For all potential impacts that alternatives analyzed in the North-Central Berkshire Access Study might cause, mitigation measures will also be estimated. The following potential impact areas will be assessed during the study.

Aesthetics Identify potential impacts on scenic vistas and rural areas.

Air Quality How do the alternatives affect the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Air Quality?

Cultural Resources Estimate impacted areas of known National Register of Historic Places and state register properties (including archeological sites).

Economic Develop. Estimate how and where alternatives will affect economic development.

Land Use Estimate changes likely to result from alternatives.

Noise Identify areas likely to see significant increase or reduction in noise levels due to introduction of traffic or removal of trucks.

Open Space Make estimate of impact acreage and identify ownership (such as DEM) if possible.

Rare Species Habitat Determine if rare species habitat will potentially be affected.

Socioeconomic Identify major housing/neighborhood impacts, such as potential number of property takings.

Topography Definition of the alternatives will consider mountainous areas.

Transportation Measure changes in travel time, alternatives' ability to solve problems and reach goals.

Wetlands/Water Res. Make estimate of potentially impacted acreage and identify potential impact areas.

The level of environmental review depends on the size and potential impacts of a project. The level of review on the state and federal levels may differ and documents for federal and state review may be combined. (See levels of review below.) The goal of environmental review on the state and federal level is to provide a detailed assessment of the potential impacts of transportation alternatives, to avoid and minimize those impacts through design of alternatives, and to mitigate any impacts that cannot be avoided. Mitigation varies depending on the impacts.

Environmental Notification Form (ENF) is required for projects exceeding certain thresholds. The Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) may require additional review. Some of the transportation thresholds for ENFs are: construction of a new roadway ¼ miles in length; widening an existing roadway by 4 feet for ½ or more miles; and other widening impacts such as cutting 5 or more public shade trees in a municipal right-of-way. Any project in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) requires submission of an ENF.

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required for projects that are categorically included in the regulations (automatically require an EIR unless a waiver is granted). Examples of such projects would be: construction of a new roadway 2 or more miles in length; widening an existing road by one or more travel lanes for 2 or more miles; construction of a new interchange on a limited access highway; and construction of a new freight or passenger rail or transit line along a new, unused or abandoned right-of-way. An EIR requires a detailed assessment of the positive and negative potential environmental impacts and measures to mitigate such impacts. It also requires a listing of all necessary permits and analysis of measures that will be needed to comply with their requirements. Coordination is conducted with appropriate permitting agencies and local officials. Public meetings are usually held during the comment period of the DEIR. The Secretary of EOEA determines whether the draft and final EIR adequately comply with the regulations.

In comparison with the thresholds specified in the regulations for state levels of review, there are no specific federal thresholds except for the level of significance of potential impacts of a project compared with the No Build. The assessment of significance of impacts is based on what the project's impacts would be at the completion of the mitigation. A well-publicized federal scoping session is generally held at the initiation of a major project to determine the issues that must be addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reviews and approves the federal environmental documents. Coordination also occurs with other federal agencies and local officials in the preparation of the environmental documents and in the review of permit issues. A public hearing is held during the comment period on the DEIS.

Categorical Exclusion (CE) is a checklist to briefly review potential impacts for level of significance. If impacts are determined not to be significant, FHWA would approve the project without further environmental review.

Environmental Assessment (EA) is done to review the potential impacts of a project if their level of significance is not known. Based on the EA, FHWA will either make a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for further analysis of the potential impacts.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is done when the level of impacts is known to be significant. The subject matter of the EIS is determined through the scoping session (described above) and in consultation with federal agencies, such as the EPA and Corps of Engineers, who will be asked to grant permits at a later stage in the project (below).

Any construction project would require a number of permits, depending on the type and amount of impacts. Detailed analysis is required for most of the permits. Generally, the subject matter of the permits is addressed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Report/Statements; however, permit applications are usually submitted when detailed design is available at the 75% design stage. Some possible permits and their granting authorities follow:

Wetlands/ S. 404 of the Clean Water Act/Highway Methodology - US Army Corps of Engineers, US EPA

Water Resources and US Fish & Wildlife Wetlands Protection Act (includes the Rivers Protection Act) - Local Conservation Commissions and DEP

S. 401 of the Clean Water Act/Water Quality Certification - DEP

Stormwater Wetlands Protection Act/Compliance with DEP's Stormwater Policy - Local Conservation Commissions and DEP

NPDES/Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan - US EPA

Cultural Res. S. 106/Adverse Impact to National Register Eligible sites - Mass. Historic Commission, Advisory Council of the National Park Service, FHWA, MassHighway and sometimes local historic commissions

4(f) Evaluation/Taking parks or historic sites - FHWA

Endangered SpeciesAlteration of Significant Habitat - Mass. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program of the Mass. Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife