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Other Resources

Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

Farmland ProcessProject Initiation Package

Field InvestigationsNon-Urbanized Area

FCIR Form

Agency Coordination

NEPA Document

YES

NO

Urbanized Area

Meets MOU

[2] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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Agricultural District ProcessProject Initiation Package

Field Investigations

Agricultural District

Meets ORC 929.05(a)

Agency Coordination

NEPA Document

NO

YES

NO

YES

[3] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

Why So Important?� Agriculture the #1 industry in Ohio

� More than $107 billion annually

� Nearly 1 million employees

[4] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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Federal Law� Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) of 1981

� Established by Congress

� Requires federal agencies to be compatible with programs and policies to protect farmland

� Local, State, and private

� Projects sponsored or financed in whole or in

part by the federal government

� Highways

� Airports

� Dams

� Federal Buildings[5] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

State Law� Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 929.05

� Ohio’s Farmland Preservation Act

� Projects that take 10% or 10 acres (whichever is

greater) from any individual property within an agricultural district require coordination

� Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA)

� Utility and emergency repair projects exempt

[6] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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Farmland MOU� Between NRCS and ODOT

� Executed March 2016

� In accordance with the FPPA and 7 CFR 658

� Establishes a process to determine which Federal-Aid highway projects require NRCS coordination

� Projects that meet MOU criteria are processed withno further coordination required

� Discuss in NEPA document

� Standard language provided by OES

[7] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

MOU Criteria� Projects that require no new right-of-way

� Bridge replacement projects that require right-of-way of three acres or less (permanent/temporary)

� Includes piers, wingwalls, and/or approach work

� Widening projects involving linear strip right-of-way of 10 acres or less per linear mile (permanent/temporary)

� Intersection improvements requiring conversion of 3 acres or less of right-of-way (permanent/temporary)

� Use of any amount of temporary right-of-way providing land being used is returned to equal or greater productive capability

[8] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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Coordination� If MOU criteria exceeded, completion of FCIR

(Farmland Conversion Impact Rating) Form required

� OES coordinates with NRCS

� Determines if significant impacts to prime or

unique farmland will occur

� No formal coordination if score is less than 60

� All documentation required in Project File

[9] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

D-Listed CEs - Remarks� Discuss how project complies with MOU or results of

coordination

� Standard language provided by OES

� On corridor projects, the scoring process of the FCIR must be discussed for each build alternative

� If ORC 929.05(a) threshold exceeded:

� Discuss impacts

� Identify properties within Agricultural District

� Possible coordination with ODA

[10] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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D-Listed CEs - Remarks� Include acreage of agricultural land to be taken

� Indicate current use of agricultural land, if known

� Cropland, fallow land, pasture

� Identify and discuss known conservation easements

� May require a higher level of coordination

� Indicate if field tile drainage is present

� Discuss measures to avoid/minimize harm

� Include as environmental commitments

[11] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

D-Listed CEs - Remarks� Discuss impact to farming operations, if any

� Farm structures, storage or staging areas

� Quantify landlocked parcels

� Consider indirect and cumulative development

� For large corridor projects

� How project will impact regional farm economy

� Amount of farmland to be converted to other uses as a result of the project

� Reduction of support services, which may adversely affect remaining farms

[12] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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Other Resources Tab - EnviroNet

Project File� Documentation can include:

� USGS Topo Quad Map (upload to General)

� U.S. Census Urbanized Area Map

� FCIR Form

� OES and/or NRCS Correspondence

� Ohio Department of Agriculture Coordination

� Follow ODOT NEPA File Management and

Documentation Guidance

[14] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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Contacts� Doug App – NEPA Document Coordinator

614-644-0170 or Doug.App@dot.ohio.gov

� Kevin Davis – OES Policy Supervisor

614-752-2788 or Kevin.Davis@dot.ohio.gov

[15] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

Other ResourcesDrinking Water Resources

Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

3/26/2018

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Process Overview

Project Initiation Package Field Investigations

Coordination

NEPADocument

Not Presentor

Present, No Coordination Required

[17] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� OES provides oversight on projects that impact community water resources

� Monitors new rule making and legislation

� Serves as liaison to regulatory agencies

� Provides training

� Provides assistance to districts and consultants

� Districts responsible for identification/coordination

Role & Responsibilities

[18] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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� Residential Wells

� Public Water Systems

� Ground and Surface Water

� Wellhead Protection Areas

� Sole Source Aquifers

Water Resource Types

[19] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� Where the intake of raw water occurs

� Water lines are not drinking water resources

� OEPA and/or ODOT GIS mapping

Identification

[20] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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� No removal = No coordination

� Removal = Commitments and likely coordination

� Mapping is limited or non-existent

� ODNR Well Logs

� ODNR Division of Water

� Local Health Department

Residential Water Wells

[21] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� Coordination with owner not required

� Removals will require an environmental commitment

� Drilling a new well

� Providing connection to a public water supply

� If neither is feasible, property/dwelling may

be acquired

� Impacted wells are abandoned in accordance with ODNR’s Guidelines for Sealing Unused Wells

Residential Water Wells

[22] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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� Approximately 6,200 in Ohio

� Over 95% use a ground water source

� Three types:

� Community

� Cities, mobile home parks, nursing homes

� Transient non-community

� Rest areas, restaurants, churches

� Non-transient non-community

� Schools, businesses, and industries

Public Water Systems

[23] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� Regulated by Ohio EPA

� Ground Water

� Coordinate if project is within 1 and 5 year

time of travel zones (Corridor Management

Zone)

� Surface Water

� Coordinate if project is within a designated

Emergency Management Zone

Water Source Protection Areas

[24] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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� Prevents contamination of public water supplies

� Approved by USEPA in 1992

� In conjunction with contaminant source control and pollution prevention at all levels of government

Wellhead Protection Areas

[25] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� Regulated by USEPA

� Primary drinking water aquifers

� Only in Districts 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8

� FHWA and USEPA MOU

� CE projects meet the criteria

Sole Source Aquifers

[26] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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[27] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� Coordination occurs when OES and the coordinating agency negotiate impacts upon a specific resource

� For example, a concrete ditch crossing a one year time of travel zone or crossing a well field

Coordination

[28] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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� Answer drop-downs appropriately for presence of and impacts to drinking water resources

� Sole Source Aquifer

� Water Source Protection Area

� Groundwater and Surface Water

� Residential Wells (ODNR well logs)

� If impacts anticipated, coordination required for documentation and mitigation purposes

Other Resources Tab - EnviroNet

[29] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

Other Resources Tab - EnviroNet

[30] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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� Identify drinking water resources

� Water lines are not drinking water resources

� Summarize coordination, if any

� Requesting information is not coordination

� List mitigation and environmental commitments

Remarks

[31] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

No Coordination Example

Remarks OEPA’s Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP)mapping was reviewed by URS Corporation environmentalpersonnel. No sole source aquifers or drinking water sourceprotection areas for community, non-community, andresidential wells are located within the proposed project area(see project file – Other Resources/Drinking Water/Mapping).Therefore, the proposed undertaking will not impact knowndrinking water resources.

[32] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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The Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters wascontacted to identify the presence of drinking water resourceswithin the proposed project area. In an e-mail dated June 28,2013, OEPA sent a map showing the proposed project area inrelation to surrounding drinking water resources. There are nodrinking water source protection areas within one mile of theproposed project area. In addition, the proposed project areadoes not lie over a Federally-designated sole source aquifer.The OEPA water resources map can be found in the project fileunder Other Resources/Drinking Water/Mapping.pdf. The ODNRwell logs were reviewed and no residential wells were identifiedwithin the proposed project area.

No Coordination Example

[33] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

The proposed project area is located within (on eastern edgeof) the OEPA designated Great Miami Buried Valley AquiferSystem and an OEPA designated Water Source ProtectionArea (City of Hamilton Municipal Water System). The City ofHamilton is the reviewing and approving agency for actionswithin their WSPA, and is also the sponsor of the proposedproject for the CNG refueling station. The city water utilitydepartment has reviewed and approved the proposed action(November 2013 internal city reviews), and has not requestedspecial conditions or environmental commitments.

Water Source Protection Area Example

[34] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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The Ohio EPA (OEPA) Division of Drinking and Ground Waters wascontacted to determine if drinking water resources were presentwithin the proposed project area. Based on the informationprovided by OEPA, the proposed project is located within theCorridor Management Zone (CMZ) for Henry County RegionalWater & Sewer District McClure intake. In addition, ODNR’sDivision of Soil and Water Resources on-line mapping wasreviewed for residential well locations and none were noted.Therefore, a plan note will be included in the plans. SecondarySource Review information can be found in the project file underOther Resources/Drinking Water/Site Specific Resource Map.pdfand Literature Review Results.pdf.

Corridor Management Zone Example

[35] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

The proposed project area is located within the boundaries ofa designated sole source aquifer. However, the proposedproject is not located within the boundaries of a designatedWater Source Protection Area. The proposed project area isserved by the City of Dayton public water supply. A plan noterequiring precautions to protect groundwater resources willbe included. As the project falls under the CategoricalExclusion classification, sole source aquifer coordination is notrequired under the Memorandum of Understanding betweenFHWA Region 5 and USEPA Region V.

Sole Source AquiferExample

[36] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

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The proposed project is located in a Corridor ManagementZone (CMZ) for the Henry County Regional Water & SewerDistrict. In order to minimize the potential for a release inthis sensitive area, project related refueling and maintenanceactivities shall not be performed from STA toSTA . Spills of fuels, oils, chemicals or othermaterials which could pose a threat to the drinking watersource area shall be cleaned up immediately by theContractor. If the spill is a reportable amount, the Contractorshould contact (insert name and number of local hazardousmaterial response team) for cleanup of the spill.

Corridor Management Zone Commitment Example

[37] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services

� Documentation can include:

� Coordination and/or correspondence with OES, OEPA, or USEPA

� Secondary Source Review

� Site Specific Resource Mapping

� Follow ODOT NEPA File Management and

Documentation Guidance

Project File

[38] Categorical Exclusion Training Class – Presented by the Office of Environmental Services