ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
AND
DRAFT FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
A. Project Identification
Name: Muskingum County – New Life Lift Station and Sanitary Force Main
Address: Board of Commissioners of Muskingum County
Courthouse
401 Main Street
Zanesville, OH 43701
WPCLF #: CS390060-0011
B. Proposed Project
1. Summary
The Board of Commissioners of Muskingum County, Ohio was granted a $500,000
special appropriation from U.S. EPA in Federal Fiscal Year 2010 to improve its
wastewater collection (sanitary sewer) system in the unincorporated area of Maysville.
Muskingum County has also requested approximately $1,000,000 from the Ohio Water
Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) and has a commitment for a $100,000 grant from
the federal Appalachian Regional Commission for this project that will replace an
undersized and aged sanitary sewage lift station and construct a new force main to
carry project area flows to an existing sewer with sufficient capacity.
The proposed work involves construction adjacent to the existing New Life Lift Station,
and along a major road and across easements on parking lots, all areas previously
disturbed for construction and lacking important environmental resources. Standard
construction environmental protection practices will be implemented to ensure the
project has no significant environmental impact.
Muskingum County anticipates no sewer rate increase for this project.
2. Project Background
a. History and Existing Conditions
A history of violations by Muskingum County of Ohio’s water pollution control laws and
of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for the
county’s wastewater treatment plants and sewer systems led to enforcement action and
a 2003 Consent Order (Order) signed by the State of Ohio and Muskingum County.
The Order requires elimination of sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) in the county system.
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The Order required within three years an assessment of the county sanitary sewer
collection system and preparation of a report describing the system and identified
problems, a plan for design and construction to correct identified problems, and a
schedule for remediation.
The Order included a civil penalty of $25,000 to be paid by Muskingum County to the
State of Ohio, and a Supplemental Environmental Project in lieu of an additional civil
penalty of $115,000. The Supplemental Environmental Project, to be financed by
Muskingum County, was construction of sanitary sewers in the Lakeland Hills
subdivision identified in the Order to eliminate approximately 100 failing septic systems
that were polluting local surface water.
When evaluating a system like Muskingum County’s, it should be noted that sanitary
sewers and wastewater treatment plants function optimally within a range of flows of
sanitary sewage only. Additional clear water flows, whether from downspouts, leaky
manholes, or other connections to sewers (inflow) or from ground water entering cracks
in the sewer (infiltration), can exceed the capacity of the sewers and wastewater
treatment plant (WWTP) and cause operational problems and/or direct discharge of
untreated wastewater to surface water. Significant inflow and infiltration (collectively
referred to as “I/I”) has been identified in the county-owned sewer systems, and has
directly contributed to SSO in the South System.
Muskingum County submitted the required report to Ohio EPA in 2009, with a schedule
to eliminate SSO in the South System by March 2012. In 2011, the County requested a
five-year extension for South System corrections and Ohio EPA agreed to the proposed
March 2017 SSO elimination deadline.
Much of the South System was constructed piecemeal and later incorporated into the
County system, including a large portion of variable grade, small diameter sewers that
drain septic tanks. The County began managing the system by pumping the septic
tanks, then inspecting the tanks and correcting obvious problems. Those repairs
eliminated some of the SSO problems.
Conventional gravity sewers serve the remainder of the South System. Fourteen pump
stations and sixteen “septic tank effluent pump” – STEP – stations of varying ages and
conditions present challenges to the County maintenance staff. The New Life Lift
Station, with a history of regular SSO events, receives flow from an area with eight
pump stations, gravity sewers, and four mobile home parks with identified I/I sources
that have been largely corrected. Based partly on analysis of pump station operations,
County staff have identified and eliminated several significant sources of I/I, including
broken pipes, buried manholes, a water main break, vandalized manholes to provide
storm water drainage, and illegal sump pump and gutter connections to sanitary sewers.
The County has monitored SSO events at the New Life Lift Station since 2011. The
elimination of identified I/I sources cannot eliminate all I/I flows, however, and the New
Life Lift Station still experiences overflows with heavy rainfalls.
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b. Population and Flow Projections
Sewer customers in the New Life Lift Station service area are primarily residential and
commercial; no significant industry is in the area. Approximately 550 single family
dwellings and 220 mobile home units are in the service area. County approval of a
proposed 15-building apartment complex of 360 units in the service area is pending.
Commercial water use is modest, approximately 24,800 gallons per day. County
approval is also pending for a proposed mixed-used commercial development on 48
acres.
The existing and proposed uses are calculated to generate a peak hourly flow of 1,135
gallons per minute (GPM). Proposed future commercial flows would add 218 GPM
peak flow and proposed future residential flows would add 180 GPM. Thus, projected
peak flow sewer capacity, and New Life Lift Station capacity, totals 1,533 GPM.
c. Water Quality
Surface water in the New Life Lift Station service area drains to Jonathan Creek and
lower Moxahala Creek, which is a direct tributary of the Muskingum River. The “2012
Total Maximum Daily Loads for the Moxahala Creek Watershed Final Report” describes
causes of water quality problems: acid mine drainage, habitat alterations (dam),
nonpoint source runoff, and failing home sewage treatment systems.
In the immediate project area, Jonathan Creek is in full attainment of its state
designated Warmwater Habitat (WWH) aquatic life use criteria, a measure of biological
health, and in non-attainment of the recreation criteria, partly based on elevated
bacteria levels. Livestock agriculture and septic systems for residential wastewater
treatment in most of the watershed have led to widespread elevated bacteria counts.
Moxahala Creek in the project area is in full attainment of its WWH criteria and in nonattainment of the recreation criteria. Sanitary sewer overflows, failing septic systems,
and livestock cause elevated bacteria counts.
3. Discussion of Feasible Alternatives
Muskingum County evaluated three feasible alternatives to eliminate SSO from the New
Life Lift Station, based on agreement with Ohio EPA that “eliminate” means no SSO in
the South System except for rain events of more than 2 inches in a 24-hour period or a
snowmelt of more than 6 inches in 24 hours. The County must prove to Ohio EPA that
these criteria are met for SSO occurrences after March 2017.
Doing nothing, the "no-action" alternative, is not feasible because it would allow SSO
and the associated potential threats to human health to continue, which would violate
Ohio law and the Consent Order.
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The feasible alternatives are options to eliminate (Alternative 1 – I/I Identification and
Reduction), transport (Alternative 2 – Increase New Life Lift Station Pumping Capacity),
or store excess wet-weather flows (Alternative 3 – Provide Overflow Storage at the New
Life Lift Station). Each alternative was evaluated on estimated construction costs;
operation, maintenance, and replacement costs; and environmental footprint.
Alternative 1 – I/I Identification and Reduction – Muskingum County had identified areas
suspected as significant I/I contributors in the South System (four mobile home parks
and three subdivisions). Mobile home parks often are significant I/I contributors, and
the county has successfully encouraged the owners to correct identified I/I sources. I/I
reduction from the mobile home parks was significant. Broadview Circle subdivision
had been served by individual septic tanks that drained to small sewers. Each septic
tank was susceptible to infiltration and county staff had observed groundwater flowing
into tanks. The proximity to gravity sewers allowed the county to self-finance the minor
addition of new gravity sewers to replace the small sewers and septic tanks. New
Southern Hills subdivision is served by a gravity sewer and had been a major source of
flow to the New Life Lift Station. The county has rehabilitated sewers in this area to
minimize extraneous flows. Avondale subdivision, like Broadview Circle, has septic
tanks that drain to minimally-sloped gravity sewers. Flow monitoring suggests this
system is especially leaky, each septic tank being a source of infiltration and, depending
on lot topography, inflow. A project to construct conventional gravity sewers and a
pump station serving Avondale residences to eliminate the septic tanks is already
designed and will be constructed starting in 2014.
Although I/I reduction can decrease flows and extraneous flows have been minimized in
the South System, sufficient reduction to eliminate overflows downstream with no other
improvements is unlikely.
Alternative 2 – Increase New Life Lift Station Pumping Capacity – Overflows at the New
Life Lift Station have been regularly recorded in recent years. The estimated peak flow
to New Life is 1,533 GPM. Recent pump testing suggests the South Avenue Lift Station
(1,200 GPM capacity) that receives flows from the New Life Lift Station, can accept
increased flow from New Life Lift Station without causing overflows at South Avenue. A
proposed 12” diameter force main running from a new New Life Lift Station with variable
frequency drive pumps would drain directly to an existing 12” diameter gravity sewer
and allow flows to reach South Avenue Lift Station without overflows except during
excessive rain events. Engineer’s estimated cost, for planning comparison - $958,600.
This alternative would reduce the frequency of SSO event, requires little land
acquisition, and costs less than Alternative 3. This alternative leaves some uncertainty
about the potential for overflows from the South Avenue Lift Station; if they occur,
overflow storage as proposed in Alternative 3 may be required. The New Life Lift
Station is aging and would require pump upgrades in the foreseeable future regardless
of this project.
Alternative 3 – Provide Overflow Storage at the New Life Lift Station – Instead of
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increasing the pump station capacity, add overflow storage at the pump station site.
When flows exceed the capacity of the pump station, excess flows would be pumped
into a below-ground basin, allowing the pump station to continue operating at the same
rate. When flows drop to below the pump station capacity, the basin would be pumped
to the pump station. Based on storm flow records, the proposed basin would have a
200,000 gallon capacity. Engineer’s estimated cost, for planning comparison $1,556,900.
This alternative avoids upgrades to the downstream sanitary sewers and provides
equalized flows to the South Avenue Lift Station and to the City of Zanesville sewer
system. This alternative costs more than Alternative 2 (partly because excavation
through shallow hard limestone underlying the project site increases the estimated
construction cost significantly) and the basin may be oversized or unnecessary if
ongoing I/I reduction efforts minimize flows significantly.
4. Selected Alternative
Both Alternative 2 and Alternative 3 have risk due to uncertainty of effectiveness, which
cannot be known until one is operational. The risk that flow equalization may be
required to eliminate overflows, as opposed to the risk that the Alternative 3 basin would
be oversized, is more acceptable to Muskingum County. Therefore, based on
construction cost comparison, relative ease of implementation, and age of the existing
pump station, Muskingum County proposes constructing Alternative 2 - Increase New
Life Lift Station Pumping Capacity (Figure 1). ADD SPACE The current engineer’s
estimated cost is $1,300,000. The proposed project involves construction of:
-
-
a new lift station adjacent to the existing New Life Lift Station – two pumps,
instrumentation and controls, new electrical service, and natural gas powered
emergency backup pump;
2,550 feet of 12” diameter sanitary force main, by directional boring;
1,280 feet of 12” diameter sanitary sewer, by trenching;
6 manholes;
appurtenances, connections, electrical and controls; and
demolition of the existing lift station.
All work will be in previously-disturbed areas along a major road; much of the pipe
installation will be by directional boring with no expected surface impact or potential
interference with traffic.
5. Project Implementation
Muskingum County advertised for bids in March 2014 for a summer 2014 construction
start. The bid has a 90-day acceptance period to allow for completion of funding and
other administrative requirements. The contract has a 180-day deadline for substantial
completion, meaning the project will be complete and the new pump station and force
main operational by late 2014 or early 2015.
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The $500,000 special federal appropriation for this project requires a local matching
contribution of 45% ($225,000) and is subject to a 3% administration fee ($15,000)
leaving a maximum grant value of $485,000 and total value with the local match of
$710,000. The local match will be part of the WPCLF loan, which will make up the
remainder of the project cost beyond the funds available from the special federal
appropriation and the anticipated $100,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional
Commission. For this project, Muskingum County qualifies for the small community
interest rate for the estimated $815,000 WPCLF loan (currently 2.70% for an April loan
award). WPCLF loan interest rates are set monthly and the rate may change for this
loan.
Muskingum County anticipates no sewer rate increase in the immediate future.
C. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Project
This project could directly affect important environmental resources. The project is
designed to effectively manage existing flows and anticipated flows from proposed
commercial and residential developments rather than provide additional capacity in the
wastewater system for speculative growth. The proposed developments are subject to
the Muskingum County building and zoning review and approval process that minimizes
associated indirect or cumulative environmental impacts by requiring compliance with
applicable state and / or federal permits, including a storm water permit and water and
wastewater authorizations by Ohio EPA or the local water or wastewater agency.
1.
Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974, Pub. L. 86-523, as amended
and National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Pub. L. 89-655, as amended
The Ohio Historic Preservation Office concurred with Ohio EPA’s determination that this
project will not cause a significant adverse effect to properties listed or eligible for listing
in the National Register of Historic Places.
In the event of archaeological finds during construction, Ohio Revised Code Section
149.53 requires contractors and subcontractors to notify the Ohio Historic Preservation
Office of any archaeological discoveries in the project area, and to cooperate with the
Office in archaeological and historic surveys and salvage efforts. Work will not resume
until a survey of the find and a determination of its value and effect has been made, and
Ohio EPA authorizes work to continue.
2.
Clean Air Act, Pub. L. 84-159, as amended
Muskingum County air quality meets standards for the six regulated air pollutants
(carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, lead, particulate matter, and ozone).
Construction of the proposed replacement lift station and force main is unlikely to add
significant pollution to local air because motorized construction equipment will be a
minor pollutant source considering the background motorized vehicle exhaust in the
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greater project area. The operating pump station will be no direct source of air
emissions except when the natural gas powered emergency pumps are operating.
During construction, dust and construction vehicle exhaust will be insignificant sources
of local air pollution. Dust due to excavation in dry weather will be controlled by good
housekeeping measures (minimizing area of disturbed soil, road sweeping, dust
suppression with water or other benign dust suppressant). Construction vehicle
exhaust will be insignificant compared to background sources of motorized vehicle
exhaust in the greater project area. For these reasons, the project should have no
significant adverse short-term or long-term impacts on local air quality.
3.
Clean Water Act of 1972, Pub. L. 90-500, as amended
This project involves no stream or wetland crossings or filling and will have no direct
impact to Waters of the United States. A small stream adjacent to the New Life Lift
Station property will be protected from potential runoff of silty storm water from soils
exposed for construction by construction best management practices as may be
required in a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan and Construction Storm Water
General NPDES permit (e.g., silt fence, straw bales, and good housekeeping practices).
4.
Coastal Zone Management Act, Pub. L. 92-583, as amended and Coastal
Barriers Resources Act, Pub. L. 97-348
The entire project area is outside the federally-approved Ohio Coastal Management
Area. Therefore, proposed construction will have no effect on coastal resources.
5.
Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. 470 and Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act, Pub. L. 85-624, as amended
This project is in the range of the Indiana bat, a state and federal endangered species
and the northern long-eared bat, a proposed federal endangered species. Indiana bat
and northern long-eared bat summer habitat consists of suitable trees that include dead
and dying trees with exfoliating bark, crevices, or cavities in upland areas or riparian
corridors, and living trees with exfoliating bark, cavities, or hollow areas formed from
broken branches or tops. Because no tree removal is proposed, the project is not likely
to impact these species.
This project is in the range of the Eastern hellbender, a state endangered amphibian
and federal species of concern. This long-lived, entirely aquatic salamander inhabits
perennial streams with large flat rocks. Due to the location and the type of habitat being
affected, this project is not likely to impact this species.
This project is in the range of the black bear, a state endangered species. Due to its
mobility, the project is not likely to impact this species.
This project is within the range of the Northern harrier, a state endangered bird. Due to
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the location and the type of habitat being affected, this project is not likely to impact this
species.
This project is in the range of the fanshell, sheepnose, and snuffbox, (all federal
endangered) and rabbitsfoot (potentially threatened) native mussels, and of the bald
eagle (federal species of concern). Due to the location and the type of habitat being
affected, this project is not likely to impact these species.
6.
Floodplain Management, Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive
Order 12148
This project is entirely outside a regulatory floodplain and will therefore have no impact
on floodplains or flood elevations.
7.
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899
This project involves no activity regulated by or authorized by the Act, so no Rivers and
Harbors Act related impacts will occur.
8. Safe Drinking Water Act, Pub. L. 93-523, as amended
This project to improve the operation of the existing sanitary sewer system and
eliminate SSOs is designed to have no direct impact on the provision of drinking water
in the project area. The contract requires contractors to avoid damaging existing
drinking water pipes.
9. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Pub. L. 90-542, as amended
Ohio has three federal Scenic Rivers, Big and Little Darby Creeks, Little Beaver Creek,
and Little Miami River. No part of the project area is in or near any of these designated
watersheds.
10. Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and LowIncome Populations, Executive Order 12898
Application of the “Environmental Justice Procedure for STAG Projects” showed no
major civil rights impact is likely as a result of the proposed project. The project equally
serves the entire community, so no particular segment of the community will face
additional adverse impacts or be deprived of environmental benefits, compared to any
other segment.
11. Farmland Protection Policy Act, 7 U.S.C. 4202
Because no prime farmland exists on the project site, which consists of developed land
adjacent to a major thoroughfare, this project will cause no indirect or direct conversion
of prime farmland soils to non-agricultural use.
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12. Local Economy
The typical annual residential sewer bill for Muskingum County customers is $582,
which is approximately 1.5% of local median household income (MHI), $39,538. Sewer
bills less than 1.8% of MHI are generally considered affordable. This compares
favorably to the Ohio average annual residential sewer bill, $581 for the $46,618 state
MHI. By combining two federal grants with a below-market rate loan, Muskingum
County has minimized the project cost and impact on the local economy.
13. Noise, Traffic, Safety, Aesthetics
Construction vehicle noise will be audible and similar to that from routine traffic in the
area. Local traffic will be minimally affected periodically because some construction will
occur adjacent to the traffic lanes and across private parking lots. Contractors will
implement typical traffic controls (signs, cones or barrels, flaggers) to minimize traffic
disruption and maximize traffic and worker safety.
The construction area is along a major road and shopping area that may include
pedestrian traffic. Contractors will cover or fill trenches at the end of each work day to
minimize potential danger to public safety. Local aesthetics will be unchanged because
the new pump station structures will be similar to the existing structures, and after
repaving or when vegetation is re-established over the sewer trenches, the landscape
will be similar to the pre-construction conditions. However, the elimination of periodic
sewage overflows may enhance local aesthetics.
14. Energy
The project will have no effect on local or regional energy demand or supply because it
adds no net energy consuming equipment.
D. Public Participation
Besides ongoing discussion in regular meetings of the Board of Commissioners of
Muskingum County since 2011, the local Zanesville Times Recorder carried a story on
the project in February 2014. Muskingum County posted a project information sheet
with request for comment on its web page in March 2014 and received no comments.
Ohio EPA will make a copy of this document available to the public on its web page
(http://epa.ohio.gov/defa/EnvironmentalandFinancialAssistance.aspx “Documents”) and
upon request, to help with public outreach and notification.
The following agencies reviewed this project’s planning information:
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Ohio Historic Preservation Office
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
None of the review agencies opposes the project.
E. Reasons for a Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact
Review of project planning information and the detail plans and specifications suggests
that no significant short-term or long-term adverse direct environmental impacts will
result from the project as related to the environmental features discussed in this
Environmental Assessment. This is because either these features do not exist in the
project area, the features exist but will not be adversely affected, or the impacts of
construction will be temporary and mitigated.
This project equally serves the entire Muskingum County South System community, so
no particular segment of the community will face additional adverse impacts or be
deprived of environmental benefits, compared to any other segment.
For these reasons, this project, alone or in combination with other projects, is not
expected to result in any significant indirect or cumulative short-term or long-term
adverse environmental impacts.
The project is expected to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows in the Muskingum County
South System.
F. Contact Information
More information on this project is available from:
Dan Halterman
Ohio EPA-DEFA
PO Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43214
614-644-3658
Daniel.Halterman@epa.ohio.gov
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