According to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), all federally-funded transportation projects with actions that could be expected to have significant environmental consequences are required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). An EIS includes activities such as project scoping, needs analysis, environmental and engineering studies, documentation, mitigation, public and agency involvement, document approval, and distribution. The EIS process is designed to provide the best possible solutions to transportation problems, while avoiding or minimizing impacts to the natural, social, and cultural environment.

    PENNDOT has a Ten-Step Transportation Development Process for EIS preparation. This process provides for responsive decision-making that balances the needs of the project and the associated impacts, while involving the resource agencies and public in the project at an early stage. The Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project is currently in Step 4 of this process, where the preliminary alternative analysis is performed.