32868 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 117 / Monday, June 18, 2001 / Notices • 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) VerDate 11<MAY>2000 13:17 Jun 15, 2001 Jkt 194001 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\18JNN1.SGM pfrm04 PsN: 18JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 117 / Monday, June 18, 2001 / Notices 32869 regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), for the afternoon session; registration to at NJ TRANSIT, as indicated above. The the FTA/Federal Highway speak will begin at 6:30 pm and will West Shore Corridor MIS/DEIS will be Administration’s Environmental Impact remain open until 8:30 pm for the closely coordinated with major regional regulations (23 CFR part 771), and the evening session. The scoping meeting initiatives and studies that are related to FTA/FHWA Statewide Planning/ will conclude at 4:30 pm and 8:30 pm, this effort, including: Metropolitan Planning regulations (23 respectively, if there are no remaining • Secaucus Transfer Station, a NJ CFR part 450). This study will also registered speakers. TRANSIT project currently under comply with the requirements of the People with special needs should construction that will create a National Historic Preservation Act of contact Joseph Lombardi at NJ TRANSIT connection between the existing Main, 1966, as amended, section 4(f) of the at the address below or call the study Bergen County, and Pascack Valley 1966 U.S. Department of Transportation toll-free information line at 1–866–658– Lines with the Northeast Corridor Line, Act, the 1990 Clean Air Act 9874. The buildings are accessible to improving access to Midtown Amendments, the Executive Order people with disabilities. A sign language Manhattan and other destinations; 12898 on Environmental Justice, and interpreter will be made available for • Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit other applicable rules, regulations, and the hearing impaired by calling the (HBLRT), a NJ TRANSIT project guidance documents. study toll-free information line at 1– currently under construction that will The purpose of the West Shore 866–658–9874. create a new light rail line operating Corridor MIS/DEIS is to examine Scoping material will be available at from the Vince Lombardi Park-and-Ride solutions for improving mobility in the meetings and may also be obtained to Bayonne. The initial segment in Bergen County, New Jersey and in advance of the meetings by Jersey City and Bayonne opened in Rockland County, New York and to contacting Joseph Lombardi at the April 2000; document the social, economic, and address below or by calling the study • Newark Airport Station/Monorail environmental impacts of implementing toll-free information line above. Oral Extension, a NJ TRANSIT project identified study alternatives. The MIS/ and written comments may be given at currently under construction that will DEIS will identify a preferred the scoping meetings; a stenographer connect the Northeast Corridor Line and alternative that will improve mobility will