Action
Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
Summary
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Spokane Transit Authority (STA), and the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for transit improvements in Spokane County, between downtown Spokane and Liberty Lake. The EIS will be prepared to satisfy both NEPA and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). This project was originally scoped as an Environmental Assessment (EA), with one build Alternative. Recently, conditions have changed with an additional build alternative being considered. Therefore, it has been determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is more suitable for the project. The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to notify interested parties of the intent to prepare an EIS, the addition of a second build alternative for consideration and to invite participation in the study. The project proposes to implement a major high capacity rail transit improvement in the Spokane Metropolitan area that maintains livability, manages growth and provides a balanced transportation system. The Proposed Action is intended to contribute to implementation of a series of state, regional, and local planning policies that address air quality, sprawl, and growth. Three alternatives (described below) will be evaluated in the EIS.