Appendix to Subpart A - Environmental Assessments

Part I. Description of the environment in the area of the project before commencement of such project, together with statement of other Federal activities in the area which are known, or should be known, to the applicant. This description shall include, without limitation, the following information:

(A) Demographic data. Statement of population and growth characteristics of area and of any population and growth assumptions made by applicant in planning the proj-ect. Such statement should use the rates of growth in the projection compiled for the Water Resources Council by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce and the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture, commonly referred to as the OBERS projection of regional economic activity in the United States. Applicants should refer to 1972 OBERS projections for economic areas, and provide 1969 data and 1980 projections for the following: Population; manufacturing earnings; transportation, communications and public utilities earnings; agriculture, forestry and fisheries earnings; and mining earnings. Information should be provided for economic areas which the applicant's proposal would affect.

(B) Current land use patterns. Statement of the project's relationship to proposed land use plans, policies, and controls of affected communities, including, where appropriate, maps or diagrams. Where the project is inconsistent with any such plans, policies, or controls, the statement should describe and explain in detail the reasons for such inconsistency.

(C) Characteristics of current operations. The Applicant should indicate the maximum allowable speed and frequency of current rail traffic on any affected line, the number and location of grade crossings, and the length of time such grade crossings are blocked during a typical day. The Applicant should indicate derailments and fatalities or injuries resulting from accidents involving trains and motor vehicles or pedestrians on such lines. The Applicant should also indicate the hours of operation on such lines and noise levels of rail operations at 100′ from the right of way. Applicants should refer to the United States Environmental Protection Agency document titled “Information on Levels of Noise Requisite to Protect Public Health and Welfare with an Adequate Margin of Safety”, which provides a system of measuring day and night noises on a weighted average.

(D) Air quality. The Applicant should indicate the air quality in the region, as found in the state Air Quality Implementation Plans to meet ambient air quality standards. Each state is required to prepare such a plan under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 1857). Some states are required to have Transportation Control Plans to meet ambient air quality standards where transportation sources pose major air quality problems. Applicants should refer to state air quality agencies or to the Regional Offices of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for guidance.

(E) Wetland or coastal zones. Location, types, and extent of wetland areas or coastal zones that might be affected by the proj-ect.

(F) Properties and sites of historical or cultural significance. Identification of districts, sites, buildings and other structures, and objects or historical, architectural, archeological, or cultural significance that may be affected by the project. This should be accomplished by consulting the National Register and applying the National Register Criteria (36 CFR part 800) to determine which properties that may be affected by the project are included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is published in its entirety each February in the Federal Register. Monthly additions and listings of eligible properties are published in the Federal Register the first Tuesday of each month. The Secretary of the Interior will advise, upon request, whether properties are eligible for the National Register. Officials designated by their Governors to act as State Historic Preservation Officers responsible for state activities under the National Historic Preservation Act may also be consulted. A listing of these state officials may be found at 36 CFR 60.5(d), or may be obtained from the Director, National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

(G) Publicly-owned parklands, recreational areas, and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites (45 U.S.C. 1653(f)). (i) Protected land proposed to be used. Describe any publicly-owned land from a public park, recreation area or wildlife and waterfowl refuge or any land from an historic site or wildlife and waterfowl refuge or any land from an historic site which would be affected or taken by the proposed program or project, including the size of the land proposed to be affected or taken, available activites on the land, use, patronage, unique or irreplaceable qualities, relationship to other similarly used land in the vicinity of the proposed project, and maps, plans, slides, photographs, and drawings in sufficient scale and detail to clearly show proposed project. Include a description of impacts of the proposed project on the land and changes in vehicular or pedestrian access.

(ii) Significant area. Include a statement of the national, State, or local significance of the entire park, recreation area, wildlife or waterfowl refuge, or historic site as determined by the Federal, State or local officials having jurisdiction thereof. In the absence of such a statement, protected land is presumed to be located in an area of national, State or local significance.

Part II. The probable impact of the proj-ect on the environment and measures which can be taken to mitigate adverse impacts. The applicant shall (1) assess the positive and negative environmental effects, including primary, secondary, and other foreseeable effects, on each of the areas specified in Part I of this appendix, including long-term impacts associated with the increased intensity, if any, of rail operations, and (2) list measures which can be taken to mitigate adverse impacts. Mitigation measures include control of hours of operation, coordination of street blockages with adjacent communities, dust and erosion control measures, and proposed methods of tie disposal. In addition, the applicant shall provide the following.

(A) Statement of the extent to which any of the impacts of the project represent irreversible or irretrievable commitments of resources. This requires identification of the extent to which implementation of the proj-ect irreversibly curtails the range of potential uses of the environment. “Resources” include the natural cultural resources lost or destroyed as a result of the project.

(B) Statement of the relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity. This shall include a brief discussion of the extent to which the proposed action involves trade-off between short-term environmental gains at the expense of long-term losses, or vice versa, and a discussion of the extent to which the proposed action forecloses future options.

(C) Statement of any probable adverse environmental effect which cannot be avoided, such as changes in exposure to noise and changes in level of noise or vibration; water or air pollution; undesirable land use patterns; impacts on public parks and recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, or historic sites; damage to life systems; congestion of street traffic in adjacent communities; delays in the provision of essential services (police, fire, ambulance), anticipated changes in accident patterns and other threats to health; and other consequences adverse to the environmental goals set out in section 101(b) of the National Environmental Protection Act, 42 U.S.C. 4331(b). In considering noise levels, applicants should note any conflicts between projected noise levels from rail operations and HUD standards for noise at sensitive sites, such as schools, hospitals, parks and residential locations. (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “Noise Abatement and Control: Department Policy Implementing Responsibilities and Standards,” Departmental Circular 1390.2, Chart; External Noise Exposure Standards for New Construction, April 4, 1971)

(D) Statement of construction impacts, identifying any special problem areas and including:

(i) Noise impacts from construction and any specifications setting maximum noise levels.

(ii) Disposal of spoil and effect on borrow areas and disposal sites (include any specifications).

(iii) Measures to minimize effects on traffic and pedestrians.

(iv) Consideration of non-point source pollution such as might result from water runoff.

(E) Statement of any positive or negative impacts on energy supply and natural resource development, including, where applicable, any effect on either the production or consumption of energy or other natural resources. Discuss such effects if they are significant.

(F) Discussion of problems and objections raised by other Federal, State or local agencies, and citizens with respect to impact of the project on the environment.

Part III. Discussion of any alternatives to the project that have been considered with respect to impact on the environment. If cost-benefit analyses have been performed, the extent to which environmental costs have been reflected in the analysis should be stated. Underlying studies, reports, and other information obtained and considered in preparing each section of the statement should be identified. For energy comparisons, a possible source is Oak Ridge National Laboratory Report, “Energy Intensiveness of Passenger and Freight Transport Modes” by Dr. Eric Hirst, April, 1973. For analyzing community impacts, the following report may be useful: “The Impacts on Communities of Abandonment of Railroad Service,” July, 1975, prepared for the U.S. Railway Association by the Public Interest Economics Center, Washington, D.C. In examining the environmental effects of highway transport as an alternative to rail service, applicants may wish to use the following publication: “A Study of the Environmental Impact of Projected Increases in Intercity Freight Traffic, August, 1971, prepared for the Association of American Railroads by Battelle, Columbus, Ohio.”