Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process includes the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS or DEIS), which must be made available to the public for review and comment. The Draft EIS is also distributed to public agencies for review and comment. 

The Draft EIS describes and discusses: 

  1. The purpose and need for the project;
  2. The alternatives considered;
  3. The impacts of those alternatives; and
  4. The agencies and persons consulted.

Note: The DEIS is a large document that has been divided into several files in PDF format, which you can read using Adobe Acrobat Reader or other PDF reader software. It may take several minutes to download the larger chapters, depending on your internet connection speed.

Draft EIS Chapters and Appendices


Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 1: Purpose and Need PDF 2.4 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 2: Alternatives Considered PDF 4.8 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 3: Social and Land Use Impact Analysis (part 1 of 3) PDF 4.6 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 3: Social and Land Use Impact Analysis (part 2 of 3) PDF 5 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 3: Social and Land Use Impact Analysis (part 3 of 3) PDF 5.5 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 4: Environmental Impact Analysis (part 1 of 2) PDF 4.7 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 4: Environmental Impact Analysis (part 2 of 2) PDF 5.4 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 5: Economic Impact Analysis (part 1 of 2) PDF 4.7 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 5: Economic Impact Analysis (part 2 of 2) PDF 5.5 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 6: Transportation Impact Analysis (part 1 of 3) PDF 3.7 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 6: Transportation Impact Analysis (part 2 of 3) PDF 4.9 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 6: Transportation Impact Analysis (part 3 of 3) PDF 5.4 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 7: Evaluation of Alternatives PDF 2.9 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Chapter 8: Public and Agency Involvement Program PDF 1.5 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Appendices (part 1 of 6) PDF 3.5 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Appendices (part 2 of 6) PDF 4.6 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Appendices (part 3 of 6) PDF 6.3 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Appendices (part 4 of 6) PDF 3.8 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Appendices (part 5 of 6): Section 9.9: Noise and Vibration Technical Report PDF 4.5 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Appendices (part 6 of 6) PDF 451 kB
Citizens' Guide to the Central Corridor DEIS PDF 5.2 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Cover and Table of Contents PDF 4.3 MB
Central Corridor DEIS Executive Summary PDF 4 MB


Comments on the Draft EIS

During the 45-day public comment period following the publication of the Draft EIS, comments were collected by Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority staff via phone, mail, email and at four public hearings at sites along the Corridor. A total of 916 people, agencies and organizations offered comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, including 180 who spoke at the Central Corridor Coordinating Committee public hearings.