Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

The latest general information on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is available on the CDC website.

United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Empire Corridor

Environmental Impact Statement

FRA, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), is preparing a Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate proposed system improvements to intercity passenger rail services along the 463-mile Empire Corridor, connecting Pennsylvania (Penn) Station in New York City with Niagara Falls Station in Niagara Falls, New York.  The Draft EIS (DEIS) was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and its implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-1508); FRA’s Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 Federal Register [FR] 28545); and the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) and its implementing regulations (6 New York Codes, Rules and Regulations [NYCRR] Part 617).

FRA and NYSDOT completed the Tier I DEIS in January 2014. Six public hearings statewide presented the Tier 1 DEIS and solicited public comments.

Next Steps

FRA anticipates publishing the Tier I Final EIS in 2022.

More Information

For more information on the Empire Corridor Project, please visit the NYSDOT’s website at https://www.dot.ny.gov/empire-corridor or contact Brandon Bratcher, FRA Environmental Protection Specialist at Brandon.Bratcher@dot.gov, or:

Brandon Bratcher
Environmental Protection Specialist
Federal Railroad Administration, RPD-13
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
West Building – Mail Stop 20
Washington, DC 20590 

Permitting Dashboard

The U.S. Permitting Dashboard is an online tool for Federal agencies, project sponsors, and interested members of the public to track the Federal government’s environmental review and authorization processes for large or complex infrastructure projects. The Dashboard is part of a government-wide effort to improve coordination, transparency, and accountability. A link to this project’s page on the Dashboard is below. 

Last updated: Thursday, April 1, 2021