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Scope of Work <br />US 2 Trestle Interim Improvements 9 April 2026 <br />Task 03 – Environmental <br />Objectives <br />To fulfill environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), <br />State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), including consultation requirements under Section 106 of the <br />National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). <br />Subtask 03-01 – NEPA Documented Categorical Exclusion <br />The Consultant will collect the necessary information and conduct an environmental analysis <br />necessary to complete a NEPA Documented Categorical Exclusion (DCE) consistent with WSDOT’s <br />NEPA Categorical Exclusions, A Guidebook for Local Agencies (October 2022). In lieu of completing a <br />SEPA Checklist, the completed NEPA DCE will be used to justify a SEPA threshold determination <br />under SEPA. <br />The Consultant will rely on a desktop-level review of publicly available information to complete the <br />DCE, along with results of the Operational and Safety Analysis prepared under Task 02. Additional <br />technical documentation will be developed to support Section 106 and Section 7 consultation as <br />described under Subtasks 03-02 and 03-03 below. No additional technical reports or memoranda <br />will be prepared to respond to questions about impacts to Air Quality, Critical and Sensitive Areas, <br />Floodplains and Floodways, Hazardous and Problem Waste, Noise, 4(f)/6(f) Resources, Agricultural <br />Lands, Rivers or Streams, Tribal Lands, Water Quality/Stormwater, or Environmental Justice. <br />Subtask 03-02 – Biological Assessment <br />The Consultant will prepare a biological assessment (BA) to support consultation with the National <br />Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Services) under Section 7 of the <br />ESA. The Consultant will prepare the biological assessment using the document template provided <br />by WSDOT and following the methods established in WSDOT’s biological assessment preparation <br />manual. The biological assessment will analyze potential effects on ESA-listed species, species <br />proposed for listing, and critical habitat that are present or potentially present in the action area <br />defined for the project. Species and critical habitat for which a “no-effect” determination is made will <br />be identified in the biological assessment, along with a rationale for the effect determination for <br />each species and critical habitat. <br />Based on the possibility that improved traffic flow may render currently undeveloped or <br />underdeveloped properties more attractive for development, the biological assessment will include <br />an evaluation of potential delayed consequences associated with land use changes. The biological <br />assessment will also include an assessment of potential effects on essential fish habitat to comply <br />with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. <br />Consistent with WSDOT requirements, biologists engaged in development of the biological <br />assessment will conduct a 1-day site visit to gain familiarity with habitat conditions in the project <br />area. A figure depicting the project action area will be developed for the biological assessment. Other <br />figures in the document (e.g., vicinity map, figures showing conceptual stormwater conveyance <br />systems and management facilities) will be drawn from existing sources or other reports prepared for <br />this project. A Consultant biologist will participate in up to two 2-hour meetings with staff at each <br />agency to which a draft biological assessment is submitted for review. The purpose of the meetings <br />will be to clarify comments and discuss any outstanding issues or concerns. The Consultant will