Categorical Exclusion Form - NY

Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division
NEPA Categorical Exclusion Form

Project Number:

NY ERFO FW WARI 2019-1(1)

Project Name:

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge Trail
Repairs

Location:

Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge
Warwick Township, Orange County, New York

CE Category

23 CFR 771.117(c)(23): Federally funded projects

(i) That receive less than $5,000,000 [now
$7,139,157 as adjusted for inflation] (ii) With a
total estimated cost of not more than $30,000,000
[now $41,604,249 as adjusted for inflation...]

Date: 12/17/2025

See 23 CFR 771.117 for full description of CE categories, including additional requirements when applying (c)26-28.

CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION REVISION #1- This updated documentation replaces the 8/4/2023 version. This version provides updated project descriptions, mitigations, and consultations.
Project Description
The Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is proposing to repair portions of the Winding Waters Trail and Liberty Loop Trail within the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) located off State Line Road in Warwick, Orange County, New York. The Refuge was impacted by back-to-back heavy rain events in late spring 2019, causing widespread flooding in the area. Multiple trails within the Refuge were inundated with flood waters for multiple days, resulting in lost trail surfacing material while portions of the Winding Waters Trail eroded into the Wallkill River creating a safety hazard for trail users. Proposed repairs along the Winding Waters Trail would include streambank stabilization along approximately 500 linear feet of the Wallkill River where segments of the Winding Waters Trail embankment eroded into the river. This work would involve installation of vegetated and nonvegetated riprap revetments, minor trail realignment, rehabilitating and resurfacing impacted portions of the trail surface, and turf reestablishment. Repairs along the Liberty Loop Trail would involve deep patch repairs of trail side slopes, installation of a cellular confinement system, repair and rehabilitation of the trail surface, and turf re-establishment.

EFLHD NEPA Categorical Exclusion Form

NY ERFO FW WARI 2019-1(1)

EFL-TM-ENV-03(05)

Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division
NEPA Categorical Exclusion Form

Additional trail repair work would include installation of temporary erosion and sediment control measures, selective vegetation clearing and grubbing, tree replanting, and other miscellaneous