1	Environmental Early Data Collection US 24 West EA Technical Leadership Team February 9, 2005
2	Policy NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act FHWA role invokes federal environmental law EA to determine if significant impacts occur
3	Policy: EA Process Identify purpose and need Develop alternatives Evaluate impacts and mitigations Documentation Public involvement woven throughout
4	Overview 20+ environmental resources addressed in EA Natural environment Built and social environment
5	Overview Focus: possible alternative-shaping resources Preliminary data collected for select environmental resources
6	Overview Traffic and Accidents Floodplains Hazardous Waste Historic Properties Parks and Open Space Wildlife and Threatened/Endangered Species Environmental Justice
7	Traffic and Accidents Traffic volumes and accidents may shape the purpose and need
8	Traffic and Accidents Traffic Volumes City of Colorado Springs counts CDOT counts and AADTs Turning movements from City of Colorado Springs Gold Hill Mesa Traffic Study PPACG Model Volumes 2000 daily model volumes 2030 daily, AM, and PM model volumes
9	Traffic and Accidents Some gaps in existing traffic data US 24 accident data for Jan ‘00-Dec ‘02 Segments rated good, fair, or poor based on statewide accident rates
10	Traffic and Accidents
11	Floodplains Floodplains may affect alternative structures, alignments or stormwater facilities
12	Floodplains Most of US 24 within 100-year floodplain Flooding has occurred in project area 1999 and 2000 flooding in Manitou Springs and at 21^st Street/US 24
13	Floodplains
14	Floodplains Current studies may redefine floodplain limits 100-year limits likely to widen Conveyance capacity reduced over time Floodplain encroachment serious local/regional concern
15	Hazardous Waste Hazardous waste sites may affect alignments because of ROW limits or remediation constraints
16	Hazardous Waste 118 sites of potential concern within 1,000 feet of US 24 Types of sites vary in corridor On Record/Contaminated/Remediated Active/Closed Sites of greatest concern are those which are Contaminated and Active
17	Hazardous Waste
18	Hazardous Waste 7 sites implementing corrective action plans 6 gas stations Chief Petroleum Bulk Plant All sites less than ¼-mile from US 24 and near Fountain Creek
19	Hazardous Waste Gold Hill Mesa Former gold extraction facility Redeveloping for residential use
20	Historic Properties Historic properties may affect location of improvements or ROW acquisition
21	Historic Properties Includes buildings, structures, archaeological sites and traditional cultural properties Historic properties are eligible or listed on the NRHP because they Are associated with important historical events Are associated with lives of persons important to history Represent significant architecture/engineering style Have or may yield important historical information
22	Historic Properties Properties within 1,000 feet of US 24 2 listed on the NRHP 8 field-assessed as eligible for the NRHP 2 field-assessed as contributing to a Historic District Listed, eligible and contributing properties all protected
23	Historic Properties Two NRHP-listed Historic Districts intersect project limits Manitou Springs Historic District generally encompasses all of Manitou Springs Old Colorado City Historic Commercial District along Colorado Ave from 24^th to 26^th Street
24	Historic Properties
25	Historic Properties Adverse effects include ROW acquisition and altering historic environment Adverse effects influence alternatives design Adverse effects require MOA with SHPO and Section 4(f) Evaluation
26	Parks and Open Space Parks and open space generate traffic and require access, and may affect location of improvements or ROW acquisition
27	Parks and Open Space
28	Wildlife Wildlife may affect how structures or barriers are designed to prevent entry onto roadways Action can not “harm” federal or state T&E species
29	Wildlife FWS lists 13 T&E species in El Paso County Preble’s jumping mouse, Arkansas darter, and bald eagles may be present in project area
30	Wildlife Large open space, park, and forest areas south of US 24 in El Paso County No CNHP habitat in study area Degraded condition of Fountain Creek limits habitat and wildlife values in project area
31	Wildlife
32	Environmental Justice Low-income and minority populations must not be disproportionately adversely affected
33	Environmental Justice No minority or low-income populations identified at Census Block Group level Isolated neighborhoods may exist
34	Summary