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.
1. IntroductionView as PDF View as web page
Answers common questions about the Tier 1 Final EIS and explains how the document can be used in the future
2. Readers' GuideView as PDF View as web page
Familiarizes the reader with the document and defines key concepts, methodologies, and terminologies used in the environmental analysis
3. Purpose and NeedView as PDF View as web page
Provides the detailed statement of purpose and need for NEC FUTURE
4. Preferred AlternativeView as PDF View as web page
Describes the deliberative process and defines the Preferred Alternative, including representative service characteristics, Representative Route, and rationale for the Preferred Alternative
5. TransportationView as PDF View as web page
Analyzes regional and local effects of the No Action Alternative and Preferred Alternative on the multimodal transportation network, including changes in mode of travel, volume of travel, and services offered
6. Economic Effects and Growth, and Indirect EffectsView as PDF View as web page
Analyzes direct and indirect economic and induced growth effects of the No Action Alternative and Preferred Alternative, including employment, construction activity, monetized total values for transportation effects, and long-term market effects
7. Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences, and Mitigation
Analyzes existing conditions and potential effects of the No Action Alternative and Preferred Alternative on the built and natural environments
8. Construction EffectsView as PDF View as web page
Presents an overview of the potential construction activities associated with the Preferred Alternative and related short-term effects associated with those activities
9. Evaluation of the Preferred AlternativeView as PDF View as web page
Compares the Preferred Alternative to the No Action Alternative based on a range of metrics to evaluate how well they perform relative to service, operations, ridership, economic benefits, environmental effects, and other evaluation criteria
10. Phasing and ImplementationView as PDF View as web page
Describes the process to work with stakeholders to define the Initial Phase for the alternative that FRA ultimately selects in the Record of Decision
11. Agency and Public InvolvementView as PDF View as web page
Summarizes agency and public involvement activities undertaken since publication of the Tier 1 Draft EIS and summarizes comments on the Tier 1 Draft EIS.
12. ReferencesView as PDF View as web page
Lists sources and references for the analysis and documentation presented
13. GlossaryView as PDF View as web page
Explains terminology and acronyms used throughout this Tier 1 Final EIS
14. List of PreparersView as PDF View as web page
Identifies persons involved in the analysis and development of this Tier 1 Final EIS
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 AlternativeView 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.
Appendix FF, Agency and Public InvolvementView 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.
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.
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.
1. IntroductionView as PDF View as web page
Answers common questions about the Tier 1 Draft EIS and explains how the document can be used in the future
2. Readers' GuideView as PDF View as web page
Familiarizes the reader with the document and define key concepts, methodologies, and terminologies used in the environmental analysis
5. TransportationView as PDFView Errata Sheet View as web page
Analyzes regional and local effects of the No Action and Action Alternatives on the multimodal transportation network, including changes in mode of travel, volume of travel, and services offered
6. Economic Effects and Growth, and Indirect EffectsView as PDFView Errata Sheet View as web page
Analyzes direct and indirect economic and induced growth effects of the No Action and Action Alternatives, including employment, construction activity, monetized total values for transportation effects, and long-term market effects
7 Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences, and Mitigation
Analyzes existing conditions and potential effects of the No Action and Action Alternatives on the built and natural environments
8. Construction EffectsView as PDFView Errata Sheet View as web page
Presents an overview of the potential construction activities associated with each of the Action Alternatives and related short-term effects associated with those activities
9. Evaluation of AlternativesView as PDFView Errata Sheet View as web page
Compares the No Action and Action Alternatives based on a range of metrics to evaluate how well they perform relative to service, operations, ridership, economic benefits, environmental effects, and other evaluation criteria
10. Phasing and ImplementationView as PDF View as web page
Describes preliminary phasing plans and associated costs and benefits, as well as implementation opportunities and challenges, for each Action Alternative
11. Agency and Public InvolvementView as PDF View as web page
Summarizes agency and public involvement activities undertaken as part of the development of this Tier 1 Draft EIS
12. ReferencesView as PDF View as web page
Lists sources and references for the analysis and documentation presented
13. GlossaryView as PDF View as web page
Explains terminology and acronyms used throughout this Tier 1 Draft EIS
14. List of PreparersView as PDF View as web page
Identifies persons involved in the analysis and development of this Tier 1 Draft EIS
Appendix A: Mapping AtlasView 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 DocumentationView as PDF
Provides technical reports and memoranda that support the development of the Action Alternatives presented in Chapter 4
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: TransportationView as PDF
Provides the effects-assessment methodology and technical data that support the transportation analysis presented in Chapter 5
Appendix D: Economic EffectsView 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.
Appendix F: Agency and Public InvolvementView 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) EvaluationsView 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
The information posted on this website includes hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. The FRA provides these links and pointers solely for information and convenience. When users select a link to an outside website, they are leaving the NEC FUTURE website and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside website. The FRA does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on a linked website, or endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, the views they express, or the products/services they offer. The FRA cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites and is not responsible for transmissions users receive from linked websites.
