*The Notice of Completion of the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail was published by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) on January 7, 2026 and OPRHP's SEQR Findings Statement—marking the completion of the SEQR process—was published on January 20, 2026.
The FGEIS includes responses to all of the comments received during the public review period which began on December 4, 2024, and concluded on March 4, 2025.*
The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) Process
The Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail is a proposed linear park, planned to span 7.5 walkable, bikeable miles between New York’s Village of Cold Spring and the City of Beacon, and built with accessibility and inclusivity in mind. New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) requires that before a project like the Fjord Trail could begin permitting or construction, it had to be evaluated for impacts through a thorough environmental review process.
What is SEQRA?
Passed in 1975, the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act requires government bodies to follow a multi-step process to consider the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of all projects they have the power to approve, fund, or directly undertake.
According to the DEC, “SEQRA provides an opportunity for communication between local and state agencies, citizens, and project sponsors that may not have otherwise occurred. The SEQR process is not a permitting process or one that results in an “approval” per se. Rather it provides a comprehensive assessment of proposed actions in order to mitigate significant adverse environmental impacts while meeting the social and economic needs of a community…The basic purpose of the SEQRA regulations is to incorporate consideration of environmental factors into an agency’s planning, review and decision making process at the earliest possible time. This would be early enough to affect all decisions which could impact the environment, but far enough into the planning process that the range of available choices can be defined.”
SEQRA Process Flow Chart (courtesy of ELLA) - click to expand
Who participated in the environmental review for the Fjord Trail?
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- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), as lead agency, was responsible for administering the review process
- All agencies with jurisdiction
- The public, during the public comment period and public hearing
- Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail. Inc. (HHFT), as project sponsor, participated and cooperated with the process
Was there a detailed review of all potential impacts?
Yes. Lead Agency, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), released the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail project’s Master Plan on January 7, 2026, with a site-specific Environmental Impact Statement for the Shoreline Trail section. Preparation for the FGEIS included:
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- Inventorying existing conditions (environment, traffic, etc.) in the project area
- Assessing potential impacts
- Outlining how to avoid and/or mitigate impacts
OPRHP accepted public comment on the Draft GEIS for 90 days, from December 4, 2024 until March 4, 2025, and held two public hearing sessions on January 14, 2025. OPRHP considered all the information included in the DGEIS and collected during the public comment period before issuing the Notice of Completion of the FGEIS.
On January 20, 2026, OPRHP released their SEQR Findings Statement for the FGEIS, marking the completion of the SEQR process. The FGEIS Findings Statement includes a table of actions, which Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, Inc. is required to take, to prevent, reduce, or address potential adverse environmental impacts of the Fjord Trail project.
FGEIS
On January 7, 2026 New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) issued a Notice of Completion of the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail. Read the notice in full (PDF).
Below you will find the FGEIS Chapters and, beneath that, the Appendices. Both volumes can also be found on OPRHP's website.
FGEIS Appendices
III/IV.L-1: Intersection Capacity Analysis Methodology
III/IV.L-2: Traffic Count Volume Summary Memo - TMC, Pedestrian, Bike, ATR Data
III/IV.L-3: Synchro Output Reports - 2023 Existing Conditions
III/IV.L-4: HHFT Visitor Utilization Study
III/IV.L-5: NYSDOT Accident Data Records
III/IV.L-6: Parking Supply Table
III/IV.L-7: Synchro Output Reports - 2033 No Action Conditions
III/IV.L-8: Fjord Trail Visitation Projection
III/IV.L-9: Synchro Output Reports - 2033 With Action Conditions
III/IV.L-10: Synchro Output Reports - 2033 Mitigation Conditions
This information is shared as a brief overview of the SEQRA process and does not constitute legal advice. For further detail on SEQRA and how it is administered, please see Environmental Conservation Law Article 8 and implementing regulations found at 6 NYCRR Part 617 or visit the NYSDEC's website.
Header image: Meredith Heuer
