This page provides information on all environmental documentation previously completed in support of the Authority Board’s 2021 “Adopted CEQA Project” – the full 42-mile, 7-station passenger rail system extending from the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station in Alameda County to a North Lathrop Station in San Joaquin County. This Adopted CEQA Project includes an Initial Operating Segment (IOS) extending from the Dublin/Pleasanton Station to the Mountain House community in San Joaquin County. This IOS, with modifications, is currently undergoing additional environmental review. Details regarding environmental review and design on this phase can be found at www.getvalleylinked.com.

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Listed below are the Authority's principal steps in the EIR process which supported the Board’s adoption of the 2021 Adopted CEQA Project, with the most recent actions appearing first:

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Final EIR

The Authority, acting as lead agency under CEQA, prepared the Final EIR for the Valley Link Project, which it released on April 30, 2021. The Final EIR can be accessed here.

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Following its consideration of the Final EIR, comments received, and the environmental impacts from proposed and alternative facilities, the Authority staff recommended to the Authority Board that it select a "Preferred Alternative" which contains some of the alternative measures considered in the EIR instead of some of the measures that were presented in the Draft EIR as the "Proposed Project." The term “Preferred Alternative” is used to identify the Project components that have been identified as preferred by the Authority staff. The Preferred Alternative, recommended by the Authority staff, includes the construction and operation of seven stations, listed from west to east:

• Dublin/Pleasanton (BART Intermodal)

• Isabel (Livermore)

• Southfront Road Station Alternative - in place of the Greenville Station proposed in the Draft EIR (Livermore)

• Mountain House Station Alternative – in place of the Mountain House Station proposed in the Draft EIR (San Joaquin County)

• Downtown Tracy Station (Tracy)

• River Islands Station (Lathrop)

• North Lathrop Station (ACE Intermodal)

 

In addition to these stations, the Preferred Alternative includes the Stone Cut Alignment Alternative and the Tracy Operation and Maintenance Facility (OMF) in the City of Tracy.

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The Authority Board certified the EIR and approved staff’s recommendation of the Preferred Alternative at a meeting on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.

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Draft EIR

The Authority, acting as lead agency under CEQA, prepared the Draft EIR for the Valley Link Project. The Draft EIR was made available to the public on December 2, 2020. Written comments on the Draft EIR were accepted from December 2, 2020 through January 21, 2021.

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The documents of the Draft EIR and Notice of Availability are here.

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Draft EIR – Online Open House Meetings

The Authority held three online open house meetings to provide information about the Draft EIR and respond to general questions about the EIR analysis. A presentation summarizing the project and the Draft EIR was provided and staff were available to answer questions.

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The three online open house meetings were held on the dates and times listed below:

• Saturday, December 12, 2020, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am.

• Wednesday, December 16, 2020 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.

• Thursday, December 17, 2020 from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.

 

Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting for the Valley Link Project

The Authority published a Notice of Preparation for the Valley Link Project on September 13, 2018 and the public scoping period was open until October 15, 2018. Public scoping meetings were held on October 2, 2018 in Livermore at the Robert Livermore Community Center and in Tracy at the Tracy City Hall on October 3, 2018.

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Final Scoping Report

The Final Scoping Report presents a summary of comments received along with additional information about outreach performed during the scoping process.

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