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NEC FUTURE

Tier 1 EIS

Tier 1 Final EIS

The FRA prepared the Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (Tier 1 Final EIS) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and other applicable laws and regulations. The Tier 1 Final EIS describes the Preferred Alternative identified for NEC FUTURE and evaluates its service characteristics and effects on the built and natural environment. It also provides responses to the comments received on the Tier 1 Draft EIS during the public comment period, and provides corrections to the Tier 1 Draft EIS in response to comments received.

The Tier 1 Final EIS is presented in two volumes. Volume 1 provides the evaluation and documentation of the Preferred Alternative. It describes the FRA's deliberative process to identify the Preferred Alternative, the Preferred Alternative characteristics, and a complete environmental assessment of the Preferred Alternative as compared to the No Action Alternative. It also includes the comments received on the Tier 1 Draft EIS and the FRA's responses to those comments.

Volume 2 contains the entire Tier 1 Draft EIS that the FRA released in November 2015, with updates in response to the input received during the public comment period. Updates include clarifications and errata-style edits. At the beginning of each chapter and appendix for Volume 2, an errata sheet is included that either identifies the changes that have been made to that chapter or notes that no changes were made.

Volumes 1 and 2 of the Tier 1 Final EIS and appendices are available for download at the links below, along with a brochure providing the highlights of the Preferred Alternative.

View the Highlights brochure   Download as PDF

Volume 1: Chapters

Volume 1: Appendices

  • Appendix AA, Mapping Atlas of the Preferred Alternative View as PDF
    Presents maps from south to north and allows the reader to follow the Preferred Alternative along its Representative Route from Washington, D.C., to Boston and from New Haven through Hartford, CT, and to Springfield, MA, in relation to mapped resources. The atlas highlights areas where new infrastructure is proposed for the Preferred Alternative and coincides with the discussed mapped resources (Part 1). It also provides a separate map series that highlights the Representative Route construction types used for analytical purposes (Part 2).
  • Appendix BB, Technical Analysis on the Preferred Alternative View as PDF
    Provides the documentation that supports the deliberative process to identify the Preferred Alternative as presented in Chapter 4.
  • Appendix CC, Transportation Effects of the Preferred Alternative View as PDF
    Provides information on the representative stations used in the analysis presented in Chapter 5, Transportation. The analysis of transportation effects relies on the technical analysis of the Preferred Alternative presented in Appendix BB.
  • Appendix DD, Economic Effects of the Preferred Alternative View as PDF
    Provides the technical data that supports the economic effects and indirect effects analyses presented in Chapter 6.
  • Appendix EE, Environmental Resource Documentation for the Preferred Alternative
    Provides detailed documentation that supports Chapter 7. Each resource presented in Chapter 7 has its own corresponding section within Appendix EE; each of these sections is organized geographically for the existing NEC and Preferred Alternative to provide more-detailed information at the state and county level. Note that Appendix E of Volume 2 contains the original effects-assessment methodologies that describe how effects to the various resources in Chapter 7 were analyzed.
  • Select to unroll/roll up sub-chapters for Appendix EE

  • Appendix FF, Agency and Public Involvement View as PDF
    Provides supporting documentation for the agency and public involvement activities and resources described in Chapter 11. Specifically, the appendix includes information pertaining to various stakeholder engagements, briefings, and meetings undertaken since the publication of the Tier 1 Draft EIS, public hearings, and the distribution list for the Tier 1 Draft EIS. Materials produced prior to the Tier 1 Draft EIS are provided in Appendix F of Volume 2.
  • Select to unroll/roll up sub-chapters for Apendix FF

    • Appendix FF: Agency and Public Involvement View as PDF
    • Comment Summary Report Appendix Part 1: A-D View as PDF
    • Comment Summary Report Appendix Part 2: E-K View as PDF
    • Comment Summary Report Appendix Part 3: L-P View as PDF
    • Comment Summary Report Appendix Part 4: Q-Z View as PDF
  • Appendix GG, Section 106 Documentation
    Provides documentation relevant to compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act since the publication of the Tier 1 Draft EIS. Relevant documentation includes a record of the coordination with State Historic Preservation Offices, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and Government-to-Government Tribal coordination. It also provides the executed Programmatic Agreement for NEC FUTURE. Correspondence prior to the Tier 1 Draft EIS is provided in Volume 2, Appendix G.
  • Select to unroll/roll up sub-chapters for Apendix GG

    • Appendix GG: Section 106 Documentation View as PDF
    • Appendix GG: Section 106 Documentation Part 1 View as PDF
    • Appendix GG: Section 106 Documentation Part 2 View as PDF
  • Appendix HH, Preliminary Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Resources View as PDF
    Documents the preliminary assessment and evaluation of resources protected under Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act and Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act that were identified within the Affected Environment and that could be affected by the Preferred Alternative. Appendix HH does not represent a Section 4(f) Determination.
  • Appendix II, Endangered Species Act Correspondence View as PDF
    Provides the correspondence with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service related to the Endangered Species Act.
  • Appendix JJ, Comments and Responses View as PDF
    Provides all of the individual comments received on the Tier 1 Draft EIS and responses to those comments. An index to this appendix is provided in order to locate individual comments submitted by commenters.

Volume 2: Chapters

Volume 2: Appendices

  • Appendix A: Mapping Atlas View as PDF
    Presents maps of each Action Alternative from Washington, D.C., through New York City and into Boston in relation to mapped resources
  • Appendix B: Alternatives Documentation View as PDF
    Provides technical reports and memoranda that support the development of the Action Alternatives presented in Chapter 4
  • Select to unroll/roll up sub-chapters for appendix B.01-B.09

    • Appendix B.01: No Action Alternative Report View as PDF
    • Appendix B.02: Initial Alternatives Report View as PDF
    • Appendix B.03: Preliminary Alternatives Report View as PDF
    • Appendix B.04: Preliminary Alternatives Evaluation Report View as PDF
    • Appendix B.05: Tier 1 EIS Alternatives Report View as PDF
    • Appendix B.06: Capital Costs Technical Memorandum View as PDF
    • Appendix B.07: Stations Location and Access Analysis Technical Memorandum View as PDF
    • Appendix B.08: Ridership Analysis Technical Memorandum View as PDF
    • Appendix B.09: Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Costs Technical Memorandum View as PDF
  • Appendix C: Transportation View as PDF
    Provides the effects-assessment methodology and technical data that support the transportation analysis presented in Chapter 5
  • Appendix D: Economic Effects View as PDF
    Provides the effects-assessment methodology and technical data that support the economic effects and indirect effects analysis presented in Chapter 6.
  • Appendix E: Environmental Resource Documentation
    Provides detailed documentation that supports Chapter 7. Each resource presented in Chapter 7 has its own corresponding section within Appendix E; each of these sections is organized geographically and by alternative to provide more detailed information at the state and county level.
  • Select to unroll/roll up sub-chapters for Appendix E.01-E.20

    • Appendix E.01: Introduction to Appendix E View as PDF
    • Appendix E.02: Land Cover View as PDF
    • Appendix E.03: Agricultural Lands (Prime Farmlands and Prime Timberlands) View as PDF
    • Appendix E.04: Parklands and Wild and Scenic Rivers View as PDF
    • Appendix E.05: Hydrologic/Water Resources (Coastal Zones and Saltwater Wetlands) View as PDF
    • Appendix E.05: Hydrologic/Water Resources (Floodplains) View as PDF
    • Appendix E.05: Hydrologic/Water Resources (Freshwater Resources) View as PDF
    • Appendix E.05: Waterbody Analysis View as PDF
    • Appendix E.06: Ecological Resources View as PDF
    • Appendix E.07: Geologic Resources View as PDF
    • Appendix E.08: Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Materials View as PDF
    • Appendix E.09: Cultural Resources and Historic Properties View as PDF
    • Appendix E.10: Visual and Aesthetic Resources View as PDF
    • Appendix E.11: Environmental Justice And Demographics View as PDF
    • Appendix E.12: Noise and Vibration View as PDF
    • Appendix E.13: Air Quality View as PDF
    • Appendix E.14: Energy View as PDF
    • Appendix E.15: Climate Change View as PDF
    • Appendix E.16: Section 4(f) and 6(f) Resources View as PDF
    • Appendix E.17: Electromagnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Interference View as PDF
    • Appendix E.18: Safety View as PDF
    • Appendix E.19: Cumulative Effects View as PDF
    • Appendix E.20: Construction Effects View as PDF
  • Appendix F: Agency and Public Involvement View as PDF
    Provides supporting documentation for the agency and public involvement described in Chapter 11
  • Appendix G: Section 106
    Provides documentation relevant to compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and a draft Programmatic Agreement for public review and comment
        Section 106 Documentation View as PDF
        Section 106 Programmatic Agreement View as PDF
  • Appendix H: Preliminary Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Evaluations View as PDF
    Documents the preliminary assessment and evaluation of Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act and Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (LWCF Act) resources that could be affected by the Action Alternatives
 

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