Submitted pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332 (2) (c), 23 U.S.C. August 15, 1977 Joher M. Sullivan JOHN M. SULLIVAN, ADMINISTRATOR The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. S4322) requires that all proposals for major federal actions which significantly affect the environment be accompanied by a detailed environmental impact statement. In situations where the proposed action covers a wide region and involves impacts throughout that region the courts have held that a generic or programmatic environmental impact statement is required. Since the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP) is regional in scope and since the impacts of the program are anticipated to be felt throughout the entire corridor, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) made the decision to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for this action. For more than ten years preceeding the funding for the NEC in the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act (4R Act) of 1976, studies have been conducted regarding this program. These studies form the basis for much of the analysis contained in this document. The analysis contained in this document comments upon the reasonableness of the conclusions contained in these studies in light of present conditions and trends, and, where necessary, provides new documentation in areas where past studies were found to be deficient. The PEIS has three basic functions. The first is to document the program-level decisions (e.g. routing) which will be implemented corridor-wide. The second purpose is to document the long-term impacts associated with the operation of a high-speed rail program in the corridor. These impacts include long-term effects of the project on such factors as air pollution, energy and noise. The third purpose is to document the impacts associated with certain of the construction projects which are necessary to bring about the higher speed rail service in the corridor. The PEIS is not a definitive assessment and analysis of all impacts associated with all projects included in the NEC. Nor is the PEIS the end of the environmental assessment process which will continue for the length of the Program. As the Program's planning becomes more refined, alterations in the location of certain projects could occur, and some projects may be deleted while others are added. It is anticipated that further environmental documentation will be required for various projects which are planned to be undertaken by the Program. of these projects include: Station Improvements Examples Major bridge replacements and some major repairs of the bridges Route Realignments which leave the existing Right-of-Way Service Facilities Maintenance-of-Way Facilities Those reviewing and preparing comments on this document should keep the discussion of the purposes of PEIS and the continuing environmental review process firmly in mind as this document is read. It is hoped that the PEIS will elicit comments which focus upon the three purposes of this document, rather than on specific impacts which may be anticipated from a specific project. Due to the continuing nature of the environmental review process described above, such site-specific comments will be appropriately made at the time the environmental documentation and analysis is prepared for a given project. |