Bridge Bundling Toolkit Step 8 | Illinois Soybean Association

Step 8: Determine Environmental Review and Preliminary Design Considerations

Illinois Environmental Protection Act

Illinois has its own state environmental policy act, the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (IEPA), which is modeled after NEPA. The IEPA requires that state agencies consider the environmental impacts of their actions, and it also provides for public participation in the decision-making process. In the case of a Design-Build Bridge Bundling project in Illinois that has federal funding, the NEPA process and the requirements of the IEPA would both apply. However, if there is a conflict between the two laws, the requirements of NEPA would take precedence over the requirements of the IEPA since federal law generally preempts state law in such cases.

Some of the key provisions of the IEPA include:

Environmental Standards

Establishes environmental standards for air quality, water quality, and other environmental factors. It also establishes permitting and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with these standards.

Environmental Permitting

Requires permits for activities that may have an impact on the environment, such as wastewater discharge, air emissions, and waste disposal. Permits may include conditions and requirements that must be met to protect the environment.

Environmental Enforcement

Provides for civil and criminal penalties for violations of environmental standards and permit conditions. It also authorizes the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to take enforcement action to address environmental violations.

Environmental Review

Requires that state agencies consider the environmental impact of their actions, such as new construction projects or land use changes. This may include an environmental impact assessment, similar to the NEPA process at the federal level.

Environmental Cleanup

Provides for the cleanup of contaminated sites in Illinois. This includes the establishment of cleanup standards and the allocation of responsibility for cleanup costs.

NEPA Process

For federally funded projects, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a United States law that requires federal agencies to consider the potential environmental impacts of their actions before making decisions. The NEPA process is a systematic approach used to analyze the environmental effects of proposed federal projects, plans, and policies.

The NEPA process typically involves three levels of analysis: (I) Categorical Exclusion (CE), (II) Environmental Assessment (EA), and (III) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The following graphic provides an overview of the NEPA process:

In addition to NEPA, the following may apply in addition to or in connection with Bridge Bundling projects in Illinois:

Threatened or endangered species (Northern Long-Eared Bat, Gray Bat, Eastern Massasauga)
Migratory birds (American Bittern, Chimney Swift, Northern Rough-winged Swallow)
US Army Corps of Engineers Section 408 authorizations
Cultural resources (archeological or historic requiring coordination with SHPO, other state agencies, tribes, landowners, and other interested and consulting parties)
Public parklands
Floodplains and wetlands (EO 11988 Floodplain Management, Clean Water Act, Sections 404 and 401)
Noise levels, water quality, and air quality
Human health and safety
Social and economic impacts on communities (Environmental Justice)

Environmental Assessment - Tasewell County Illinois Wagonseller Road Bridge

Environmental Assessment – Tazewell County Illinois Wagonseller Road Bridge

Additional Resources:

Bridge Bundling Guidebook
NEPA Review Process
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Reports

Environmental surveys and reports are useful to determine anticipated environmental impacts of a bridge bundle. Identifying federal or state-protected species present in a project area, conditions present and any required permits that will be needed is critical to mitigation efforts and compliance with federal law.

GDOT Approved Concept Report McIntosh County Bridge Replacement