Environmental Justice Screening Form
Project Name | South Weymouth Naval Air Station Redevelopment Project |
Anticipated Date of MEPA Filing | May 15, 2024 |
Proponent Name | BPD Union Point LLC c/o New England Development |
Contact Information (e.g., consultant) | Proponent:BPD Union Point LLC c/o New England Development Attn: John E. Twohigjtwohig@nedevelopment.com | (617) 243-7070Planning/Permitting Consultant:Tetra Tech, Inc.Attn: Jason S. Hellendrungjason.hellendrung@tetratech.com | (508) 786-2220 |
Public website for project or other physical location where project materials can be obtained (if available) | Project website: https://reimaginethebase.com/Additional information available upon request from the Planning/Permitting contact listed above. |
Municipality and Zip Code for Project (if known) | Weymouth, MA 02190; Abington, MA 02351; Rockland, MA 02370 |
Project Type* (list all that apply) | Master Plan – Development, Residential, Recreation, Ecological Restoration, Other – Open Space, Commercial – Retail, Commercial – Warehouse, Commercial – Office/Lab/R&D, Industrial, Water Supply – Treatment/conveyance, Water Supply – New Source, Wastewater – Treatment/conveyance, Transportation – Roadways/Transit, Transportation – Trails,Remediation |
Is the project site within a mapped 100-year FEMA flood plain? Y/N/ unknown | No |
Estimated GHG emissions of conditioned spaces | 29,299.2 tons/year, as per NPC model, utilizing eQuest modeling software |
Project Description
1. Provide a brief project description, including overall size of the project site and square footage of proposed buildings and structures if known. Mixed-use redevelopment of the approximately 1,440-acre former South Weymouth Naval Air Station in the towns of Weymouth, Abington, and Rockland, Massachusetts. The Project proposes a mix of uses, including approximately 2 million square feet of commercial development and 6,000 rental and ownership units (e.g., apartments, condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes). Such allocation of uses may shift over the projected 12–15-year buildout period in order to respond to then- current market demand. The Project also proposes to maintain and enhance approximately 885 acres as open space and protected rare species habitat. The proposed open space framework will include north-south greenways that link perimeter open space buffer areas on the north and south boundaries of the site. The Project also limits its impact on the environment by focusing future development within previously disturbed areas of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, incorporating best practices for sustainable design and implementing comprehensive transportation improvements and a robust Transportation Demand Management program. |
List anticipated MEPA review thresholds (301 CMR 11.03) (if known) EIR Review Thresholds:301 CMR 11.03(1)(a)(1) – Direct alteration of 50 or more acres of land;301 CMR 11.03(1)(a)(2) – Creation of ten or more acres of impervious area;301 CMR 11.03(6)(a)(6) – Generation of 3,000 or more New adt on roadways providing access to a single location; and301 CMR 11.03(6)(a)(7) – Construction of 1,000 or more New parking spaces at a single location.ENF Review Thresholds:301 CMR 11.03(2)(b)(2) – Greater than two acres of disturbance of designated priority habitat;301 CMR 11.03(3)(b)(1)(d) – Alteration of 5,000 or more sf of bordering or isolated vegetated wetlands;301 CMR 11.03(4)(b)(3) – Construction of one of more New water mains five or more miles in length;301 CMR 11.03(5)(b)(4)(a) – New discharge or Expansion in discharge to a sewer system of 100,000 or more gpd of sewage, industrial wastewater or untreated stormwater. |
List all anticipated state, local and federal permits needed for the project (if known) State:Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection 401 Water Quality Certification*;Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Access Permit;Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Conservation and Management Permit; andMassachusetts Water Resources Commission Interbasin Transfer Act Approval.** Local:Southfield Redevelopment Authority Redevelopment Plan Approval***;Southfield Redevelopment Authority Zoning Bylaw/Map Approval***;Southfield Redevelopment Authority Project Development Review;Towns of Weymouth, Abington, and Rockland Zoning Bylaw and Map Approvals***;Local Conservation Commissions Orders of Resource Area Delineation and/or Orders of |
Conditions*; andAdditional local permits as required in the ordinary course (e.g., demolition, building, occupancy, etc.). Federal:United States Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit; andUnited States Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Dewatering General Permit.* To be confirmed, and obtained as required**To be obtained by others***Previously obtained |
4. Identify EJ populations and characteristics (Minority, Income, English Isolation) within 5 miles of project site (can attach map identifying 5-mile radius from EJ Maps Viewer in lieu of narrative) Within the 5-mile Designated Geographic Area, there are 94 Block Groups designated as EJ Populations for meeting the Minority; Income; Minority and Income; Minority and English Isolation; and Minority, Income, and English Isolation criteria. See attached EJ Populations map. |
Identify any municipality or census tract meeting the definition of “vulnerable health EJ criteria”in the DPH EJ Tool located in whole or in part within a 1 mile radius of the project siteHeart Attack (municipality):AbingtonRockland Childhood Asthma (municipality):NoneChildhood Blood Lead Exposure (census tract):None Low Birth Weight (census tract):25021422100 |
6. Identify potential short-term and long-term environmental and public health impacts that may affect EJ Populations and any anticipated mitigationThe Project is not expected to result in potential permanent adverse environmental or public health impacts that may affect EJ populations. While no permanent impacts are anticipated, there may be temporary construction-period air quality impacts for which the Proponent will implement the following measures. Appropriate mitigation measures will be employed, such as the use of diesel retrofitted equipment and wetting down areas during construction, in order to address, avoid or minimize the effects of fugitive dust and exhaust emissions from construction vehicles. Efforts will be made to minimize the noise impact of construction activities, including appropriate mufflers on all equipment such as air compressors and welding equipment, maintenance of intake and exhaust mufflers, turning off idling equipment, replacing specific operations and techniques with less noisy ones, and other appropriate noise reduction measures. Construction management and scheduling will minimize impacts on the surrounding environment and will include plans for construction worker commuting, routing plans for trucking and deliveries, and control of noise and dust. Designated truck routes will be established to govern where construction trucks access and egress the Project Site to minimize construction related traffic. The contractor will use best management practices to minimize disturbance to wetland resource areas. To ensure public safety within the community, appropriate signage will be employed to show safe passageways and notify the community of construction related activity. |
7. Identify project benefits, including “Environmental Benefits” as defined in 301 CMR 11.02, thatmay improve environmental conditions or public health of the EJ populationThe Project is anticipated to provide a number of environmental and economic benefits. Environmental benefits of the Project include creation of extensive north-south greenways that connect perimeter open space area and the preservation and enhancement of approximately 885 acres as open space and protected rare species habitat, including grassland habitat restoration. The Project will improve stormwater conditions at the site, evidenced by a reduction in overall peak runoff rates. The Project will create community benefits including both active and passive recreational amenities, new sidewalks with street trees and the creation of new rental and ownership housing units to address the region’s housing crisis. The Project also includes several transportation demand management (TDM) benefits including a Tri-Town Transportation Management Association (TMA) shuttle service, full-time TDM coordinator (TDMC), public transportation incentive programs, ridesharing, preferential parking, pedestrian/bicycle connectivity, pedestrian/bicycle program and an emergency ride home (ERH) program. The Project will create hundreds of construction jobs over the 12- to 15-year buildout period, as well as permanent jobs associated with the Project program’s commercial component. At full buildout, the Project is expected to generate $20-$23.5 million in net annual property tax benefits to the Towns of Weymouth, Abington, and Rockland to fund local services. |
8. Describe how the community can request a meeting to discuss the project, and how the community can request oral language interpretation services at the meeting. Specify how to request other accommodations, including meetings after business hours and at locations near public transportation.Members of the community can request a meeting by contacting Jason S. Hellendrung at jason.hellendrung@tetratech.com or 508-786-2200. |
Requests for accommodations, including oral language interpretation services at a meeting, meetings after business hours and at locations near public transportation, or translated project summary material, can also be sent to Jason S. Hellendrung.Project information is maintained on the Project’s website (https://reimaginethebase.com) and on the Southfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) website (https://www.southfieldra.com). |