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Track: GIS Management & Implementation
John Mores
GAI Consultants, Inc.
570 Beatty Road
Monroeville, PA 15146
Telephone: 412-856-6400
Fax: 412-856-4970
Stephen Gould, Kevin Schoeder, George T. Reese, Benajmin L. Hark
GIS and Environmental Impact Statements: Problems and Solutions
Defining Issue: This paper examines the problems and solutions associated with GIS applications to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, as experienced by GAI Consultants, Inc. (GAI), a firm with little previous GIS capability. The paper focuses on GAI's project management approach and project team concept. Specific aspects of the project, including managing data acquisition and input, communication among firms, accommodating normal project design changes, and cost control, are discussed. GAI used GIS to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in accordance with NEPA for approximately 170 miles of highway alternatives located within a 51-mile by 1-mile study corridor. GAI is an environmental and engineering consultant with little prior experience in the application of GIS technology. Highway designs evolved throughout the course of the project, requiring efficiency and flexibility in data assimilation and analysis. With the exception of CAD highway designs and basemapping, no
existing digital data sources were available. GIS Solution: GAI, in cooperation with the West Virginia Division of Highways, developed a very sizable PC-based ArcInfo database to assist in the preparation of the EIS. Data were provided by a large technical staff of environmental scientists, planners, and engineers representing several firms in four states. Methodology: An experienced GIS technical consultant with offices in another state was retained by GAI to initiate compilation of the GIS database. The large and complex data set and inefficient communications due to the geographic separation of firms escalated costs. In an attempt to minimize these costs, GAI acquired a PC-based ArcInfo system midway through the project. Through a labor-intensive "learn-as-you-go" process, GAI was able to successfully develop an in-house GIS capability for preparation of the EIS and to serve the project during future design phases. This in-house capability proved to be more cost-effective. Problems were
encountered in utilizing the Intergraph highway design files, which cannot be directly imported by ArcInfo. Intergraph is a CAD software that is used extensively by engineering design firms and state transportation agencies. Compilation of other data in digital form was found to be highly labor intensive. Scanning technology was utilized to reduce the amount of manual digitizing required and thereby limit costs. Software: The primary database for this project was developed with PC-based ArcInfo. Database querying was conducted using both ArcInfo and ArcView. Graphics and map production were conducted solely with ArcView.
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