Environmental Documents

Overview

As part of the requirements for construction projects, the City of Billings must contract with a consultant to have the area evaluated for potential environmental impacts and to ensure any work done supports and protects natural resources. In technical terms, this is captured as “NEPA – Environmental Clearance” and is a critical checkpoint for the project. NEPA stands for National Environmental Policy Act. According to the EPA, NEPA requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions. The range of actions covered by NEPA is broad and includes:

•    making decisions on permit applications;

•    adopting federal land management actions; and

•    constructing highways and other publicly owned facilities.

Using the NEPA process, agencies evaluate the environmental and related social and economic effects of their proposed actions. Agencies also provide opportunities for public review and comment on those evaluations.

As a federally funded project, the Northwest Billings Connector and Skyline Trail BUILD project team is required to comply with the requirements of NEPA. The City of Billings must first disclose any environmental consequences before proceeding with final design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction.

This information will be presented in the environmental document for the project, which will include preparation of a Categorical Exclusion. Categorical Exclusions are a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. As such, neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required to continue advancing the project. Click here for the Billings Build NEPA CAT-EX.

The environmental process has involved conducting several technical analyses to document existing conditions and help identify potential impacts, if any, resulting from the proposed project. The results will be incorporated or referenced in the environmental document. The technical analyses include:

•    Aquatic Resources Report;

•    Biological Assessment;

•    Air Quality Conformity Analysis;

•    Indirect and Cumulative Effects Analysis;

•    Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT) Memo;

•    Noise Determination Memo; and

•    Cultural Resources Inventory.

If you have any questions or would like to comment on the NEPA documents or process, please contact Travis Harris, Staff Engineer, City of Billings at (406) 657-3021 or email at harrist@billingsmt.gov