Scoping Summary SCOPING SUMMARY: APPENDIX December 2012 P a g e | i December 2012 APPENDIX NOTICE OF INTENT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO EXTEND THE FORMAL COMMENT PERIOD ........................................ 2 PUBLIC SCOPING PRESENTATION ................................................................................................................. 6 AGENCY SCOPING PRESENTATION ............................................................................................................. 11 PUBLIC SCOPING DISPLAY BOARDS ............................................................................................................ 17 PUBLIC SCOPING COMMENT CARD AND HANDOUT ....................................................................................... 36 AGENCY SCOPING INVITATIONS ................................................................................................................. 41 NEC FUTURE Scoping Summary: Appendix | December 2012 1 NOTICE OF INTENT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO EXTEND THE FORMAL COMMENT PERIOD NEC FUTURE Scoping Summary: Appendix | December 2012 2 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2012 / Notices 37737 The FHWA is currently developing to evaluate potential passenger rail considered, environmental effects to be the TNM version 3.0, with anticipated improvements between Washington, considered and evaluated, and beta-testing of this version towards the DC, New York City, and Boston, MA. methodologies to be used for evaluating end of 2012. Version 3.0 is an entirely FRA is leading the planning and effects. new, state-of-the-art computer program environmental evaluation of the DATES: Submit comments by Friday, used for predicting noise impacts in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), an effort September 14, 2012. See the NEC vicinity of highways. It uses advances in known as NEC FUTURE, in close FUTURE Web site (www.necfuture.com) personal computer hardware and coordination with the involved states, for information on the scoping meeting software to improve upon the accuracy Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and dates. and ease of modeling highway noise, Operations Advisory Commission (NEC ADDRESSES: Interested parties are including the design of effective, cost- Commission), Amtrak and other encouraged to comment on-line at the efficient highway noise barriers. This stakeholders. The purpose of the NEC NEC FUTURE Web site information request is to gather FUTURE program is to define current (www.necfuture.com), via email at information from the beta-testers on and future markets for improved rail [email protected], or in person at the their computer configurations, their service and capacity on the NEC, scoping meetings. For Further experiences using the FWHA TNM and develop an integrated passenger rail Information or Special Assistance the availability of TNM files. transportation solution to incrementally Contact: Rebecca Reyes-Alicea, USDOT, Respondents: Approximately 25 meet those needs, and create a regional Federal Railroad Administration, Office entities. planning framework to engage of Railroad Policy & Development, 1200 Frequency: Once. stakeholders throughout the region in New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, Estimated Average Burden per the development of the program. DC 20590; by email at Response: Approximately 15 minutes. NEC FUTURE is being advanced [email protected], or; through the Estimated Total Annual Burden consistent with the federal High-Speed NEC FUTURE Web site Hours: Approximately 6.25 hours. Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) (www.necfuture.com). Public Comments Invited: You are program and includes the development asked to comment on any aspect of this of a Passenger Rail Corridor Investment SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA is information collection, including: (1) Plan (PRCIP). A PRCIP provides the data preparing a Tier 1 EIS and SDP for the Whether the proposed collection is necessary to support an FRA decision to NEC FUTURE program. Together the necessary for the FHWA’s performance; fund and implement major investments EIS and SDP comprise a PRCIP that will (2) the accuracy of the estimated in a passenger rail corridor. A PRCIP is define a comprehensive and integrated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to comprised of two components: A Tier 1 passenger rail network in the Northeast enhance the quality, usefulness, and EIS and a Service Development Plan region, looking at a range of service clarity of the collected information; and (SDP). The Tier 1 EIS will be developed types and infrastructure needs, (4) ways that the burden could be in accordance with the National including plans for public investment in minimized, including the use of Environmental Policy Act of 1969 projects that contribute towards efficient electronic technology, without reducing (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 and the Council service and increased capacity for the quality of the collected information. on Environmental Quality (CEQ) intercity and high-speed passenger rail The agency will summarize and/or regulations, 40 CFR part 1500 et seq., and freight and commuter rail service. include your comments in the request and will address documentation on a The PRCIP will provide the economic, for OMB’s clearance of this information broad corridor level. The SDP financial, transportation and collection. articulates the overall scope, environmental analyses necessary to alternatives, approach and business case support an investment in improved rail Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act service as a core component of a more of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; for proposed service and improvements. and 49 CFR 1.48. As part of the Tier 1 EIS, FRA will integrated, efficient, safer, and higher- evaluate various passenger rail capacity Northeast regional Issued On: June 19, 2012. alternatives: A No Action Alternative, transportation network. Steven Smith, consisting of already planned The FRA will use a tiered Chief, Information Technology Division. improvements to the corridor, and Build environmental review process for [FR Doc. 2012–15362 Filed 6–21–12; 8:45 am] Alternatives consisting of a full array of complying with NEPA, as per the CEQ BILLING CODE 4910–22–P passenger rail alternatives which could regulations, 40 CFR 1508.28, and in range from operational and service accordance with FRA’s Procedures for enhancements to new physical Considering Environmental Impacts, 64 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION improvements. FRA will consider the FR 28454 (FRA Environmental type, location and need for ancillary Procedures). The Tier 1 EIS will also Federal Railroad Administration facilities for each alternative. The address the requirements of Section 106 primary passenger rail route is the of the National Historic Preservation Environmental Impact Statement for existing NEC passenger rail spine and Act, 36 CFR Part 800, Section 4(f) of the the Northeast Corridor Between its connecting corridors; however, in U.S. Department of Transportation Act Washington, DC, New York, NY, and some areas, FRA may consider of 1966, 49 U.S.C. 303, and other Boston, MA alternatives off of the existing NEC. applicable Federal and state laws and AGENCY: Federal Railroad FRA is issuing this Notice to alert the regulations. The outcome of the Tier 1 Administration (FRA), DOT. public and agencies about the EIS will be to identify markets to be ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an preparation of the Tier 1 EIS and served, service(s), general alignment and environmental impact statement. associated SDP. To ensure that all station locations. significant issues are identified and The NEC FUTURE program is SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this Notice of considered, all interested parties are intended to develop a rail transportation Intent (Notice) to advise the public of invited to comment on the proposed investment program to support the the preparation of a Tier 1 scope of environmental review, project Northeast region’s economic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) purpose and need, alternatives to be competitiveness and growth potential NEC FUTURE Scoping Summary: Appendix | December 2012 3 VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:20 Jun 21, 2012 Jkt 226001 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\22JNN1.SGM 22JNN1 wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 37738 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2012 / Notices with energy-efficient and sustainable alternatives could also be service- or Rebecca Reyes-Alicea at the mailing transportation services. For purposes of operation-related that provide rail address above or electronically at defining and analyzing transportation service to new markets or change [email protected]. alternatives for NEC FUTURE, the study existing patterns of service. In addition, Comments will be accepted on the area has been broadly defined to there may be Build Alternatives off the scoping of the EIS in meetings, through encompass the region served by the existing NEC spine or its connecting the NEC FUTURE Web site NEC, plus those areas that can be corridors. (www.necfuture.com) and by submitting reached from the NEC directly by train written comments to Rebecca Reyes- Possible Effects or via a single transfer to connecting Alicea at the address above. The formal corridors (e.g., the Empire Corridor in FRA will evaluate direct, indirect and comment period for scoping will be New York). The study area may be cumulative changes to the social, open from the date of this Notice until refined as the NEC FUTURE program economic, and physical environment, Friday, September 14, 2012. progresses and off-corridor