[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73117-73118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33788]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Maglev
Deployment Program
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that FRA will
prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for the
Maglev Deployment Program, to solicit public and agency input into the
development of the scope of that PEIS, and to advise the public that
outreach activities conducted by the program participants will be
considered in the preparation of the PEIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the
programmatic environmental review, please contact: David Valenstein,
Environmental Program Manager, Office of Passenger Programs, Federal
Railroad Administration (RDV 10), 400 Seventh Street, SW (Mail Stop
20), Washington, D.C. 20590, (telephone 202 493-6368). For information
regarding the Maglev Deployment Program, please contact: Arnold
Kupferman, Maglev Program Manager, Office of Railroad Development,
Federal Railroad Administration (RDV-2), 400 Seventh Street, SW (Mail
Stop 20), Washington, D.C. 20590, (telephone 202 493-6370). For further
information regarding any of the individual projects, please contact
the applicant representatives identified below under the Alternative
Sites heading.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 1218 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA 21) added section 322 to title 23 of the United States Code.
Section 322 provides a total of $55 million for Fiscal Years 1999
through 2001 for transportation systems employing magnetic levitation
(``Maglev'') and an authorization of appropriations for an additional
$950 million over Fiscal Years 2000 through 2003. Responsibility for
implementing the program has been delegated by the Secretary of
Transportation to the Federal Railroad Administrator. Section 322
requires FRA to establish project selection criteria, to solicit
applications for funding, to select one or more projects to receive
financial assistance for preconstruction planning activities, and,
after completion of such activities, to provide financial assistance
for final design, engineering, and construction activities leading to
the implementation of a maglev deployment project.
FRA has determined that implementing the maglev deployment program
is a major Federal action with the potential to significantly impact
the human environment. As a consequence, FRA is initiating the
preparation of an EIS as required under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the regulations
of the President's Council on Environmental Quality implementing NEPA
(40 CFR 1500 et seq.). FRA intends to prepare a programmatic EIS (PEIS)
to address the selection process and the potential for significant
environmental impact from the maglev deployment program. The agency
will prepare additional site specific environmental reviews, as
appropriate, as the program progresses.
The Environmental Review Process
As provided for in 23 U.S.C. 322, FRA has initiated a competition
to select a project for the purpose of demonstrating the use of maglev
technology to the American public. Using criteria specified in section
322, FRA has selected seven projects, sponsored by States or their
designated agencies, to receive preconstruction planning grants. As a
part of the preconstruction planning effort, FRA has required the seven
applicants to prepare environmental assessments and conduct public
involvement and scoping activities for their respective project
proposals. FRA will use these individual project environmental
assessments and records of agency and public comment and participation
in preparing the PEIS, which will be made available to the public for
comment. FRA anticipates issuing a draft EIS in the summer of 2000.
After reviewing comments on the draft PEIS, FRA will prepare a final
PEIS that addresses these comments and incorporates any additional
analyses and material deemed necessary. The final PEIS will be made
available for public review for not less than 30 days before FRA takes
any final action on the program.
[[Page 73118]]
Alternatives Sites
The following applicants and projects (with identified applicant
representatives) were selected by the Secretary to receive
preconstruction planning assistance and represent the range of
potential program alternatives:
Port Authority of Allegheny County: A 45-mile project
linking Pittsburgh Airport to Pittsburgh and its eastern suburbs (Mr.
Bruce W. Ahern, Port Authority of Allegheny County, 2235 Beaver Avenue,
Pittsburgh, PA 15233-1080, telephone 412-237-6121).
Maryland Department of Transportation: A 40-mile project
linking Camden Yard in Baltimore and Baltimore-Washington International
Airport to Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Mr. Suhair Alkhatib,
Maryland Mass Transit Administration, William Donald Schafer Tower, 6
St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202-1614, telephone 410-767-3751).
California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission: A 42-mile
project linking Las Vegas to Primm, Nevada (Ms. Richann Johnson,
Executive Assistant, California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission,
400 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89101, telephone 702-229-
6551).
Florida Department of Transportation: A 20-mile project
linking Port Canaveral to the Space Center and the Titusville Regional
Airport (Mr. Nazih K. Haddad, Manager, Intercity Passenger Rail,
Florida Department of Transportation, 605 Suwannee Street, Mail Station
57, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450, telephone 850-414-4534).
Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission: A 40-mile
project linking New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal to the airport and
across Lake Ponchartrain to the northern suburbs (Mr. Bryan Clement,
Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission, 3943 N. Causeway Blvd.,
Metairie, LA 70002, telephone 504-835-3116).
Georgia/Atlanta Regional Commission: First 40 miles of
110-mile project from Atlanta to Chattanooga, TN. (Mr. Robert McCord,
Maglev Project Manager, The Atlanta Regional Commission, 40 Courtland
Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, telephone 404-463-3253).
State of California: A 70-to 75-mile system connecting Los
Angeles International Airport to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles
to Ontario Airport and further east into Riverside County (Mr. Albert
Perdon, Maglev Project Director, Albert Perdon & Associates, 12748
Castleford Lane, Cerritos, CA 90703, telephone 310-871-1113).
Scoping and Comments
FRA encourages broad participation in the EIS process during
scoping and review of the resulting environmental documents. Comments
and suggestions are invited from all interested agencies and the public
at large to insure the full range of issues related to the proposed
action and all reasonable alternatives are addressed and all
significant issues are identified. In particular, FRA is interested in
determining whether there are areas of national environmental concern
where there might be the potential for significant impacts, either
adverse or favorable, as a result of advancing the maglev deployment
program. Because the applicants are required to conduct public outreach
as part of their preparation of environmental assessments, FRA does not
plan to hold public scoping meetings. The applicants are responsible
for contacting appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, private
organizations and citizens to solicit input regarding their respective
program alternatives. Persons interested in providing comments on the
scope of the programmatic environmental document should do so by
February 18, 2000. Comments can be sent in writing to Mr. David
Valenstein at the address identified above. Persons interested in
providing comments on issues of environmental concern with respect to
any of the individual projects should contact the applicant
representatives identified above.
FRA has in place a Maglev Deployment Program page (http://
www.fra.dot.gov/o/hsgt/maglev.htm) on the agency's Internet site where
the public can obtain additional information related to the Maglev
Deployment Program. FRA also intends to establish a separate page on
the agency's site specifically addressing the environmental impact
statement process for the Maglev Deployment Program.
Issued in Washington, D.C. on: December 20, 1999.
Arrigo P. Mongini,
Acting Associate Administrator for Railroad Development.
[FR Doc. 99-33788 Filed 12-28-99; 8:45 am]
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