Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for High-Capacity Transit Improvements in the Leeward Corridor of Honolulu, HI, 12254-12257 [07-1237]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Notices
sensitive to and protective of
California’s unique natural resources.
Alternatives: The Palmdale-Los
Angeles HST EIR/EIS will consider a No
Action or No Project Alternative and
HST Alternatives for the Palmdale to
Los Angeles corridor.
No Action Alternative: The take no
action (No Project or No Build)
alternative is defined to serve as the
baseline for assessment of the HST
Alternative. The No Build Alternative
represents the region’s transportation
system (highway, air, and conventional
rail) as it existed in 2006, and as it
would exist after completion of
programs or projects currently planned
for funding and implementation by
2030. The No Build Alternative defines
the existing and future intercity
transportation system for the Palmdale
to Los Angeles corridor based on
programmed and funded improvements
to the intercity transportation system
through 2030, according to the
following sources of information: State
Transportation Improvement Program
(STIP), Regional Transportation Plans
(RTPs) for all modes of travel, airport
plans, and intercity passenger rail plans.
HST Alternative: The Authority
proposes to construct, operate and
maintain an electric-powered steelwheel-on-steel-rail HST system, over
700-mile long (1,126-kilometer long),
capable of speeds in excess of 200 miles
per hour (mph) (320 kilometers per hour
[km/h]) on dedicated, fully gradeseparated tracks, with state-of-the-art
safety, signaling, and automated train
control systems. The Palmdale to Los
Angeles HST corridor that was selected
by the Authority and FRA with the
statewide program EIR/EIS follows SR–
58/Soledad Canyon from the City of
Palmdale to Sylmar and then along the
Metrolink Railroad line to Los Angeles
Union Station. The corridor is relatively
wide in the area that includes both the
SR–14 and Union Pacific Railroad
alignments between the Antelope Valley
and Santa Clarita. Further engineering
studies to be undertaken as a part of this
EIR/EIS process will examine and refine
alignments in the selected corridor,
including sections from the Palmdale to
Santa Clarita and from the Burbank
Metrolink Station to Los Angeles Union
Station. An alignment option that
closely follows the SR–14 through
Soledad Canyon will be considered as
well as an alignment option through
Soledad Canyon along the Santa Clara
River. Alignments along San Fernando
Road adjacent to Taylor Yard and along
the existing Metrolink right-of-way
around the Taylor Yard area will be
considered.
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Station location options were selected
by the Authority and FRA with the
statewide program EIR/EIS considering
travel time, train speed, cost, local
access times, potential connections with
other modes of transportation, ridership
potential and the distribution of
population and major destinations along
the route, and local planning
constraints/conditions. Alternative
station sites at the selected general
station locations will be identified and
evaluated in this project level EIR/EIS.
Station area development policies to
encourage transit-friendly development
near and around HST stations that
would have the potential to promote
higher density, mixed-use, pedestrianoriented development around the
stations will be prepared in
coordination with local and regional
planning agencies. Potential station
locations to be evaluated in the
Palmdale-Los Angeles HST EIR/EIS
include: City of Palmdale, Palmdale
Transportation Center; City of Sylmar,
Sylmar Metrolink station; and City of
Burbank, Burbank Metrolink station.
The HST station at Los Angeles Union
Station is being evaluated in the project
level Los Angeles-Orange HST EIR/EIS
and will not be considered in the
Palmdale-Los Angeles HST EIR/EIS
process. In addition, potential sites for
turnback/layover train storage facilities
and a main HST repair and heavy
maintenance facility will be evaluated
in the Palmdale-Los Angeles HST EIR/
EIS.
Probable Effects: The purpose of the
EIR/EIS process is to explore in a public
setting the effects of the proposed
project on the physical, human, and
natural environment. The FRA and the
Authority will continue the tiered
evaluation of all significant
environmental, social, and economic
impacts of the construction and
operation of the HST system. Impact
areas to be addressed include:
transportation impacts; safety and
security; land use, and zoning;
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,
wildlife and ecosystems, including
endangered species. Measures to avoid,
minimize, and mitigate all adverse
impacts will be identified and
evaluated.
Scoping and Comments: FRA
encourages broad participation in the
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EIS process during scoping and review
of the resulting environmental
documents. Comments and suggestions
are invited from all interested agencies
and the public at large to insure the full
range of issues related to the proposed
action and all reasonable alternatives
are addressed and all significant issues
are identified. In particular, FRA is
interested in determining whether there
are areas of environmental concern
where there might be a potential for
significant impacts identifiable at a
project level. Public agencies with
jurisdiction are requested to advise FRA
and the Authority 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.
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 project level EIR/
EIS. Public scoping meetings have been
scheduled as an important component
of the scoping process for both the State
and Federal environmental review. The
scoping meetings described in this
Notice will also be advertised locally
and included in additional public
notification.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 9,
2007.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad
Development.
[FR Doc. E7–4711 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for High-Capacity
Transit Improvements in the Leeward
Corridor of Honolulu, HI
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
DOT.
Notice of Intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) and the City and
County of Honolulu, Department of
Transportation Services (DTS) intend to
prepare an EIS on a proposal by the City
and County of Honolulu to implement
a fixed-guideway transit system in the
corridor between Kapolei and the
¯
University of Hawai1i at Manoa with a
¯ ¯
branch to Waikıkı. Alternatives
proposed to be considered in the draft
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EIS include No Build and two Fixed
Guideway Transit alternatives.
The EIS will be prepared to satisfy the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) and its implementing
regulations. The FTA and DTS request
public and interagency input on the
purpose and need to be addressed by
the project, the alternatives to be
considered in the EIS, and the
environmental and community impacts
to be evaluated.
Scoping Comments Due Date:
Written comments on the scope of the
NEPA review, including the project’s
purpose and need, the alternatives to be
considered, and the related impacts to
be assessed, should be sent to DTS by
April 12, 2007. See ADDRESSES below.
Scoping Meetings: Meetings to accept
comments on the scope of the EIS will
be held on March 28 and 29, 2007 at the
locations given in ADDRESSES below. On
March 28, 2007, the public scoping
meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and
continue until 9 p.m. or until all who
wish to provide oral comments have
been given the opportunity. The
meeting on March 29, 2007 will begin
at 5 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. or
until all who wish to provide oral
comments have been given the
opportunity. The locations are
accessible to people with disabilities. A
court reporter will record oral
comments. Forms will be provided on
which to submit written comments.
Project staff will be available at the
meeting to informally discuss the EIS
scope and the proposed project.
Governmental agencies will be invited
to a separate scoping meeting to be held
during business hours. Further project
information will be available at the
scoping meetings and may also be
obtained by calling (808) 566–2299, by
downloading from https://
www.honolulutransit.org, or by emailing info@honolulutransit.gov.
DATES:
Written comments on the
scope of the EIS, including the project’s
purpose and need, the alternatives to be
considered, and the related impacts to
be assessed, should be sent to the
Department of Transportation Services,
City and County of Honolulu, 650 South
King Street, 3rd Floor, Honolulu, HI
96813, Attention: Honolulu HighCapacity Transit Corridor Project, or by
the Internet at https://
www.honolulutransit.org.
The scoping meetings will be held at
Kapolei Hale at 1000 Uluohia Street,
Kapolei, HI 96707 on March 28, 2007
from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and at
McKinley High School at 1039 South
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ADDRESSES:
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King Street, Honolulu, HI 9814 on
March 29, 2007 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Donna Turchie, Federal Transit
Administration, Region IX, 201 Mission
Street, Room 1650, San Francisco, CA
94105, Phone: (415) 744–2737, Fax:
(415) 744–2726.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On December 7, 2005, FTA and DTS
issued a notice of intent to prepare an
Alternatives analysis followed by a
separate EIS. The TS has now
completed the planning alternatives
analysis and, together with FTA, is
proceeding with the NEPA review
initiated through this scoping notice.
The planning Alternatives analysis,
conducted in accordance with 49
United States Code (U.S.C.) 5309 as
amended by the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity
Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU)
(Pub. L. 109–59, 119 Stat. 1144),
evaluated transit alternatives in the
corridor from Kapolei to the University
¯
¯ ¯
of Hawai‘i at Manoa and to Waikıkı.
Four alternatives were studied,
including No build, Transportation
system Management, Bus operating in a
Managed Lane, and Fixed Guideway
Transit. Fixed Guideway Transit was
selected as the Locally Preferred
Alternative. The planning Alternatives
Analysis is available on the project’s
Web site at https://
www.honolulutransit.org. The Honolulu
City Council has established a fixedguideway transit system connecting
Kapolei and University of Hawai‘i at
¯
¯ ¯
Manoa, with a branch to Waikıkı, as the
locally preferred alternative. the O‘ahu
Metropolitan Planning Organization
(OMPO) has included construction of
rail transit system between Kapolei and
¯
the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and
¯ ¯
Waikıkı in the 2030 O‘ahu Regional
Transportation Plan, April 2006.
II. Scoping
The FTA and DTS invite all interested
individuals and organizations, and
Federal, State, and local governmental
agencies and Native Hawaiian
organizations, to comment on the
project’s purpose and need, the
alternatives to be considered in the EIS,
and the impacts to be evaluated. During
the scoping process, comments on the
proposed statement of purpose and need
should address its completeness and
adequacy. Comments on the alternatives
should propose alternatives that would
satisfy the purpose and need at less cost
or with greater effectiveness or less
environmental or community impact
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12255
and were not previously studied and
eliminated for good cause. At this time,
comments should focus on the scope of
the NEPA review and should not state
a preference for a particular alternative.
The best opportunity for that type of
input will be after the release of the
draft EIS.
Following the scoping process, public
outreach activities with interested
parties or groups will continue
throughout the duration of work on the
EIS. The project Web site, https://
www.honolulutransit.org, will be
updated periodically to reflect the status
of the project. Additional Opportunities
for public participation will be
announced through mailings, notices,
advertisements, and press releases.
those wishing to be placed on the
project mailing list may do so by
registering on the Web site at https://
www.honolulutransit.org, or by calling
(808) 566–2299.
III. Description of Study Area
The proposed project study area is the
travel corridor between Kapolei and the
¯
University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UH
¯
¯ ¯
Manoa) and Waikakı. this narrow, linear
corridor is confined by the Wai‘anae
and Ko‘olau mountain ranges to the
north (mauka direction) and the ocean
to the south (makai direction). The
corridor includes the majority of
housing and employment on O‘ahu. The
2000 census indicates that 876,200
people live on O‘ahu. Of this number,
over 552,000 people, or 63 percent, live
within the corridor between Kapolei
¯
¯ ¯
and Manoa/Waikıkı. This area is
projected to absorb 69 percent of the
population growth projected to occur on
O‘ahu between 2000 and 2030, resulting
in an expected corridor population of
776,000 by 2030. Over the next twentythree years, the ‘Ewa/Kapolei area is
projected to have the highest rate of
housing and employment growth on
O‘ahu. The ‘Ewa/Kapolei area is
developing as a ‘‘second city’’ to
complement downtown Honolulu. The
housing and employment growth in
‘Ewa is identified in the General Plan
for the City and County of Honolulu.
IV. Purpose and Need
The purpose of the Honolulu HighCapacity Transit Corridor Project is to
provide high-capacity, high-speed
transit in the highly congested east-west
transportation corridor between Kapolei
¯
and the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa,
as specified in the 2030 O‘ahu Regional
Transportation Plan (ORTP). The project
is intended to provide faster, more
reliable public transportation services in
the corridor than those currently
operating in mixed-flow traffic, to
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provide basic mobility in areas of the
corridor where people of limited income
live, and to serve rapidly developing
areas of the corridor. The project would
also provide an alternative to provide
automobile travel and improve transit
linkages within the corridor.
Implementation of the project, in
conjunction with other improvements
included in the ORTP, would moderate
anticipated traffic congestion in the
corridor. The project also supports the
goals of the O‘ahu General Plan and the
ORTP by serving areas designated for
urban growth.
The existing transportation in
infrastructure in the corridor between
¯
Kapolei and UH Manoa is overburdened
handling current levels of travel
demand. Motorists and transit users
experience substantial traffic congestion
and delay at most times of the day, both
on weekdays and on weekends. Average
weekly peak-period speeds on the H–1
Freeway are currently less than 20 mph
in many places and will degrade even
further by 2030. Transit vehicles are
caught in the same congestion. Travelers
on O‘ahu’s roadways currently
experience 51,000 vehicle hours of
delay, a measure of how much time is
lost daily by travelers stuck in traffic, on
a typical weekday. This measure of
delay is projected to increase to more
than 71,000 daily vehicle hours of delay
by 2030, assuming implementation of
all the planned improvements listed in
the ORTP (except for a fixed guideway
system). Without these improvements,
ORTP indicates that daily vehicle-hours
of delay could increase to as much as
326,000 vehicle hours.
Currently, motorists traveling from
West O‘ahu to Downtown Honolulu
experience highly congested traffic
conditions during the a.m. peak period.
By 2030, after including all of the
planned roadway improvements in the
ORTP, the level of congestion and travel
time are projected to increase further.
Average bus speeds in the corridor have
been decreasing steadily as congestion
has increased. ‘‘TheBus’’ travel times
are projected to increase substantially
through 2030. Within the urban core,
most major arterial streets will
experience increasing peak-period
congestion, including Ala Moana
Boulevard, Dillingham Boulevard,
¯
Kalakaua Avenue, Kapi‘olani Boulevard,
King Street, and Nimitz Highway.
Expansion of the roadway system
¯
between Kapolei and UH Manoa is
constrained by physical barriers and by
dense urban neighborhoods that abut
many existing roadways. Given the
current and increasing levels of
congestion, a need exists to offer an
alternative way to travel within the
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corridor independent of current and
projected highway congestion.
As roadways become more congested,
they become more susceptible to
substantial delays caused by incidents,
such as traffic accidents or heavy rain.
Even a single driver unexpectedly
braking can have a ripple effect delaying
hundreds of cars. Because of the
operating conditions in the study
corridor, current travel times are not
reliable for either transit or automobile
trips. To get to their destination on time,
travelers must allow extra time in their
schedules to account for the uncertainty
of travel time. This lack of predictability
is inefficient and results in lost
productivity. Because the bus system
primarily operates in mixed-traffic,
transit users experience the same level
of travel time uncertainty as automobile
users. A need exists to reduce transit
travel times and provide a more reliable
transit system.
Consistent with the General Plan for
the City and County of Honolulu, the
highest population growth rates for the
island are projected in the ‘Ewa
Development Plan area (comprised of
the ‘Ewa, Kapolei and Makakilo
communities), which is expected to
grow by 170 percent between 2000 and
2030. This growth represents nearly 50
percent of the total growth projected for
the entire island. The more rural areas
¯
of Wai‘anae, Wahiawa, North Shore,
¯
Waimanalo, and East Honolulu will
have lower population growth of
between zero and 16 percent if
infrastructure policies support the
planned growth in the ‘Ewa
Development Plan area. Kapolei, which
is developing as a ‘‘second city’’ to
Downtown Honolulu, is projected to
grow by nearly 600 percent is 81,100
people, the ‘Ewa neighborhhood by 100
percent, and Makakilo by 125 percent
between 2000 and 2030. Accessibility to
the overall ‘Ewa Development Plan area
is currently severely impaired by the
congested roadway network, which will
only get worse in the future. This area
is less likely to develop as planned
unless it is accessible to Downtown and
other parts of O‘ahu; therefore, the ‘Ewa,
Kapolei, and Makakilo area needs
improved accessibility to support its
future growth as planned.
Many lower-income and minority
workers live in the corridor outside of
the urban core and commute to work in
the Primary Urban Center Development
Plan area. Many lower-income workers
also rely on transit because of its
affordability. In addition, daily parking
costs in Downtown Honolulu are among
the highest in the United States, further
limiting this population’s access to
Downtown. Improvements to transit
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capacity and reliability will serve all
transportation system users, including
moderate- and low-income populations.
V. Alternatives
The alternatives proposed for
evaluation in the EIS were developed
through a planning Alternatives
Analysis that resulted in selection of a
Fixed Guideway Transit Alternative as
the locally preferred alternative (LPA).
FTA and DTS propose to consider the
following alternatives:
• Future No Build Alternative, which
would include existing transit and
highway facilities and planned
transportation projects (excluding the
proposed project) anticipated to be
operational by the year 2030. Bus
service levels consistent with existing
transit service policies is assumed for all
areas within the project corridor under
the Future No Build Alternative.
• Fixed Guideway Alternatives,
which would include the construction
and operation of a fixed guideway
transit system in the corridor between
¯
Kapolei and UH Manoa with a branch
¯ ¯
to Waikıkı. The draft EIS would
consider five distinct transit
technologies: Light trail transit, rapid
rail transit, rubber-tired guided vehicles,
a magnetic levitation system, and a
monorail system. Comments on
reducing the range of technologies
under consideration are encouraged.
The draft EIS also would consider two
alignment alternatives. Both alignment
alternatives would operate, for the most
part, on a transit-guideway structure
elevated above the roadway, with some
sections at grade. Both alignment
alternatives generally follow the route:
North-South Road to Farrington
Highway/Kamehameha Highway to Salt
Lake Boulevard to Dillingham
Boulevard to Nimitz Highway/
Halekauwila Street. Both alignment
alternatives would have a future
extension from downtown Honolulu to
¯
UH Manoa with a future branch to
¯ ¯
Waikıkı, and a future extension at the
Waianae (western) end to Kalaeloa
Boulevard in Kapolei. The second
alignment alternative would have an
additional loop created by a fork in the
alignment at Aloha Stadium to serve
Honolulu International Airport that
rejoins the main alignment in the
vicinity of the Middle Street Transit
Center. The first construction phase for
either of the Fixed Guideway
Alternatives is currently expected to
begin in the vicinity of the planned
University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu
campus and extend to Ala Moana Center
via Salt Lake Boulevard. The Build
alternatives also include the
construction of a vehicle maintenance
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facility, transit stations and ancillary
facilities such as park-and-ride lots and
traction-power substations, and the
modification and expansion of bus
service to maximize overall efficiency of
transit operation.
Other reasonable alternatives
suggested during the scoping process
may be added if they were not
previously evaluated and eliminated for
good cause on the basis of the
Alternatives Analysis and are consistent
with the project’s purpose and need.
The planning Alternatives Analysis is
available for public and agency review
on the project Web site at https://
www.honolulutransit.org. It is also
available for inspection at the project
office by calling (808) 566–2299 or by emailing info@honolulutransit.org.
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VI. Probable Effects
The EIS will evaluate and fully
disclose the environmental
consequences of the construction and
operation of a fixed guideway transit
system on O‘ahu. The EIS will evaluate
the impacts of all reasonable
alternatives on land use, zoning,
residential and business displacements,
parklands, economic development,
community disruptions, environmental
justice, aesthetics, noise, wildlife,
vegetation, endangered species,
farmland, water quality, wetlands,
waterways, floodplains, hazardous
waste materials, and cultural, historic,
and archaeological resources. To ensure
that all significant issues related to this
proposed action are identified and
addressed, scoping comments and
suggestions on more specific issues of
environmental or community impact are
invited from all interested parties.
Comments and questions should be
directed to the DTS as noted in the
ADDRESSES section above.
VII. FTA Procedures
The EIS will be prepared in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended, and its
implementing regulations by the
Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) (40 CFR parts 1500–1508) and by
the FTA and Federal Highway
Administration (‘‘Environmental Impact
and Related Procedures’’ at 23 CFR part
771). In accordance with FTA regulation
and policy, the NEPA process will also
address the requirements of other
applicable environmental laws,
regulations, and executive orders,
including, but not limited to: Federal
transit laws [49 U.S.C. 5301(e), 5323(b),
and 5324(b)], Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act,
Section 4(f) (‘‘Protection of Public
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Lands’’) of the U.S. Department of
Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 303),
Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act, and the Executive Orders on
Environmental Justice, Floodplain
Management, and Protection of
Wetlands.
Dated: March 12, 2007.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 07–1237 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–M
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG–2004–16877]
Cabrillo Port Liquefied Natural Gas
Deepwater Port License Application;
Final Public Hearing and Final
Environmental Impact Statement/Final
Environmental Impact Report
Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability; notice of
public hearing; request for comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration
(MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) announce the availability of the
Final Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (FEIS/
FEIR) for the Cabrillo Port Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) Deepwater Port
(DWP) license application. In addition,
a public hearing will be held regarding
the approval or denial of the license
application. The proposed Cabrillo Port
LNG DWP would be located offshore of
Ventura County, California. Since the
applicant has also filed a California
State Lands Commission (CSLC) land
lease application for subsea pipelines
through California State waters to
deliver natural gas to shore, the FEIS/
FEIR was prepared in accordance with
a Memorandum of Agreement with the
CSLC. The FEIS/FEIR meets
requirements consistent with the
Deepwater Port Act (DWPA) of 1974, as
amended (33 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.); the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA Section 102[2][3]), as
implemented by Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40
Code of Federal Regulations 1500 to
1508); and the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) (California Public
Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.).
The USCG and MARAD will receive
public comments on the FEIS/FEIR and
license application. Publication of this
notice begins a 45 day comment period
and provides information on how to
participate in the process.
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12257
The FEIS/FEIR will be available
on March 16, 2007. Material submitted
in response to the request for comments
on the FEIS/FEIR and application must
reach the Docket Management Facility
by April 30, 2007 ending the 45 day
public comment period. The final
public hearing will be held in Oxnard,
CA on April 4, 2007, from 5 p.m. to 8
p.m. and will be preceded by an
informational open house from 3 p.m. to
4:30 p.m. The public hearing may end
later than the stated time, depending on
the number of persons wishing to speak.
Federal and State agencies must
submit comments, recommended
conditions for licensing, or letters of no
objection by May 21, 2007 (45 days after
the final public hearing). In addition, by
that same date, May 21, 2007, the
Governor of California (the adjacent
coastal state) may approve, disapprove,
or notify MARAD of inconsistencies
with State programs relating to
environmental protection, land and
water use, and coastal zone management
for which MARAD may condition the
license to make consistent with such
State programs.
MARAD must issue a record of
decision (ROD) to approve, approve
with conditions, or deny the DWP
license application by July 3, 2007 (90
days after the public hearing).
ADDRESSES: The USCG and MARAD
will conduct a public hearing in Oxnard
to receive oral or written comments on
April 4, 2007 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
the Performing Arts and Convention
Center, Oxnard Room, 800 Hobson Way,
Oxnard, California, 93030, telephone:
(805) 486–2424.
The public meeting space will be
wheelchair-accessible. Individuals may
request special accommodations for the
public hearing, such as real time
Spanish translation and/or for the
hearing impaired. Contact Raymond
Martin, USCG, at 202–372–1449
Raymond.W.Martin@uscg.mil if special
accommodations are required. Requests
should be made as soon as possible but
at least three (3) business days before
the scheduled meeting. Include the
name and telephone number of the
contact person, the timelines for
requesting accommodations, and a TDD
number that can be used by individuals
with hearing impairments.
The FEIS/FEIR, the application,
comments and associated
documentation are available for viewing
at the DOT’s Docket Management
System Web site: https://dms.dot.gov
under docket number 16877. The FEIS/
FEIR is also available at public libraries
in Oxnard (Albert H. Soliz Library and
Main Library, Oxnard Public Libraries),
DATES:
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15MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 50 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12254-12257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1237]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for High-
Capacity Transit Improvements in the Leeward Corridor of Honolulu, HI
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the City and
County of Honolulu, Department of Transportation Services (DTS) intend
to prepare an EIS on a proposal by the City and County of Honolulu to
implement a fixed-guideway transit system in the corridor between
Kapolei and the University of Hawai[revaps]i at M[amacr]noa with a
branch to Waik[imacr]k[imacr]. Alternatives proposed to be considered
in the draft
[[Page 12255]]
EIS include No Build and two Fixed Guideway Transit alternatives.
The EIS will be prepared to satisfy the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and its implementing
regulations. The FTA and DTS request public and interagency input on
the purpose and need to be addressed by the project, the alternatives
to be considered in the EIS, and the environmental and community
impacts to be evaluated.
DATES: Scoping Comments Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the
NEPA review, including the project's purpose and need, the alternatives
to be considered, and the related impacts to be assessed, should be
sent to DTS by April 12, 2007. See ADDRESSES below.
Scoping Meetings: Meetings to accept comments on the scope of the
EIS will be held on March 28 and 29, 2007 at the locations given in
ADDRESSES below. On March 28, 2007, the public scoping meeting will
begin at 6:30 p.m. and continue until 9 p.m. or until all who wish to
provide oral comments have been given the opportunity. The meeting on
March 29, 2007 will begin at 5 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. or until
all who wish to provide oral comments have been given the opportunity.
The locations are accessible to people with disabilities. A court
reporter will record oral comments. Forms will be provided on which to
submit written comments. Project staff will be available at the meeting
to informally discuss the EIS scope and the proposed project.
Governmental agencies will be invited to a separate scoping meeting to
be held during business hours. Further project information will be
available at the scoping meetings and may also be obtained by calling
(808) 566-2299, by downloading from https://www.honolulutransit.org, or
by e-mailing info@honolulutransit.gov.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS, including the
project's purpose and need, the alternatives to be considered, and the
related impacts to be assessed, should be sent to the Department of
Transportation Services, City and County of Honolulu, 650 South King
Street, 3rd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, Attention: Honolulu High-
Capacity Transit Corridor Project, or by the Internet at https://
www.honolulutransit.org.
The scoping meetings will be held at Kapolei Hale at 1000 Uluohia
Street, Kapolei, HI 96707 on March 28, 2007 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
and at McKinley High School at 1039 South King Street, Honolulu, HI
9814 on March 29, 2007 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Donna Turchie, Federal Transit
Administration, Region IX, 201 Mission Street, Room 1650, San
Francisco, CA 94105, Phone: (415) 744-2737, Fax: (415) 744-2726.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On December 7, 2005, FTA and DTS issued a notice of intent to
prepare an Alternatives analysis followed by a separate EIS. The TS has
now completed the planning alternatives analysis and, together with
FTA, is proceeding with the NEPA review initiated through this scoping
notice.
The planning Alternatives analysis, conducted in accordance with 49
United States Code (U.S.C.) 5309 as amended by the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 1144), evaluated transit
alternatives in the corridor from Kapolei to the University of Hawai`i
at M[amacr]noa and to Waik[imacr]k[imacr]. Four alternatives were
studied, including No build, Transportation system Management, Bus
operating in a Managed Lane, and Fixed Guideway Transit. Fixed Guideway
Transit was selected as the Locally Preferred Alternative. The planning
Alternatives Analysis is available on the project's Web site at https://
www.honolulutransit.org. The Honolulu City Council has established a
fixed-guideway transit system connecting Kapolei and University of
Hawai`i at M[amacr]noa, with a branch to Waik[imacr]k[imacr], as the
locally preferred alternative. the O`ahu Metropolitan Planning
Organization (OMPO) has included construction of rail transit system
between Kapolei and the University of Hawai`i at M[amacr]noa and
Waik[imacr]k[imacr] in the 2030 O`ahu Regional Transportation Plan,
April 2006.
II. Scoping
The FTA and DTS invite all interested individuals and
organizations, and Federal, State, and local governmental agencies and
Native Hawaiian organizations, to comment on the project's purpose and
need, the alternatives to be considered in the EIS, and the impacts to
be evaluated. During the scoping process, comments on the proposed
statement of purpose and need should address its completeness and
adequacy. Comments on the alternatives should propose alternatives that
would satisfy the purpose and need at less cost or with greater
effectiveness or less environmental or community impact and were not
previously studied and eliminated for good cause. At this time,
comments should focus on the scope of the NEPA review and should not
state a preference for a particular alternative. The best opportunity
for that type of input will be after the release of the draft EIS.
Following the scoping process, public outreach activities with
interested parties or groups will continue throughout the duration of
work on the EIS. The project Web site, https://www.honolulutransit.org,
will be updated periodically to reflect the status of the project.
Additional Opportunities for public participation will be announced
through mailings, notices, advertisements, and press releases. those
wishing to be placed on the project mailing list may do so by
registering on the Web site at https://www.honolulutransit.org, or by
calling (808) 566-2299.
III. Description of Study Area
The proposed project study area is the travel corridor between
Kapolei and the University of Hawai`i at M[amacr]noa (UH M[amacr]noa)
and Waik[amacr]k[imacr]. this narrow, linear corridor is confined by
the Wai`anae and Ko`olau mountain ranges to the north (mauka direction)
and the ocean to the south (makai direction). The corridor includes the
majority of housing and employment on O`ahu. The 2000 census indicates
that 876,200 people live on O`ahu. Of this number, over 552,000 people,
or 63 percent, live within the corridor between Kapolei and
M[amacr]noa/Waik[imacr]k[imacr]. This area is projected to absorb 69
percent of the population growth projected to occur on O`ahu between
2000 and 2030, resulting in an expected corridor population of 776,000
by 2030. Over the next twenty-three years, the `Ewa/Kapolei area is
projected to have the highest rate of housing and employment growth on
O`ahu. The `Ewa/Kapolei area is developing as a ``second city'' to
complement downtown Honolulu. The housing and employment growth in `Ewa
is identified in the General Plan for the City and County of Honolulu.
IV. Purpose and Need
The purpose of the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project
is to provide high-capacity, high-speed transit in the highly congested
east-west transportation corridor between Kapolei and the University of
Hawai`i at M[amacr]noa, as specified in the 2030 O`ahu Regional
Transportation Plan (ORTP). The project is intended to provide faster,
more reliable public transportation services in the corridor than those
currently operating in mixed-flow traffic, to
[[Page 12256]]
provide basic mobility in areas of the corridor where people of limited
income live, and to serve rapidly developing areas of the corridor. The
project would also provide an alternative to provide automobile travel
and improve transit linkages within the corridor. Implementation of the
project, in conjunction with other improvements included in the ORTP,
would moderate anticipated traffic congestion in the corridor. The
project also supports the goals of the O`ahu General Plan and the ORTP
by serving areas designated for urban growth.
The existing transportation in infrastructure in the corridor
between Kapolei and UH Manoa is overburdened handling current levels of
travel demand. Motorists and transit users experience substantial
traffic congestion and delay at most times of the day, both on weekdays
and on weekends. Average weekly peak-period speeds on the H-1 Freeway
are currently less than 20 mph in many places and will degrade even
further by 2030. Transit vehicles are caught in the same congestion.
Travelers on O`ahu's roadways currently experience 51,000 vehicle hours
of delay, a measure of how much time is lost daily by travelers stuck
in traffic, on a typical weekday. This measure of delay is projected to
increase to more than 71,000 daily vehicle hours of delay by 2030,
assuming implementation of all the planned improvements listed in the
ORTP (except for a fixed guideway system). Without these improvements,
ORTP indicates that daily vehicle-hours of delay could increase to as
much as 326,000 vehicle hours.
Currently, motorists traveling from West O`ahu to Downtown Honolulu
experience highly congested traffic conditions during the a.m. peak
period. By 2030, after including all of the planned roadway
improvements in the ORTP, the level of congestion and travel time are
projected to increase further. Average bus speeds in the corridor have
been decreasing steadily as congestion has increased. ``TheBus'' travel
times are projected to increase substantially through 2030. Within the
urban core, most major arterial streets will experience increasing
peak-period congestion, including Ala Moana Boulevard, Dillingham
Boulevard, Kalakaua Avenue, Kapi`olani Boulevard, King Street, and
Nimitz Highway. Expansion of the roadway system between Kapolei and UH
Manoa is constrained by physical barriers and by dense urban
neighborhoods that abut many existing roadways. Given the current and
increasing levels of congestion, a need exists to offer an alternative
way to travel within the corridor independent of current and projected
highway congestion.
As roadways become more congested, they become more susceptible to
substantial delays caused by incidents, such as traffic accidents or
heavy rain. Even a single driver unexpectedly braking can have a ripple
effect delaying hundreds of cars. Because of the operating conditions
in the study corridor, current travel times are not reliable for either
transit or automobile trips. To get to their destination on time,
travelers must allow extra time in their schedules to account for the
uncertainty of travel time. This lack of predictability is inefficient
and results in lost productivity. Because the bus system primarily
operates in mixed-traffic, transit users experience the same level of
travel time uncertainty as automobile users. A need exists to reduce
transit travel times and provide a more reliable transit system.
Consistent with the General Plan for the City and County of
Honolulu, the highest population growth rates for the island are
projected in the `Ewa Development Plan area (comprised of the `Ewa,
Kapolei and Makakilo communities), which is expected to grow by 170
percent between 2000 and 2030. This growth represents nearly 50 percent
of the total growth projected for the entire island. The more rural
areas of Wai`anae, Wahiawa, North Shore, Waimanalo, and East Honolulu
will have lower population growth of between zero and 16 percent if
infrastructure policies support the planned growth in the `Ewa
Development Plan area. Kapolei, which is developing as a ``second
city'' to Downtown Honolulu, is projected to grow by nearly 600 percent
is 81,100 people, the `Ewa neighborhhood by 100 percent, and Makakilo
by 125 percent between 2000 and 2030. Accessibility to the overall `Ewa
Development Plan area is currently severely impaired by the congested
roadway network, which will only get worse in the future. This area is
less likely to develop as planned unless it is accessible to Downtown
and other parts of O`ahu; therefore, the `Ewa, Kapolei, and Makakilo
area needs improved accessibility to support its future growth as
planned.
Many lower-income and minority workers live in the corridor outside
of the urban core and commute to work in the Primary Urban Center
Development Plan area. Many lower-income workers also rely on transit
because of its affordability. In addition, daily parking costs in
Downtown Honolulu are among the highest in the United States, further
limiting this population's access to Downtown. Improvements to transit
capacity and reliability will serve all transportation system users,
including moderate- and low-income populations.
V. Alternatives
The alternatives proposed for evaluation in the EIS were developed
through a planning Alternatives Analysis that resulted in selection of
a Fixed Guideway Transit Alternative as the locally preferred
alternative (LPA). FTA and DTS propose to consider the following
alternatives:
Future No Build Alternative, which would include existing
transit and highway facilities and planned transportation projects
(excluding the proposed project) anticipated to be operational by the
year 2030. Bus service levels consistent with existing transit service
policies is assumed for all areas within the project corridor under the
Future No Build Alternative.
Fixed Guideway Alternatives, which would include the
construction and operation of a fixed guideway transit system in the
corridor between Kapolei and UH M[amacr]noa with a branch to
Waik[imacr]k[imacr]. The draft EIS would consider five distinct transit
technologies: Light trail transit, rapid rail transit, rubber-tired
guided vehicles, a magnetic levitation system, and a monorail system.
Comments on reducing the range of technologies under consideration are
encouraged. The draft EIS also would consider two alignment
alternatives. Both alignment alternatives would operate, for the most
part, on a transit-guideway structure elevated above the roadway, with
some sections at grade. Both alignment alternatives generally follow
the route: North-South Road to Farrington Highway/Kamehameha Highway to
Salt Lake Boulevard to Dillingham Boulevard to Nimitz Highway/
Halekauwila Street. Both alignment alternatives would have a future
extension from downtown Honolulu to UH M[amacr]noa with a future branch
to Waik[imacr]k[imacr], and a future extension at the Waianae (western)
end to Kalaeloa Boulevard in Kapolei. The second alignment alternative
would have an additional loop created by a fork in the alignment at
Aloha Stadium to serve Honolulu International Airport that rejoins the
main alignment in the vicinity of the Middle Street Transit Center. The
first construction phase for either of the Fixed Guideway Alternatives
is currently expected to begin in the vicinity of the planned
University of Hawai`i West O`ahu campus and extend to Ala Moana Center
via Salt Lake Boulevard. The Build alternatives also include the
construction of a vehicle maintenance
[[Page 12257]]
facility, transit stations and ancillary facilities such as park-and-
ride lots and traction-power substations, and the modification and
expansion of bus service to maximize overall efficiency of transit
operation.
Other reasonable alternatives suggested during the scoping process
may be added if they were not previously evaluated and eliminated for
good cause on the basis of the Alternatives Analysis and are consistent
with the project's purpose and need. The planning Alternatives Analysis
is available for public and agency review on the project Web site at
https://www.honolulutransit.org. It is also available for inspection at
the project office by calling (808) 566-2299 or by e-mailing
info@honolulutransit.org.
VI. Probable Effects
The EIS will evaluate and fully disclose the environmental
consequences of the construction and operation of a fixed guideway
transit system on O`ahu. The EIS will evaluate the impacts of all
reasonable alternatives on land use, zoning, residential and business
displacements, parklands, economic development, community disruptions,
environmental justice, aesthetics, noise, wildlife, vegetation,
endangered species, farmland, water quality, wetlands, waterways,
floodplains, hazardous waste materials, and cultural, historic, and
archaeological resources. To ensure that all significant issues related
to this proposed action are identified and addressed, scoping comments
and suggestions on more specific issues of environmental or community
impact are invited from all interested parties. Comments and questions
should be directed to the DTS as noted in the ADDRESSES section above.
VII. FTA Procedures
The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and its
implementing regulations by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and by the FTA and Federal Highway
Administration (``Environmental Impact and Related Procedures'' at 23
CFR part 771). In accordance with FTA regulation and policy, the NEPA
process will also address the requirements of other applicable
environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders, including, but
not limited to: Federal transit laws [49 U.S.C. 5301(e), 5323(b), and
5324(b)], Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act,
Section 4(f) (``Protection of Public Lands'') of the U.S. Department of
Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 303), Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act, and the Executive Orders on Environmental Justice, Floodplain
Management, and Protection of Wetlands.
Dated: March 12, 2007.
Leslie T. Rogers,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 07-1237 Filed 3-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M
