Environmental Impact Statement for the Southeast High Speed Rail Project From Washington, DC to Richmond, VA, 63483-63485 [2014-25219]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 2014 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES • Acquisition of additional land for runway protection zones, other approach protection, or airport development. • Cargo facility requirements. • Modifications, which will permit the airfield to accommodate general aviation users. Landside: • Construction of surface parking areas and access roads to accommodate automobiles in the airport terminal and air cargo areas and provide an adequate level of access to the airport. • Construction or relocation of access roads to provide efficient and convenient movement of vehicular traffic to, on, and from the airport, including access to passenger, air cargo, fixed base operations, and aircraft maintenance areas. • Modification or construction of facilities such as passenger terminals, surface automobile parking lots, hangars, air cargo terminal buildings, and access roads to cargo facilities to accommodate civil use. (6) An evaluation of the ability of surface transportation facilities (e.g., road, rail, high-speed rail, and/or maritime) to provide intermodal connections. (7) A description of the type and level of aviation and community interest in the civil use of a current or former military airport. (8) One copy of the FAA-approved ALP for each copy of the application. The ALP or supporting information should clearly show capacity and conversion related projects. Other information such as project costs, schedule, project justification, other maps and drawings showing the project locations, and any other supporting documentation that would make the application easier to understand should also be included. You may also provide photos, which would further describe the airport, projects, and otherwise clarify certain aspects of this application. These maps and ALP’s should be cross-referenced with the project costs and project descriptions. Redesignation of Airports Previously Designated and Applying for Up to an Additional Five Years in the Program Airports applying for redesignation to the Military Airport Program must submit the same information required by new candidate airports applying for a new designation. On the SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance, prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget Circular A–102, airports must indicate their application is for redesignation to the MAP. In addition to the information required for new VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:52 Oct 22, 2014 Jkt 235001 candidates, airports requesting redesignation must also explain: (1) Why a redesignation and additional MAP eligible project funding is needed to accomplish the conversion to meet the civil role of the airport and the preferred time period for redesignation not to exceed five years; (2) Why funding of eligible work under other categories of AIP or other sources of funding would not accomplish the development needs of the airport; and (3) Why, based on the previously funded MAP projects, the projects and/ or funding level were insufficient to accomplish the airport conversion needs and development goals. In addition to the information requested above, airports applying for redesignation must provide a reanalysis of their original business/marketing plans (for example, a plan previously funded by the Office of Economic Adjustment or the original Master Plan for the airport) and prepare a report. If there is not an existing business/ marketing plan a business/marketing plan or strategy must be developed. The report must contain: (1) Whether the original business/ marketing plan is still appropriate; (2) Is the airport continuing to work towards the goals established in the business/marketing plan; (3) Discuss how the MAP projects contained in the application contribute to the goals of the sponsor and their plans; and (4) If the business/marketing plan no longer applies to the current goals of the airport, how has the airport altered the business/marketing plan to establish a new direction for the facility and how do the projects contained in the MAP application aid in the completion of the new direction and goals and by what date does the sponsor anticipate graduating from the MAP. This notice is issued pursuant to Title 49 U.S.C. 47118. Issued at Washington, DC, on October 17, 2014. Elliott Black, Director, Office of Airport Planning and Programming. [FR Doc. 2014–25161 Filed 10–22–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P PO 00000 Frm 00107 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 63483 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Railroad Administration Environmental Impact Statement for the Southeast High Speed Rail Project From Washington, DC to Richmond, VA Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). AGENCY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the FRA and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) will be preparing a Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 123-mile portion of the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor from Washington, DC to Richmond, Virginia. The EIS will evaluate environmental and related impacts of upgrading the rail system and associated infrastructure between the Long Bridge over the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia and Centralia, Virginia, to implement higher speed passenger rail service, increase rail capacity, and improve passenger train reliability. FRA is issuing this notice to solicit public and agency input into the development of the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by FRA and DRPT will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. To ensure all significant issues are identified and considered, the public is invited to comment on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose and need, alternatives to be considered, impacts to be evaluated, and methodologies to be used in the evaluation. DATES: The public, governmental agencies, and all other interested parties are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. All such comments should be provided to DRPT, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the publication of this notice, at the address listed below. Comments may also be provided in writing at the scoping meetings for the Project. Scoping meeting dates, times and locations, in addition to Project information can be found online on the FRA Web site at www.fra.dot.gov and on the Project Web site at www.DC2RVArail.com. An agency scoping meeting will take place on November 3, 2014. Four public scoping meetings will also be held in November 2014. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the public scoping meeting dates. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS may be mailed or SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\23OCN1.SGM 23OCN1 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 63484 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 2014 / Notices emailed within thirty (30) days of the publication of this notice to Ms. Emily Stock, DRPT Project Manager, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219, Emily.Stock@drpt.virginia.gov. Additionally, see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the public scoping meeting locations. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Winkle, Transportation Industry Analyst, Office of Railroad Policy and Development, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., MS–20, Room W38–311, Washington, DC 20590, John.Winkle@ dot.gov, or Ms. Emily Stock, DRPT Project Manager, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219, Emily.Stock@ drpt.virginia.gov. Information and documents regarding the EIS process will also be made available through the FRA Web site at www.fra.dot.gov and on the Project Web site at www.DC2RVArail.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), is beginning a Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 123-mile portion of the SEHSR Corridor from Washington, DC to Richmond, VA. The environmental study area begins at the southern terminus of the Long Bridge over the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia and continues south to Centralia, Virginia at the CSXT A-Line/CSXT S-Line junction. This study will evaluate alternatives and environmental impacts within the preferred corridor described in the Tier I Record of Decision for the SEHSR Corridor from Washington, DC to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Tier II EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and will also address compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, and Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. The Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, one of eleven Federal high speed passenger rail corridors, was designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in 1992. The corridor was designated as running from Washington, DC through Richmond, VA and Raleigh, NC to Charlotte, NC, with maximum speeds of 110 mph. It is part of an overall plan to extend service from the existing high speed rail on the VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:52 Oct 22, 2014 Jkt 235001 Northeast Corridor (Boston to Washington) to points in the Southeast. In 1995, DOT extended the SEHSR corridor to Hampton Roads, VA. In 1998, DOT created two more extensions: (1) From Charlotte through Spartanburg and Greenville, SC to Atlanta, GA and on through Macon, GA to Jacksonville, FL; and (2) from Raleigh through Columbia, SC and Savannah, GA to Jacksonville, FL and from Atlanta to Birmingham, AL. A ‘‘tiered’’ approach was adopted for the SEHSR environmental studies because of the length of the corridor. The original SEHSR Tier I EIS and Record of Decision (2002) (available at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0427) covered the entire Washington, DC to Charlotte, NC corridor at a program level, establishing the overall project purpose and need and modal alternative along with the preferred corridor. A separate Tier I EIS was completed in 2012 for the Richmond to Hampton Roads extension (available at: https:// www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0481). Several Tier II environmental documents will examine the various segments of the preferred corridor on a more detailed, local level. A Tier II EIS is currently underway for the Richmond to Raleigh portion of the SEHSR corridor. The Tier II EIS that is the subject of this notice will examine the Washington, DC to Richmond portion of the SEHSR corridor and will include preliminary engineering in addition to the Tier II EIS. Additionally, this project will include preliminary engineering and environmental analyses for related capacity improvements on the CSXT Peninsula Subdivision in the Richmond area between AM Junction and Beulah to the east, and on the Buckingham Branch Railroad from AM Junction through Doswell, VA, to the north, as well as two localities where specific improvements have not been identified: Elmont to North Doswell (through Ashland, VA) and Fredericksburg to Dahlgren (through Fredericksburg, VA and the Rappahannock River Bridge). These areas will be evaluated for station, track, and safety improvements as well as the feasibility of a third track. This project will involve further analysis of the alignment of the route selected through the 2002 Tier I EIS and Record of Decision, including the Buckingham Branch Railroad and the CSXT S-Line and A-Line routes from Greendale north of Richmond to Centralia south of Richmond. This Tier II environmental process has four basic goals: (1) Update and confirm the purpose and need as established in the Tier I EIS for the PO 00000 Frm 00108 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Washington, DC to Richmond, VA portion of the SEHSR corridor; (2) Develop site-specific rail alternatives for placement of a third track and other improvements; (3) Conduct a detailed evaluation of environmental impacts for the alternatives; and (4) Select a preferred alternative. The project also will include preliminary engineering for projects from Arlington to Centralia that are required to deliver SEHSR service at a maximum authorized speed (MAS) of 90 miles per hour (mph) along the corridor, as well as updating the existing service development plan (SDP) for operations along the corridor. Environmental Review Process The Tier II EIS will be developed in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR part 1500 et seq.) implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 321 et seq.) (NEPA) and FRA’s Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999). In addition to NEPA, the EIS will address other applicable statutes, regulations and executive orders, including the 1980 Clean Air Act Amendments, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice. The purpose of the Tier II EIS will be to provide the FRA, reviewing and cooperating agencies, and the public with information to assess alternatives that will meet the Project’s purpose and need; to evaluate the potential environmental impacts; and to identify potential avoidance/mitigation measures, associated with the proposed Project alternatives. The Project may affect historic properties and may be subject to the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)). In accordance with regulations issued by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (36 CFR part 800), FRA intends to coordinate compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA with the preparation of the EIS, beginning with the identification of consulting parties through the scoping process, in a manner consistent with the standards set out in 36 CFR 800.8. Scoping and Public Involvement FRA encourages broad participation in the Tier II EIS process during scoping and review of the resulting environmental documents. Comments are invited from all interested agencies E:\FR\FM\23OCN1.SGM 23OCN1 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 2014 / Notices and the public to ensure the full range of issues related to the Project are addressed, reasonable alternatives are considered, and significant issues are identified. In particular, FRA is interested in identifying areas of environmental concern where there might be a potential for significant impacts. Public agencies with jurisdiction are requested to advise FRA and DRPT of the applicable permit and environmental review requirements of each agency, and the scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to the agency’s statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed Project. Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies in Virginia. Public agencies are requested to advise FRA if they anticipate taking a major action in connection with the proposed Project and if they wish to cooperate in the preparation of the EIS. Public scoping opportunities and meetings will be scheduled as described below and are an important component of the scoping process for Federal environmental review. FRA is seeking participation and input of interested Federal, State, and local agencies, Native American groups, and other concerned private organizations and individuals on the scope of the EIS. A continual public involvement/ information program will support the process. The program will involve newsletters, a project hotline, informational workshops, small group meetings, social media, and other methods to solicit and incorporate public input throughout the EIS process. Comments and questions concerning the proposed action should be directed to DRPT or to FRA at the addresses provided above. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the project Web site at www.DC2RVArail.com or Application No. Docket No. calling the toll-free project number 1–888–832–0900. ACTION: Public Scoping Meeting Dates and Locations 63485 SUMMARY: List of Applications for Special Permits. The public scoping meetings will be advertised locally and are scheduled for the following locations on the dates indicated below from 5:00–7:30 p.m. November 5, 5:00–7:30 p.m., Hanover Arts and Activities Center, 500 South Center Street, Ashland, VA November 6, 5:00–7:30 p.m., Department of Motor Vehicles, 2300 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA November 12, 5:00–7:30 p.m., National Museum of the Marine CorpsQuantico, 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Quantico, VA November 13, 5:00–7:30, Westin Crystal City, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA In addition, an online meeting will also be available from October 27, 2014 through December 5, 2014. The public can review materials at the meetings or online and provide comments by December 5, 2014. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. Issued in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2014. Corey W. Hill, Director, Office of Program Delivery. [FR Doc. 2014–25219 Filed 10–22–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–06–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Office of Hazardous Materials Safety; Notice of Application for Special Permits Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. AGENCY: Applicant Regulation(s) affected In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation’s Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, Subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. Each mode of transportation for which a particular special permit is requested is indicated by a number in the ‘‘Nature of Application’’ portion of the table, below as follows: 1—Motor vehicle, 2—Rail freight, 3—Cargo vessel, 4—Cargo aircraft only, 5—Passengercarrying aircraft. DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 24, 2014. ADDRESS COMMENTS TO: Record Center, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials, Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590. Comments should refer to the application number and be submitted in triplicate. If confirmation of receipt of comments is desired, include a selfaddressed stamped postcard showing the special permit number. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the applications are available for inspection in the Records Center, East Building, PHH–30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue Southeast, Washington, DC or at https://regulations.gov. This notice of receipt of applications for special permit is published in accordance with Part 107 of the Federal hazardous materials transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5117(b); 49 CFR 1.53(b)). Issued in Washington, DC, on October 9, 2014. Donald Burger, Chief, General Approvals and Permits. Nature of special permit thereof New Special Permits ............................ 16251–N mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 16249–N ............................ VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:30 Oct 22, 2014 Optimized Energy Solutions, LLC, Durango, CO. Air Liquide America Specialty Gases, LLC, Plumsteadville, PA. Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00109 49 CFR 172.101 Table, Column (8C), 173.315. 49 173.302a(a)(1), 173.302a(a)(3). Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 To authorize the transportation in commerce of ethane, refrigerated liquid in DOT 113C120W tank cars, (mode 2). To authorize the transportation in commerce of certain non-liquefied flammable gases in non-DOT specification cylinders and certain non-liquefied flammable gases in cylinders authorized under DOT–SP 10788 with a volume not to exceed 1.6 L. (modes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). E:\FR\FM\23OCN1.SGM 23OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63483-63485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25219]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Environmental Impact Statement for the Southeast High Speed Rail 
Project From Washington, DC to Richmond, VA

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the FRA 
and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) 
will be preparing a Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 
123-mile portion of the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor from 
Washington, DC to Richmond, Virginia. The EIS will evaluate 
environmental and related impacts of upgrading the rail system and 
associated infrastructure between the Long Bridge over the Potomac 
River in Arlington, Virginia and Centralia, Virginia, to implement 
higher speed passenger rail service, increase rail capacity, and 
improve passenger train reliability. FRA is issuing this notice to 
solicit public and agency input into the development of the scope of 
the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by 
FRA and DRPT will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. To 
ensure all significant issues are identified and considered, the public 
is invited to comment on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose 
and need, alternatives to be considered, impacts to be evaluated, and 
methodologies to be used in the evaluation.

DATES: The public, governmental agencies, and all other interested 
parties are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. All such 
comments should be provided to DRPT, in writing, within thirty (30) 
days of the publication of this notice, at the address listed below. 
Comments may also be provided in writing at the scoping meetings for 
the Project. Scoping meeting dates, times and locations, in addition to 
Project information can be found online on the FRA Web site at 
www.fra.dot.gov and on the Project Web site at www.DC2RVArail.com. An 
agency scoping meeting will take place on November 3, 2014. Four public 
scoping meetings will also be held in November 2014. See the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the public scoping meeting dates.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS may be mailed or

[[Page 63484]]

emailed within thirty (30) days of the publication of this notice to 
Ms. Emily Stock, DRPT Project Manager, Virginia Department of Rail and 
Public Transportation (DRPT), 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, 
Richmond, VA 23219, Emily.Stock@drpt.virginia.gov. Additionally, see 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the public scoping meeting 
locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Winkle, Transportation 
Industry Analyst, Office of Railroad Policy and Development, Federal 
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., MS-20, Room W38-
311, Washington, DC 20590, John.Winkle@dot.gov, or Ms. Emily Stock, 
DRPT Project Manager, Virginia Department of Rail and Public 
Transportation (DRPT), 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 
23219, Emily.Stock@drpt.virginia.gov. Information and documents 
regarding the EIS process will also be made available through the FRA 
Web site at www.fra.dot.gov and on the Project Web site at 
www.DC2RVArail.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA, in cooperation with the Virginia 
Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), is beginning a 
Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 123-mile portion 
of the SEHSR Corridor from Washington, DC to Richmond, VA. The 
environmental study area begins at the southern terminus of the Long 
Bridge over the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia and continues 
south to Centralia, Virginia at the CSXT A-Line/CSXT S-Line junction. 
This study will evaluate alternatives and environmental impacts within 
the preferred corridor described in the Tier I Record of Decision for 
the SEHSR Corridor from Washington, DC to Charlotte, North Carolina. 
The Tier II EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and will also address 
compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 
Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, and 
Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act.
    The Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, one of eleven Federal high 
speed passenger rail corridors, was designated by the U.S. Department 
of Transportation (DOT) in 1992. The corridor was designated as running 
from Washington, DC through Richmond, VA and Raleigh, NC to Charlotte, 
NC, with maximum speeds of 110 mph. It is part of an overall plan to 
extend service from the existing high speed rail on the Northeast 
Corridor (Boston to Washington) to points in the Southeast. In 1995, 
DOT extended the SEHSR corridor to Hampton Roads, VA. In 1998, DOT 
created two more extensions: (1) From Charlotte through Spartanburg and 
Greenville, SC to Atlanta, GA and on through Macon, GA to Jacksonville, 
FL; and (2) from Raleigh through Columbia, SC and Savannah, GA to 
Jacksonville, FL and from Atlanta to Birmingham, AL.
    A ``tiered'' approach was adopted for the SEHSR environmental 
studies because of the length of the corridor. The original SEHSR Tier 
I EIS and Record of Decision (2002) (available at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0427) covered the entire Washington, DC to 
Charlotte, NC corridor at a program level, establishing the overall 
project purpose and need and modal alternative along with the preferred 
corridor. A separate Tier I EIS was completed in 2012 for the Richmond 
to Hampton Roads extension (available at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0481).
    Several Tier II environmental documents will examine the various 
segments of the preferred corridor on a more detailed, local level. A 
Tier II EIS is currently underway for the Richmond to Raleigh portion 
of the SEHSR corridor. The Tier II EIS that is the subject of this 
notice will examine the Washington, DC to Richmond portion of the SEHSR 
corridor and will include preliminary engineering in addition to the 
Tier II EIS.
    Additionally, this project will include preliminary engineering and 
environmental analyses for related capacity improvements on the CSXT 
Peninsula Subdivision in the Richmond area between AM Junction and 
Beulah to the east, and on the Buckingham Branch Railroad from AM 
Junction through Doswell, VA, to the north, as well as two localities 
where specific improvements have not been identified: Elmont to North 
Doswell (through Ashland, VA) and Fredericksburg to Dahlgren (through 
Fredericksburg, VA and the Rappahannock River Bridge). These areas will 
be evaluated for station, track, and safety improvements as well as the 
feasibility of a third track.
    This project will involve further analysis of the alignment of the 
route selected through the 2002 Tier I EIS and Record of Decision, 
including the Buckingham Branch Railroad and the CSXT S-Line and A-Line 
routes from Greendale north of Richmond to Centralia south of Richmond.
    This Tier II environmental process has four basic goals: (1) Update 
and confirm the purpose and need as established in the Tier I EIS for 
the Washington, DC to Richmond, VA portion of the SEHSR corridor; (2) 
Develop site-specific rail alternatives for placement of a third track 
and other improvements; (3) Conduct a detailed evaluation of 
environmental impacts for the alternatives; and (4) Select a preferred 
alternative. The project also will include preliminary engineering for 
projects from Arlington to Centralia that are required to deliver SEHSR 
service at a maximum authorized speed (MAS) of 90 miles per hour (mph) 
along the corridor, as well as updating the existing service 
development plan (SDP) for operations along the corridor.

Environmental Review Process

    The Tier II EIS will be developed in accordance with the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR part 1500 et seq.) 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
321 et seq.) (NEPA) and FRA's Procedures for Considering Environmental 
Impacts (64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999). In addition to NEPA, the EIS will 
address other applicable statutes, regulations and executive orders, 
including the 1980 Clean Air Act Amendments, Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the 
Department of Transportation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and 
Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice.
    The purpose of the Tier II EIS will be to provide the FRA, 
reviewing and cooperating agencies, and the public with information to 
assess alternatives that will meet the Project's purpose and need; to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts; and to identify potential 
avoidance/mitigation measures, associated with the proposed Project 
alternatives.
    The Project may affect historic properties and may be subject to 
the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act of 1966 (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)). In accordance with regulations 
issued by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (36 CFR part 
800), FRA intends to coordinate compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA 
with the preparation of the EIS, beginning with the identification of 
consulting parties through the scoping process, in a manner consistent 
with the standards set out in 36 CFR 800.8.

Scoping and Public Involvement

    FRA encourages broad participation in the Tier II EIS process 
during scoping and review of the resulting environmental documents. 
Comments are invited from all interested agencies

[[Page 63485]]

and the public to ensure the full range of issues related to the 
Project are addressed, reasonable alternatives are considered, and 
significant issues are identified. In particular, FRA is interested in 
identifying areas of environmental concern where there might be a 
potential for significant impacts. Public agencies with jurisdiction 
are requested to advise FRA and DRPT of the applicable permit and 
environmental review requirements of each agency, and the scope and 
content of the environmental information that is germane to the 
agency's statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed 
Project. Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments 
will be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies in 
Virginia. Public agencies are requested to advise FRA if they 
anticipate taking a major action in connection with the proposed 
Project and if they wish to cooperate in the preparation of the EIS.
    Public scoping opportunities and meetings will be scheduled as 
described below and are an important component of the scoping process 
for Federal environmental review. FRA is seeking participation and 
input of interested Federal, State, and local agencies, Native American 
groups, and other concerned private organizations and individuals on 
the scope of the EIS. A continual public involvement/information 
program will support the process. The program will involve newsletters, 
a project hotline, informational workshops, small group meetings, 
social media, and other methods to solicit and incorporate public input 
throughout the EIS process. Comments and questions concerning the 
proposed action should be directed to DRPT or to FRA at the addresses 
provided above. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the 
project Web site at www.DC2RVArail.com or calling the toll-free project 
number 1-888-832-0900.

Public Scoping Meeting Dates and Locations

    The public scoping meetings will be advertised locally and are 
scheduled for the following locations on the dates indicated below from 
5:00-7:30 p.m.

November 5, 5:00-7:30 p.m., Hanover Arts and Activities Center, 500 
South Center Street, Ashland, VA
November 6, 5:00-7:30 p.m., Department of Motor Vehicles, 2300 W. Broad 
Street, Richmond, VA
November 12, 5:00-7:30 p.m., National Museum of the Marine Corps-
Quantico, 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Quantico, VA
November 13, 5:00-7:30, Westin Crystal City, 1800 Jefferson Davis 
Highway, Arlington, VA

In addition, an online meeting will also be available from October 27, 
2014 through December 5, 2014. The public can review materials at the 
meetings or online and provide comments by December 5, 2014.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2014.
Corey W. Hill,
Director, Office of Program Delivery.
[FR Doc. 2014-25219 Filed 10-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P

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