T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluationwould occur to determine the presence or absence of potentially significant archaeological sites. These surveyswould be conducted before any ground disturbing activities would commence.In response to a request from NITHPO, a Phase I(c) archaeological investigation was conducted along RealignedMain Avenue under Permit No. 2011-03 (issued by RIHPHC on January 7, 2011). Field investigations, consisting ofthe excavation of 14 trenches along the center line of the proposed realignment were conducted between April 5 and7, 2011. The trench excavations, monitored by NITHPO, exposed 20th century domestic debris and evidence forhouse lots along its entire course. Machine excavation did not locate any pre-contact Native American culturalfeatures or deposits. The results of the survey have been forwarded to the RIHPHC and NITHPO for review.4.8 Section 4(f) and 6(f) ResourcesSection 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Act of 1966 205 requires DOT agencies to protect certainpublic resources. These protected resources, referred to as Section 4(f) resources, include publicly owned parks,recreation areas, wildlife or waterfowl refuges, or historical properties of national, state, or local significance. 206Similarly, properties acquired with Section 6(f) resources of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, 207 whichprovides funds for buying or developing public use recreational lands through grants to local and state governments,states that property purchased or developed with funds under the Act may not be converted to other than outdoorpublic recreation uses without approval of the Department of Interior’s and National Park Service. This sectiondiscusses the methods used to assess Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) resources and describes the resources identifiedwithin the Project Area and Study Area. Chapter 7, Final Section 4(f)/Section 6(f) Evaluation, provides an evaluation ofSection 4(f) and Section 6(f) resources that were determined to be impacted by the Improvement Program.4.8.1 MethodologySection 4(f) and Section 6(f) resources were identified within the Study Area and Project Area using the NaturalResources, Open Space, and Recreation chapter of the City of Warwick Comprehensive Plan, (updated 2002),available State of Rhode Island Geographic Information Systems data on public parks and recreation space,available street maps and atlases, United States Geological Survey Quadrangle Maps, the City of Warwickwebsite, field reconnaissance, historical research, and consultation with local officials having jurisdiction overresources typically protected under Section 4(f) and Section 6(f). The City of Warwick also providedconfirmation of Section 4(f) resources. 208 Potential Section 6(f) resources were identified using the National ParkService (NPS) database of Land and Water Conservation Fund Act projects, 209 which was followed up by furtherresearch of project files at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) offices.4.8.1.1 Project Area and Study AreaThe Project Area includes the T.F. Green Airport property and land immediately adjacent to the Airport. TheStudy Area for Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) resources is derived from the APE for indirect impacts for historical205 U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, Section 4(f), 49 U.S.C., section 303(c).206 Ibid. Approval of Programs and Projects.207 Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, codified at Title 16 U.S.C., section 4601-8(f)(3) (Section 6[f]).208 City of Warwick, TF Green EIS Information Request, Memorandum, February 22, 2006.209 National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/lwcf/.Chapter 4 – Affected Environment 4-48 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH04_Affected_Env_JUL_2011.doc