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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationThe grassland and minor areas of shrub and forested habitats that will be impacted north of Airport Road(Figure 5-44) were created and are maintained by the VMP. In these areas, only regionally common songbirdsand mammals are present. Tables 5-121 and 5-122 summarize the impacts to common habitat types that wouldoccur under Alternative B2. This analysis demonstrates that sufficient areas to sustain species commonly foundin the Study Area would remain if Alternative B2 were implemented.Fully Relocated Airport RoadA total of 2.1 acres of upland forest, 2.7 acres of shrubland, 1.7 acres of forested wetland, 0.1 acres of scrub-shrubwetland, and 7.7 acres of agricultural land would be lost as a result of the full relocation of Airport Road. Thesehabitat impacts would occur at the Post Road/Route 37 interchange, the farmland crossed by Fully RelocatedAirport Road, the forested areas north of Runway 5-23, and at the Warwick Avenue/Fully Relocated AirportRoad intersection.The reconstruction of the Post Road/Route 37 interchange would have minimal impact on wildlife as much ofthis habitat is currently part of the Route 37 interchange and associated highway right-of-way, and does notsupport natural communities.Fully Relocated Airport Road would convert 7.7 acres of a 42.6-acre operating farm to roadway. Although theloss of this farmland habitat would reduce foraging opportunities available to wildlife that may occasionally usethis resource, such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), and redfox (Vulpes vulpes), this displacement would not substantially affect the populations of these common suburbanspecies present in the Study Area.The section of Fully Relocated Airport Road north of the Runway 23 End would convert forested wetland andupland forest to roadway, minimally reducing available foraging and breeding habitat for common species suchas gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), raccoon, and eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus). Forest-dwelling birdspecies such as black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapilla), downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), andwhite-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) also utilize this habitat. These species are locally common and theloss of habitat is unlikely to significantly reduce local populations.Construction of the intersection of Warwick Avenue and Fully Relocated Airport Road would require fillingapproximately 0.1 acres of scrub-shrub wetland in Wetland A3 to create a storm water discharge point for thenew roadway. The widening of Warwick Avenue would impact 0.1 acres of forested wetland in Wetland P outof the total 1.7 acres of forested wetland impacted by Fully Relocated Airport Road. These minor impacts wouldoccur at the interface with urban development and it is not anticipated that the much larger remaining habitatwould be significantly affected.Indirect ImpactsWithout mitigation, adding 30 linear feet onto the end of the existing 70-foot long Lakeshore Drive culvert mayobstruct fish passage to spawning habitat in Spring Green Pond, thereby reducing productivity of the pond. Asignificant reduction or elimination of the return migration of young-of-the-year (fish that are less than one yearChapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-229 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc