- [Narrator] When you hear that that the DOT is doing another environmental study for yet another road project, you may wonder, how long until I can actually use it? At the South Carolina Department of Transportation, we realize the time it takes to complete projects can be frustrating, but it is our responsibility to consider the potential impacts that much-needed transportation improvements may have on our community. We need to consider both our natural and human environment as we continue to solve the transportation problems of today and tomorrow. And that takes time. Transportation projects that are built with federal dollars or require a federal permit are subject to a rigorous analysis process commonly referred to as NEPA. By taking a hard look at potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of a project, we are able to make a more well-informed transportation decision. By following the steps outlined in the NEPA process, we are often able to balance a number of competing interests with the purpose and needs for a specific project. The anticipated amount of impact on the environment dictates what level of analysis is required under NEPA and the level of public and resource agency involvement. Projects with lots of impacts require closer scrutiny than projects that have little impact. Projects constructed in rural areas may affect large parcels of land and other natural features like wetlands and streams, farmlands, wildlife, and rare plant and animal species. Projects in urban spaces may affect businesses, parks, and communities. Studies initially fall within one of three levels of analysis, a CE, a Categorical Exclusion, an EA, an Environmental Assessment, or an EIS, an Environmental Impact Statement. A CE is for simple projects with minimal environmental impacts. Projects assigned to this category are the least complex. and thus this is the shortest of the three types of analyses. An EA is for projects with greater potential for impacts or where the impacts may not be understood at the project start. Most large projects start off as EAs to evaluate the study area and decide what level of analysis is needed. If no significant impacts are found, then a FONSI is issued and the environmental evaluation is finished. If the impacts are determined to be significant, then the level of analysis moves from an EA to the most complex of environmental studies, an EIS. Projects carried through the EIS process conclude with a Record of Decision, or ROD, by the lead federal agency. An EIS is for projects expected or proven to have significant impacts. Because it requires a more detailed evaluation, an EIS takes the longest time and requires the most involvement by the people affected by the project. When we identify impacts, we work to develop alternatives to either avoid them if possible or minimize them if not. If impacts cannot be avoided, then steps are taken to mitigate or compensate for those impacts. At times there are trade-offs as we balance the need for the project with the anticipated impacts of the different alternatives under consideration. That's why it's so important to have the input from you and others in the community. Your feedback further guides our analyses and the decision-making process. By completing these environmental studies, SCDOT is working to balance engineering and transportation needs with social, economic, and natural environmental factors to best serve the public. At SCDOT, we appreciate your patience and the opportunity to plan for and deliver transportation improvement projects to your community.