What is the environmental review process?
This study includes the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement.  It will be followed by a Final Environmental Impact Statement and a Record of Decision (ROD) in a subsequent phase.  An EIS is a detailed study of the environmental impacts of a proposed capital improvement, such as transit. The EIS will provide a detailed description of the preferred alternative and identify environmental, social, and economic impacts, as well as the benefits of the project.  It will identify and propose mitigation measures in instances where the project is likely to have impacts on the natural and social environment. Completion and approval of the environmental impact study are required if federal funds are to be used for any stage of project development.  In this instance, approval will be required by the lead agencies for the project.

The main steps of the federal environmental review process include the following:

Scoping
The scoping process provides opportunities for input on alternatives and social, economic and environmental resources that will be evaluated further in the Environmental Impact Statement. An important part of this phase is to invite the public and federal, state and local resource/regulatory agencies to share their ideas, comments and concerns regarding the scope of the proposed project. Upon completion of the public and agency scoping meetings, a scoping report is provided to the public summarizing the comments received from both the public and participating agencies during this phase of the project.

A conceptual alternative usually includes consideration of general concerns such as ranges of costs, ridership potential, likely cost-effectiveness, and financial feasibility.

Purpose and Need
The purpose of and need for action builds upon the research and development conducted in previous transportation planning efforts in the Indianapolis metropolitan region. The purpose of the Project is to improve mobility and accessibility within the Northeast Corridor of Central Indiana through the development of transit. The Northeast Corridor is comprised of the primary travel corridors between downtown Indianapolis in Marion County and the rapidly growing areas of Hamilton County, specifically the communities of Fishers and Noblesville, Indiana. The Northeast Corridor and the communities within it have historically seen the highest concentration of residential and commercial development. Read more

Draft Environmental Impact Statement
This is a detailed study of the environmental impacts and benefits of a proposed capital improvement, including impacts to the human and natural environments. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or DEIS, must consider all reasonable alternatives for a project, including a “no build” alternative. During the preparation of the DEIS, there are opportunities for public input. Following the conclusion of a DEIS, one alternative is selected for advancement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Final Environmental Impact Statement
The Final Environmental Impact Statement, or FEIS, focuses on the potential benefits, impacts and mitigation measures of the preferred alternative. The FEIS also addresses the comments submitted by agencies and the public in the DEIS phase. Following the completion of the FEIS, a Record of Decision is issued, and the environmental study process is complete.

Record of Decision
The Record of Decision, or ROD, is the final step in the EIS process. The ROD is a concise report that states Federal Transit Administration's determination that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process has been completed for the proposed project. It describes the basis for the decision, identifies alternatives that were considered and summarizes specific mitigation measures that will be incorporated into the project. With a ROD, the project may proceed into final design and construction.

To download and read Environmental Documentation related to this project click here.