Environmental Impact Statement
Overview
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.) to assess the potential environmental impacts from implementing the proposed Superconducting Magnetic Levitation (SCMAGLEV) system between Baltimore, MD, and Washington, DC (SCMAGLEV Project). The EIS includes a Section 4(f) Evaluation in accordance with Section 4(f) of the United States Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. §303) and consideration of historic properties in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. § 306108), as amended. FRA published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the EIS for the Project in the Federal Register on November 25, 2016.
FRA is conducting this environmental review process in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) NEPA regulations (40 C.F.R. § Parts 1500-1508), FRA’s Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 Fed. Reg. 28545 (1999)), and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Protection of Historic Properties regulations (36 C.F.R. Part 800). FRA is the lead Federal agency preparing the EIS, Section 4(f) Evaluation, and Section 106 documents, with the Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) providing technical assistance. Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail, LLC (BWRR), the private Project sponsor, is the entity that would design, construct, and operate the SCMAGLEV system.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation, and Draft Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA)
FRA released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation, and Draft Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA) on January 15, 2021, for public review. The DEIS, Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation, and Draft PA were available for public comment until May 24, 2021.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance regarding large events and mass gatherings, FRA conducted telephonic public hearings for the SCMAGLEV DEIS on Tuesday, April 6, 2021; Thursday, April 8, 2021; and Saturday, April 10, 2021. The public hearings provided an opportunity for interested parties to provide oral comments on the DEIS, Draft 4(f) Evaluation, and Draft PA. Please visit the SCMAGLEV Project website to view recordings of the meetings and meeting materials.
All comments received during the public comment period will be considered in the preparation of the Final EIS, Final Section 4(f) Evaluation, and PA.
The DEIS, Draft 4(f) Evaluation, and Draft PA files can be accessed via the dropdown menus below.
Next Steps
FRA is pausing the EIS for the Baltimore-Washington SCMAGLEV Project on the Permitting Dashboard to review project elements and determine the next steps. FRA will share the revised project EIS schedule when it is determined.
- Front Matter (Cover and Table of Contents)
- Executive Summary
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Purpose and Need
- Chapter 3 Alternatives Considered
- Chapter 4 Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences and Mitigation
4.01 Introduction
4.02 Transportation
4.03 Land Use and Zoning
4.04 Neighborhoods and Community Facilities
4.05 Environmental Justice
4.06 Economic Resources
4.07 Recreational Facilities and Parklands
4.08 Cultural Resources
4.09 Aesthetics, Visual Quality, and Light Emissions
4.10 Water Resources
4.11 Wetlands and Waterways
4.12 Ecological Resources
4.13 Topography and Geology
4.14 Soils and Farmlands
4.15 Hazardous Materials Sites and Solid Waste
4.16 Air Quality
4.17 Noise and Vibration
4.18 Electromagnetic Fields and Interference
4.19 Energy
4.20 Utilities
4.21 Public Health and Safety
4.22 System Safety and Security
4.23 Indirect and Cumulative Effects
4.24 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
- Appendix A Glossary, Acronyms, References, Distribution List, and List of Preparers
- Appendix B Mapping Atlas
Appendix B.1 Build Alternatives
Appendix B.2 Socioeconomic and Community Resources
Appendix B.3 Natural Resources Map Atlas
Appendix B.4 Cultural Resources Map Atlas
- Appendix C Alternatives Development Summary
- Appendix D
Appendix D.1 Permits and Authorizations
Appendix D.2 Transportation Technical Report
Appendix D.3 Socioeconomic Environment Technical Report
Appendix D.3 Socioeconomic Environment Technical Report Attachments A-F
Appendix D.4 Economics Impact Analysis Technical Report
Appendix D.5 Cultural Resources
Appendix D.5 Cultural Resources Attachment (Draft Programmatic Agreement (PA))
Appendix D.6 Aesthetics, Visual Quality and Light Emissions
Appendix D.7 Natural Environment Technical Report
Appendix D.7 Natural Environment Technical Report Attachments A & B
Appendix D.7 Natural Environment Technical Report Attachments C & D
Appendix D.7 Natural Environment Technical Report Attachment E
Appendix D.7 Natural Environment Technical Report Attachment F
Appendix D.8 Hazardous Materials Sites and Solid Waste
Appendix D.9 Air Quality Technical Report
Appendix D.9 Air Quality Attachments A-C
Appendix D.10 Noise and Vibration
Appendix D.11 Electromagnetic Fields and Interference
Appendix F Draft 4(f) Evaluation Mapping
Appendix F Draft 4(f) Evaluation Coordination and Correspondence
- Appendix G Preliminary Engineering Technical Appendices
Appendix G Part A (G.01 Facility Parcel Impact Submittal (Cover/TOC, Report, and Attachment 1))
Appendix G Part B (G.01 Facility Parcel Impact Submittal (Attachment 2))
Appendix G Part C (G.01 Facility Parcel Impact Submittal (Attachments 3-10))
Appendix G Part D (G.02 DEIS Drawings (Location Map, Index, and Legend; Structural Typical Sections and Details; Alignment J1))
Appendix G Part E (G.02 DEIS Drawings (J Alignment, Camden Yards, and Cherry Hill Site Civil Plans))
Appendix G Part F (G.02 DEIS Drawings (TMF and MOW Connections))
Appendix G Part G (G.02 DEIS Drawings (Facilities/Systems J Alignment))
Appendix G Part H (G.02 DEIS Drawings (Facilities/Systems J1 Alignment))
Appendix G Part I (G.02 DEIS Drawings (Traffic Control Plans))
Appendix G Part J (G.02 DEIS Drawings (Traffic Control Plans))
Appendix G Part K
(G.3 Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Memorandum, G.4 Operations Plan Memorandum, G.5 Train Speed Profiles Memorandum, G.6 Safety and Security Technical Memorandum, G.7 Construction Planning Memorandum, G.8 Traffic Control Plans Memorandum, G.9 Capital and Construction Costs Memorandum)
(G.10 Electrical Coordination Technical Memorandum, G.11 BWRRs Proposal for Preferred Alternative Selection, G.12 TMF Alternatives Assessment Comparison Memorandum, G.13 Geotechnical Report, G.14 Public Transportation Impacts Memorandum, G.15 Operations and Maintenance Memorandum)
Last updated: Thursday, August 26, 2021