[font=font36821]DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Development[/font]
[font=font36821]TOWN OF SEARSPORT: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY:[/font] USDA, Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
[font=font36821]ACTION:[/font] Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.
[font=font36821]SUMMARY:[/font] The USDA, RUS has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to the Town of Searsport (Town) for the construction of upgrades to their existing wastewater collection system pumping stations and treatment facility in Waldo County, Maine.
[font=font36821]FURTHER INFORMATION:[/font] To obtain copies of the EA and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Darrin Dyer, Area Loan Specialist, USDA Rural Development, 1423 Broadway, Suite 3, Bangor, ME 04401-2468, (207) 990-3676, [u]darrin.dyer@usda.gov[/u]. The EA and FONSI are also available for public review at the Searsport Town Office, 1 Union Street, Searsport, ME 04974.
[font=font36821]SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:[/font] The proposed Project consists of performing minor modifications at eight raw wastewater pumping stations as well as replacing aging infrastructure and performing upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) to improve the quality of its treated effluent discharge. Alternatives considered by the USDA, RUS and the Town include: No action; pumping all raw wastewater flow to Belfast for treatment; consideration of conventional activated sludge versus sequencing batch reactor biological treatment; and consideration of ultraviolet disinfection versus chlorine disinfection. The alternatives are discussed in the Searsport Wastewater Treatment Facility & Collection System EA. The USDA, RUS has reviewed and approved the EA for the proposed Project.
The availability of the EA for public review was announced via notice in the following newspaper: Bangor Daily News on August 15, 16 and 17, 2019. A 14-day comment period was announced in the newspaper notice. The EA was also available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office and website as well as the Town's offices. No comments were received during this time.
Based on its EA, commitments made by the Town, and public comments received, RUS has concluded that the Project would have no significant impact (or no impacts) to water quality, wetlands, land use, aesthetics, transportation, or human health and safety.
The Town intends to seek financial assistance from USDA, RUS for their wastewater system improvements. The proposed action consists of upgrades to eight pumping stations and the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
RUS has assessed the environmental impacts of this proposal and determined that the location of a new standby generator at one of the pumping stations will convert or affect a floodplain or critical action floodplain. In accordance with Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management and USDA Departmental Regulation 9500-3, Land Use Policy, the Agency is notifying the interested public of this land conversion. It has been determined that there is no practicable alternative to avoiding this conversion or effect and that there is a significant need for the proposal.
The basis of this determination is the necessity of adding a standby generator at this pumping station, which is critically located within the collection system and regularly experiences high flows during rain events when the primary power source is most likely to be lost. The entire pump station parcel is located within the floodplain and no reasonable alternative location exists for the generator. No comments were received from the public.
Other federal agencies involved in this proposal are: DEP.
For information regarding this notice, contact RUS at the address provided.
The proposed Project will have no adverse effect on resources listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Agency has also concluded that the proposed Project is not likely to affect federally listed threatened and endangered species or designated critical habitat thereof. The proposed Project would not disproportionately affect minority and/or low-income populations.
No other potential significant impacts resulting from the proposed Project have been identified. Therefore, RUS has determined that this FONSI fulfills its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR §§ 1500-1508), and USDA Rural Development's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1970) for its action related to the Project.
RUS is satisfied that the environmental impacts of the proposed Project have been adequately addressed. USDA, RUS federal action would not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human environment, and as such it will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for its action related to the proposed Project.
Dated: September 6, 2019