of the New York 
State Housing Finance Agency.
    The EIS will satisfy the requirements of NEPA and the State 
Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). This notice is in accordance 
with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations at 40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508 and HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58. Following a 
public scoping process, a Draft EIS will be prepared for the proposed 
actions described herein. Comments relating to the Draft Scope of Work 
for the EIS are requested and will be accepted by the contact person 
listed below. When the Draft EIS is completed, a notice will be sent to 
appropriate government agencies, individuals and groups known to have 
an interest in the Draft EIS and particularly in the environmental 
impact issues identified therein. Any person or agency interested in 
receiving notice and commenting on the Draft Scope of Work or Draft EIS 
should contact the person listed below no later than May 15, 2015. HUD 
has provided for assumption of its NEPA authority and responsibilities 
to New York State, as Responsible Entity, for the purposes of 
administering the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery 
Program in New York State.
    Comments: Comments relating to the Draft Scope of Work for the EIS 
are requested and will be accepted by the contact person listed below 
until May 15, 2015. Comments will also be accepted at the scoping 
meeting described below on April 30, 2015. All interested agencies, 
tribes, groups, and persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the projects named in this notice and on the Draft Scope of Work for 
the EIS to the contact person listed below. All comments received 
before May 15, 2015 will be considered prior to the preparation and 
distribution of the Draft EIS. Commenters are asked to submit any 
information-related reports or other environmental studies planned or 
completed in the project area, major issues that the EIS should 
consider, recommended mitigation measures, and alternatives associated 
with the Proposed Actions. Federal, State and City agencies having 
jurisdiction by law, special expertise, or other special interest 
should report their interest and indicate their readiness to aid in the 
EIS effort as a ``Cooperating Agency.'' The following federal agencies 
have thus far expressed roles as cooperating agencies under NEPA: The 
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA-
NMFS), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Greene, Deputy General Counsel 
and Certifying Officer, Governor's Office of Storm Recovery, 25 Beaver 
Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004; email: [email protected]. 
Individuals may request a copy of the Draft Scope of Work by contacting 
Mr. Greene at this address or by visiting GOSR's Web site at 
www.StormRecovery.ny.gov/Environment.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 21752]]

A. Background

    The State of New York, acting through GOSR, and acting under 
authority of HUD's regulations at 24 CFR part 58, and in cooperation 
with other cooperating, involved, and interested agencies, will prepare 
an EIS to analyze potential impacts of certain alternatives to enhance 
coastal and social resiliency on the South Shore of Staten Island. The 
EIS will seek to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the quality of 
the human environment.
    Staten Island is exposed to extreme wave action and coastal 
flooding during hurricane and nor'easter events due to its location at 
the mouth of the New York Bight, which funnels and increases the 
intensity of storm surge into New York Harbor, Raritan Bay, and the 
shoreline of Staten Island. The South Shore of Staten Island is 
particularly vulnerable to more continual and gradual coastal erosion 
and land loss. The overarching goal of the initiative is to reduce risk 
and coastal erosion along the shoreline in Tottenville by implementing 
strategies that would primarily address wave action, impacts of coastal 
flooding, and event-based (i.e., short-term/storm-related) and long-
term shoreline erosion, while restoring and enhancing ecosystems and 
engaging with the community through educational programs and enhanced 
waterfront access. The EIS will look at several alternatives to achieve 
these objectives.

B. Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action

    As described above, the South Shore of Staten Island is vulnerable 
to coastal erosion and land loss. Consistent with the New York City's 
Coastal Protection Initiatives and planning studies for the Tottenville 
area, the goal of the Proposed Actions is to reduce risk and coastal 
erosion along the shoreline in Tottenville, while enhancing ecosystems 
and shoreline accessibility and use.
    Specifically, the goals and objectives related to the Proposed 
Actions' purpose and need are listed below:

Risk Reduction

     Attenuate wave energy.
     Address both event-based and long-term shoreline erosion/
preserve beach width.
     Address the impacts of coastal flooding.

Ecological Enhancement

     Increasing diversity of aquatic habitats consistent with 
the Hudson-Raritan Estuary plan priorities (e.g., oyster reefs and fish 
and shellfish habitat).

Social Resiliency

     Foster community education on coastal resiliency directly 
tied to and building off the structural components of this resiliency 
initiative.
     Increase physical and visual access to the water's edge.
     Enhance community stewardship of on-shore and in-water 
ecosystems.
     Increase access to recreational opportunities.

C. Project Alternatives

    The EIS will discuss all of the alternatives that have been 
considered for analysis, identify those that have been eliminated from 
further consideration because they do not meet the stated purpose and 
need, and identify those that will be analyzed further. At this time, 
it is anticipated that the following alternatives will be analyzed:

Alternative 1--No Action Alternative

    The No Action alternative assumes that no new structural risk 
reduction projects will be implemented in the project area and existing 
trends of dune replenishment would continue. This alternative also 
assumes that current trends with respect to coastal conditions at 
Tottenville--i.e., relating to erosion, wave action, ecosystems, and 
water quality--will continue. The No Action alternative also presumes 
that existing strategies to educate New Yorkers and the general public 
on the risks posed by climate change will remain the same in the study 
area.

Alternative 2--The Layered Tottenville Shoreline Resiliency Strategy: 
Living Breakwaters and Tottenville Dune Projects (``Layered Strategy'') 
(Preferred Alternative)

    The Layered Strategy is the State's preferred alternative and it 
consists of the implementation of two individual projects that, if 
integrated as one initiative, may provide a better overall coastal 
projection and promote social resilience. These projects were developed 
through separate, but related, planning initiatives arising out of the 
Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. If implemented together, the projects 
would be planned and designed as a single, integrated coastal 
resiliency strategy for this area. By providing two layers of coastal 
protection, these components, as further described below, will improve 
current shoreline erosion conditions, serve to further reduce wave 
action, provide for ecological enhancement and promote social 
resiliency. The individual components of the Layered Strategy are 
discussed below.
Living Breakwaters Project (Rebuild-by-Design)
    New York State has been allocated $60 million of CDGB-DR program 
funds toward a total estimated project cost of $74 million to implement 
the below described project along the Tottenville shoreline of the 
South Shore of Staten Island.
In-Water Components
    One of the key components of the Layered Strategy is the 
Breakwaters Project, an ecologically enhanced breakwater system that 
would reduce wave energy at the shoreline and prevent shoreline 
erosion. The proposed location of the breakwaters is expected to 
curtail shoreline erosion, which would support on-going efforts to 
replenish the protective beaches along the shore. The proposed 
breakwaters would span an approximately 13,000 linear foot stretch off 
the Tottenville shoreline of Staten Island and would be located and 
designed to optimize wave height reduction and reduce coastal erosion. 
Final siting considerations would include maximizing reductions in wave 
heights and shoreline erosion, avoiding or minimizing habitat 
displacement and navigational impacts, and identifying favorable 
geotechnical conditions.
    The proposed breakwater system would increase habitat diversity 
through the establishment of structural habitat, which is currently 
limited within Raritan Bay. The breakwaters would likely provide a 
combination of exposed, intertidal and subtidal reef habitat, and 
through the incorporation of ``reef streets'' (pockets of complexity 
within the structure) would further increase habitat diversity within 
Raritan Bay by providing shelter for juvenile fish, and increasing 
biological recruitment of filter-feeding organisms such as mussels and 
oysters, furthering opportunities for shellfish restoration within 
Raritan Bay. The breakwaters would also protect the proposed on-shore 
dune system described below. The draft operation and maintenance plan 
for the proposed breakwater system will be described in the EIS.
On-Shore Community Water Hub/Landscape Elements
    With the goal of promoting social resiliency, a proposed community 
Water Hub would provide a place for access to the waterfront, 
orientation, education, information, restoration, gathering and 
equipment storage. In particular, the

[[Page 21753]]

Water Hub programming would include classrooms and labs, engaging 
schools in waterfront education, oyster restoration and reef building, 
and cultivating long-term estuary stewardship. The educational 
programming for the Water Hub will directly tie in to the in-water 
components, as well as to any shoreline resiliency component. In 
addition to ecological engagement, the Water Hub facilities and 
programs are intended to educate residents on the risks and benefits of 
living in the coastal environment and build awareness and preparedness 
within the community. The Tottenville Water Hub may also include other 
elements, such as recreation lounges, exhibition space, a local 
restaurant, maintenance-related storage space and offices, bird 
watching stations and nature observation decks.
    The Water Hub would potentially be located on the waterfront within 
or near Conference House Park, although alternate locations will be 
considered during the EIS process. Siting considerations would include 
access to existing infrastructure, Coastal Erosion Hazard Area (CEHA) 
sensitivity, coastal construction permitting, archaeological 
sensitivity, proximity to the breakwater system, proximity to local 
schools and public transportation, and neighborhood traffic patterns 
and parking. The draft operation and maintenance plan for the proposed 
Water Hub will be described in the EIS.
    The Breakwaters Project would also include several on-shore and 
near-shore landscape elements in the area of the Water Hub, including 
living shorelines (high and low marsh), oyster revetments, maritime 
forest and dune plantings.
Tottenville Dune Project (NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program)
    New York State proposes to use approximately $6,350,000 of HUD 
CDBG-DR program funds to implement the below-described dune system with 
plantings along the Tottenville shoreline from approximately Brighton 
Street to Joline Avenue. The Dune Project is intended to protect 
against coastal flooding and wave action, complementing the Breakwaters 
Project and furthering the goal of risk reduction in Tottenville.
    The Tottenville Dune Project is proposed as a hardened dune system 
that would consist of constructed dunes having a stone core with a sand 
cap, and is the primary shoreline component of the layered approach to 
risk reduction in Tottenville. Once constructed, the dunes would be 
planted with appropriate vegetation, which through root growth, will 
serve to stabilize the dunes to withstand wind and water erosion while 
promoting enlargement of the dunes by accretion.
    The proposed dune system would be located along the Tottenville 
shoreline from approximately Brighton Street to Joline Avenue. 
Temporary dunes, constructed by the New York City Department of Parks 
and Recreation (NYCDPR) as interim protective measures post-Sandy, are 
currently in place from approximately Brighton Street to Sprague 
Avenue. These temporary dunes would be replaced with the larger, 
hardened dune system. New dunes would also be constructed from Sprague 
Avenue to Joline Avenue. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 
accessible access points to the beach would also be constructed along 
the new dune system and would be considered and designed in tandem with 
the Water Hub and living shoreline project components. Designing the 
dunes in conjunction with the breakwaters may enable design 
modifications of the dunes (such as, reduced height) that would enhance 
the need for shoreline accessibility. The draft operation and 
maintenance plan for the proposed dune system will be described in the 
EIS.

Alternative 3--Breakwaters Without a Dune System

    This alternative will evaluate conditions with the proposed 
breakwaters in place (including the on-shore community Water Hub and 
landscape elements), but without a proposed long-term dune system 
between Brighton Avenue and Joline Avenue.

Alternative 4--Dune System Without Breakwaters

    This alternative will evaluate conditions with the proposed long-
term dune system in place, but without the proposed breakwaters, Water 
Hub, or on-shore landscape elements.
Other Alternatives
    Other alternatives may be developed in consultation with the United 
States Army Corp of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration--National Marine Fisheries Service, the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of 
State, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New 
York City Department of Parks and Recreation and other involved 
agencies during the EIS preparation process, as well as in response to 
suggestions made by project stakeholders and the general public during 
the EIS scoping process. Notably, GOSR intends for the alternatives 
analysis to fulfill the requirements for a permit under Section 404 of 
the Clean Water Act. These may include non-structural coastal 
resilience strategies, but only to the extent that they meet the 
purposes and need for both enhanced shoreline protection and increased 
social resiliency. The alternatives may also include coastal resiliency 
strategies proposed by other governmental stakeholders, to the extent 
that these strategies are made available to GOSR during development of 
the Draft EIS. Additionally, alternatives may also include alternate 
designs or sizes of both the dune and breakwaters.

D. Need for the EIS

    The actions proposed herein may constitute an action significantly 
affecting the quality of the environment and an EIS will be prepared on 
this project in accordance with NEPA. Responses to this notice will be 
used to: (1) Determine significant environmental issues, (2) assist in 
developing a range of alternatives to be considered, (3) identify 
issues that the EIS should address, and (4) identify agencies and other 
parties that will participate in the EIS process and the basis for 
their involvement.

E. Scoping

    A public EIS scoping meeting will be held on April 30, 2015 from 
7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at CYO-MIV Community Center, 6541 Hylan Blvd., Staten 
Island, NY 10309. The public meeting site will be accessible to the 
mobility-impaired. Interpreter services will be available for the 
hearing or visually impaired upon advance request. The EIS scoping 
meetings will provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about 
the Proposed Actions and provide input to the environmental process. At 
the meetings, an overview of the Proposed Actions, including the 
preferred Layered Strategy alternative, will be presented and members 
of the public will be invited to comment on the scope of work for the 
environmental analyses in the EIS. Written comments and testimony 
concerning the scope of the EIS will be accepted at these meetings. In 
accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7; affected Federal, State, and local 
agencies, any affected Indian tribes, and other interested parties will 
be sent a scoping notice. In accordance with 24 CFR 58.59, the scoping 
meetings will be preceded by a notice of public meeting published in 
the local news media at least 15 days before the hearing date.

[[Page 21754]]

F. Probable Environmental Effects

    The following subject areas will be analyzed in the combined EIS 
for probable environmental effects: Land Use, Zoning, and Public 
Policy; Socioeconomic Conditions; Environmental Justice; Cultural 
Resources; Visual Character; Shadows; Natural Resources; Water and 
Sewer Infrastructure; Transportation; Air Quality; Greenhouse Gases and 
Climate Change; Noise; Construction; Public Health; Neighborhood 
Character; and Cumulative Effects.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named in this notice 
under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Date: April 15, 2015.
Clifford Taffet,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2015-09007 Filed 4-17-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P