mailto:lpesesky@louisberger.com

NCHRP Reports 403 (1998) and 466 (2002): Guidance for Estimating the Indirect Effects of Proposed Transportation Projectshttp://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_w43.pdf

Eight Step Process:Step 1 – Define the Study Area BoundariesStep 2 – Identify the Study Area Communities’ Trends and GoalsStep 3 – Inventory Notable Features Step 4 – Identify Impact Causing Activities of the Proposed Action and AlternativesStep 5 – Identify Potential Impacts For AnalysisStep 6 – Analyze ImpactsStep 7 – Evaluate Analysis ResultsStep 8 – Assess Consequences and Develop Mitigation

Injunction in 1999 lawsuit halted Winston-Salem Northern Beltway

Among issues: inadequate evaluation of indirect and cumulative impacts

NCDOT forms Task Force with Department of Environment and Natural Resources

2001 Guidance for Assessing Indirect and Cumulative Impacts in North Carolina http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/pe/ICI_Guidance.html

Over 250 multi-governmental and consultant staff trained and field-tested in Guidance

Forsyth County study area

In rapidly-growing Piedmont Triad

Issues

Community character

Habitat loss

Historic properties’ context

Water quality degradation

Air pollution

Consequence of interstate designation

Induced travel

Gravity allocation model to identify where indirect effects could occur – macro-scale

Interchange assessments – meso-scale

Available land

Allowable development

Relative change in accessibility

Intersecting road traffic

Induced travel potential estimated using FHWA’ s SMITE model

Qualitative assessment of cumulative impacts

Record of Decision issued in 2008

Plaintiffs sued again

U.S. District Court judge on May 19 ruled in favor of NCDOT and FHWA, and dismissed both the 1999 and 2008 cases

http://www.ncdot.org/projects/wsnb/

Program-wide

Overseen by Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch

Continuously improved

Indirect and Cumulative Effects (ICE)

Screening Tool

Section 401 Water Quality Certificate Cumulative http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/pe/PD/Default.html

FHWA 2003 Interim Guidance: Questions and Answers Regarding Indirect and Cumulative Impact Considerations in the NEPA Process http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/guidebook/qaimpactmemo.asp

Other states’ guidance NCHRP 25-25/Task 43 Legal Sufficiency Criteria

for Adequate Indirect Effects and Cumulative Impact Analysis as Related to NEPA Documentshttp://environment.transportation.org/pdf/indirect_effects/NCHRP252543.pdf

NCHRP 25-25/Task 54 Evaluate Colorado’s Area-wide Cumulative Effects Methodology as a Mechanism for Cumulative Impacts Assessment in Regional Transportation Plans http://environment.transportation.org/pdf/indirect_effects/nchrp25-25-54.pdf

Upcoming Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO Practitioners’ Handbook

Mn/DOT St. Croix River Crossing SEIS http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/stcroix/docs/sfeis.html

NHDOT I-93 Widening SEIS http://www.rebuildingi93.com/content/environmental/seis/

VTrans Circ-Williston Transportation Project http://www.circeis.org/draft_eis.html

Variety of terminology and approaches in use

Commonalities – justify the study area, focus on resource issues, document No Build, apply analysis tool that fits, gather input from knowledgeable locals

FHWA March 2010 Interim Guidance on the Application of Travel & Land Use Forecasting in NEPA http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/projdev/travel_landUse/travel_landUse_rpt.pdf

Cumulative impacts need to be treated separately from direct and indirect effects

Community livability and sustainability

Regional transportation and land use planning

Regional habitat preservation and improvement goals

Greenhouse gas emissions