Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Exposition Corridor Light Rail Transit Project Phase 2, 6660-6663 [07-609]

Agencies

• Federal Transit Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 28 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6660-6663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-609]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Exposition Corridor Light Rail Transit Project Phase 2

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Exposition 
Metro Line Construction Authority (Authority), in cooperation with the 
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), 
intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the 
proposed Phase 2 of the Exposition Corridor Light Rail Transit Project. 
Phase 2 would extend from the current planned terminus of the 
Exposition Corridor Light Rail Transit

[[Page 6661]]

Project Phase 1 in Culver City, California, approximately 6 to 8 miles 
to an end-of-line station near 5th Street and Colorado Boulevard in 
Santa Monica, California. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with 
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
its implementing regulations. The purpose of this notice is to alert 
interested parties regarding the intent to prepare the EIS, to provide 
information on the nature of the proposed project and possible 
alternatives, to invite public participation in the EIS process, 
including comments on the scope of the EIS proposed in this notice, to 
announce that public scoping meetings will be conducted, and to 
identify participating agency contacts.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS, including the 
alternatives to be considered and the impacts to be assessed, should be 
sent to the Authority on or before April 2, 2007. See ADDRESSES below 
for the address to which written comments may be sent. Public scoping 
meetings to accept comments on the scope of the EIS will be held on the 
following dates:
     Tuesday, February 27, 2007, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 
Culver City Senior Center, Room B45, 4095 Overland Avenue, Culver City, 
CA 90232.
     Wednesday, February 28, 2007, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 
Hamilton High School Cafeteria, 2955 South Robertson Blvd., Los 
Angeles, CA 90034.
     Tuesday, March 6, 2007, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Santa 
Monica Civic Auditorium, East Wing Meeting Room, 1855 Main Street, 
Santa Monica, CA 90401.
    The project's purpose and need and the initial set of alternatives 
proposed for study will be presented at these meetings. The buildings 
used for the scoping meetings are accessible to persons with 
disabilities. Any individual who requires special assistance, such as a 
sign language interpreter, to participate in a scoping meeting should 
contact Ms. Genetha Eddins, Exposition Metro Line Construction 
Authority at (213) 243-5506 or geddins@exporail.net.
    Scoping materials will be available at the meetings and are 
available by clicking on the Phase 2 tab on the project's Web site at 
https://www.buildexpo.org. Hard copies of the scoping materials are 
available from Mr. Joel Sandberg whose contact information is given in 
ADDRESSES below. An interagency scoping meeting or conference call will 
be scheduled after agencies with an interest in the proposed project 
have been identified.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. Joel Sandberg, P.E., 
Project Manager, Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, 707 
Wilshire Blvd., Suite 3400, Los Angeles, California 90017, phone (213) 
922-3976, fax (213) 243-5553, e-mail jsandberg@exporail.net. The 
locations of the public scoping meetings are given above under DATES.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ray Tellis, Federal Transit 
Administration, 888 South Figueroa Street, Suite 1850, Los Angeles, CA 
90017, phone (312) 202-3950, e-mail ray.tellis@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scoping

    The FTA and the Authority invite all interested individuals and 
organizations, public agencies, and Native American Tribes to comment 
on the scope of the EIS, including the project's purpose and need, the 
alternative to be studies, and the impacts to be evaluated. Comments 
should focus on the purpose and need for the proposed project; 
alternatives that may be less costly or have less environmental or 
community impacts while achieving similar transportation objectives; 
and the identification of any significant social, economic, or 
environmental issues relating to the alternatives.

Purpose and Need for the Project

    The project purpose is to improve public transit service in the 
Exposition Corridor between Culver City and Santa Monica. The overall 
goal of the proposed project is to improve mobility in the Exposition 
Corridor between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica by extending the 
mobility benefits of the Phase 1 project beyond the currently planned 
terminus in Culver City. Mobility issues in this corridor have been 
well documented in the many studies that have analyzed transportation 
on the Westside and in the 2004 Regional Transportation Plan. 
Additional considerations supporting the project's need include:
     The major concentration of activity centers and 
destinations in the Exposition corridor.
     The ``Centers Concept'' Land Use Policy in the Los Angeles 
Basin supporting the development of high capacity transit corridors 
connecting the Centers including Santa Monica, Culver City and downtown 
Los Angeles.
     The existing concentration of transit-supportive land use 
in the Exposition corridor.
     The high population and employment densities in the 
Exposition corridor.
     Local redevelopment plans that are highly supportive of, 
and dependent on, high capacity transit in the Exposition corridor.
     History of strong patronage of the currently available 
transit service in the Exposition corridor.
     Significant transit-dependent population in the Exposition 
corridor.
     Significant planned future population and employment 
growth in the Exposition corridor.
     Existing and future travel demand patterns demonstrating a 
strong and growing demand for high-capacity transit in the Exposition 
corridor.
     Local policy direction oriented toward travel demand 
management and transit solutions rather than the expansion of the 
roadway network.
    The public and participating agencies are invited to consider and 
comment on this preliminary statement of the purpose and need for the 
proposed project. Comments will be given serious consideration.

Alternatives

    The Exposition Light Rail Corridor Project Phase 2 proposes to 
extend transit from the terminus of the Exposition Light Rail Corridor 
Project Phase 1 at the Venice/Robertson station to a terminus in Santa 
Monica. The project generally follows an abandoned railroad right-of-
way (ROW) that was purchased by LACMTA in 1990.

There Are Two Primary Alignment Alternatives Being Considered

    The Exposition ROW Alignment alternative follows the ROW for the 
full distance from the current terminus of the Exposition Light Rail 
Transit Project Phase 1 at Venice/Robertson Station in the City of 
Culver City to 5th and Colorado in the City of Santa Monica, except for 
a one-mile segment at the western end where the right-of-way ends and 
the alignment would follow existing city streets and the edge of the I-
10 Santa Monica Freeway to reach the proposed terminus station in Santa 
Monica. The alignment is approximately 6.9 miles in length.
    The Exposition ROW/Venice/Sepulveda Alignment alternative diverts 
from the rail right-of-way at the Venice/Robertson station (the 
terminus of Phase 1) and follows Venice Boulevard to Sepulveda 
Boulevard where it turns north to rejoin the Rail ROW at approximately 
the I-405 San Diego

[[Page 6662]]

Freeway. This alternative alignment also diverts from the ROW for one-
mile segment at the western end where the right-of-way ends and the 
alignment would follow existing city streets and the edge of the I-10 
Santa Monica Freeway to reach the proposed terminus station in Santa 
Monica. This alignment is approximately 7.8 miles in length.

Transit Alternatives To Be Considered Include

    Light Rail Transit in the Exposition ROW Alignment--This 
alternative proposes light rail transit in the Exposition ROW as 
described above. Possible station sites have been identified at Motor, 
Overland, Sepulveda, Pico/Sawtelle, Bundy, 26th/Cloverfield and 5th/
Colorado.
    Light Rail Transit in the Exposition ROW/Venice/Sepulveda 
Alignment--This alternative proposes light trail transit in the 
Exposition ROW/Venice/Sepulveda alignment as described above. Possible 
station sites have been identified at, Venice/Overland, Venice/
Sepulveda, Sepulveda/National, Pico/Sawtelle, Bundy, 26th Cloverfield 
and 5th/Colorado.
    Bus Rapid Transit in the Exposition ROW Alignment--This alternative 
would utilize bus rapid transit in the Exposition ROW alignment as 
described above. The busway would be located within an abandoned rail 
right-of-way. At the end of the exclusive right-of-way at Olympic 
Boulevard in Santa Monica the bus service would operate along Olympic 
Boulevard, 17th Street, and Colorado Boulevard until reaching its 
terminus at 5th and Colorado in the City of Santa Monica. Possible 
station sites have been identified at Motor, Overland, Sepulveda, Pico/
Sawtelle, Bundy, 26th/ Cloverfield and 5th/Colorado.
    No-Build Alternative--This alternative includes only ``committed'' 
improvements--typically those in the annual element of the 
Transportation Improvement Program or local capital programs--together 
with minor transit service expansions and/or adjustments that reflects 
a continuation of existing service policies. This alternative will 
include committed transportation improvements such as the completion of 
the Metro Rapid Bus Program by 2008 and possible additional feeder bus 
networks to serve major activity centers on the Westside.
    Transportation System Management Alternative (TSM)--The TSM 
alternative enhances the No-Build Alternative and emphasizes 
transportation system upgrade such as intersection improvements, minor 
road widening, traffic engineering actions, bus route restructuring, 
shortened bus headways, expanded use of articulated buses, reserved bus 
lanes, contra-flow lanes for buses and High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) 
on freeways, special bus ramps on freeways, expanded park/ride 
facilities, express and limited-stop service, signalization 
improvements, and timed-transfer operations.
    In addition to the above described alternatives, others identified 
through the scoping process will be evaluated for potential inclusion 
in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Because of the sensitive 
adjacent land uses located in many parts of this corridor, all 
alternatives will need to consider a full range of design and 
mitigation solutions to enlist the support of local communities for the 
completion of this line.

Probable Effects

    The purpose of the EIS process is to explore in a public setting 
the effects of the proposed project and its alternatives on the 
physical, human, and natural environment. The FTA and the Authority 
will evaluate all significant environmental, social, and economic 
impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed project. 
Impact areas to be addressed include: The transportation impacts; land 
use, zoning, and economic development; secondary development; land 
acquisition, displacements, and relocations; cultural resource impacts, 
including impacts on historical and archaeological resources and 
parklands/recreation areas; neighborhood compatibility and 
environmental justice; natural resource impacts including air quality, 
wetlands, water resources, noise, vibration; energy use; safety and 
security; wildlife and ecosystems, including endangered species. 
Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate all adverse impacts will be 
identified and evaluated.

FTA Procedures

    The regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), call for public involvement in the EIS 
process. Section 6002 of SAFETEAU-LU requires that FTA and the 
Authority do the following: (1) Extend an invitation to other Federal 
and non-Federal agencies and Indian tribes that may have an interest in 
the proposed project to become ``participating agencies,'' (2) provide 
an opportunity for involvement by participating agencies and the public 
in helping to define the purpose and need for a proposed project, as 
well as the range of alternatives for consideration in the EIS, and (3) 
establish a plan for coordinating public and agency participation in, 
and comment on, the environmental review process. An invitation to 
become a participating agency, with the scoping materials appended, 
will be extended to other Federal and non-Federal agencies and Native 
American tribes that may have an interest in the proposed project. It 
is possible that FTA and the Authority will not be able to identify all 
Federal and non-Federal agencies and tribes that may have such an 
interest. Any Federal or non-Federal agency or tribe interested in the 
proposed project that does not receive an invitation to become a 
participating agency should notify at the earliest opportunity the 
Project Manager identified above under ADDRESSES.
    A comprehensive public involvement program will be developed and a 
Coordination Plan for public and interagency involvement will be 
created and posted under the Phase 2 tab on the project Web site at 
https://www.buildexpro.org. The public involvement program includes a 
full range of involvement activities including a project Web site; 
outreach to local officials, community and civic groups, and the 
public; and development and distribution of project newsletters. 
Specific mechanisms for involvement will be detailed in the public 
involvement program.
     The Authority may seek New Starts funding for the proposed under 
49 U.S.C. 5309 and will therefore be subject to New Starts regulations 
(49 CFR Part 611). The New Starts regulation requires a planning 
Alternatives Analysis that leads to the selection of a locally 
preferred alternative and the inclusion of the locally preferred 
alternative as part of the long-range transportation plan adopted by 
the Southern California Association of Governments. The Authority plans 
to use the Draft EIS as the planning Alternatives Analysis. The New 
Starts regulation also requires the submission of certain project-
justification information in support of a request to initiate 
preliminary engineering, and this information is normally developed in 
conjunction with the NEPA process. Pertinent New Starts evaluation 
criteria will be included in the Final EIS.
    The EIS will be prepared in accordance with NEPA and its 
implementing regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality 
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and with the FTA/Federal Highway 
Administration regulations ``Environmental Impact and Related 
Procedures'' (23 CFR part 771). In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105(a)

[[Page 6663]]

and 771.133, FTA will comply with all Federal environmental laws, 
regulations, and executive orders applicable to the proposed project 
during the environmental review process to the maximum extent 
practicable. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the 
environmental and public hearing provisions of Federal transit laws (49 
U.S.C. 5301(e), 5323(b), and 5324), the project-level air quality 
conformity regulation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
(40 CFR part 93), the Section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 
230), the regulation implementing Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (36 CFR Part 800), the regulation implementing section 
7 of the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR part 402), Section 4(f) of the 
Department of Transportation Act (23 CFR 771.135), and Executive Orders 
12898 on environmental justice, 11988 on floodplain management, and 
11990 on wetlands.

    Issued on February 5, 2007.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator, Region IX, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. 07-609 Filed 2-9-07; 8:45 am]
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