LIRR Expansion: Environmental Impact Study

The Final Scoping Document, which contains updated information based on the previous comment period for the Draft Scoping Document, was published on Aug. 26, 2016. The Final Scoping Document is another step forward in preparation for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Click below to download and view the LIRR Expansion Project SEQRA Scoping Documents.

• Draft Project Scoping Document – May 5, 2016
  A Draft Scoping Document for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) pursuant to the NYS Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) for the Long Island Rail Road Expansion Project.
• Draft Scoping Document Public Comments
  View scoping comments received during the previous comment period for the Draft Scoping Document including comments from the Public Scoping Meetings held on May 24 and 25.
  • Public Comments – Attachment A-1
  • Public Comments – Attachment A-2
  • Public Comments – Attachment B
  • Public Comments – Attachment C
• Final Project Scoping Document – August 26, 2016
  The Final Scoping Document for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) pursuant to the NYS Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) for the Long Island Rail Road Expansion Project.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the LIRR Expansion Project was released on November 28, 2016 for public review. The report contains extensive, detailed information about the potential significant effects of the project. The DEIS also provides information about the project’s unprecedented community outreach efforts.

• Table of Contents and Cover Letter
• Executive Summary
  The Executive Summary provides an overview of the environmental analyses conducted in the DEIS and summarizes the principal conclusions and commitments.
• Chapter 1 – Project Description
  This chapter describes the Proposed Project’s purpose and need, as well as major project elements including the third track alignment, grade crossing eliminations, station improvements, and related components.
• Chapter 2 – Land Use, Community Character, and Public Policy
  This chapter characterizes how land is used (for example, residential, commercial, or industrial), community character, public policy, and zoning and evaluates the potential for the Proposed Project to affect these factors.
• Chapter 3 – Socioeconomic Conditions
  This chapter assesses the potential socioeconomic impacts related to the Proposed Project, including an assessment of demographics, population, housing, employment, access to businesses, tax revenues, and fiscal and economic benefits.
• Chapter 4 – Environmental Justice
  This chapter includes an environmental justice analysis to identify the Proposed Project’s potential for disproportional and adverse impacts on minority and low-income communities, as defined by the NYS DEC’s Environmental Justice Policy.
• Chapter 5 – Visual Resources
  This chapter describes the Proposed Project’s potential to impact the visual and aesthetic resources within the study area.
• Chapter 6 – Historic Resources
  This chapter considers the potential for the Proposed Project to affect historic resources, including National Historic Landmarks, resources listed on the State/National Registers of Historic Places or determined eligible for such listing, and locally designated resources.
• Chapter 7 – Natural Resources
  This chapter examines the potential impacts from the Proposed Project on natural resources within the Project Corridor, including groundwater, wetlands, terrestrial biota, threatened or endangered species, and species of special concern.
• Chapter 8 – Contaminated Materials
  This chapter evaluates the potential for substances that pose a threat to human health or the environment to exist within or near the Study Area for the Proposed Project. This chapter also evaluates whether construction or operation of the Proposed Project might increase exposure of people or the environment to contaminated materials.
• Chapter 9 – Utilities and Related Infrastructure
  This chapter discusses the existing utilities and related infrastructure in the Study Area that may be affected by the Proposed Project. Utilities considered include gas and electric lines, fiber optic and telephone lines, cable television lines, water and sanitary sewer lines, and storm water drainage.
• Chapter 10 – Transportation
  This chapter identifies the transportation benefits and impacts of the Proposed Project on specific local components of the region’s transportation system including: LIRR service, operations and ridership; nearby public bus services; vehicular traffic; parking; pedestrian connectivity; and traffic safety.
• Chapter 11 – Air Quality
  This chapter analyzes the effect of the Proposed Project’s operation on air quality including a description of the regulatory context, analysis methodology, existing air quality, and the future air quality with the Proposed Project.
• Chapter 12 – Noise
  This chapter documents the effects of the Proposed Project on noise and vibration in the Project Corridor, including potential noise benefits due to the elimination of grade crossings and building of sound-attenuating walls.
• Chapter 13 – Construction
  This chapter summarizes potential construction plans for the Proposed Project, assesses the potential for significant adverse impacts during construction, and outlines numerous mitigation measures to reduce impacts on local communities in and near the Project Corridor.
• Chapter 14 – Cumulative & Secondary Impacts
  This chapter includes an assessment of the Proposed Project’s potential to result in cumulative and secondary impacts. Cumulative impacts include the Proposed Project’s direct impacts along with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions. Secondary impacts are also known as induced growth (i.e., whether the Proposed Project would lead to growth outside the scope of the project elements).
• Chapter 15 – Safety & Security
  This chapter discusses safety and security issues associated with increased train movement within the Project Corridor, the extension of electrification to accommodate a third track, the modification of platforms and stations, passenger safety, and the closure and/or separation of grade crossings.
• Chapter 16 – Electromagnetic Fields
  This chapter evaluates potential impacts due to electric and magnetic fields (EMF) from the Proposed Project.
• Chapter 17 – Climate Change
  This chapter evaluates the greenhouse gas emissions that would be generated and reduced by the construction and operation of the Proposed Project, and the Proposed Project’s consistency with statewide reduction goals.
• Chapter 18 – Alternatives
  This chapter evaluates a range of alternatives to the Proposed Project including those alternatives that were initially considered but then dismissed from further analysis, a “No Action” alternative, and alternatives suggested by members of the public.
• Chapter 19 – Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
  This chapter discusses natural and man-made resources that would be expended during construction or operation of the Proposed Project and thereby would become unavailable for future use.
• Chapter 20 – Unavoidable Adverse Impacts
  This chapter summarizes several unavoidable adverse impacts that are described in more detail in other chapters throughout the DEIS.
• Chapter 21 – Public and Agency Participation 
  This chapter presents a summary of the process used to date to encourage public and agency participation during the early phases of the LIRR Expansion Project, and planned measures to encourage continued involvement throughout future project phases.

Appendices by Chapter

• Chapter 1 – Appendix 1-A: Draft Preliminary Engineering Technical Memorandum
  This appendix contains an overview of the engineering criteria used to develop the project’s conceptual design drawings, as well as detailed overhead and cross-section maps and drawings for proposed grade crossing, station, and bridge modifications.
• Chapter 1 – Appendix 1-B: Aerial Figures
  This appendix contains detailed aerial views of the location of the proposed third track along the 9.8 mile project corridor.
• Chapter 2 – No Appendix
• Chapter 3 – Appendix 3: Socioeconomic Conditions
• Chapter 4 – No Appendix
• Chapter 5 – No Appendix
• Chapter 6 – Appendix 6: Historic Resources
• Chapter 7 – Appendix 7: Natural Resources
• Chapter 8 – Appendix 8: Contaminated Materials
• Chapter 9 – No Appendix
• Chapter 10 – Appendix 10: Transportation (Not Available)
• Chapter 11 – No Appendix
• Chapter 12 – No Appendix
• Chapter 13 – Appendix 13: Construction
• Chapter 14 – No Appendix
• Chapter 15 – No Appendix
• Chapter 16 – No Appendix
• Chapter 17 – No Appendix
• Chapter 18 – No Appendix
• Chapter 19 – No Appendix
• Chapter 20 – No Appendix
• Chapter 21 – No Appendix

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the LIRR Expansion Project was released on April 12, 2017. The report describes the proposed LIRR Expansion Project in detail, including its purpose and need, its benefits, its potential environmental impacts, and many other issues including community engagement.  The study incorporates input taken from the public on its earlier draft, and responds to comments made by the public.

A. Front Matter

• Cover Letter
• Notice of Completion
• Table of Contents

B. Foreword

This Foreword summarizes changes to the Proposed Project since the DEIS was released, the additional analyses contained in the FEIS, and the structure of the FEIS document.

C. Executive Summary

The Executive Summary provides an overview of the environmental analyses conducted in the FEIS and summarizes the principal conclusions and commitments.

D. Chapters

• Chapter 1 – Project Description
  This chapter describes the Proposed Project’s purpose and need, as well as major project elements including the third track alignment, grade crossing eliminations, station improvements, parking garages, and related components.
• Chapter 2 – Land Use, Community Character, and Public Policy
  This chapter describes existing land use and community character in the project corridor and assesses potential impacts as a result of the Proposed Project.
• Chapter 3 – Socioeconomic Conditions
  This chapter assesses the potential socioeconomic impacts related to the Proposed Project, including an assessment of demographics, population, housing, employment, access to businesses, tax revenues, and fiscal and economic benefits.
• Chapter 4 – Environmental Justice
  This chapter includes an environmental justice analysis to identify the Proposed Project’s potential for disproportional and adverse impacts on minority and low-income communities, as defined by the NYS DEC’s Environmental Justice Policy.
• Chapter 5 – Visual Resources
  This chapter describes the Proposed Project’s potential to impact the visual and aesthetic resources within the study area.
• Chapter 6 – Historic Resources
  This chapter considers the potential for the Proposed Project to affect historic resources, including resources listed on the State/National Registers of Historic Places or determined eligible for such listing.
• Chapter 7 – Natural Resources
  This chapter examines the potential impacts from the Proposed Project on natural resources within the project corridor, including groundwater, wetlands, terrestrial biota, threatened or endangered species, and species of special concern.
• Chapter 8 – Contaminated Materials
  This chapter evaluates the potential for substances that pose a threat to human health or the environment to exist within or near the Study Area for the Proposed Project.
• Chapter 9 – Utilities and Related Infrastructure
  This chapter discusses the existing utilities and related infrastructure in the Study Area that may be affected by the Proposed Project. Utilities considered include gas and electric lines, fiber optic and telephone lines, cable television lines, water and sanitary sewer lines, and storm water drainage.
• Chapter 10 – Transportation
  This chapter identifies the transportation benefits and impacts of the Proposed Project on specific local components of the region’s transportation system including: LIRR service, operations and ridership; nearby public bus services; vehicular traffic; parking; pedestrian connectivity; and traffic safety.
• Chapter 11 – Air Quality
  This chapter analyzes the effect of the Proposed Project on air quality including a description of the regulatory context, analysis methodology, existing air quality, and the future air quality with the Proposed Project.
• Chapter 12 – Noise
  This chapter documents the effects of the Proposed Project on noise and vibration in the project corridor, including potential noise benefits due to the elimination of grade crossings and building of sound attenuation walls.
• Chapter 13 – Construction
  This chapter summarizes potential construction plans for the Proposed Project, assesses the potential for impacts during construction, and outlines numerous measures to avoid or reduce impacts on local communities in and near the project corridor.
• Chapter 14 – Cumulative and Secondary Impacts
  This chapter includes an assessment of the Proposed Project’s potential to result in cumulative and secondary impacts. Cumulative impacts include the Proposed Project’s direct impacts along with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions. Secondary impacts are also known as induced growth (i.e., whether the Proposed Project would lead to growth outside the scope of the project elements).
• Chapter 15 – Safety and Security
  This chapter discusses safety and security issues associated with increased train movement within the project corridor, the extension of electrification to accommodate a third track, the modification of platforms and stations, passenger safety, and the closure and/or separation of grade crossings.
• Chapter 16 – Electromagnetic Fields
  This chapter evaluates potential impacts due to electric and magnetic fields (EMF) from the Proposed Project.
• Chapter 17 – Climate Change
  This chapter evaluates the greenhouse gas emissions that would be generated and reduced by the construction and operation of the Proposed Project, and the Proposed Project’s consistency with statewide reduction goals.
• Chapter 18 – Alternatives
  This chapter evaluates a range of alternatives to the Proposed Project including those alternatives that were initially considered but then dismissed from further analysis, a “No Action” alternative, and alternatives suggested by members of the public.
• Chapter 19 – Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
  This chapter discusses natural and man-made resources that would be expended during construction or operation of the Proposed Project and thereby would become unavailable for future use.
• Chapter 20 – Unavoidable Adverse Impacts
  This chapter summarizes several unavoidable adverse impacts that are described in more detail in other chapters throughout the FEIS.
• Chapter 21 – Public Participation and Agency Coordination
  This chapter presents a summary of the process used to date to encourage public and agency participation during the early phases of the LIRR Expansion Project, and planned measures to encourage continued involvement throughout future project phases.
• Chapter 22 – Response to EIS Comments
  This chapter summarizes public comments received on the DEIS and provides responses to those comments.

E. Appendices

• Chapter 1 – Appendix 1-A: Final Preliminary Engineering Technical Memorandum 
  This appendix contains an overview of the engineering criteria used to develop the project’s conceptual design drawings, as well as detailed overhead and cross-section maps and drawings for proposed grade crossing, station, and bridge modifications.
• Chapter 1 – Appendix 1-B: Right-of-Way Aerials
  This appendix contains detailed aerial views of the location of the proposed third track along the 9.8 mile project corridor.
• Chapter 1 – Appendix 1-C: Grade Crossing Plans
  This appendix contains 30% design engineering plans for parking garages and grade crossings.
• Chapter 1 – Appendix 1-D: Complete Streets Policy Checklist 
  This appendix contains the “Complete Streets Checklist” for the Proposed Project prepared by NYSDOT.
• Chapter 2 – Appendix 2-A: LIRR Smart Growth Impact Statement
  This appendix is the LIRR’s Smart Growth Impact Statement in compliance with the New York State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act.
• Chapter 2 – Appendix 2-B: NYSDOT Smart Growth Screening Tool
  This appendix is the NYSDOT’s Smart Growth Impact Statement in compliance with the New York State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act
• Chapter 3 – Appendix 3: Socioeconomic Conditions
  This appendix contains NYSDOT’s Conceptual Stage Relocation Plan , which identifies the feasibility of relocation for displaced businesses
• Chapter 4: Environmental Justice – No Appendix
• Chapter 5: Visual Resources – No Appendix
• Chapter 6 – Appendix 6-A: Phase 1A Archaeological Investigation
  This appendix contains the Phase 1A archaeology investigation report, assessing the archaeological sensitivity of the project corridor.
• Chapter 6 – Appendix 6-B: SHPO Correspondence
  This appendix contains correspondence from the State Historic Preservation Office.
• Chapter 7 – Appendix 7: Natural Resources
  This appendix contains a response from the New York National Heritage Program, information from the Fish and Wildlife Service, photographs and a photo location key.
• Chapter 8 – Appendix 8-A: Project Corridor Report
  This appendix contains a summary table of recognized environmental conditions, site categories and potential contaminated/hazardous materials sites, Sanborn maps, a corridor study, and a map database.
• Chapter 8 – Appendix 8-B: LIRR ROW and Grade Crossing Site Investigation Report
  This appendix contains a soil investigation report for the LIRR ROW and grade crossing locations.
• Chapter 8 – Appendix 8-C: Parking Garage Phase I ESAs
  This appendix contains Phase I Environmental Site Assessment reports for the parking garage locations.
• Chapter 8 – Appendix 8-D: Parking Garage Phase II Soil Sampling Investigations
  This appendix contains Phase II soil sampling investigations for the parking garage locations.
• Chapter 8 – Appendix 8-E: Full Fee Acquisition Phase 1 EASs
  This appendix contains Phase I site assessment reports for properties at Covert Avenue, New Hyde Park Road, School Street, and Urban Avenue.
• Chapter 9 – Appendix 9: Utilities and Related Infrastructure
  This appendix contains the grade crossing drainage report, a geotechnical report, and soil boring log for all grade crossings.
• Chapter 10 – Appendix 10: Transportation
  This appendix contains traffic study area maps, traffic volume maps, levels of service tables, intersection maps, and station area parking maps.
• Chapter 11: Air Quality – No Appendix
• Chaptre 12: Noise – No Appendix
• Chapter 13 – Appendix 13: Construction
  This appendix contains construction traffic Levels of Service Tables and intersection maps.
• Chapter 14: Cumulative & Secondary Impacts – No Appendix
• Chapter 15: Safety & Security – No Appendix
• Chapter 16: Electromagnetic Fields – No Appendix
• Chapter 17: Climate Change – No Appendix
• Chapter 18: Alternatives – No Appendix
• Chapter 19: Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources – No Appendix
• Chapter 20: Unavoidable Adverse Impacts – No Appendix
• Chapter 21: Public and Agency Participation – No Appendix
• Chapter 22 – Appendix 22-A: Website DEIS Comments
  This appendix contains comments submitted on the project website during the DEIS comment period.
• Chapter 22 – Appendix 22-B: Written Comments
  This appendix contains all written comments submitted during the DEIS comment period, including comment cards from the DEIS Public Meetings.
• Chapter 22 – Appendix 22-C: Oral Comments
  This appendix contains transcripts of the six open sessions and six private sessions at the DEIS Public Meetings from January 17th to January 19th at Yes We Can Community Center, the David S. Mack Student Center at Hofstra University, and the Inn at New Hyde Park.
• Chapter 22– Appendix 22-D: Email and Phone Comments
  This appendix contains comments submitted by phone and email during the DEIS comment period.
• Chapter 22 – Appendix 22-E: Petition from Right Track for Long Island Coalition
  This appendix contains a petition submitted by the Right Track For Long Island Coalition which consists of approximately 431 pages of over 4,542 commuter signatures requesting for the construction of the third track.

LIRR Findings Statement in accordance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).

The Long Island Rail Road Expansion Project Right-of-Way (ROW) Map published on August 26, 2016.

The Long Island Rail Road accepts the final March 15, 2016 cost proposal from Gannett Fleming – AECOM Rail Road Expansion Partnership (GF/AECOM) for the referenced Contract.

Technical Statement of Work For Engineering and Environmental Consultant Services published on March 23, 2016.