Sound Transit: Everett-to-Seattle Commuter Rail Project EIS

Sound Transit, in partnership with the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) and Burlington Northern Railroad (BNSF) is expanding rail service between Seattle and Everett with new stations and a range of track and signal improvements. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider the potential environmental consequences of their projects, document the analysis, and make this information available to the public for comment prior to project implementation. In compliance with NEPA, Sound Transit and FTA completed a rigorous review of the environmental impacts of the Everett-to-Seattle Commuter Rail Project. This review included an analysis of multiple project alternatives through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); the issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD), which identified the environmentally preferred alternative; and a re-evaluation of project impacts when the project design was finalized. This environmental review has taken nearly 8 years and has not been without extensive public involvement and comment. Public participation during the NEPA process helped guide the selection and screening of the project alternatives and ultimately resulted in the Seattle-to-Everett Commuter Rail Project that is being constructed today. A detailed chronology of the NEPA process and associate public participation as well as the full text of the EIS, ROD and supporting environmental documents can be found by following the links provided below.

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Documents on this page:

Volume 1 - Final Environmental Impact Statement
Volume 2 - Comments on the Draft EIS and Responses
Appendices
NEPA Re-evaluation
Correspondence
Sounder Public Notifications

Volume 1 - Final Environmental Impact Statement

Front Matter and Table of Contents	(.pdf, 4.2 mb)
List of Acronyms and Glossary	(.pdf, 824 kb)
Summary	(.pdf, 1 mb)
Preferred Alterative Impacts and Environmental Commitments	(.pdf, 3.6 mb)
Chapter 1: Project Purpose and Need	(.pdf, 1.1 mb)
Chapter 2: Project Description Alternatives	(.pdf, 5.3 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.1 Earth	(.pdf, 2.2 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.2 Air Quality	(.pdf, 1.4 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.3 Water Quality	(.pdf, 1.3 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.4 Natural Resources	(.pdf, 153 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.4.1 Wetlands	(.pdf, 1 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.4.2 Wildlife Habitat and Vegetation	(.pdf, 1.3 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.4.3 Marine Resources	(.pdf, 4.6 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.4.4 Freshwater Fisheries	(.pdf, 562 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.4.5 Endangered species	(.pdf, 723 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.5 Energy	(.pdf, 251 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.6 Noise and Vibration	(.pdf, 2 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.7 Hazardous Materials and Wastes	(.pdf, 490 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.8 Land and Shoreline Use	(.pdf, 5.3 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.9 Visual Quality	(.pdf, 630 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.10 Historic, Cultural, and Archaeological Resources	(.pdf, 5.3 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.11 Traffic and Transportation	(.pdf, 3.9 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.12 Public Services and Utilities	(.pdf, 412 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.13 Parklands and Section 4f	(.pdf, 2.7 mb)
Chapter 3: 3.14 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice	(.pdf, 979 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.15 Safety and Security	(.pdf, 369 kb)
Chapter 3: 3.16 Secondary and Cumulative Impacts	(.pdf, 425 kb)
References, Preparers and Distribution	(.pdf, 1.2 mb)
Volume 1 Attachments 1-6	(.pdf, 1.9 mb)
Volume 1 Attachment 7, Endangered Species	(.pdf, 4.8 mb)

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Volume 2 - Comments on the Draft EIS and Responses

Front Matter and Table of Contents	(.pdf, 321 kb)
Federal	(.pdf, 1.9 mb)
Tribes	(.pdf, 186 kb)
State Agencies	(.pdf, 2.3 mb)
Regional Agencies	(.pdf, 509 kb)
Cities and Counties	(.pdf, 5.3 mb)
Transit Agencies	(.pdf, 242 kb)
Community Groups	(.pdf, 2.5 mb)
Businesses	(.pdf, 610 kb)
Individuals	(.pdf, 5.2 mb)
Ballard Public Hearing July 12, 1999	(.pdf, 1.5 mb)
Mukilteo Public Mtg July 13, 1999	(.pdf, 375 kb)
Shoreline Public Mtg July 15, 1999	(.pdf, 394 kb)
Edmonds Public Mtg July 19, 1999	(.pdf, 374 kb)
Everett Public Mtg July 21, 1999	(.pdf, 344 kb)
Ballard Public Mtg July 29, 1999	(.pdf, 349 kb)
Mukilteo Public Mtg August 4, 1999	(.pdf, 344 kb)

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Appendices

A-1 Map Book	(.pdf, 4.5 mb)
A-2 Station Site Screening	(.pdf, 545 kb)
A-3 Alternatives Screening	(.pdf, 3.8 mb)
A-4 Public and Agency Outreach	(.pdf, 442 kb)
A-5 Interim Design Progress	(.pdf, 580 kb)
B Geotechnical Assessment	(.pdf, 4.6 mb)
C Natural Resources Report Pt. 1	(.pdf, 2.2 mb)
C Natural Resources Report Pt. 2	(.pdf, 5.3 mb)
C Natural Resources Report Pt. 3	(.pdf, 3.5 mb)
C Natural Resources Report Pt. 4	(.pdf, 1.6 mb)
D-1 Engineering Report	(.pdf, 2.2 mb)
D-2 Mitigation Options Report	(.pdf, 3.8 mb)
E Air Quality Report	(.pdf, 445 kb)
F Water Quality Report	(.pdf, 636 kb)
G Noise and Vibration Report	(.pdf, 2.2 mb)
H Hazardous Materials Report	(.pdf, 937 kb)
I Land and Shoreline Use Report	(.pdf, 1.2 mb)
J Visual Quality Report	(.pdf, 1.2 mb)
K Historic Cultural Archeological Resources	(.pdf, 6.7 mb)
L Traffic and Transportation Report	(.pdf, 1.5 mb)
M Public Services and Utilities	(.pdf, 295 kb)
N Socioeconomic and Environmental Justice	(.pdf, 608 kb)
O Parkland and Section 4f Report	(.pdf, 4.8 mb)

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NEPA Re-evaluation, Correspondence and Sounder Public Notices

NEPA Re-evaluation	(.pdf, 4.2 mb)
Letter from FTA - NEPA Re-evaluation and ESA	(.pdf, 108 kb)
FTA Record of Decision	(.pdf, 1 mb)
Letter to FTA-Open House Report	(.pdf, 361 kb)
Sounder Public Notices	(.pdf, 21 kb)