[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 156 (Monday, August 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41818-41819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20515]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Proposed
Development of the Monorail-Northeast Corridor Connection Project at
Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision (ROD).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FAA is making available the Record of Decision for the
proposed Development of the Monorail-Northeast Corridor Connection
Project at Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Laurence Schaefer, FAA, John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport, AEA-620,
Jamaica, NY 11430, fax: (718) 995-9219.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Any person may obtain a copy of the ROD by
submitting a request to the FAA contact identified above. The Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) is Lead Agency for purposes of
implementing the procedures required by the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, on a proposed transportation
system access improvement project sponsored by the Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey (Port Authority), operator of the airport. The
purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the Record of
Decision (ROD) is available to anyone upon request.
The FAA considered potential environmental impacts and other
factors
[[Page 41819]]
resulting from the construction of the Monorail-Northeast Corridor
Connection Project (the Project) at Newark International Airport (EWR).
The ROD presents:
--alternatives considered for the project;
--the basis/justification for selecting the Preferred Alternative;
--summary of impacts; and
--mitigation measures for the Preferred Alternative.
The project proposed by the Port Authority is the development of an
extension to the Monorail, currently operating at EWR, connecting it to
a new Rail Station on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) that will then
provide connection to the other rail services operated by the New
Jersey Transit. Construction of the Monorail extension requires the
incorporation of the system right-of-way in the ALP. The FAA
conditionally approved an amendment to the ALP on November 9, 1995.
This approval was made subject to an acceptable environmental review.
The FAA, as the Lead Agency, has determined that the requirements
of the NEPA have been satisfied for the construction of the proposed
project in Newark, New Jersey. This decision is based upon the FAA's
close monitoring of the process and consideration of the effects of the
project, all of which are documented in the Draft and Final
Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS and FEIS). The FAA's
determinations are outlined in the ROD. The FEIS was approved on
January 23, 1996. The ROD was concurred in on July 18, 1996.
The Monorail-NEC Connection project is part of the Port Authority's
overall effort to address land side capacity constraints at EWR. The
major objective of the project is to provide an alternative means of
access to EWR. The project will increase overall access capacity to the
airport and will provide passengers with a fast, reliable and cost
effective mode of access. The Monorail-NEC Connection project will also
ease the current and anticipated congestion on the roadways at the
airport's entrances and exits. Implementation of the Monorail-NEC
project from the Airport's Parking Lot E Monorail Station to the new
Rail Station on the NEC will reduce the amount of vehicular traffic
destined for the airport and will assist the airport in matching its
airside capacity with its landside capacity.
By notice in the Federal Register dated July 26, 1996, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that its previous concerns
have been addressed and that EPA therefore, has no objection to the
proposed project.
Issued in Washington, DC, on August 7, 1996.
William DeGraaff,
Acting Manager, Airports Division.
[FR Doc. 96-20515 Filed 8-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
