Final Environmental Impact Statement

FRA released the Final EIS on May 29, 2020. The Final EIS evaluates and documents the reasonably foreseeable potential beneficial and adverse environmental impacts of implementing TCRR’s HSR system, including a No Build Alternative and six Build Alternatives between Dallas and Houston. The study area for the Project traverses 10 counties between Dallas and Houston. A preferred alternative has been identified in the Final EIS, which includes terminal station locations in Dallas and Houston, and an intermediate station west of Roans Prairie in Grimes County.

The Final EIS is available for public review on this web page (see links to files below). FRA has also provided the Final EIS to repositories throughout the Project area. A list of repositories is detailed in Appendix B, Distribution List of the Final EIS and posted in the FRA eLibrary. FRA suggests that the public call the repositories before going there to confirm the availability of, and access to, the Final EIS documents. Additionally, a limited supply of copies of the Final EIS is available to the public in print or electronically (USB flash drive), upon request. 

Requests for additional information or for a copy of the Final EIS (as supplies last) may be submitted to Kevin Wright, Environmental Protection Specialist, FRA, at 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, MS-20, Washington, D.C. 20590; or via email at kevin.wright@dot.gov. 

Section 106 Programmatic Agreement  

Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, FRA is providing the public a 30-day review period for the Programmatic Agreement that FRA has developed for the Project in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, United States Army Corps of Engineers, TCRR, and other Consulting Parties. 

To ensure the appropriate measures to minimize harm to potential impacts to historic properties, FRA, in consultation with the THC, determined that it is appropriate to develop and implement a Programmatic Agreement for the Project because FRA will not be able to fully determine effects to historic properties prior to issuing a Record of Decision.

The Programmatic Agreement establishes the process that governs FRA’s compliance with Section 106 after approval of the Project. FRA has provided Consulting Parties with an opportunity to review and comment on the draft Programmatic Agreement prior to the release of the Final EIS. FRA is also providing the public an opportunity to review the Programmatic Agreement, appended to the Final EIS as Appendix L. 

FRA accepted public comments for the Draft Section 106 Programmatic Agreement through July 28, 2020.

The Final EIS can be accessed via the following links: 

• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Main Text I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Main Text II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix A_List of Preparers
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix B_Distribution_List
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix C_Public and Agency Involvement Correspondence
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Project Footprint I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Project Footprint II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Project Footprint III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Project Footprint IV
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Project Footprint V
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Surface Water Resources
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Groundwater Resources
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Community and Cultural Resources I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Community and Cultural Resources II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Community and Cultural Resources III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_HAZMAT
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Natural Resources I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Natural Resources II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Natural Resources III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Natural Resources IV
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Land Use I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Land Use II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Land Use III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Environmental Justice
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Mineral Resources I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Mineral Resources II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix D_Mineral Resources III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix E_Combined Tech Memo I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix E_Combined Tech Memo II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix F_ Final Conceptual Engineering Report I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix F_ Final Conceptual Engineering Report II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details IV
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details V
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details VI
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details VII
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details VIII
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details IX
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details X
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details XI
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details XII
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details XIII
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix G_ Final Conceptual Engineering Plans and Details XIV
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix H_Response to Draft EIS Comments I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix H_Response to Draft EIS Comments II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix H_Response to Draft EIS Comments III
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix I_Plans and Public Outreach
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix J_Ridership Demand Forecasting Methodology Assessment
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix K_Agency Specific Report I
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix K_Agency Specific Report II
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix L_Programmatic Agreement I 
• Dallas-Houston HSR Final EIS Appendix L_Programmatic Agreement II