FINDING OF No SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW OFFICE BUILDING, CHILD-CARE FACILITY, PARKING GARAGE,

AND STORM- WATER RETENTION POND

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact (FaNS I)

SUMMARY: The DOE has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), DOE/EA-1444, to

analyze the potential environmental consequences of a major facilities construction effort at the

Morgantown, West Virginia, campus of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

Within the existing NETL site, the DOE would construct a new 3-story office building with

48,000 ft2 of usable office space, sufficient to accommodate approximately 135 employees.

Existing parking space lost to the proposed new office building would be replaced by construction

of a 3-level parking garage plus the addition of one or more new paved parking areas. Several

old trailer buildings on the existing NETL site would be retired and removed from the site. The

DOE would also purchase five (5) acres of land adjoining the existing NETL site and would

construct upon this land a new 9,200 ft2, 1.5- to 2-story building to provide child-care for a

maximum of 142 children. Two residential dwellings on the acquired property would be removed

to accommodate the new child-care facility. Within the low-lying part of this land, the DOE

would construct a stormwater retention pond. Additionally, the NETL is considering the

possibility of moving its employee credit union to the 5-acre parcel.

Based on the analysis in the EA, the DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major

Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of

the National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A) of 1969,42 United States Code 4321 et seq.

Therefore, preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not required, and DOE is issuing

this FONSI.

COPIES OF THE EA ARE AVAILABLE FROM:

Mr. Mark L. McKoy

National Energy Technology Laboratory

U.S. Department of Energy

P.O. Box 880

Morgantown, West Virginia 26507-0880

(304) 285-4426

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE DOE NEP A PROCESS, CONTACT:

Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director

Office ofNEP A Policy and Compliance

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue, S. W.

Washington, D.C. 20585

(202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756

1
FINDING OF No SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW OFFICE BUILDING, CHILD-CARE FACILITY, PARKING GARAGE,

AND STORM- WATER RETENTION POND

BACKGROUND: As part of its mission, the DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory

(NETL) provides science, technology, and policy options to resolve environmental, supply, and

reliability issues associated with the use of fossil energy. Consistent with this mission and in

partnership with stakeholders, the NETL supports efforts by industry to increase energy

efficiency, minimize wastes, reduce environmental impacts, and increase the availability of

domestic energy supplies through productivity and operational enhancements.

Primarily, the new permanent office space will replace existing substandard office space.

Currently, seven old trailer buildings lJouse approximately 108 site-support contractor employees,

including many scientists and engineers. These buildings have served their useful life span and

present increasing safety and maintenance concerns. In addition to these larger trailer buildings,

which provide office space, several small trailer buildings serve various functions. The NETL

desires to retire most of the remaining trailer buildings from service and remove them from the

site. New office space will be needed for the displaced employees.

Likewise, the proposed new child-care facility would replace the existing child-care facility.

Currently, the children are housed in an old trailer building, which suffers from the same

maintenance concerns as the other trailer buildings. The NETL proposes to retire this trailer

building from service and remove it from the site. The present location of the child-care facility

would be converted into much needed visitor parking near NETL' s main conference center.

Each trailer building consists of one to eight trailers joined together with a metal skirt around the

base. These trailer buildings were installed during a period of growth during the 1970s and were

intended to temporarily solve a shortage of office space until permanent office buildings could be

built. Aging mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems inside these trailers require constant

maintenance, and these trailer buildings perform far below current energy efficiency standards

because of minimal insulation in the walls, roofs, floors, and windows. The trailer buildings are

reaching the end of their cost-effective and reasonable life.

To provide further increases in physical security for the laboratory complex and to increase the

safety of people utilizing the child-care facility and the credit union, the NETL proposes to move

the child-care and credit union facilities to lower risk areas, separate from the main employee

access areas and parking areas. However, the nearby proximity of the proposed locations would

provide the current level of convenience to employees who use these facilities.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION: The DOE proposes to eliminate several existing trailer

buildings at the Morgantown campus of the NETL and to replace them through the construction

of new facilities. First, the DOE proposes to construct a new 3-story office building with 48,000

ft2 of net useable floor space, which could accommodate approximately 135 employees. The

building would be located within the existing main employee parking lot, near Collins Ferry

Road. In addition to housing administrative areas, the building would accommodate laboratory

visitors, provide general office space for the Computational Energy Sciences focus area, and

showcase the NETL's work products and environmental awareness. To replace the lost parking

space, a parking garage would be built behind (east of) the proposed new building. The parking

2
FINDING OF No SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW OFFICE BUILDING, CHILD-CARE FACILITY, PARKING GARAGE,

AND STORM-WATER RETENTION POND

garage would have three levels and would occupy part of a valley on the north and eastern side of

the existing North Parking Lot.

Second, the DOE proposes to purchase 5 acres of land adjoining the northwestern border of the

developed site and to construct a child-care facility on this land, outside the main security fence

for the laboratory. The land may also provide space for a stonn water retention pond with

potential geothennal heating, ventilation, and air conditioning applications for the new buildings.

The child-care facility would consist of a 1.5 story or a 2-story 9,200 ft2 building, an adjoining

10,000 ft2 playground, and a 16,000 ~ parking area and driveway for drop-off and pick-up of

children. The entrance to the parking area would connect directly with Collins Ferry Road,

separate from the NETL laboratory facility. The new facility would potentially accommodate 142

children, ages 6 weeks to 12 years (including the "After-School Program"). The entire facility,

bounded by a security fence, would occupy 37,000 ft2. The employee credit union may be moved

into a part of the child-care building or located elsewhere on the 5-acre parcel. The current childcare facility would be replaced with 5000 ft2 to 9000 ft2 of additional parking space.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES: The Environmental Assessment identified that the most

notable changes to result from the proposed actions would occur in the following areas: aesthetics

and land use, wetlands, wildlife habitat, vehicular traffic, cumulative effects, and constructionrelated impacts resulting from traffic, equipment emissions, fugitive dust, noise, and surface water

runoff. No significant adverse impacts or environmental concerns were identified from analyzing

the planned construction and operation of the proposed facilities.

Aesthetics and Land Use: Residential land and some cropland/pasture land on the proposed 5-

acre parcel would be converted into commercial use as a child-care facility. A small section of

stream valley, 200 to 300 feet in length, would be converted into a pond. There would be no

impacts on parks, recreation areas, contiguous residential neighborhoods, or scenic viewsheds.

Wetlands: Five palustrine emergent wetlands have been identified and delineated within the zone

of possible direct construction impacts. In lay tenns, four of the five wetlands would be described

as seeps, and one would be described as a stream fill upstream of an obstruction to stream flow.

These 5 wetlands comprise 0.08 acres. All wetlands received a high rating for groundwater

discharge. Three wetlands received a high rating for promoting wildlife diversity and abundance.

One wetland received a high rating for toxicant retention. The proposed stonn-water retention

pond may provide an opportunity to compensate for the loss of natural wetlands, so wetlands

creation would be considered during the design stage. Additionally, the NETL would consider

other wetland construction and enhancement projects located further downstream as additional

compensation for the loss of the five natural wetlands. The NETL would follow the pennitting

requirements of the State of West Virginia and the appropriate Federal regulatory agencies.

Wildlife Habitat: The 5-acre parcel proposed for purchase would contain the entire wildlife

habitat that would be affected. Approximately one-third of the 5 acres is covered by deciduous

forest. Several large trees (American beech, yellow poplar and oak) exist along a steep-sided

gully within the forest area. At least some of these trees would be removed when the central

section of the 1.5-acre forest would be cleared for the proposed stonn-water retention pond. Most

3

...~ ,..., ,.\"
FINDING OF No SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW OFFICE BUILDING, CHILD-CARE FACILITY, PARKING GARAGE,

AND STORM-WATER RETENTION POND

of the forest area would remain intact. Another one-third of the 5-acre parcel contains an

abandoned field that now harbors shrubs, young trees, and grasses. At least part, if not all, of this

meadow area would be converted into a playground, lawn, or other use to serve the proposed

child-care facility. The remaining portion of the 5-acre parcel presently contains 2 houses (1 is

abandoned), a garage, and lawns. Nesting and foraging habitat for birds and rodents on the 5-acre

parcel would be disturbed and partially eliminated. Larger mammals, such as deer, could be

displaced and would suffer from noise and vibration during the construction period. There are no

threatened or endangered species or their critical habitats within the vicinity of the proposed

activities. Other activities on the existing NETL site would not disturb wildlife habitat.

Vehicular Traffic: The local roads and streets near the proposed projects would experience an

increase in traffic during construction. This increase would be of short duration, occurring when

construction workers, material deliveries, and equipment arrive and depart from the site.

Construction activities would not obstruct Collins Ferry Road, other than to make connections to

utilities. Upon completion of the construction work, traffic loads would return to the current

state.

Secondary Development & Cumulative Effects: Recently, the Collins Ferry Road corridor has

experienced a spurt of commercial growth. The proposed projects would add to that growth and

may encourage other commercial developments. However, it is likely that future commercial

developments would occur in this area regardless of the NETL's activities. In the context of

Morgantown or Monongalia County, the secondary impacts would be negligible. Furthermore,

these projects would not significantly add to cumulative impacts, either in terms of the DOE's

impacts on the environment within the United States or in terms of the NETL's effects on the local

environment. In fact, one of the prime goals of these projects is to reduce the NETL's energy

(electricity and/or natural gas) consumption for heating, air conditioning, and lighting.

Construction-Related Impacts: Construction of the proposed projects would have both negative

and positive impacts. The negative impacts would be tyPical construction noise, dust, and traffic.

The positive impacts would be construction jobs and local sales of construction materials and

support services. These temporary conditions would end when the construction ceases. Air

quality would be temporarily impacted by equipment engine emissions, by dust from excavation

work and construction activities, and by smoke from burning cleared vegetation. Noise and

vibrations would arise from earth-moving work, pile driving, heavy equipment movement, and

various construction activities. Operable mufflers would be required on all heavy equipment

engines. To minimize burning, preference would be given to selling, chipping, or shredding

wood and allowing natural decay of other woody materials.

Surface Water Runoff Erosion of soil and increased surface water runoff would be controlled

according to an Erosion & Sedimentation Control Plan and a Storm-Water Control Plan. As

appropriate, runoff, erosion, and sedimentation would be controlled with seeding, mulching, siltfencing, and sedimentation ponds. A storm-water discharge permit would be required. Unpaved

work roads would be gravel armored. The length of time that unprotected soil would be exposed

would be limited according to terms specified in the construction contracts.

4
FINDING OF No SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW OFFICE BUILDING, CHILD-CARE FACILITY, PARKING GARAGE,

AND STORM- WATER RETENTION POND

ALTERNATIVE CONSIDERED: In addition to the proposed action, the DOE has considered the NoAction Alternative, whereby the NETL would continue to use trailer buildings and leased office

space. Continued usage of the trailers would require that the DOE extensively renovate the

trailers, achieving only part of the NETL's goals. Currently underutilized buildings on site are

being renovated for future usage. The DOE reviewed the possibilities for additional leasing of

off-site office space or the purchase of existing off-site office space. The DOE did not find

suitable off-site office space available for purchase. Primarily for reasons of work efficiency and

long-term cost control, the DOE prefers to build on-site rather than to lease off-site office space.

Off-site options for the child-care facility were not extensively considered because employee

convenience is the essence of this emp_loyee benefit.

PuBLIC AVAILABILITY: The Draft EA was presented during a Community Interest Group

meeting and was made available to the public for review and comment. The Draft EA was also

posted on the NETL website. Copies were made available for review at the Morgantown Public

Library in Morgantown, West Virginia, and at the Morgantown campus of the NETL. Public

Notices announcing availability of the Draft EA were published in The Dominion Post, which is

the principal newspaper serving Morgantown, West Virginia. The only comments and responses

to the Draft EA were provided by attendees at a Community Interest Group meeting. The

primary concern over adverse impacts was the short-term increase in construction-related traffic.

These concerns were discussed, and the NETL's plans to minimize traffic impacts were clearly

presented during the meeting. No adverse comments objecting to the proposed action or the

environmental analysis were received.

DETERMINATION: Based on the information and analyses in the EA, the DOE has determined

that the proposed Federal action, to purchase 5 acres of land and to construct several new

facilities, does not constitute a major Federal action that would significantly affect the quality of

the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act.

Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required, and the DOE is issuing this

FONSI.

Issued in Morgantown, West Virginia, this Lb day of September 2002.

~ A .rfJro»-"-

Rita A. Bajura

Director

National Energy Technology Laboratory

5