[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 17254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9121]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Dade, Broward, Palm Beach,
Martin, Okeechobee, Saint Lucie, Indian River, Brevard, Oceola, Orange,
Polk, and Hillsborough Counties in Florida
AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FHWA and FRA are issuing this notice to advise the public
that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for a
proposed Florida High Speed Rail project between Miami, Orlando, and
Tampa, Florida.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Hadley, Environmental
Coordinator, Federal Highway Administration, 227 North Bronough Street,
Tallahassee, Florida 32301, (850) 942-9594 and/or Mark Yachmetz, RDV-
13, Chief of Passenger Programs, Federal Railroad Administration, 400
Seventh Street, S.W., MS-20, Washington D.C. 20590, (202) 632-3855.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA and FRA in cooperation with the
Florida Department of Transportation, will prepare an EIS for a
proposal to construct a high speed rail project between Miami, Orlando,
and Tampa, Florida. The project would be approximately 320 miles long.
The proposed project includes acquisition of right of way, construction
of guide way structures and track, stations, park and ride lots,
storage and maintenance facilities, and other ancillary facilities. The
facilities would be built to allow trains to operate at speeds up to
200 miles per hour. The high speed rail would provide service to
business and tourist travelers.
Alternatives under consideration include: (1) the ``no build
alternative; and, (2) build alternatives in a variety of corridors. The
corridor alternatives traverse areas where various social, economical,
and environmental resources and issues are believed to exist. The
resources and issues include but are not limited to: wetlands, cultural
resources, water quality issues including sole source aquifers, safety,
residential and business relocations, wildlife and habitat, farmland,
and land use planning, parklands, economic, and floodplains.
Notices describing the proposed action and soliciting comments have
been and will be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies
and to private organizations and citizens who have expressed an
interest in this proposal. Interagency and public meetings and public
hearings will be held in several locations in the project area.
Information on the time and place of the public meetings and hearings
will be provided in the appropriate local news media. There are
tentative plans to hold a scoping meeting in or near Orlando, Florida
on May 12, 1998.
Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to
insure the full range of issues related to the proposed action and
alternatives are addressed and all significant issues are identified.
Comments and questions concerning the proposed action should be
directed to the address provided above.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental
consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this
program)
Issued: March 31, 1998.
J.R. Skinner,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-9121 Filed 4-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M
