This page describes the environmental review process being used to develop the H2H project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Each of the major steps in the process is defined. The NEPA process examines existing conditions of the natural and man-made environment and analyzes future direct, secondary, and cumulative affects of the project on those resources. Agencies consider the impacts of their activities by developing a NEPA document. The H2H project team will develop an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
The panels below provide a brief overview of the EIS process. As content is developed under each step, it will be available here.
The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement is the first step in the EIS process. A NOI is the official way to inform the public and agencies that an EIS will be prepared for a project. The NOI for the H2H project was published on July 11, 2008. Click here to read the published NOI.
Scoping tooke place from July 11, 2008 through October 8, 2008. Public scoping meetings were held on July 29, and July 31, 2008. More details
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) defines scoping (40 CFR, Part 1501.7) as an “early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action.”
According to A Citizen’s Guide to NEPA, A purpose and need statement describes what agencies are trying to achieve by proposing an action. The purpose and need statement explains to the reader why an agency action is necessary, and serves as the basis for identifying the reasonable alternatives that meet the purpose and need.
Click here to read the most recent draft of the purpose and need statement presented at the October 2008 public open houses.
If you have comments on the purpose and need, we would like to hear them. Click here to make a comment.
Alternatives are the different options that could meet the project’s purpose and need. A number of options for making improved connections between the Seward and Glenn Highways have been studied over the last 40 years. You can review the past studies in the project library.
If you have ideas for alternatives we would like to hear them. Click here to make a comment.
The alternatives for the H2H project will be identified during the scoping phase and refined as the project moves through the EIS process.
Only the “reasonable” alternatives will be studied in the EIS. A No-Action alternative must be included in the EIS. Reasonable alternatives are those that meet the project’s purpose and need. Additionally, reasonable alternatives are practical and feasible from both an engineering and financial standpoint. A No-Action alternative is simply what would happen if the agency did not act upon the proposal for agency action. The No-Action alternative can also serve as a baseline against which the other alternatives can be compared.
Screening criteria will be developed to determine if an alternative is reasonable. Screening criteria may be based on economic, environmental, engineering, and other factors. The screening criteria for this project have not been determined yet, but when they are available you can review them here.
A major step in the EIS process that provides an opportunity for input is the publication of a draft EIS (DEIS). The DEIS describes the results of the environmental study.
When the DEIS is prepared and ready for public comment, we’ll post it to our website.
When the DEIS is completed, it will be circulated for public comment.
A public hearing will be held to obtain public comments on the DEIS. You do not have to attend the public hearing in order to make comments on the DEIS.
When the Final EIS is completed, it will be made available for public review.
The Record of Decision (ROD) documents the decision made on the selected alternatives, the basis for that decision, alternatives considered, and the measures to minimize harm.
When the ROD is complete, it will be posted on this website.
