Breakin' the Heart of It All: How ODOT subverts the NEPA Environmental Review Process and Damage Ohio's Environment and Communities

Oct 01, 2002 | by
  • Description

Report includes five case studies where the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) avoided serious environmental review for major highway corridors, including U.S. 30 across most of the State, and interstates and other highways connecting the State's major metropolitan areas. In every case ODOT segmented lengthy highway projects into smaller pieces, thereby more easily justifying decisions -- approved by Federal authories -- not to perform the detailed environmental review otherwise required by National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The five road projects discussed include: U.S. Route 30 across Ohio; Interstate 71 between Cleveland and Columbus; U.S. Route 24 in Northwestern Ohio; U.S. Route 33 Southeast of Columbus; State Routs 161, 37 and 16 from New Albany to Muskingum County.