FRA Methods and Approaches in 

Environmental Analysis and 

Critical NEPA Procedures 

Jamie Maughan and Travis Mast 

Volpe National 

Transportation 

System Center 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Railroad Administration 
2

 

 

 

 

 

Volpe Provides FRA Environmental 

Support 

 Support Preparation of NEPA Documents 

 Review NEPA documents prepared by Grantees 

 Program Support 

 Environmental Resource/Regulations Support (e.g. wetlands, 

cultural resources) 

 FRA Environmental Protection Specialist Support 

 Develop Environmental Methods and Approaches 

U.S. Department of Transportation2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting Federal Railroad Administration 
3 

 

 

 

 

Volpe Supporting FRA to Development 

of Environmental Methods and 

Approaches 

Environmental Commitment Complianc e 

Resource Assessment and Evaluation 

Methodologies 

Integration of Planning, Alternatives Analysis, 

and NEPA 

NEPA Approaches and Training 

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 
Resource Evaluation Methodology 4 

1.	 Aesthetic Environment and Scenic Resources 

2.	 Coastal Resources 

3.	 Construction Period Impacts 

4.	 Cumulative Impacts 

5.	 Direct and Indirect Effects 

6.	 Energy Production and Energy Use 

7.	 Environmental Justice 

8.	 Farmland and Forest Resources 

9.	 Water Resources 

10.	 Geology and Seismic Issues 

11.	 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate 

Change 

12.	 Hazardous Material 

13.	 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitments of Natural Resources 

14. Land Use 

15.	 Natural Ecological Systems 

16.	 Noise and Vibration 

17.	 Public Health 

18.	 Parks and Recreational Facilities 

19.	 Safety and Security 

20.	 Sites of Historical, Archaeological, Architectural or Cultural Significance 

21. Socioeconomic Environment 

22. Solid Waste Disposal 

23. Threatened or Endangered Species 

24. Transportation 

25.	 Water Quality 

26.	 Electromagnetic Fields & Interference 

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 
5 

 

 

Resource Evaluation Methodology 

Develop a set of standardized resource analysis 

methodologies for FRA NEPA projects. 

Provides both guidelines for developing

methodologies and a template that can be applied 

to individual projects 

Addresses EIS, EA, Tier I and Tier II 

Covers all phases of analysis: 

 Data Sources 

 Regulatory Context 

 Affected Environment 

 Impact Prediction 

 Mitigation 

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 
6

 

Integration of Planning, Alternatives 

Analysis, and NEPA 

Consistent with Intent of NEPA: 

 Insure environmental consideration in decisions 

 Alternatives are at the “Heart of NEPA” 

Addresses Hierarchical Nature of Rail Transportation: 

City Pairs 

Corridor 

Route 

Service 

Infrastructure 

Project 

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 
7 

Planning and Alternative 

Analysis/NEPA Integration

NEPA/Envir. 

Review Service 

Planning/ 

AA 

NEPA/Envir. 

Review 

Service 

Planning/ 

AA 

NEPA/Envir. 

Review 

NEPA/Service 

Planning/Alt. 

Analysis 

Service 

Planning/ 

AA 

NEPA/Envir. 

Review 

Service 

Planning/ 

Alt. Analysis 

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Railroad Administration 
 

 

 

 

 

8

2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting

City Serviced 

Corridor A 

Route A 

Service A Service B 

Investment A 

Project A Project B Project C 

Design A Design B 

Investment B 

Service C 

Route B 

Corridor B 

Regional 

Planning 

- regional land use with 

transportation 

component 

- regional transportation 

plan 

- rail plan 

Tier 1: Purpose 

& Need 

Tier 1: 

NEPA 

Document 

Tier II P &N 

Alts. as 

Appropriate 

NEPA 

Document 

Tier II P &N 

Alts. as 

Appropriate 

NEPA 

Document 

Tier II P &N 

Alts. as 

Appropriate 

NEPA 

Document 

Service 

Planning 

Possible Planning 

and Alternative 

Analysis/NEPA 

Integration 
9 

 

 

NEPA Approaches and Training 

Develop Methods and Approaches specifically

for FRA Implementation of NEPA 

Conduct Training 

Environmental Protection Specialists 

Grantees 

California High Speed Rail Example “CEQA vs 

NEPA for Impact Determination” 

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 9 
CEQA Thresholds can be a useful tool as PART OF 10

NEPA Impact evaluation 

Water Quality 

Criteria 

» Less than Chronic Criteria 

» Less than Acute Criteria 

» Greater than Acute Criteria 

» Area Affected 

» Value of Resource 

» Duration of Exceedance 

Sewage Loading

16

Intensity of Action 

12

14 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

0 5 10 15 20 

Environmental Response Ideal 

Range 

Unacceptable 

Range 

Threshold 

Criteria? 

2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting 
 

 11

2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting % of Services

NEPA Impact Prediction Approaches: 

Professional Judgement and Tools From Other

Programs 

Net Environmental Benefit Analysis 

B 

A

% of Services 

Area B - Services Provided (Credit) 

Area A - Services Lost (Debit) 
 

 

Thank you! 

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 

Jamie Maughan, Ph. D., Environmental Policy and Science Sr. Advisor 

james.Maughan@dot.gov: 617 494 2881 

Travis Mast -Biologist, Environmental Protection Specialist 

travis.mast@dot.gov: 617-494-3782 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Railroad Administration 
U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration 

 13 Integration of Planning, Alternatives 

Analysis, and NEPA 

FRA Objective 

Develop Approaches and Training for 

Addressing Alternatives which: 

Integrates 

 Service Planning 

 Alternative Analysis 

 NEPA 

Addresses Alternative 

 Development 

 Screening 

 Evaluation 

2016 FRA Rail Program Delivery Meeting U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Railroad Administration