Northern Branch Corridor: Regulations
What is an EIS?
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a report that is required by the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, which documents the potential social, economic, and environmental effects of a proposed project or action, and alternatives to it. NEPA regulations govern the environmental review process for projects that may result in significant environmental impacts, to ensure that all significant issues are identified and the full range of alternatives and impacts of the proposed project are addressed. An EIS is part of a process that must be completed for a project to be eligible for federal capital funds. An EIS will identify significant environmental issues in the environmental review process, including thorough consultation with federal, state, and local agencies and from public input.
Lead Federal Agency:
Project Sponsor
Related Projects
NEPA-Related Information
Documents
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PDF format) - 2017
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PDF format) - December 13, 2011:
• DEIS Cover (1.5 MB)
• Table of Contents (108 KB)
• DEIS Abstract Page (16 KB)
• DEIS Signature Page (992 KB)
• Executive Summary (1.5 MB)
• 1. Background and Setting (2.8 MB)
• 2. Purpose and Need for Action (40 KB)
• 3. Project Alternatives (2.7 MB)
• 4. Land Use and Zoning (5.1 MB)
• 5. Land Acquisition and Displacement (10.1 MB)
• 6. Consistency with Local Plans (72 KB)
• 7. Parklands (3.6 MB)
• 8. Community Facilities (7.3 MB)
• 9. Parking and Traffic (1.0 MB)
o 9A. Parking and Traffic Supporting Images (47.9 MB)
• 10. Transit and Freight Rail (68 KB)
• 11. Air Quality (124 KB)
• 12. Noise (5.9 MB)
• 13. Vibration (248 KB)
• 14. Water Quality (1.7 MB)
• 15. Wetlands (948 KB)
• 16. Floodplains (3.9 MB)
• 17. Navigable Waterways and Coastal Zones (1.9 MB)
• 18. Endangered Species (48 KB)
• 19. Hazardous Materials (6.6 MB)
• 20. Energy (40 KB)
• 21. Electric and Magnetic Fields (36 KB)
• 22. Safety and Security (112 KB)
• 23. Historic Properties and Resources (11.9 MB)
• 24. Archaeology (7.1 MB)
• 25. Section 4(f) Evaluation (5.4 MB)
• 26. Environmental Justice (64 KB)
• 27. Construction Impacts (136 KB)
• 28. Indirect Impacts and Cumulative Effects (76 KB)
• 29. Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources (16 KB)
• 30. Adverse Impacts Which Cannot be Avoided (20 KB)
• 31. Public Outreach (84 KB)
• 32. Distribution List (56 KB)
• 33. List of Preparers (48 KB)
• 34. Glossary/List of Abbreviations (56 KB)
• 35. References (64 KB)
• 36. Technical Reports, Supporting Documentation and Related Studies (36 KB)
• Technical Appendices
• DEIS Appendices Cover (2.0 MB)
• Table of Contents (20 KB)
• Appendix A: Track Charts (636 KB)
• Appendix B: Site Plans of Project Elements (25.1 MB)
• Appendix C: Agency Correspondence (5.3 MB)
• Appendix D: Local Tax Base (84 KB)
• Appendix E: Traffic (388 KB)
• Appendix F: Noise and Vibration (84 KB)
• Appendix G: Wetland Delineation Report (3.5 MB)
• Appendix H: Historic Properties and Resources (1.9 MB)
• Appendix I: Archaeology (72 KB)
• Appendix J: Coordination Plan (48 KB)
• Appendix K: Draft Programmatic Agreement (96 KB)
June 30th, 2008 CLC Meeting (PDF format):
• Presentation to CLC (1.2 MB)
o Englewood (1.5 MB)
o Leonia (1.4 MB)
o North Bergen (1.4 MB)
o Palisades Park/Ridgefield/Fairview (1.5 MB)
o Tenafly (1.6 MB)
o Areas North of Tenafly (1.6 MB)
Scoping Documents (PDF format):
Final scoping document added 3/17/08.
• Final Scoping Document (1.3 MB)
• Presentation from October 24, 2007 Scoping Meeting (611 KB)
November 29th, 2007 CLC Meeting Documents (PDF format):
• CLC #2 Meeting Presentation (2.2 MB)
• Ridership Information (589 KB)
Maps of Project Corridor and Station Locations (PDF format):
• Northern Branch Project Corridor (515 KB)
Other Documents (PDF format)
• Notice of Intent (NOI) (63 KB)
• Presentation from July 17, 2007 CLC Meeting (13.2 MB)
Terms & Acronyms
Terms and acronyms that are commonly used in the Northern Branch Corridor Project and web site are provided below.
Agency's Preferred Alternative: The Agency's Preferred Alternative is the one that it believes would fulfill its statutory mission and responsibilities, giving consideration to economic, environmental, technical, and other factors. Even though the Agency's Preferred Alternative is identified, the EIS must objectively evaluate all the alternatives.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS): The draft version of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that documents the potential social, economic and environmental effects of a proposed project or action and alternatives to it. It is released to the public and agencies for review and comment.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): The report that is required by the National Environment Policy Act of 1969, which documents the potential social, economic, and environmental effects of a proposed project or action, and alternatives to it.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS): The environmental document prepared following the close of the comment period for the Draft EIS (DEIS). The FEIS incorporates changes to the project analyses, and reflects pertinent agency and public comment on the DEIS. The FEIS, if not done previously, also identifies the alternative selected for the project.
Infrastructure: The underlying foundation or basic framework of a system.
Lead Federal Agency: The federal agency taking primary responsibility for preparing an environmental impact statement, as prescribed in 40CFR§1508.16.
Light Rail Transit (LRT): A self-propelled vehicle operated singly or in consists on predominantly reserved, but not necessarily grade-separated, rights-of-way. Compared to heavy (commuter) rail transit, LRT is characterized by smaller trains, shorter headways (time between trains on the same route), slower speeds, more frequent stops, and the possibility to operate in mixed traffic on surface streets. Light rail vehicles do not meet federal safety requirements to operate in mixed freight environments. Examples in New Jersey include the electric-powered Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) and Newark Light Rail and the diesel-powered River Line between Trenton and Camden.
Mitigation: Planning of project design and/or construction to avoid or overcome adverse impacts.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): Legislation enacted in 1969 that established a national environmental policy requiring that any project using federal funding or requiring federal approval (including transportation projects) must examine the effects that the proposal and alternative choices would have on the environment before a federal decision is made.
Northern Branch: A lightly used freight rail line owned by CSX Transportation that runs through the Hudson and Bergen County communities of Tenafly, Englewood, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield, Fairview, North Bergen, Cresskill, Demarest, Closter, Norwood and Northvale.
Northern Branch Corridor: The area through which the Northern Branch rail line traverses. The Corridor is a densely settled suburban environment that has not been served by passenger rail since the 1960s.
Notice of Intent (NOI): A notice published in the Federal Register advising that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared, with a brief description of the proposed action and possible alternatives, and contact information for obtaining further information about the project and preparation of the DEIS.
Project Sponsor: The agency proposing to build or implement a proposed project or action.
Scoping: A step in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that provides an opportunity for members of the general public, stakeholders, and others to comment on the purpose and need of a proposed project/action, the types of alternatives to be considered, and to provide input on the issues and concerns that should be addressed in the EIS.
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS): A supplement to a draft or final EIS is required when any of the following occurs:
- An agency makes substantial changes to the proposed action that are relevant to its environmental concerns.
- There are significant new circumstances or information relevant to the environmental effects that have bearing on the proposed action or its impacts.