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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has adopted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) as the state-required draft environmental impact report (DIER) for the South Coast commuter-rail project.

MassDOT chose the Stoughton rail alternative as its preferred route for providing "the best transportation, environmental and smart growth benefits," MassDOT officials said in a prepared statement.

The DEIS follows nearly four years of coordination between MassDOT, the corps and 10 other state and federal agencies. The DEIS/DIER is a state and federal document comparing eight alternatives for restoring public transit service from Boston to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford, Mass. The document provides information on the transportation benefits of each alternative and potential impacts on noise, wetlands, rare species, air quality and other resources.

After a public comment period closes May 27, the state's secretary of energy and environmental affairs will outline a scope of work for the final environmental impact report.