Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 117 / Monday, June 18, 2001 / Notices 32867
the public and agency comments Build Alternative. The Build Alternative FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If received, a locally preferred alternative under consideration was selected as a you wish to be placed on the mailing will be selected, to be further detailed result of the findings of the West Shore list to receive further information as the in the final EIS. Region Alternatives Analysis Report study develops, contact Joseph Issued on: June 13, 2001. (December 1999). The Alternatives Lombardi at the above address or call Letitia Thompson, Analysis Report recommended an the study toll-free information line at 1– alternative for advancement to the MIS/ 866–658–9874. For further information, Regional Administrator, TRO–II, Federal Transit Administration. DEIS phase of the project made up of you may also contact: Mr. Irwin B. the following components: West Shore Kessman, Director, Office of Planning [FR Doc. 01–15328 Filed 6–15–01; 8:45 am] corridor commuter rail service via the and Program Development, Federal BILLING CODE 4910–57–P Meadowlands Sports Complex; Transit Administration, Region II, One Northern Branch corridor light rail Bowling Green, Room 429, New York, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION service via Hudson Bergen Light Rail New York, 10004–1415; phone: 212– Transit (HBLRT); and NYS&W corridor 668–2170, fax: 212–668–2136. Federal Transit Administration light rail service via HBLRT. All three SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: of these proposed new rail services Major Investment Study/Draft would involve construction of new I. Scoping Environmental Impact Statement for transportation infrastructure, including The FTA and NJ TRANSIT invite all the Northern Branch Corridor, Bergen tracks, stations and yards. This MIS/ interested individuals and County, New Jersey DEIS will examine the Northern Branch organizations, and federal, state, and corridor light rail service via HBLRT. AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration local agencies to provide comments on (FTA) DATES: Comment Due Date: Written the scope of the study. During the comments on the scope of the MIS/DEIS scoping process, comments should ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a should be sent to NJ TRANSIT by focus on identifying specific social, major investment study/draft August 15, 2001. See ADDRESSES below. economic, or environmental issues to be environmental impact statement (MIS/ Scoping Meeting: Public scoping evaluated and suggesting alternatives, DEIS). meetings for the Northern Branch which may be less costly or have less SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Corridor MIS/DEIS will be held on: environmental impacts, while achieving • Administration (FTA) and the New Wednesday, July 11, 2001 the similar transportation objectives. Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Comments should focus on the issues TRANSIT) intend to prepare a Major John Harms Center for the Arts, and alternatives for analysis and not on Investment Study/Draft Environmental Theater 30 North Van Brunt Street, a preference for a particular alternative. Impact Statement (MIS/DEIS) to study Englewood, New Jersey 07631. Scoping materials will be available at transportation access improvements Registration to speak will begin at the meetings or in advance of the along the Northern Branch corridor in 2:30 p.m. and will remain open until meetings by contacting Joseph Lombardi Bergen County, New Jersey. The MIS/ 4:30 for the afternoon session; at NJ TRANSIT, as indicated above. The DEIS is being prepared in accordance registration to speak will begin at 6:30 Northern Branch Corridor MIS/DEIS with the National Environmental Policy p.m. and will remain open until 8:30 will be closely coordinated with major Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and p.m. for the evening session. The regional initiatives and studies that are implemented by the Council on scoping meeting will conclude at 4:30 related to this effort, including: Environmental Quality (CEQ) p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively, if there • Secaucus Transfer Station, a NJ regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), are no remaining registered speakers. TRANSIT project currently under the FTA/Federal Highway People with special needs should construction that will create a Administration’s Environmental Impact contact Joseph Lombardi at NJ TRANSIT connection between the existing Main, regulations (23 CFR part 771), and the at the address below or call the study Bergen County, and Pascack Valley FTA/FHWA Statewide Planning/ toll-free information line at 1–866–658– Lines with the Northeast Corridor Line, Metropolitan Planning regulations (23 9874. The buildings are accessible to improving access to Midtown CFR part 450). This study will also people with disabilities. A sign language Manhattan and other destinations; comply with the requirements of the interpreter will be made available for • Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit National Historic Preservation Act of the hearing impaired by calling the (HBLRT), a NJ TRANSIT project 1966, as amended, section 4(f) of the study toll-free information line at 1– currently under construction that will 1966 U.S. Department of Transportation 866–658–9874. create a new light rail line operating Act, the 1990 Clean Air Act Scoping material will be available at from the Vince Lombardi Park-and-Ride Amendments, the Executive Order the meetings and may also be obtained to Bayonne. The initial segment in 12898 on Environmental Justice, and in advance of the meetings by Jersey City and Bayonne opened in other applicable rules, regulations, and contacting Joseph Lombardi at the April 2000; guidance documents. address below or by calling the study • Newark Airport Station/Monorail The purpose of the Northern Branch toll-free information line above. Oral Extension, a NJ TRANSIT project Corridor MIS/DEIS is to examine and written comments may be given at currently under construction that will solutions for improving mobility in the scoping meetings; a stenographer connect the Northeast Corridor Line and Bergen County, New Jersey and to will record all comments. the Newark Airport Monorail; document the social, economic, and ADDRESSES: Written comments on the • West Shore Corridor DEIS, a study environmental impacts of implementing project scope should be sent to Joseph by NJ TRANSIT that will examine the identified study alternatives. The MIS/ Lombardi, Project Manager, NJ potential benefits, costs, and impacts of DEIS will identify a preferred TRANSIT, One Penn Plaza East, alternatives for improving access in the alternative that will improve mobility Newark, NJ 07105–2246. The scoping West Shore study area, including a within that region. The MIS/DEIS will meetings will be held at the locations potential commuter rail service via the evaluate Baseline Alternative and a identified above. Meadowlands Sports Complex;
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• Bergen—Passaic Cross County Provision of new transportation aesthetics, community disruption, Corridor DEIS, a study by NJ TRANSIT service in the Northern Branch Corridor environmental justice, construction that will examine the potential benefits, would address: impacts, and cumulative impacts. Key costs, and impacts of alternatives for • Commuting to New York City areas of environmental concern would improving access in the NYS&W study (trans-Hudson), from Bergen County; be in the areas of potential new area, including a potential light rail • Inter- and intra-corridor construction (e.g. new stations, new service via the Hudson Bergen Light commuting, both to employment centers track, etc.). The impacts will be Rail; within the study corridors, and from the evaluated both for the construction • West Haverstraw Extension Study, a study corridors to employment locations period and for the long-term period of study by Rockland County and NJ in other areas of New Jersey; and, operation of each alternative. Measures • TRANSIT examining the potential to Non-work trips including business, to mitigate any significant adverse extend the West Shore Commuter Rail shopping, recreational, and education to impacts will be identified. service to West Haverstraw, New York; New York City, within the corridor, and • Access to the Region’s Core Study to destinations outside the corridor in V. FTA Procedures (ARC), a joint study by NJ TRANSIT, New Jersey. The DEIS will be prepared in Port Authority of New York and New III. Alternatives conjunction with a major investment Jersey, and the Metropolitan study and will document the results of Transportation Authority (MTA). The The alternatives proposed for that study, including an evaluation of ARC study continues to study access to evaluation include: the potential social, economic, and Midtown Manhattan from points east (1) The Baseline Alternative, which environmental impacts of the and west; includes no-build conditions, plus any alternatives. Upon completion, the MIS/ • Penn Station Access MIS/DEIS, a cost-effective transit improvements that DEIS will be available for public and study by Metro-North to examine can be implemented, short of the agency review and comment. Public improving access to Penn Station to/ proposed new start alternative. The no- hearing(s) will be held within the study from the Metro-North service area; and build conditions involve the current • area. On the basis of the MIS/DEIS and Conrail/CSX/Norfolk Southern infrastructure of highways, trains, and the public and agency comments Merger, a change in the ownership of bus services, in addition to all ongoing, received, a locally preferred alternative the freight network, dividing the former committed and funded roadway and will be selected, to be further detailed Conrail holdings between CSX and transit projects outlined in the State in the final EIS. Norfolk Southern. Transportation Improvement Program Following the public scoping process, (STIP) including projects under Issued on: June 13, 2001. public outreach activities will include construction such as the Secaucus Letitia Thompson, meetings with a Community Liaison Transfer Station and the Hudson-Bergen Regional Administrator, TRO–II, Federal Committee (CLC) established for the Light Rail Transit (HBLRT). Transit Transit Administration. study and comprised of community improvements lower in cost than the [FR Doc. 01–15329 Filed 6–15–01; 8:45 am] leaders; public meetings and hearings; proposed new start alternative were also BILLING CODE 4910–57–P distribution of study newsletter(s); and identified for inclusion in the Baseline use of other outreach mechanisms. Alternative, including a bus component, Every effort will be made to ensure that from Bergen County to the East DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION the widest possible range of public Midtown Manhattan. participants has the opportunity to (2) The Build Alternative, Northern Federal Transit Administration attend general public meetings (e.g., Branch light rail service via HBLRT. The Major Investment Study/Draft scoping meetings and public hearing(s)) Build Alternative will involve Environmental Impact Statement for held by NJ TRANSIT to solicit input on construction of new transportation the West Shore Corridor, Bergen the Northern Branch Corridor MIS/ infrastructure, including tracks, stations County, New Jersey and Rockland DEIS. Attendance will be sought and yards. Additional reasonable Build County, New York through mailings, notices, alternatives suggested during the advertisements, and press releases. scoping process, including those AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration involving other modes, may be (FTA). II. Description of Study Area and considered. Transportation Needs ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a IV. Probable Effects Major Investment Study/Draft The study area includes the Northern Environmental Impact Statement (MIS/ Branch corridor, through Fairview, The FTA and NJ TRANSIT will DEIS). Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, evaluate all potential changes to the Englewood, and Tenafly in New Jersey. social, economic, and physical SUMMARY: The Federal Transit The purpose of the Northern Branch environment, including air quality, Administration (FTA) and the New MIS/DEIS is to examine solutions for noise and vibration, traffic, parking, Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ addressing mobility issues in Bergen transit, pedestrians and freight rail, TRANSIT) intend to prepare a Major County, New Jersey, and to identify a energy and potential for conservation, Investment Study/Draft Environmental preferred alternative that will improve electric and magnetic fields, safety and Impact Statement (MIS/DEIS) to study mobility within that region. The MIS/ security, water quality, wetlands, transportation access improvements DEIS will be conducted in coordination flooding, navigable waterways and along the West Shore corridor in Bergen with other major network expansion coastal zones, ecologically sensitive County, New Jersey and Rockland proposals under study or construction areas, endangered species, hazardous County, New York. The MIS/DEIS is within the region. The MIS/DEIS will waste, land acquisition and being prepared in accordance with the examine and document the social, displacements, land use, zoning and National Environmental Policy Act of economic, and environmental impacts economic development, consistency 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and of implementing identified study with local plans, historic properties and implemented by the Council on alternatives. resources, parkland, archaeology, Environmental Quality (CEQ)
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