DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rura1 Deve1opment
City of Archer: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact AGENCY: Rural Utility Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.
Summary: The Rural Utility Service (ROS) has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to the City of Archer for the construction of the City of Archer Wastewater Improvements Project in Alachua County, Florida.
FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the EA and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Stephanie Hodges, Area Director at 352-414-7818 or stephanie.hodges [at] usda.gov (stephanie[dot]hodges[at]usda[dot]gov). The EA and FONSI are also available for public review at the Rural Development Area Office, 2441 N.E 3RD Street
Suite 204 - 1, Ocala, FL and at Archer City Hall 16870 SW 134t h Avenue, Archer, Florida 32618.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project consists of construction of a gravity sewer collection system with required lift stations and wastewater treatment plant. The alternatives considered by ROS and the City of Archer include gravity, low pressure, and vacuum collection systems along with connection to Newberry, Gainesville, and Williston. The alternatives are discussed in the City of Archer Wastewater Improvements Project EA. The ROS has reviewed and approved the EA for the proposed project.
The availability of the EA for public review was announced via notice in the following newspaper(s): Alachua County Today on March 12t h and March 19t h of 2020. A 30-day comment period was announced in the newspaper notice(s). The EA was also available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office and website as well as the City of Archer's offices. Two public meetings were held on February 4, 2020 at the Santa Fe College Ron and Norita Davis Center to discuss the Environmental Assessment and Environmental Justice issues. Public comments were received during these meetings as well as during the 30-day public comment period. The Environmental Assessment was revised to address substantive comments that were not already addressed within the document.
Based on its EA, commitments made by the City of Archer, and public comments received, RUS has concluded that the project would have no significant impact (or no impacts) to water quality, wetlands, floodplains, land use, aesthetics, transportation, or human health and safety.
The proposed project will utilize a programmatic agreement among ROS, the Florida State Historic Preservation Officer, and the City of Archer to achieve compliance with the Nation Historic Preservation Act and formally determine effects. The Agency has also concluded that the proposed project is not likely to affect federally listed threatened and endangered species or designated critical habitat thereof. The proposed project would not disproportionately affect minority and/or low-income populations.
No other potential significant impacts resulting from the proposed project have been identified. Therefore, ROS has determined that this FONSI fulfills its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR §§ 1500-1508), and USDA Rural Development's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1970) for its action related to the project.
ROS is satisfied that the environmental impacts of the proposed project have been adequately addressed. ROS federal action would not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human environment, and as such it will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for its action related to the proposed project,
Dated: 6/17/2020