New Meadowlands Stadium Project Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The New Meadowlands Stadium Project (Stadium Project) will redevelop portions of the West
Site (West Site) of the Meadowlands Sports Complex located in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Stadium Project will consist of a new Stadium to replace the existing Giants Stadium, a
new Giants Training Facility to replace the existing training facilities, and additional Ancillary
Development adjacent to the new Stadium to support its development and operation (Figure 1-
1). The Stadium Project also includes the reconfiguration of the internal roadway network and
repaving of many existing parking areas located on the West Site of the Meadowlands Sports
Complex. The Stadium Project will provide plazas and pedestrian ways adjacent to the planned
NJ Transit station platform being constructed on the West Site next to Route 120 by the New
Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) in conjunction with NJ Transit.

The Stadium Project is sponsored by the NJSEA, a state agency which owns and manages the
Meadowlands Sports Complex. The New Meadowlands Stadium Company, LLC (NM Stadco)
initially will enter into a ground lease with the NJSEA for the Project site lease areas and, at a
later date, NM Stadco may assign its interests to other entities who will assume responsibility
for the development of the Ancillary Development. The Giants Training Facility will be
developed by the New York Football Giants or an affiliate thereof, who will enter directly into a
ground lease with the NJSEA for that purpose.

Although the Stadium Project is separate and an independent project, the design, construction
and operation of the Stadium Project is being coordinated with current operating facilities at the
Meadowlands Sports Complex including the Meadowlands Racetrack, Continental Airlines
Arena, Meadowlands Railroad and Roadway Improvement Project (Railroad Project) and
Meadowlands Xanadu Redevelopment Project. The vehicular and pedestrian circulation among
these projects is being carefully examined during the design, construction and operation of the
Stadium Project to enhance safe and efficient access to the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Shared components such as parking areas, internal roadways, and pedestrian walkways will be
used to enhance access among the various venues at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in a
manner consistent with the Stadium Project Parking and Transportation Management Plan and
Stadium Project Operating Plan. In addition, the Stadium Project is being coordinated with the
New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)
regarding planned roadway improvements proposed within the vicinity of the Meadowlands
Sports Complex.

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New Meadowlands Stadium Project Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement

As an independent project, the permitting and construction of the Stadium Project will be
separate and distinct from the other ongoing developments in and around the Meadowlands
Sports Complex, but the construction will be coordinated by a construction sequencing plan to
minimize interference with other projects and operations at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

The NJSEA’s enabling legislation requires that it “…consult with the Meadowlands
Commission before making any determinations as to the location, type and character of the
project“ and “…consult with the Meadowlands Commission and the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection with respect to the ecological factors constituting the environment
of the Hackensack meadowlands…” (N.J.S.A. 5:10-5(x) and 5:10-23). This consultation process
involves site plan review as well as an environmental assessment and analysis of the project
including preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), public comments and a
public hearing before hearing officers appointed by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
(NJMC) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The consultation
process is not defined in the legislation, but is based on decisions by the New Jersey Supreme
Court and procedures developed for the Meadowlands Xanadu Redevelopment Project in 2003
and the Meadowlands Railroad and Roadway Improvement Project in 2005.

This Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Stadium Project has been
prepared by the NJSEA and NM Stadco for review by the NJMC and the NJDEP, as well as
members of the general public, as part of the consultation process required by the NJSEA
enabling legislation. The purpose of the EIS is to provide information concerning the location,
type and character as well as an environmental impact assessment of the Stadium Project to
the State regulatory agencies, other interested agencies and the public, and give them the
opportunity to provide comments. This PEIS will be the subject of a forthcoming public
comment period during which a public hearing will be held. After completion of the public
comment period, a Final EIS will be prepared addressing comments received on the PEIS. The
Final EIS will be submitted to the hearing officers who will prepare their report and
recommendations for the Stadium Project.

A scoping document for the preparation of the EIS was made available to the public in May of
2006. A public hearing was held on July 12, 2006 before hearing officers appointed by the
NJMC and NJDEP at the NJMC auditorium in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. Public comments were
received by the NJMC and NJDEP on the scoping document until August 11, 2006. The
preparation of this PEIS took into account and addresses the comments received on the
scoping document from members of the public and the NJMC and NJDEP.

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New Meadowlands Stadium Project Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement

In addition to the consultation process with the NJMC and NJDEP, NM Stadco and/or the
NJSEA will apply or has applied for several applicable federal, state and regional environmental
and other permits for various aspects of the Stadium Project. The laws and regulations for
some of these permits may provide for public comments. The consultation process takes into
account the requirements of these permit proceedings.

This PEIS provides a description of the Project, a discussion of potential environmental impacts
that may result from the Project, and the mitigation measures proposed to minimize any
potential adverse environmental impacts from the Stadium Project. Section 2.0 provides a
detailed description of the Project setting, Project details and components; the location, type
and character of the Project; and Project schedule. Section 3.0 presents the purpose and need
of this redevelopment Project. Section 4.0 provides a description of existing environmental
conditions, potential impacts and applicable mitigation measures for the various environmental
and land use resources that have been identified within the Project Area. Section 5.0 provides
a discussion concerning alternatives for the proposed Project. Section 6.0 provides an
overview of the permits and approvals required for the Stadium Project. Section 7.0 provides a
summary of the public participation and statutory consultation process required by the NJSEA.
Section 8.0 provides a list of the references cited in the PEIS. Section 9.0 provides a list of the
preparers of the PEIS. In addition, a series of appendices to the PEIS have been provided in
accompanying volumes to present supporting documentation used in the preparation of the
PEIS, correspondence from regulatory agencies, and a summary of the comments received on
the scoping document.

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