Wetland Mitigation, Volume 2, A Guidebook for Airports (2019)

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A I R P O R T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 198 2019 Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration Subscriber Categories Aviation • Environment Wetland Mitigation Volume 2: A Guidebook for Airports The SmarT aSSociaTeS, environmenTal conSulTanTS, inc. Concord, NH mead & hunT, inc. Middleton, WI environmenTal reSource SoluTionS Jacksonville, FL

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in trans- portation of people and goods and in regional, national, and interna- tional commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study spon- sored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agen- cies and not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. ACRP is modeled after the successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). ACRP undertakes research and other technical activi- ties in various airport subject areas, including design, construction, legal, maintenance, operations, safety, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. ACRP provides a forum where airport operators can cooperatively address common operational problems. ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100— Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Associa- tion of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) as vital links to the airport community; (2) TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academy of Sciences formally initiating the program. ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research organi- zations. Each of these participants has different interests and responsibili- ties, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort. Research problem statements for ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport professionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing coop- erative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended users of the research: airport operating agencies, service pro- viders, and academic institutions. ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties; industry associations may arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, webinars, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport industry practitioners. ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 198 Project 02-70 ISSN 2572-3731 (Print) ISSN 2572-374X (Online) ISBN 978-0-309-48034-5 Library of Congress Control Number 201940010 © 2019 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FMCSA, FRA, FTA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, PHMSA, or TDC endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. Published research reports of the AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to http://www.national-academies.org and then searching for TRB Printed in the United States of America

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president. The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.national-academies.org. The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to increase the benefits that transportation contributes to society by providing leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Board’s varied committees, task forces, and panels annually engage about 7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research reported herein was performed under ACRP Project 02-70 by The Smart Associates, Envi- ronmental Consultants, Inc. (The Smart Associates) in association with Mead & Hunt, Inc. (M&H) and Environmental Resource Solutions (ERS). Glenn Smart, P.G., Vice President and Senior Environmental Scientist for The Smart Associates was the Principal Investigator. Contributing Authors for this report include Melissa Smart, President and Senior Environmental Scientist with The Smart Associates; James Fougere, CWS, Senior Wetland Scientist and Wildlife Biologist with The Smart Associates; Jennifer Riordan, CWS, CFESC, and Senior Wetland Scientist of The Smart Associates; Laura Morland, P.E. with M&H; Louis Bridges, PhD, PWS, and Senior Environmental Professional with M&H; Perry Rossa, P.H., PWS, and Environmental Scientist with M&H; Lisa Harmon, Environmental Planner with M&H; Sondra Retzlaff, Technical Editor with M&H; Kim Allerton, President and Senior Environmental Scientist with ERS; and Amy Reed, Qualified Airport Wildlife Biologist with ERS. CRP STAFF FOR ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 198 Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Lori L. Sundstrom, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Marci A. Greenberger, Acting Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program Lawrence D. Goldstein, Senior Program Officer Anthony P. Avery, Senior Program Assistant Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications Natalie Barnes, Associate Director of Publications Scott E. Hitchcock, Senior Editor ACRP PROJECT 02-70 PANEL Field of Environment Janet Kieler, Denver International Airport, Denver, CO (Chair) Niranjan Desai, Oklahoma City, OK Kristine Lloyd, HDR Inc., Dallas, TX Thomas D. Long, Kent State University, Kent, OH Lisa A. Standley, Needham, MA Sharon M. Stone, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, St. Louis, MO Michael Lamprecht, FAA Liaison John Weller, FAA Liaison

ACRP Research Report 198, Volume 2, is a Guidebook on how to mitigate potential impacts to wetlands from airport construction, expansion, and safety improvements. It addresses a broad range of issues, including: • Concerns over the creation of potential wildlife hazards; • Existing requirements, which may or may not be conflicting; • Impact to existing and future airport development; • Airport considerations of cost and logistics in developing mitigation and related life-cycle obligations; and • Environmental benefits. This Guidebook will directly benefit both airport planners and operators as well as appropriate federal and state agencies in understanding and implementing effective forms of wetland mitigation. Airport improvements often result in the unavoidable loss of wetlands, as many airports are located in or adjacent to wetlands. In addition, the size and scale of airports and support- ing infrastructure is extensive, which has made it difficult to completely avoid impacting wetlands. Concerns about the potential ongoing loss of wetlands and other water resources throughout the United States led to the enactment of numerous federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and executive orders that seek to avoid or minimize adverse impacts and provide compensation for unavoidable losses. For example, the Clean Water Act in 1972 led to the regulation of impacts on wetland resources; and Executive Order 11990, issued in 1977, required federal agencies to avoid and minimize wetland impacts where possible; and in 1989, to compensate for the potential loss of wetland resources, the United States government established a “no net loss” policy (Army-EPA Memorandum of Agreement on Mitigation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act). As a result, airport operations have faced regulatory constraints when proposing facility improvements, responding to wetlands mitigation requirements as well as wildlife management challenges associated with the presence of hazardous wildlife attracted by wetlands in the vicinity of aircraft movement areas. To help airport owners, planners, and operators understand and implement these regulations, the research team, led by The Smart Associates, Environmental Consultants, Inc.; with assistance from Mead & Hunt, Inc.; and Environmental Resource Solutions, reviewed legislation and regulations, documented practices, and identified wetland mitigation strategies considered to be successful. The resulting Guidebook defines types of jurisdictional F O R E W O R D By Lawrence D. Goldstein Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

wetlands and methods and procedures to balance both aviation concerns and environmental objectives. The Guidebook describes the complex regulatory environment associated with wetlands and points users to available resources that aid in the understanding of complex regulations and implementing environmental regulations and guidance. The Guidebook also identifies the planning strategies available for mitigating wetland impacts in a manner that is compatible with aircraft operations. The Guidebook closes with examples of success- ful mitigation projects completed at six airports nationwide. Each example offers airport operators insight for addressing future wetland mitigation projects. The Guidebook is accompanied by a separate Executive Summary and a PowerPoint Presentation suitable for explaining the process and requirements to decision makers and broader airport constituents. These additional documents, as well as several supplemental appendices, are available for download on the TRB website (TRB.org) by searching for “ACRP Research Report 198.”

1 Summary 5 Chapter 1 Introduction 5 1.1 Airport Development, Wetlands, and Compensatory Mitigation 8 1.2 ACRP Research Goals 8 1.3 Guidebook Contents 10 Chapter 2 Regulatory Issues 10 2.1 Introduction 10 2.2 Federal Regulations 22 2.3 State Regulations 30 2.4 Other Stakeholders 31 2.5 Summary 33 Chapter 3 Wetland Identification and Impacts 33 3.1 Introduction—What Is a Wetland? 34 3.2 Wetland Impacts 35 3.3 Wetland Types—Cowardin Classification System 36 3.4 Marine System 36 3.5 Estuarine System 37 3.6 Riverine System 37 3.7 Lacustrine System 39 3.8 Palustrine System 42 3.9 Unique and/or Vulnerable Communities 44 3.10 Other Resources 45 3.11 Summary 46 Chapter 4 Mitigation Types 46 4.1 Introduction 46 4.2 Wetland Functional Assessment 48 4.3 Wetland Mitigation Options 50 4.4 Wetland Mitigation Methods 50 4.5 Mitigation Credit Generation 51 4.6 Summary 52 Chapter 5 Constraints 52 5.1 Introduction 52 5.2 Hazardous Wildlife Attractants 54 5.3 Threatened or Endangered Species (Listed Species) 56 5.4 Invasive Species 56 5.5 Historical or Archaeological Resources 57 5.6 Hazardous Materials and Contamination C O N T E N T S

58 5.7 Property and Easement Acquisition 58 5.8 Obstructions to Air Navigation 59 5.9 Summary 60 Chapter 6 Engineering and Design Issues 60 6.1 Introduction 61 6.2 Mitigation Within Separation Distances (On-site) 61 6.3 Off-site Mitigation or Mitigation Outside Separation Distances 63 6.4 Site Selection and Real Estate Acquisition 65 6.5 Preliminary Design 66 6.6 Final Design 67 6.7 Construction 67 6.8 Monitoring 67 6.9 Summary 68 Chapter 7 Costs and Funding 68 7.1 Introduction 68 7.2 Permitting 69 7.3 Mitigation Type 72 7.4 Funding Sources 72 7.5 Summary 73 Chapter 8 Public Outreach and Stakeholder Involvement 73 8.1 Introduction 73 8.2 Regulatory Background: NEPA 75 8.3 Early Stakeholder Outreach 77 8.4 Identifying Stakeholders 77 8.5 Engaging Stakeholders 80 8.6 Benefits of Stakeholder Involvement 82 8.7 Many Stakeholders, Many Goals 82 8.8 Summary 83 Chapter 9 Case Studies 83 9.1 Introduction: Case Study Approach 84 9.2 Case Study #1: Cecil Airport—Master Plan Development and Mitigation 90 9.3 Case Study #2: La Crosse Regional Airport—Taxiway F Relocation Project 96 9.4 Case Study #3: Manchester-Boston Regional Airport—Runway 24 Safety Area Improvement Project 101 9.5 Case Study #4: Nut Tree Airport Obstruction Removal—Agency Collaboration to Support Project-Level Mitigation and Regional Riparian Restoration (2013 to 2016) 105 9.6 Case Study #5: Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport—Runway Realignment Program to Comply with FAA Design Standards, Meet Runway Length Requirements, and Improve All-Weather Reliability 110 9.7 Case Study #6: Denver International Airport—Wetland Mitigation Compliance 116 Bibliography 121 Acronyms and Abbreviations

A-1 Appendix A PowerPoint Presentation B-1 Appendix B Regulatory Agency Contacts C-1 Appendix C Summary of Information Request Responses D-1 Appendix D Cowardin Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats Classification E-1 Appendix E Current State-of-the-Art and Additional Research Requirements (Task 8) Note: Photographs, figures, and tables in this report may have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the web at www.trb.org) retains the color versions.