ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS
Starting in 2019, a two-year federally-mandated environmental review of the entire alignment will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NEPA process is a framework required for infrastructure projects to ensure the public is informed and involved in all environmental considerations and the decision-making process. The NEPA process allows the project team to learn as much as possible about the local area and communities in order to reach a decision that best meets the needs of the community and minimizes or avoids impacts to the environment and communities.
While the NEPA process is time intensive, the project team and project advocates understand how to engage and work with local leaders and stakeholders to advance the process, as shown in the figure below. Preliminary engineering needed to refine the work scope and schedule – and identify opportunities to expedite the overall process – will be simultaneously undertaken.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will serve as the lead agency for the project and will oversee the NEPA environmental review process, and ultimately decide whether to permit or not permit the project. More information on the FTA’s process as it pertains to NEPA can be found on the agency’s website.
BCDCOG identifies a need for action: Are environmental effects likely to be significant?
Prepare a categorical exclusion
Are there unusual circumstances, such as the needs to consider alternatives?
Prepare an environmental assessment
Are there significant effects?
If not, prepare a finding of no significant impact (FONSI)
Prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS)
Prepare a draft and final statement
Prepare a record of decision (ROD)
