Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project 

Environmental Assessment (EA)

and

Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation

February 2020
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 Table of Contents 

Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... ES-1 

ES.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. ES-1

ES.2 Purpose and Need..................................................................................................................... ES-1

ES.3 Project Alternatives .................................................................................................................. ES-2

ES.4 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ....................................................... ES-4

Chapter 1: Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................. 1-1

1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1-1

1.2 Project Location ......................................................................................................................... 1-1

1.3 Project Purpose and Need .......................................................................................................... 1-2

1.4 Planning Context ........................................................................................................................ 1-3

1.5 Existing Operations and Site Constraints ................................................................................... 1-7

1.6 Applicable Permits, Regulations and Approvals ....................................................................... 1-8 

Chapter 2: Alternatives ....................................................................................................................... 2-1

2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2-1

2.2 Alternatives Development .......................................................................................................... 2-1

2.3 Alternatives Screening ............................................................................................................... 2-2

2.4 New Alignment Alternative – Alignment Options .................................................................... 2-4

2.5 Alignment Options Screening .................................................................................................... 2-9

2.6 Preferred Alternative ................................................................................................................ 2-11

2.7 Bridge Span Design ................................................................................................................. 2-12

2.8 Project Phasing, Schedule, and Cost ........................................................................................ 2-12

2.9 Construction Considerations .................................................................................................... 2-13 

Chapter 3: Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........................................... 3-1

Transportation ............................................................................................................................ 3-1

Land Use .................................................................................................................................... 3-3

Zoning and Public Policy ........................................................................................................... 3-5

Socioeconomic Conditions and Environmental Justice ............................................................. 3-7
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Visual and Aesthetic Resources ................................................................................................. 3-8 

Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................... 3-10 

Floodplains and Riparian Zones .............................................................................................. 3-16 

Coastal Zones ........................................................................................................................... 3-19 

Wetlands, Open Water, and Water Quality .............................................................................. 3-20 

Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................................ 3-23 

Air Quality ............................................................................................................................... 3-24 

Noise and Vibration ................................................................................................................. 3-28 

Contaminated and Hazardous Materials .................................................................................. 3-29 

Public Health and Safety .......................................................................................................... 3-35 

Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources ........................................................ 3-36 

Chapter 4: Indirect and Cumulative Effects ..................................................................................... 4-1 

4.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ........................................................................................ 4-1 

4.2 Indirect Effects ............................................................................................................................ 4-1 

4.3 Cumulative Effects ...................................................................................................................... 4-2 

Chapter 5: Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation ........................................................................................... 5-1 

5.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ......................................................................................... 5-1 

5.2 Section 4(f) Properties ................................................................................................................. 5-1 

5.3 Section 4(f) Use ........................................................................................................................... 5-2 

5.4 Avoidance Alternatives ................................................................................................................ 5-2 

5.5 Measures to Minimize Harm ........................................................................................................ 5-4 

5.6 Coordination ................................................................................................................................ 5-4 

Chapter 6: Environmental Commitments ......................................................................................... 6-1

6.1 Cultural Resources ...................................................................................................................... 6-1 

6.2 Wetlands, Open Water, and Water Quality .................................................................................. 6-1 

6.3 Threatened & Endangered Species ............................................................................................. 6-2 

6.4 Noise & Vibration ....................................................................................................................... 6-2 

6.5 Contaminated & Hazardous Materials ....................................................................................... 6-2 

6.6 Utilities ......................................................................................................................................... 6-3 

6.7 Public Health and Safety .............................................................................................................. 6-3 
February 2020 | TOC-6 

 List of Appendices

Appendix 1: Cultural and Historic Resources 

Appendix 2: Wetlands and Natural Resources 

Appendix 3: Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Materials

Appendix 4: Public and Agency Coordination 
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 List of Figures 

Chapter 1 

Figure 1-1: Project Context 

Figure 1-2: Existing Rail Tracks and Operators 

Figure 1-3A: Proposed Project Site

Figures 1-3B – 1-3E: Site Photographs 

Figure 1-4: Proposed Project Site 

Figure 1-5: NEC Infrastructure 

Figure 1-6: Staggered Viaducts on the Existing Sawtooth Bridges 

Chapter 2 

Figure 2-1: Existing Operational Conditions 

Figure 2-2: Existing NEC Track/Structure Configuration 

Figure 2-3: Schematic Representation of New Alignment Alternative Options 

Figure 2-4: New Alignment Alternative – Option 1 

Figure 2-5: New Alignment Alternative – Option 2 

Figure 2-6: New Alignment Alternative – Option 2A 

Figure 2-7: New Alignment Alternative – Option 3 

Chapter 3 

Figure 3-1: Existing Land Use 

Figure 3-2: Right-of-Way Requirements 

Figure 3-3: Existing Zoning 

Figure 3-4: Population Density 

Figure 3-5: Cultural Resources 

Figure 3-6A: Effective Flood Map 

Figure 3-6B: Preliminary Flood Map

Figure 3-7: Waterbodies Adjacent to Sawtooth Bridges 

Figure 3-8: Regulatory Wetland Map

Figure 3-9: Wetland Field Verification

Figure 3-10A: NJDEP Habitat Assessment for Threatened/Endangered Species and Species of Special 

Concern 

Figure 3-10B: NJDEP Habitat Assessment for Avian Threatened/Endangered Species and Avian Species 

of Special Concern 

Figure 3-11: Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Materials Potential Sites of Concern 

Figure 3-12: Soils and Farmland
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 List of Tables 

Executive Summary 

Table ES-1: Summary of Environmental Effects 

Chapter 1 

Table 1-1: Existing Weekday Train Volumes Across the Sawtooth Bridges 

Table 1-2: Potentially Applicable Permits, Regulations, and Approvals 

Chapter 2 

Table 2-1: Alternative Screening & Project Goals

Table 2-2: Comparison of Alignment Options

Chapter 3 

Table 3-1: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) 

Table 3-2: Representative Monitored Ambient Air Quality Data 

Table 3-3: Potential Sites of Concern
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 List of Acronyms and Terms 

AAI All Appropriate Inquiries

ACHP

ACM

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Asbestos Containing Materials

Amtrak National Railroad Passenger Corporation

APE Area of Potential Effect

AQCR Air Quality Control Region

ARRCS Administrative Requirement for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites

CAA Clean Air Act

CAFRA Coastal Area Facility Review Act

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

CERCLIS

CEQ

CERCLA Information System

Council on Environmental Quality 

CFR

CIG

Code of Federal Regulations

Capital Investment Grant

CO Carbon Monoxide

Conrail Consolidated Rail Corporation

CPP Construction Protection Plan

CWA Clean Water Act

CZM Coastal Zone Management

CZMA Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1973

DC District of Columbia

DL&W Delaware Lackawanna & Western Railroad

DPM Diesel Particulate Matter

EA Environmental Assessment

EFH Essential Fish Habitat

EIS Environmental Impact Statement

ESA Endangered Species Act

Essex Freeway Interstate 280

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map

FR Federal Register

FRA Federal Railroad Administration

FRA Environmental 

Procedures

FRA Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts

FTA Federal Transit Administration

FWCA Federal Wildlife Conservation Act

GIS Geographic Information Systems

HAER Historic American Engineering Record

HAP Hazardous Air Pollutant

IPaC Information for Planning and Conservation

Kearny Plan Kearny Area Redevelopment Plan

LBP Lead-Based Paint
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LCTG Linear Construction Technical Guidance

LIRR Long Island Rail Road

LQG Large Quantity Generator

LSRP Licensed Site Remediation Professional

Master Plan Town of Harrison Master Plan

MHW Mean High Water

μg/m3 Micrograms per cubic meter

MMC Meadowlands Maintenance Complex

MOA Memorandum of Agreement

MP Mile Post

mph Miles per Hour

MSAT Mobile Source Air Toxics

MSLA Municipal Sanitary Landfall Authority

MTA Metropolitan Transportation Authority

NAA Non-Attainment Area

NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards

NAVD88 North American Vertical Datum of 1988

NEC Northeast Corridor

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

New Jersey Turnpike Interstate 95

NHP Natural Heritage Program

NHPA National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

NJ TRANSIT New Jersey Transit Corporation

NJAC New Jersey Administrative Code

NJDEP New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

NJHPO New Jersey Historic Preservation Office

NJMC New Jersey Meadowlands Commission

NJSEA New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority

NJSM New Jersey State Museum

NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service

NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide

Nox Nitrogen Oxides

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

NPL National Priorities List

NRHP National Register of Historic Places

NWI National Wetland Inventory

O3 Ozone

OCS Overhead Contact System

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PATH Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation

PCB Polychlorinated biphenyls

Phase 1A Phase 1A Archaeological Documentary Study

Phase I ESA Phase I Environmental Site Assessment

PANYNJ Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

ppm Parts per million

PM2.5 Fine respirable particulate matter (diameter 2.5 micrometers and smaller)

PM10 Respirable particulate matter (diameter 10 micrometers and smaller)
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Proposed Project Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project

PSE&G Public Service Electric & Gas Company

PTC Positive Train Control

RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Red Bridge NJ Transit Br. 0.35

ROD Record of Decision

ROW Right-of-way

RTC Rail Traffic Controller

SHPO State Historic Preservation Office

Sawtooth Bridges Amtrak Bridges 7.80 and 7.96

SO2 Sulfur Dioxide

SOI Secretary of the Interior

SIP State Implementation Plan

SRRA Site Remediation Reform Act

SVOC Semi-volatile Organic Compounds

Technical Rules Technical Requirements for Site Remediation

TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act

TSP Total Suspended Particulate Matter

USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

USC U.S. Code

USDOI U.S. Department of the Interior

USDOT U.S. Department of Transportation

USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

VOC Volatile Organic Compound

WTC World Trade Center