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April 14, 1993JJD /res District Director 5, FmHA 5601 Corporate Way, Suite 400 West Palm Beach, Florida 33407 City of Okeechobee 55 S.E. Third Avenue Okeechobee, Florida 34974 2932.813/763 -3372 April 14, 1993 I am writing this letter to request a copy of FmHA's Environmental Assessment of Okeechobee Beach Water Association's application for loan to construct a water treatment plant. Thank you for your attention to this matter, if you should have any questions, please contact me. Sincerely, John J, Drago City Administrator B APR 15 Project Description and Need This project consist of the c treatment plant located on of a 34.5 acre welifield. Dis welifield and treatment plant Presently Okeechobee purchas Okeechobee. This agreement City of Okeechobee had decide to provide Deach Water Association to c treatment facility. water, necessitating onstruction of a central water acres and the establishment tribution lines connecting the will also be established. es water from the City of expires in 2 years or so. The d not to extend their contract the need for Okeecnobee onstruct the proposed water 11. Primary Deneficiaries and Related Activities The primary beneficiary of the proposed facility wili be existing single family housing homeowners and commercial properties located within the service area. .f7 or rfo Area The service area for this project project completion, the northern (See Figure in PER). This proposal cons welifieid and 9.6 acre treatment plant. MOD treatment plant configuration, with sufficient acreage required improvements. It also allows to the plant via Durrance Road. The 34.5 acre welifield cabbage palms. it is of water for the plant, and V. Environmental impacts 1. Air Departme informat reported associat cause no noted poliutio is, and will remain after shore of Lake Okeechobee st of a 34.5 acre c is rectanguiar in to allow for the for vehicular access is flat and heavily treed with sufficient size to provide adequate space or the 7 wells proposed. Quality Air quality data is provided by he nt of Environmental Regulation (DER). No on is avaiiabie for the Okeechobee area. .i.i, as no permanent sources of poilution will be et with the project area. This facility should dii'ficulties. As little or no adverse emons are no measures are deemed necessary to controi air n as a result of this project. 2. Water Quality It is not anticipated the proposed project wili adversely effect water quality. The project is designed to protect the area water supply. The existins raw water is of sufficient quality to be within State suidelines for drinkins water standards concernins dissolved solids chlorides and cron levels. The discharse of treated water will be in compliance with al/ State GC Tiorida drinkins water standards. Surface runoff from the plant site wili be planned such that no water will run off site drainase swales and retention basins w1 be utilized. 3. Solid Waste it is not anticipated any solid waste will be produced from the wellfield. The water treatment plant will produce a lime sludse from 4_,_ ...tie coasulationiprecipitation process. lr.,. .1.1, is estimated approximately 1% of volume produced will result in this lime slide. This will be pumped into an earthen basin. Eventually this lasoon area will be cleaned and the settled lime sludse will be placed in land fills, or used in road construction materials. It is possible this dried lime slue could be recycled for profit and be an income source. 4. Land Use Planned land use is in compliance wt n the land use of surround ins areas. 5. Transportation The County of Okeechobee maintains a paved road, S.W. 32nd Avenue, which is in close proximity to tie we ld project site. An te project site is proposed that w connect to the existins paved road. ThE access road w be alisned &Ions the property line of an undeveloped parcel of property adjacent to the project site parcel and will not be located in a currently populated area. A County maintained paved road, Durrance Road is adjacent to the northern end of the propose water treatment plant site. The aLLe.. to the site will be from Durrance Road. No new major transportation patterns wouid be expected because of the proJect. Some utility staff traffic and materials devery traffic wiil arise because of normal operation activities of the water treatment plant. It is aot expected that existins capacities of the transportation faciicties will be exceeded. 6. Natural Environment With the exception of necessary brush and tree removal, no detrimental effects on the natural environment are Expected nor anticipated. 7. i-luman Population Little to no adverse effect is anticipated on schoo;s, hospitals, and Ci This proJect should enhance the human population, by providins a safe, decent sanitary water supply. 0. Construction The area to be utilized for construct:ns the proposed welifield is naturally vesetated with a coverins of cabbase palm and pine trees. Only that vesetation iii.o.Jiutrely necessary for construction implementation wili be disrupted. It is the intention to leave the SitE as naturally vesetated as possible and replant, if necessary, a disrupted areas possible once construction is complete. The existins vesetation will act as a natural barrier asainst noise and soil erosion durins construction. In addition, the area surroundins the welifield project site is characterized as primary unpopuiated asricultural land use. Adverse impacts associated with noise, soil erosion/siltation are expected to be mal. The area to be utilized or construct ins the proposed water treatment plant is unvesetated, flat terrain. The site is not adjacent to any populated areas. No special methods that differ from normal construction procedures will be necessary. Adverse impacts associated with noise, soil erosion, etc are expected to be very minimal. 9. Enersy Existins enersy supplies available to this project w be electrical enersy provided by the Florida Power and Lisht Company. V. Coastal Zone Manasement Act Complex is located within an awoved rr Coastai Zone Manasement area as is the entire State of Florida; however, due to the inland nature of the project, DER concurrence has been provided. See letter enclosed dated 09-02-92 from janice Alcott, Director of the Florida State Clearinshouse. VI. Compliance With Advisory Council 3r Historic Preservation Resulations National Resister of Historic Places have been reviewed and there are no listed properties located within the area to be affected by the project. See attached letter from Georse Percy, State Historic Preservation Officer, dated Ausust 23, 1991 indicatins no effect on any historical sites exist. VII. Compliance With The Wild And Scenic Rivers Act The review rif the National and ..JLer Rivers Resister indicates; Thi s ompiex will nave no effect on any systems indicated. VIII. Compliance With The Endansered Species At There is no indication that an endansered or threatened animal specie inhabits t area, nor does the area have any prime habitat for endansered species. See the attached letter from Fish ant Wildlife Service at 10-29-9Z. IX. Compliance With Farmland Protection Policy Act and Departmental Resuiation 9500-3, Land Use Policy Surround ins adacent area is vacant. The site is not a part of prime or unique asricuitural lands as stated by the Soii Conservationist. See attached letter dated 9-03-92. Compliance With Executive Order 11900 Floodplain Manasement and Executive Order 11990 Protection of Wetianda. No portion of the 9.6 acre plant site has wetland characteristics. 2.3 acres of the plant site have been idented as an area of 100 year floodplain. The Flood insurance Rate Map (2/4/01) labels this area as Zr A-2 with base elevation determined to be 17 feet. A prenary notification of possible impact to a fioodplain was published in the site area. No comments were received from the public over a course of 30 days. The applicant will not construct, asitate or disturb the 2.3 acres of iand identified as floodplain. The pant site is are enoLit to accommodate all water plant treatment facilities without encroachins on the floodplain. The welifield site consistins of 34.5 acres, was inspectet by Soil Conservation Service, South Florida Water Manasement District and Fm-A. South Florida ater M.umt is responsible for permittins the we site. A remnant cypress wetland located on this site was inspected. This area received sheet Plow South from State Road 70. The remnant cypress wt aid is as low area surrounded by a ridse that would retain any runoff from the surroundins area. Over the past 10 years, the sheet flow has been interruptet by drainase improvements in multiple locations. Althoush the cypress trees are healthy and in soot condition, the understories have reverted completely to upland vesetation. Therefore, this area is not considered to be a functional wetland by the South Fiorida Water Manasement staff. Two additional wetiants apparent on the aerial photosraphy were also inspected on March 12, 1992. These areas are not considered to be functional wetiands and not located on the wPilfieid site. A poor quality functional wetland was located approximately 000 feet northwest from the wellfield site. Aithoush of poor quality, South Florida Water Manasement has mandated that this off site wetland must be protected from possible adverse impacts associated with welifield withdrawals. An aerial photosraph is provided locatins each site mentioned above. Compliance with wetland protection is discussed in Section SVIII Aiternatives (Mitisation). XI. Compliance With Coastai Darrier Resource At This project is not located within the Coastai Darrier Resource System, however, DER has siven a consistency statement 00-31-92. XII. State Environmental Policy Act The complex as proposed has been reviewed by the State Ciearinshouses and they are in concurrence with it. See letter dated 09-02-92. DER has determined the project is consistent with Coastal Zone Manasement 08-31-92. XIII. Consultation Requirements of Executive Order 123721, intersovernmental Review of Federal Prosrams See attached comments from the intersovernmental Coordinator indicatins proposed project will be in accord with State requirements. XIV. Environmental Analysis of Participatins Federal Asency Water systems wili have received the State Department of Environmental permits prior to construction. No Federal Environmental Analysis needed. XV. Reaction To Project 1 nesative pub reaction to project noted o•i' an environmental nature. XVI. Cumulative impacts This project should have very slisht traffic increase to the plant site. Only temporary noise increase durins construction will be present. Beneficial aspects will be the providins o: safe, decent we supply to the users in the area. XVII. Adverse Impacts No major detrimental impacts of lastins affects anticipated or expected. XVIII. Alternatives/Mitisation Measures Site selection was a comprehensive process that included weishins factors such as land availabty, cost of land, size of tract, zonins, access to in round distribution system, quality of raw water, iocation of aquifer and community reaction. Ali sites have advantases/disadvantases. The plant site consistins of 9.6 acres will be larse enoush to construct a properly sized facty without disturbins the 2.3 acres of floodplain located on the Southeast corner of the property. Ali parties including Farmers home Administration are that the nondisturbance of this area is the best and most appropriate mitisation measure. The welifield site will larsely be undisturbed except for the construction of a service road. As no wetlands are located on the 34•5 acre site, no measures are required to mitisate this site. However, the poorly functional wetland located Northwest of the weed site must be protected. South Florida Water Manasement District (SFWMD) responsible for permits to install the wells and operate same, has requested the potential owner, Okeechobee Deach Water Association, to submit information on the potential draw down of the water level which misht adversely impact the wetland. The pumpins of water surface recharse etc are a ben s considered by CFWMD in a computer model to determine any detrimental effects. Okeechobee Deach expects to submit this information by 1/20/93. SFWMD has 30 days to respond to the applicant. If the projected installation and water flow of the wells is determined to affect the offsite wetland, the followins mitisation measures would be acceptable: 2. Move applicable wells to another location OA site. Reduce pumpins of water to a restricted quantity. Locate alternative acceptable slte. South Florida Water Manasement District will not issue a well permit until al; mitisation measures have been accepted. It would be noted that no adverse impact has been identified, to date. Farmers Home Administration will abide by smD permit requirements. XIX. Consistency With FmHA Environmental rolicie= No known discrepancies. XXI. Environmental Determinations The followins recommendations shail be completed: Based on an examination and review of the fore nformation and such supplementai information attached hereto, I recommend that tne approvins official determine that this project will not have a sisnificant effect on the quality of the human environment. 2,. The project is in compliance with the followins: Clear Air Act Safe Drinkins li Act Section 142e 3. Endansered Species Act 4. Coastal Darrier Resource Act 5. Costal one Manasement Act Section 007(c) and J2 6. Aild and Scenic Rivers Act 7. National Historic Preservation Act O. Executive Order 11900, Floodplain MilAicLbt 9. Executive Order 11990, Protection Policy Act 10. 7armland Protection Policy Act 11. Departmental Resuiation 9500-3 Land Use Policy 12. State Office National Resource Manasement Guide 13. Archaeolosical and Historic Preservation Act 3. I have reviewed and considered the types and decrees of adverse environmental impacts identified by this assessment 1 have aiso analyzed the proposal for its consistency with FmEA environmental policies, particularly those related to important farmland protection, and have considered the potential benefits of the proposal. ased upon a consideration and balancins of these factors, I recommend from an environmental standpoint that the project be approved. Le"..“N.7.7V T T 3 a A r+r ....21L-1..-4.^1—$... L'AiL DATE Attachments: 1. Form FmhA 1940-20 Attachment to 1940-20 3. Letter From State Historian 4. Letter from State Plannins and Development Clearinshouse and Department of Environmental Resulation (DER) 5. Floodplain Map 6. Soil Survey Report from C.C.S. concern ins nonprime or unique farmland. 7. Letter from City Council express ins opinion of project. 0. U.S. Geolosicai Survey showins project area and site (15 min scale) Lard Use Map show ins location of schools, churches, shoppins, medical and other facilities as weli as project site. 10. Air Quality Data if available 11. Endansered Species Fish and Wildlife Service 12. Preliminary Ensineerins Report 13. Okeechobee County Comprehensive rian 15. Aerial Photosraphs 16. Letter South Florida Water Manasement District I have reviewed this environmental assessment and support ;n2 documentation. Follow r§ are my positions, resardins its adequacy and the recommendations reached §y the preparer. For any matter in which I do not concur, my reasons are attached. 2G &oT.CGR CONCUR Adequate Assessment Environmental Impact Determination Compliance Determinations Project Recommendation SIGNATURE OF STATE ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR Date