State starts over on rail extension

State officials say they will take a "fresh look" at alternatives for a commuter rail extension to Fall River and New Bedford, rethinking the previous assessment that favored extending the Stoughton line south.

The state also will conduct a new environmental impact review. It let a 2002 Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act certification expire in July, according to Kristina Egan, director of the South Coast Rail Project for the Executive Office of Transportation.

Those announcements were delivered last week at a meeting of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District. State officials outlined how they will proceed on the sometimes-controversial commuter rail extension plan, slated for completion by 2016 at an estimated cost of nearly $1 billion.

Egan said the state will rethink all options - including scrapping the rail extension entirely and relying on increased bus routes, although the likelihood of such a course was unclear last week.

Some communities have campaigned against the Stoughton line extension for fear it would bring urban sprawl to a still-rural part of the region and hurt ecosystems, in particular the Hockomock Swamp in Easton.

But supporters - state transportation officials among them - have long promised that expanded rail service to Fall River and New Bedford would boost local economies and provide a model for so-called smart-growth development, in which new housing is clustered around existing transportation networks.

Egan said the next stages of what is called the South Coast Rail Project will unfold rapidly. She expects to have a consultant chosen by mid-October to analyze options and routes. The alternatives will be narrowed down by March, when a new environmental study will begin, she said.

News of the new study pleased opponents, who last spring demanded one, given that the proposed Stoughton extension would run through wetlands in the Taunton River watershed. Others were unhappy with the new study because it pushes the process back to square one and, to some, is redundant.

Egan acknowledged that view: "A lot of people are concerned and frustrated because they have been waiting for a rail line for a long time. They feel like going through the environmental review process is a waste of time. But we have to do it right, or else we can't do it at all."

Kyla Bennett, director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which has opposed the Stoughton extension, expressed concern at Tuesday's meeting that the state's plans for rail corridor development are concurrent with the environmental review process.

"I don't understand why these processes would be happening parallel, if we don't know which alternative will be chosen and there is a possibility of a no-build option," Bennett said. "I'm afraid it might seem as though an alternative has already been decided."

In an interview, Bennett also said it is irresponsible to ignore the possibility of a resort casino to be built in Middleborough - a development that argues for extending the Middleborough line, not the Stoughton line.

"We need to figure out what the basic project purpose is here, whether it's to transport people or stimulate economic growth," she said. "I'm sure there are a million things we can do for economic benefits in Fall River and New Bedford that don't cost as much as this rail will. If it's about transportation, then we need to consider if this will make sense anywhere besides Middleborough, when that is where there would be the demand for it."

Egan said that while the casino would be a factor in considering a route, she was waiting for a cue from the governor.

The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District will play a significant role in the rail corridor deliberations. It has a two-year contract, announced this week, with the state to develop bylaws for certain towns and provide staff support for public meetings and hearings.

The cities and towns included in the agreement fall along the proposed Stoughton and Middleborough extensions, but do not include Stoughton or Easton, where officials say growth has already reached its limit. Bennett called it unfair that the planning agency did not include those two towns as well.

"We should be getting the same help and assistance as other towns, especially considering what we have at stake," she said, referring to the Hockomock Swamp in Easton.

Greg Guimond, planning manager of the development district, said towns will be added or subtracted after the contract expires, depending on what route alternative is chosen.

"Our plans are evolving, and right now we're paying the greatest initial attention to these areas that are most likely to be directly affected, and then we'll work our way up," he said.

Plans for a rail extension have drawn skepticism over how the project would be financed. Egan said Tuesday that the state does not have funds available for transportation projects and will rely heavily on economic growth in towns along the line to supplement the bill.

Officials compared their plans to the restoration of the Greenbush Line on the Old Colony Line, which was completed in February and is scheduled to open for service next month. A Greenbush tour was offered in July as a preview of what the South Coast Rail Project could provide towns in the southern corner of the region.

But critics say it leaves questions about long-term environmental impact unanswered.

"We'll have to pay close attention to Greenbush once the line starts running, and learn from it," said Susan Peterson, a Rochester resident who took the Greenbush tour. "We have to do this carefully, and we have to do it right. We can't forget about monitoring things like turtle crossings - and not just for the next five years, but forever."

Erin Conroy can be reached at econroy@globe.com.