Airport Master Plan 2012 - City of Waterville

anticipated that obstruction removal will result in only a minimal effect on the wetlands‟ functions and
values.
5.10 Floodplains
According to the latest available FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the Town of Waterville (May
2001) there are no FEMA designated floodplains or flood hazard areas on or in proximity to the Airport,
that include areas of future vegetation removal. Furthermore, the addition of new impervious area over
the 20 year planning period as part of the proposed improvement projects is expected to be offset by the
narrowing of Runway 14-32. Therefore, potential effects on the occurrence and frequency of flooding on
the Airport and within the Airport environs are not expected. However, engineering controls would still
be implemented to eliminate the potential effects of any increased impervious surface, including increased
peak stormwater runoff as part of the proposed improvement projects.
5.11 Coastal Zone Management
The Waterville Airport is not located within a coastal zone area, therefore coastal zone management
practices do not apply to the proposed improvement projects.
5.12 Coastal Barriers
Since the Waterville Airport is not located within a coastal zone area, the proposed improvement projects
is therefore exempt from review under the Coastal Barriers Resource Act of 1982 (PL. 97-348) which
prohibits most federally financed projects from occurring within the Coastal Barriers Resource System
along the Atlantic or Gulf coasts. The proposed projects will not have an effect on coastal barriers.
5.13 Wild and Scenic Rivers
The only river designated by The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, in the state of Maine is the Allagash River
which is a tributary of the St. John River, in northern Maine. Since this river is not in the Airport vicinity,
the preferred alternative will not have any significant effect on Wild and Scenic Rivers.
5.14 Farmland
The Federal Farmland Protection Act is intended to minimize the impact Federal programs have on the
unnecessary and irreversible conversion of farmland to nonagricultural uses. It assists in ensuring that
Federal programs are administered to be compatible with state and local government, and private
programs and policies to protect farmland.
Farmland is broken into the following categories by the Federal Farmland Protection Policy Act: prime
farmland (which is present on Airport property in the form of Paxton and Woodbridge soils), unique
farmland, and land of statewide or local importance. Since Airport property is primarily comprised of
Paxton and Woodbridge soils, the preferred alternative may affect soils protected under the Federal
Farmland Protection Act.
Generally, prime farmland is land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics
for producing food, feed, forage, or fiber, and is available for these uses. The landuse identified in the
vicinity of the proposed approach lighting system upgrade that extends south of Webb Road consists
mainly of “Pasture/Hay” and “Cultivated crops”.
The City of Waterville Maine
Environmental Review – Page 5-7
Airport Solutions Group, LLC & The Louis Berger Group, Inc. December 2011