Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The Categorical Exclusion Document (CED) for the Route 18 East Brunswick Drainage and Pavement Rehabilitation Project was approved by New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) on January 5, 2017. Following approval of the document, the number of easements required from adjacent properties increased and an environmental reevaluation was completed prior to the start of construction.

What is a Categorical Exclusion?

As a recipient of federal transportation funds for this project’s design phase, NJDOT must comply with the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). NEPA requires agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions that involve federal funds.

To comply, NJDOT assesses environmental effects of a project through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Environmental Assessment (EA), or Categorical Exclusion (CE). The level of analysis is based on a project’s likelihood to cause significant social, economic, and environmental impacts. A federal action may be "categorically excluded" from a detailed environmental analysis when the federal action is found not to have a significant effect on the natural or human environment. During the Concept Development Phase of this project, it was determined that a CE is the appropriate level of environmental analysis. The CED provides a concise evaluation of environmental impacts and is approved when it finds that no significant adverse impacts will occur.

Environmental Constraints

The study area for the CED encompasses 250 feet from the outer edge of any improvements to Route 18 from the New Jersey Turnpike to milepost 35.40 and includes East Brunswick Township and South River Borough in Middlesex County.

Land Use - The study area is predominantly residential and commercial development with isolated waters, wetlands, and forested areas.

Socioeconomics - Potential impacts upon the study area's population, particularly low-income and minority populations, were carefully examined. No significant socioeconomic or Environmental Justice impacts are anticipated.

Noise - The project will cause temporary construction-related impacts only. Standard methods to minimize noise during construction have been prescribed for the project.

Traffic - No change to traffic levels will occur due to the project.

Visual -The project is not anticipated to have visual impacts to the existing natural and built environment.

Ecology - United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Information, Planning, and Conservation System revealed that the proposed project is located within a municipality which has the potential presence of Federally-listed species: the Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) and Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata). During the environmental permitting investigations, it was determined that no suitable habitat for Swamp Pink exists within the project limits. The project includes mitigation measures, such as timing restrictions for tree removal and directing artificial lighting away from forested areas, to avoid impacting the Northern long-eared Bat.

Waterways and Wetlands – One State open waters and two freshwater wetlands were identified within the project area. While the project will affect regulated State open waters. Freshwater wetlands affected by the project consist of scrub/shrub and/or emergent communities. The wetlands meet the criteria for classification as Exceptional Resource Value (which have a 150-foot transition area). Ireland Brook, South River, and their upstream tributaries have a riparian zone width of 50 feet.

Air- The project is included in the current approved State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). Based on the project scope, the project is categorized by the Transportation Conformity Rule (TCR) as a project type listed in Table 2 of the TCR, which is exempt from the conformity requirements of the Conformity with the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990.

Cultural Resources - For historic resources, environmental constraints include historic buildings, structures, objects, or districts that have been listed in, determined eligible for listing in, or are potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The Raritan River Railroad Historic District passes beneath the project, but no impacts will occur to the historic district.

Hazardous Materials and Landfills - There are several gas stations and other known contaminated sites within the project area. There is low potential for involvement with regulated material or contaminated sites.

Identified Impacts - The proposed project will result in the disturbance of freshwater wetlands, State open waters, transition areas, floodplains, and riparian zones. As such, the project was required to obtain an NJDEP Freshwater Wetland General Permit and NJDEP Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit.

The project will result in the following impacts:

• Less than 0.10 acre of permanent/temporary disturbance to freshwater wetlands.
• Less than 0.10 acre of permanent/temporary disturbance to State open waters.
• Less than 0.5 acre of permanent/temporary disturbance to wetland transition areas.
• Approximately 0.01 acres of permanent/temporary disturbance to riparian buffer
vegetation.
• Approximately 0.01 acres of vegetation in the regulated 50-foot riparian zone of the project waterways for the reconstruction of stormwater discharge structures.

The proposed improvements will disturb approximately 0.01 acres of vegetation in the regulated 50-foot riparian zone of the project waterways for the reconstruction of a stormwater discharge structures.

Environmental Commitments

• Implement soil erosion and sediment control measures during construction, as required.
• Implement standard measures for minimizing construction-related noise impacts.
• Obtain and comply with applicable NJDEP permits, during construction.