Appendix A: Analysis Framework
A-1 June 2021

A.1 CEQR TECHNICAL GUIDE AND NEPA ANALYSES

Table A-1 

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project EIS

CEQR Technical Guide

CEQR Technical 

Area CEQR Analysis Issues

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure 

Project EIS Chapter Location

Land Use, 

Zoning, and 

Public Policy

Land Use Effect of a project on land uses and 

development trends

5. Land Use, Land Planning, and 

Property

Zoning and Public 

Policy

Project consistency with local zoning 

regulations and relevant public policies

5. Land Use, Land Planning, and 

Property

Waterfront 

Revitalization

Program

Project consistency with NYC Waterfront 

Revitalization Program policies

16. Coastal Zone Consistency

Socioeconomic 

Conditions

Direct Residential 

Displacement

Effect of a project on socioeconomic 

character of an area due to direct 

displacement of residents

17. Socioeconomics 

Direct Business 

Displacement

Effect of a project on socioeconomic 

character of an area or business conditions 

due to direct displacement of 

employees/businesses

17. Socioeconomics 

Indirect Residential 

Displacement

Effect of a project on housing trends/rents 

that may result in displacement of a 

vulnerable population

20. Indirect and Cumulative Impacts 

(Socioeconomics section)

Indirect Business 

Displacement

Effect of a project on business conditions or 

trends that may make it difficult for certain 

businesses to remain in an area (including 

effects of introducing new retail 

concentration)

20. Indirect and Cumulative Impacts 

(Socioeconomics section)

Adverse Effects on 

Specific Industries

Effect of a project on viability of a specific 

industry

17. Socioeconomics

Community 

Facilities and 

Services

Effect of a project on public facilities and 

delivery of services (schools, child care, 

libraries, police/fire services, health care 

facilities) due to direct displacement of 

facilities or introduction of significant new 

demand

17. Socioeconomics 

Nearly all impacts are construction 

period impacts. There would be no 

generation of new demand once the 

project is completed. No construction 

impacts to schools, child care, libraries, 

or health care facilities.
June 2021 A-2 

Table A-1 (cont’d)

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project EIS

CEQR Technical Guide

CEQR Technical 

Area CEQR Analysis Issues

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure 

Project EIS Chapter Location

Open Space

Indirect Effects Effect of a project on open space due to 

demand by a new residential or worker 

population

There would be no new residential or 

worker demand from the Project once 

completed.

Direct Effects Effect of a project due to temporary or 

permanent closure of open space resources; 

effects on usefulness of resources due to 

increased noise, air pollution, or shadows

10. Open Space and Recreational 

Parks and Recreation Areas

Shadows Effect of project-generated shadows on open 

space resources, natural areas, or sunlightsensitive historic resources

Not Applicable

Historic and 

Cultural 

Resources

Architectural 

Resources

Effect of a project on designated, eligible, or 

potential architectural resources due to 

changes in historic setting or constructionrelated disturbances

9. Cultural Resources 

Archaeological 

Resources

Potential for a project to affect archaeological 

resources due to ground disturbance

9. Cultural Resources 

Urban Design 

and Visual 

Resources

Effect of a project on visual character of an 

area and pedestrian experience due to 

changes to streetscape or building form; 

potential for a project to obstruct publically 

accessible views of visual resources

11. Aesthetics and Visual Quality

Natural 

Resources

Potential project-related disturbances to 

aquatic resources, floodplains, wetlands, 

wildlife, and terrestrial ecological communities

14. Soils and Geology

15. Water and Natural Resources

Hazardous 

Materials

Potential for a project to increase exposure of 

workers or the public to contaminants, e.g., 

asbestos, VOCs, PCBs

12. Contaminated Materials

14. Soils and Geology

Water and Sewer 

Infrastructure

Effect of a project on water supply system and 

wastewater conveyance and treatment 

infrastructure due to increased water demand, 

wastewater generation, or changes to 

stormwater management

13. Utilities and Energy (construction 

impacts related to relocation of 

facilities; no new users, water 

demand or wastewater generation 

during operation)

14. Soils and Geology (address 

disposal of any contaminated 

stormwater or dewatering water 

encountered during construction)

15. Water and Natural Resources 

(addresses changes to stormwater 

management)

Solid Waste and 

Sanitation 

Services

Effect of a project on solid waste management 

system due to increased waste generation and 

demand for collection and transportation 

services

13. Utilities and Energy

Energy Effect of a project on energy generation and 

delivery system due to increased demand

13. Utilities and Energy
Appendix A: Analysis Framework

A-3 June 2021

Table A-1 (cont’d)

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project EIS

CEQR Technical Guide

CEQR Technical 

Area CEQR Analysis Issues

Western Rail Yard 

Infrastructure Project EIS 

Chapter Location

Transportation

Traffic Effect of project-generated vehicle trips and 

roadway changes on roadway capacity and 

congestion

6. Transportation 

Pedestrians Effect of project-generated pedestrian trips and 

roadway changes on capacity of pedestrian 

elements (sidewalks and crosswalks)

6. Transportation

Parking Effect of project-generated parking demand on offsite parking capacity6. Transportation

Transit Effect of a project on mass transit capacity and 

service (subway, bus, rail)

6. Transportation

Air Quality

Stationary Source Effect of project-related emissions from stationary 

sources, e.g., boiler stacks

7. Air Quality, Greenhouse 

Gas Emissions, and 

Resilience

Mobile Source Effect of emissions from project-generated 

vehicular traffic

7. Air Quality, Greenhouse 

Gas Emissions, and 

Resilience

Greenhouse Gas 

Emissions and 

Climate Change

Project-generated GHG emissions and consistency 

with GHG reduction policies; resilience of a project 

to sea level rise and climate change

7. Air Quality, Greenhouse 

Gas Emissions, and 

Resilience

Noise

Stationary Source Effect of project-generated noise from stationary 

sources, e.g., mechanical equipment or 

manufacturing operations

8. Noise and Vibration 

Mobile Source Effect of project-generated noise from autos, 

aircraft, or trains

8. Noise and Vibration 

Public Health Cumulative effects of a project on public health due 

to effects on air quality, water quality, hazardous 

materials, or noise

18. Public Health 

Neighborhood 

Character

Cumulative effects of a project on the context and 

feel of a neighborhood due to effects on land use, 

socioeconomic conditions, open space, historic 

and cultural resources, urban design and visual 

resources, shadows, transportation, and noise

No dedicated chapter in this 

EIS; see discussions weaving 

in aspects of neighborhood 

character included in:

5. Land Use, Land Planning, 

and Property

11: Aesthetics and Visual 

Quality 

17. Socioeconomics 

20. Indirect and Cumulative 

Impacts

Construction

Construction Means 

and Methods

Project construction schedule, phasing, methods, 

equipment, etc.

3. Alternatives 

Construction Impact 

Assessment 

Effects of project-related construction activities in 

each technical area (e.g., hazardous materials, air 

quality, noise)

Various: construction-related 

assessments provided in each 

technical resource category 

chapter
June 2021 A-4 

Table A-1 (cont’d)

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project EIS

CEQR Technical Guide

CEQR Technical Area CEQR Analysis Issues

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure 

Project EIS Chapter Location

Alternatives

Project Alternatives Summary of project alternatives 

considered, e.g., alternatives that 

reduce or eliminate environmental 

impacts

3. Alternatives

Alternatives Impact 

Assessment 

Effects of project alternatives in each 

technical area

Various: assessments of all project 

alternatives provided in each technical 

resource category chapter

Mitigation Measures Summary of mitigation measures to 

be implemented with a project

22. Mitigation Measures and Project 

Commitments

Various: project mitigation measures 

provided in each technical area chapter 

where relevant

Unavoidable Adverse 

Impacts

Summary of a project’s unmitigated 

significant adverse environmental 

impacts

Various: adverse environmental effects 

presented in each technical area chapter 

where relevant

Growth-Inducing 

Aspects of the 

Proposed Project

Potential for a project to result in 

secondary impacts (i.e., effects of 

induced development or growth)

20. Indirect, Cumulative, and Other

Impacts

Irreversible and 

Irretrievable 

Commitments of 

Resources

Effects of a project’s use of manmade and natural resources22. Mitigation Measures and Project 

Commitments (subsection on 

Irreversible and Irretrievable 

Commitments of Resources)

Various: assessments of all project 

alternatives provided in each technical 

resource category chapter 
Appendix A: Analysis Framework

A-5 June 2021

Table A-2 

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project EIS

NEPA Analyses

NEPA Resource 

Category Analysis Issues

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure 

Project EIS Chapter Location

Elderly and 

Persons with 

Disabilities

(Not a CEQR 

Analysis Area)

Examine potential for a project to displace 

any facilities serving elderly and/or disabled 

populations, introduce any new populations 

of elderly or disabled persons, or interfere 

with the movement of these user groups in 

the area.

17. Socioeconomics (sections on the 

Elderly and Persons with Disabilities)

The sections in this chapter evaluate 

potential effects of the No Action 

Alternative and the Preferred Alternative 

on the elderly and persons with 

disabilities. 

Environmental 

Justice

(Not a CEQR 

Analysis Area)

Examine potential for a project to result in 

disproportionately high and adverse effects 

on minority populations and/or low-income 

(collectively, environmental justice 

populations), and if any are identified, 

describes measures that would avoid, 

minimize, or mitigate such impacts.

19. Environmental Justice

Chapter identifies any minority and/or lowincome populations (collectively, 

environmental justice populations) in the 

Study area, analyzes if these populations 

would experience disproportionately high 

and adverse effects from the No Action 

Alternative and the Preferred Alternative, 

and describes measures that would avoid, 

minimize, or mitigate such impacts.

Draws from analyses preformed for other 

EIS chapter impact analyses described in 

Chapters 5-18.

Safety and 

Security

(Not a CEQR 

Analysis Area)

Describes relevant safety and security 

regulations and codes, and the measures 

that the Project Sponsor will implement as 

part of project design and/or during 

construction and operation to ensure safety 

of workers and the site once complete. 

Does not include analysis of safety 

measures addressed in other resource area 

chapters (e.g., Contaminated Materials 

handling measures, etc.)

3. Alternatives

Chapter includes description of the safety 

and security-related requirements, 

policies, procedures, protocols, applicable 

to the site and the construction and 

operation of the new infrastructure. Also 

describes safety and security elements 

that would be considered in the design of 

the Preferred Alternative.
June 2021 A-6 

Table A-2 (cont’d)

Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project EIS

NEPA Analyses

NEPA Resource Category Analysis Issues

Western Rail Yard 

Infrastructure Project EIS 

Chapter Location

Indirect and Cumulative 

Impacts

(Not a CEQR Analysis Area)

CEQR analyses typically 

include assessment of 

cumulative effects through the 

anticipated operational year of 

an action by including 

background growth and other 

known development projects 

as part of the No Action 

condition assessment.

Analysis examines the potential for a project 

to result in Indirect or Cumulative impacts. 

Indirect effects are those that are “caused by 

an action and are later in time or farther 

removed in distance, but are still reasonably 

foreseeable” (40 CFR § 1508.8). Cumulative 

impacts result from the incremental 

consequences of an action when added to 

other past and reasonably foreseeable future 

actions (40 CFR § 1508.7). The direct effects 

of an individual action may be negligible, but 

may contribute to a measurable 

environmental impact when considered 

cumulatively with other past and/or future 

projects. 

20. Indirect, Cumulative, 

and Other Impacts 

Chapter evaluates the 

potential indirect effects and 

cumulative impacts of the 

construction and operation 

of the Preferred Alternative. 

Section 4(f) Evaluation

(Not a CEQR Analysis Area)

Analysis evaluates the Preferred 

Alternative’s potential impacts to resources 

protected under Section 4(f) of the USDOT 

Act, as codified at 23 USC 138 and 49 USC 

303, and the implementing regulations at 23 

CFR 774. Section 4(f) is a Federal law that 

protects properties defined in 23 CFR 774.17 

as “publicly owned land of a public park, 

recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl 

refuge of national, state, or local significance, 

or land of an historic site of national, state, or 

local significance” that may be affected by 

transportation projects approved or funded 

by the USDOT and its operating 

administrations, including FRA.

21. Section 4(f) Evaluation

Chapter analyzes whether 

either the No Action 

Alternative and/or the 

Preferred Alternative would 

result in a proposed “use” of 

properties protected under 

Section 4(f) of the USDOT 

Act of 1966.

Note: NEPA-Specific Analyses (Provided for informational purposes – not required under CEQR)

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