The Alaska Railroad Corporation-Petition for Exemption To Construct and Operate a Rail Line Extension to Port MacKenzie, AK, 8106-8109 [E8-2562]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2008 / Notices
anchorage within the vicinity of the
exposed underwater pipeline.
A letter to KWPC of November 29,
2005, signed by the Chief, Prevention
Division, Seventh Coast Guard District,
USCG states:
‘‘The pipeline is submerged in a shallow
area that is transited solely by recreational
vessels and surrounding waters restrict the
size of vessels that can transit the Fleming
Key Cut. Due to the surrounding water
depths, vessels would run aground before
contacting the pipeline. Furthermore,
covering the pipeline with the appropriate
amount of fill would reduce water depth
further. Based on the above factors, I have
determined the exposed section of pipeline
does not pose danger to navigation that
requires USCG action under existing
statutory authorities.’’
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Special Permit Findings
PHMSA finds that granting this
special permit is not inconsistent with
pipeline safety and will provide a level
of safety equal to or greater than reburial
of the exposed underwater pipeline
segment. We do so because the special
permit analysis shows the following:
(1) The alternate pipeline marking
method proposed by KWPC, and agreed
to by the USCG, will provide for three
pipeline markers in lieu of one pipeline
marker and will provide adequate
warning to passing boats in Fleming
Channel.
(2) The alternate pipeline marking
method proposed by KWPC, and agreed
to by the USCG, will avoid the
navigational hazard that would be
created by placing a single marker above
the center of the exposed underwater
pipeline segment.
(3) The underwater exposed pipeline
segment is in a shallow channel where
it is unlikely to be struck by a
commercial fishing vessel or gear from
a commercial fishing vessel.
(4) The underwater exposed pipeline
segment is in a shallow channel
restricted area where the U.S. Navy
enforces a prohibition against
anchoring.
(5) The USCG states the surrounding
water depths would cause vessels to run
aground before contacting the
underwater exposed pipeline segment.
(6) PHMSA is granting this special
permit subject to conditions and
limitations to ensure KWPC employs an
alternate marking method to provide a
level of safety equal to or greater than
a marker placed above the center of the
exposed underwater pipeline segment.
(7) PHMSA is granting this special
permit subject to conditions and
limitations to ensure KWPC employs
alternative actions to provide a level of
safety equal to or greater than reburial
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of the exposed underwater pipeline
segment.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60118(c)(1) and 49
CFR 1.53.
Special Permit Grant
Issued in Washington, DC on February 6,
2008.
Jeffrey D. Wiese,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. E8–2533 Filed 2–11–08; 8:45 am]
PHMSA grants a special permit of
compliance from 49 CFR 195.413(c)(2)
and 95.413(c)(3) to KWPC for 200 feet of
the KWPC pipeline from station 0+00 to
station 2+00 as shown in Figure 4 of the
KWPC special permit request dated
January 10, 2006.
Special Permit Conditions
Special Permit Limitations
PHMSA has the sole authority to
make all determinations on whether
KWPC has complied with the specified
conditions. Should KWPC fail to
comply with any conditions of this
special permit, or should PHMSA
determine this special permit is no
longer appropriate or that this special
permit is inconsistent with pipeline
safety, PHMSA may revoke this special
permit and require KWPC to comply
with the regulatory requirements of 49
CFR 195.413(c)(2) and 195.413(c)(3).
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
PHMSA grants this special permit
with the following conditions:
(1) KWPC will place signs on the
shoreline of Key West and Fleming Key,
immediately adjacent to the exposed
underwater pipeline segment with the
following information:
WARNING Restricted Area Transit
Only No Stopping or Anchoring Within
100 Yards of Shore Underwater Utility
33 CFR 334.610
(2) KWPC will place a similar sign on
the west side of the road bridge linking
Key West to Fleming Key.
(3) In addition to the 5-year
inspections performed under KWPC’s
procedures for inspections of
underwater segments in the Gulf of
Mexico in waters less than 15 feet deep,
KWPC will inspect the exposed
underwater pipeline segment on an
annual basis to confirm that there has
been no material change in the
condition of the exposed underwater
pipeline segment.
(4) KWPC will notify the Director,
PHMSA Southern Region within 30
days, in writing, of any
a. material change in condition of the
exposed underwater pipeline segment
found during any annual or 5-year
inspection;
b. any reportable or non-reportable
leaks or incidents on the KWPC
pipeline, which impact the exposed
underwater pipeline segment; and
c. mergers, acquisitions, transfer of
assets or other events affecting the
regulatory responsibility of the company
operating the KWPC pipeline.
PO 00000
BILLING CODE 4910–60–P
[STB Finance Docket No. 35095]
The Alaska Railroad Corporation—
Petition for Exemption To Construct
and Operate a Rail Line Extension to
Port MacKenzie, AK
Surface Transportation Board.
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement;
Notice of Availability of the Draft Scope
of Study for the Environmental Impact
Statement; Notice of Scoping Meetings;
and Request for Comments on Draft
Scope.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Alaska Railroad
Corporation (ARRC) plans to file a
petition with the Surface Transportation
Board (Board) pursuant to 49 U.S.C.
10502 for authority to construct and
operate approximately 30 to 45 miles of
new rail line connecting the MatanuskaSusitna Borough’s Port MacKenzie (or
Port) in south-central Alaska to a point
on the ARRC main line between Wasilla
and north of Willow, Alaska. The
proposed Port MacKenzie Rail
Extension (or Project) would provide
freight services between the Port and
Interior Alaska and would support the
Port’s continuing development as an
intermodal and bulk material resources
export and import facility. The Port is
owned by the Matanuska-Susitna
Borough (MSB) and MSB is a co-sponsor
of the Project. Because the construction
and operation of this Project has the
potential to result in significant
environmental impacts, the Board’s
Section of Environmental Analysis
(SEA) has determined that the
preparation of an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) is appropriate pursuant
to the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The purpose of this
Notice of Intent is to notify individuals
and agencies interested in or affected by
the proposed Project of the decision to
prepare an EIS. SEA will hold public
scoping meetings as part of the NEPA
process associated with the
development of the EIS. Additionally, as
part of the scoping process, SEA has
developed a draft Scope of Study for the
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2008 / Notices
EIS for review and comment. Public
meeting dates and locations, along with
the draft Scope of Study, are provided
herein.
Dates and Locations: The public
scoping meetings will be held at the
following locations:
• March 3, 2008, 5–8 p.m. at Knik
Elementary School, 6350 West
Hollywood, Wasilla, AK.
• March 4, 2008, 5–8 p.m. at Big Lake
Elementary School, 3808 South Big Lake
Road, Big Lake, AK.
• March 5, 2008, 5–8 p.m. at Willow
Area Community Center, Mile 70 Parks
Highway, Willow, AK.
• March 6, 2008, 5–8 p.m. at Houston
Middle School, 12801 W. Hawk Lane,
Houston, AK.
• March 10, 2008, 5–8 p.m., at
Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex,
1001 S. Mack Drive, Wasilla, AK.
• March 11, 2008, 5–8 p.m. at
Anchorage Senior Center, 1300 East
19th Avenue, Anchorage, AK.
The scoping meetings will be held in
an informal workshop format during
which interested persons may ask
questions about the proposed Project
and the Board’s environmental review
process, and advise SEA staff about
potential environmental effects of the
Project. No formal presentations will be
made by agency representatives. SEA
staff will be available to answer
questions and receive comments
individually.
The meeting locations comply with
the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). Persons
that need special accommodations
should telephone SEA’s toll-free
number for the Project at 1–888–257–
7560.
Interested parties are invited to
submit written comments on the draft
Scope of Study, alternative routes for
the proposed rail line, and other
environmental issues and concerns by
March 21, 2008, to assure full
consideration during the scoping
process. SEA will issue a final Scope of
Study after the close of the scoping
comment period.
Summary of the Board’s
Environmental Review Process: The
NEPA process is intended to assist the
Board and the public in identifying and
assessing the potential environmental
consequences of a proposed action
before a decision on the proposed action
is made. SEA is responsible for ensuring
that the Board complies with NEPA and
related environmental statutes. The first
stage of the EIS process is scoping.
Scoping is an open process for
determining the scope of environmental
issues to be addressed in the EIS. As
part of the scoping process, SEA has
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developed, and has made available in
this notice, a draft Scope of Study for
the EIS. Concurrently, scoping meetings
will be held to provide further
opportunities for public involvement
and input during the scoping process. In
addition to the Scope of Study,
interested parties are also encouraged to
comment on potential routes for the
proposed Project. SEA is currently
considering eight alternative routes that
have been identified by MSB and ARRC.
At the conclusion of the scoping and
comment period, SEA will issue a final
Scope of Study for the EIS.
After issuing the final Scope of Study,
SEA will prepare a Draft EIS for the
Project. The Draft EIS will address the
environmental issues and concerns
identified during the scoping process. It
will also contain SEA’s preliminary
recommendations for environmental
mitigation measures. The Draft EIS will
be made available upon its completion
for review and comment by the public,
government agencies, and other
interested parties. SEA will prepare a
Final EIS that considers comments on
the Draft EIS. In reaching its decision in
this case, the Board will take into
account the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, and
all environmental comments that are
received.
SEA has recently invited several
agencies to participate in this EIS
process as cooperating agencies on the
basis of their special expertise or
jurisdiction by law. These agencies
include: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers—Alaska District; Alaska
Department of Natural Resources; and
U.S. Department of Transportation,
Federal Railroad Administration.
Filing Environmental Comments:
Comments submitted by mail should be
addressed to: David Navecky, Surface
Transportation Board, 395 E Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20423–0001, Attention:
Environmental Filing, STB Finance
Docket No. 35095.
Comments may also be filed
electronically on the Board’s Web site,
https://www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking on
the ‘‘E-FILING’’ link.
Please refer to STB Finance Docket
No. 35095 in all correspondence,
including e-filings, addressed to the
Board.
Comments are due by March 21, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Navecky, Section of
Environmental Analysis, Surface
Transportation Board, 395 E Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20423, or call SEA’s
toll-free number for the Project at 1–
888–257–7560. Assistance for the
hearing impaired is available through
the Federal Information Relay Service
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(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339. The Web site
for the Board is https://www.stb.dot.gov.
Project specific information on the
Board’s Web site may be found by
placing your cursor on the
‘‘Environmental Matters’’ button, then
clicking on the ‘‘Key Cases’’ button in
the drop down menu.
Draft Scope of Study for the EIS
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the Project is to
establish a rail link between the Port
and the ARRC rail system, providing
Port customers and shippers with rail
transportation between the Port and
Interior Alaska. The Port is a deepwater
facility on the north side of Knik Arm
in upper Cook Inlet, located in southcentral Alaska. Presently, the only
surface mode of freight transport
available to the Port is trucking. The
construction of a rail line would satisfy
the need for an additional mode of
transportation for the movement of bulk
materials, intermodal containers, and
other freight to and from the Port.
Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proposed rail line would extend
approximately 30 to 45 miles,
depending on the route selected, from
the Port to ARRC’s existing main line
between Wasilla and north of Willow.
Other major elements of the proposed
Project would include a 200-foot-wide
right-of-way; crossings of local roads,
streams, trails, and utility corridors;
sidings; and ancillary facilities. The
anticipated train traffic would be two
trains daily on average, with one train
per day traveling in each direction. The
EIS will analyze the potential impacts of
alternative routes and a no-action
alternative.
The reasonable and feasible
alternatives that will be evaluated in the
EIS are: (1) Construction and operation
of the proposed rail line along several
alternative alignments, (2) other route
alternatives that might be identified
during the scoping process, and (3) the
no-action alternative.
Environmental Impact Analysis
Proposed New Construction
Analysis in the EIS will address the
proposed activities associated with the
construction and operation of new rail
facilities and their potential
environmental impacts, as appropriate.
Impact Categories
The EIS will analyze potential direct
and indirect impacts for each alternative
of the proposed construction and
operation of new rail facilities on the
human and natural environment, or in
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2008 / Notices
the case of the no-action, of the lack of
these activities. Impact areas addressed
will include the categories of land use,
recreation, biological resources, water
resources including wetlands and other
waters of the U.S., navigation, geology
and soils, air quality, noise, energy
resources, socioeconomics as they relate
to physical changes in the environment,
safety, grade crossing delay, cultural
and historic resources, and
environmental justice. Other categories
of impacts may also be included as a
result of comments received during the
scoping process or the draft EIS. The EIS
will include a discussion of each of
these categories as they currently exist
in the Project area and will address the
potential direct and indirect impacts of
each alternative on each category as
described below:
1. Safety
The EIS will:
a. Describe existing road/rail grade
crossing safety and analyze the potential
for an increase in accidents related to
the new rail operations, as appropriate.
b. Describe existing rail operations
and analyze the potential for increased
probability of train accidents, as
appropriate.
c. Evaluate the potential for
disruption and delays to the movement
of emergency vehicles.
d. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to safety, as appropriate.
2. Land Use
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate potential impacts of each
alternative on existing land use patterns
within the Project area and identify
those land uses that would be
potentially impacted by new rail line
construction.
b. Analyze the potential impacts
associated with each alternative to land
uses identified within the Project area.
Such potential impacts may include
incompatibility with existing land use
and conversion of land to railroad use.
c. Determine if the proposed rail line
is consistent with Alaska’s coastal
management program.
d. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential impacts
to land use, as appropriate.
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3. Recreation
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate existing conditions and
the potential impacts of the alternatives,
including the various new rail line
construction alignments and their
operation, on recreational trails and
other opportunities provided in the
Project area.
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b. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts on recreational opportunities,
as appropriate.
4. Biological Resources
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate the existing biological
resources within the Project area,
including vegetative communities,
wildlife, anadromous and other
fisheries, wetlands, and Federal and
state threatened or endangered species
and the potential impacts to these
resources resulting from each
alternative.
b. Describe any wildlife sanctuaries,
refuges, national or state parks, forests,
or grasslands and evaluate the potential
impacts to these resources resulting
from each alternative.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
avoid, minimize, or compensate for
potential impacts to biological
resources, as appropriate.
5. Water Resources
The EIS will:
a. Describe the existing surface water
and groundwater resources within the
Project area, including lakes, rivers,
streams, stock ponds, wetlands, and
floodplains and analyze the potential
impacts on these resources resulting
from each alternative.
b. Describe the permitting
requirements for the various alternatives
with regard to wetlands, stream and
river crossings, water quality,
floodplains, and erosion control.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
avoid, minimize or compensate for
potential Project impacts to water
resources, as appropriate.
6. Navigation
The EIS will:
a. Identify existing navigable
waterways within the Project area and
analyze the potential impacts on
navigability resulting from each
alternative.
b. Describe the permitting
requirements for the various alternatives
with regards to navigation.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential impacts
to navigation, as appropriate.
7. Geology and Soils
The EIS will:
a. Describe the geology, soils and
seismic conditions found within the
Project area, including unique or
problematic geologic formations or soils,
prime farmland, and hydric soils, and
analyze the potential impacts on these
resources resulting from the various
alternatives for construction and
operation of a new rail line.
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b. Evaluate potential measures
employed to avoid or construct through
unique or problematic geologic
formations or soils.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to geology and soils, as
appropriate.
8. Air Quality
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate rail operation air
emissions, if the alternative would affect
a Class I or non-attainment or
maintenance area as designated under
the Clean Air Act.
b. Describe the potential air quality
impact resulting from new rail line
construction activities.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to air quality, as appropriate.
9. Noise
The EIS will:
a. Describe the potential noise
impacts during new rail line
construction.
b. Describe the potential noise
impacts of new rail line operation.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to sensitive noise receptors, as
appropriate.
10. Energy Resources
The EIS will:
a. Describe and evaluate the potential
impact of the new rail line on the
distribution of energy resources in the
Project area for each alternative,
including petroleum and gas pipelines
and overhead electric transmission
lines.
b. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to energy resources, as
appropriate.
11. Socioeconomics
The EIS will:
a. Analyze the effects of a potential
influx of construction workers and the
potential increase in demand for local
services interrelated with natural or
physical environmental effects.
b. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
adverse impacts to social and economic
resources, as appropriate.
12. Transportation Systems
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate the potential impacts of
each alternative, including new rail line
construction and operation, on the
existing transportation network in the
Project area, including vehicular delays
at grade crossings.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 12, 2008 / Notices
b. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to transportation systems, as
appropriate.
13. Cultural and Historic Resources
The EIS will:
a. Analyze the potential impacts to
historic structures or districts
previously recorded and determined
potentially eligible, eligible, or listed on
the National Register of Historic Places
within or immediately adjacent to the
right-of-way for the proposed rail
alignments.
b. Evaluate the potential impacts of
each alternative to archaeological sites
previously recorded and either listed as
unevaluated or determined potentially
eligible, eligible, or listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
within the right-of-way for the
alternative rail alignments and the noaction alternative.
c. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts to cultural and historic
resources, as appropriate.
14. Environmental Justice
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate the potential impacts of
each alternative, including construction
and operation of the rail lines, on local
and regional minority populations and
low-income populations.
b. Propose mitigative measures to
minimize or eliminate potential Project
impacts on environmental justice issues,
as appropriate.
15. Cumulative Impacts
The EIS will address the impact on
the environment which results from the
incremental impact of the action when
added to other past, present, and
reasonably foreseeable future actions
regardless of what agency (Federal or
non-federal) or person undertakes such
actions.
By the Board, Victoria Rutson, Chief,
Section of Environmental Analysis.
Anne K. Quinlan,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–2562 Filed 2–11–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Financial Crimes Enforcement
Network; Agency Information
Collection Activities; Renewal Without
Change of a Current Collection;
Comment Request
Financial Crimes Enforcement
Network (‘‘FinCEN’’), Treasury.
AGENCY:
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Jkt 214001
Notice and request for
comments.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: In order to comply with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, FinCEN intends
to submit the information collection
addressed in this notice for a three-year
extension of approval by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). OMB
Control Number 1506–0043 currently
covers the information collection
addressed in this notice. Prior to
submission of the extension request,
FinCEN is soliciting comment on those
information collections in 31 CFR
103.177, Prohibition on correspondent
accounts for foreign shell banks; records
concerning owners of foreign banks and
agents for service of legal process.
DATES: Written comments should be
received on or before April 14, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by 1506–0043, by any of the
following methods:
• Federal e-rulemaking portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: regcomments@fincen.gov.
Include OMB Control Number 1506–
0043 in the subject line of the message.
• Mail: Department of the Treasury,
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network,
P.O. Box 39, Vienna, VA 22183. Include
OMB Control Number 1506–0043 in the
body of the text.
Instructions: It is preferable for
comments to be submitted by electronic
mail. Please submit comments by one
method only. All submissions received
must include the agency name and the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) control number for this
rulemaking. All comments received will
be posted without change to https://
www.fincen.gov, including any personal
information provided.
Inspection of comments: Comments
may be inspected, between 10 a.m. and
4 p.m., in the FinCEN reading room in
Vienna, VA. Persons wishing to inspect
the comments submitted must request
an appointment with the Disclosure
Officer by telephoning (703) 905–5034
(Not a toll free call).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The
FinCEN Regulatory helpline at (800)
949–2732 and select Option 6.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bank
Secrecy Act (‘‘BSA’’), Titles I and II of
Public Law 91–508, as amended,
codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829(b), 12 U.S.C.
1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. et seq.,
authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury,
inter alia, to issue regulations requiring
records and reports that are determined
to have a high degree of usefulness in
criminal, tax and regulatory matters.
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Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act of
2001, Public Law 107–56, included
certain amendments to the anti-money
laundering provisions of Title II of the
BSA, 31 U.S.C. 5311 et seq., which are
intended to aid in the prevention,
detection and prosecution of
international money laundering and
terrorist financing. Regulations
implementing Title II of the BSA appear
at 31 CFR part 103. The authority of the
Secretary of the Treasury to administer
Title II of the BSA has been delegated
to the Director of FinCEN. The
information collected and retained
under the regulation addressed in this
notice assist federal, state, and local law
enforcement as well as regulatory
authorities in the identification,
investigation and prosecution of money
laundering and other matters. In
accordance with the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), and its
implementing regulations, the following
information is presented concerning the
information collection below.
Title: Correspondent Accounts for
Foreign Shell Banks; Recordkeeping and
Termination of Correspondent Accounts
for Foreign Banks (31 CFR 103.177).
OMB Number: 1506–0043.1
Abstract: Covered financial
institutions are prohibited from
maintaining correspondent accounts for
foreign shell banks (31 CFR
103.177(a)(1)). Covered financial
institutions that maintain correspondent
accounts for foreign banks must
maintain records of owner(s) of the
foreign bank and the names and address
of a person residing in the United States
who is authorized to accept service of
legal process for the foreign bank (31
CFR 103.177(a)(2)). Covered financial
institutions may satisfy these
requirements by using the sample
certification and re-certification forms
contained in Appendices A and B of 31
CFR 103. Records of documents relied
upon by a financial institution for
purposes of 31 CFR 103.177 must be
maintained for at least five years after
the date that the financial institution no
longer maintains a correspondent
account for such foreign bank (31 CFR
103.177(e)).
Current Action: There is no change to
the existing regulations.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses or forprofit institutions, and non-profit
institutions.
Burden: The estimated average annual
reporting burden associated with
1 This collection was formerly assigned OMB
Control number 1505–0184.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8106-8109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2562]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Finance Docket No. 35095]
The Alaska Railroad Corporation--Petition for Exemption To
Construct and Operate a Rail Line Extension to Port MacKenzie, AK
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement;
Notice of Availability of the Draft Scope of Study for the
Environmental Impact Statement; Notice of Scoping Meetings; and Request
for Comments on Draft Scope.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) plans to file a
petition with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) pursuant to 49
U.S.C. 10502 for authority to construct and operate approximately 30 to
45 miles of new rail line connecting the Matanuska-Susitna Borough's
Port MacKenzie (or Port) in south-central Alaska to a point on the ARRC
main line between Wasilla and north of Willow, Alaska. The proposed
Port MacKenzie Rail Extension (or Project) would provide freight
services between the Port and Interior Alaska and would support the
Port's continuing development as an intermodal and bulk material
resources export and import facility. The Port is owned by the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) and MSB is a co-sponsor of the Project.
Because the construction and operation of this Project has the
potential to result in significant environmental impacts, the Board's
Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has determined that the
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is appropriate
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The purpose of this Notice of Intent
is to notify individuals and agencies interested in or affected by the
proposed Project of the decision to prepare an EIS. SEA will hold
public scoping meetings as part of the NEPA process associated with the
development of the EIS. Additionally, as part of the scoping process,
SEA has developed a draft Scope of Study for the
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EIS for review and comment. Public meeting dates and locations, along
with the draft Scope of Study, are provided herein.
Dates and Locations: The public scoping meetings will be held at
the following locations:
March 3, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Knik Elementary School, 6350
West Hollywood, Wasilla, AK.
March 4, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Big Lake Elementary School,
3808 South Big Lake Road, Big Lake, AK.
March 5, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Willow Area Community Center,
Mile 70 Parks Highway, Willow, AK.
March 6, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Houston Middle School, 12801 W.
Hawk Lane, Houston, AK.
March 10, 2008, 5-8 p.m., at Wasilla Multi-Use Sports
Complex, 1001 S. Mack Drive, Wasilla, AK.
March 11, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Anchorage Senior Center, 1300
East 19th Avenue, Anchorage, AK.
The scoping meetings will be held in an informal workshop format
during which interested persons may ask questions about the proposed
Project and the Board's environmental review process, and advise SEA
staff about potential environmental effects of the Project. No formal
presentations will be made by agency representatives. SEA staff will be
available to answer questions and receive comments individually.
The meeting locations comply with the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). Persons that need special
accommodations should telephone SEA's toll-free number for the Project
at 1-888-257-7560.
Interested parties are invited to submit written comments on the
draft Scope of Study, alternative routes for the proposed rail line,
and other environmental issues and concerns by March 21, 2008, to
assure full consideration during the scoping process. SEA will issue a
final Scope of Study after the close of the scoping comment period.
Summary of the Board's Environmental Review Process: The NEPA
process is intended to assist the Board and the public in identifying
and assessing the potential environmental consequences of a proposed
action before a decision on the proposed action is made. SEA is
responsible for ensuring that the Board complies with NEPA and related
environmental statutes. The first stage of the EIS process is scoping.
Scoping is an open process for determining the scope of environmental
issues to be addressed in the EIS. As part of the scoping process, SEA
has developed, and has made available in this notice, a draft Scope of
Study for the EIS. Concurrently, scoping meetings will be held to
provide further opportunities for public involvement and input during
the scoping process. In addition to the Scope of Study, interested
parties are also encouraged to comment on potential routes for the
proposed Project. SEA is currently considering eight alternative routes
that have been identified by MSB and ARRC. At the conclusion of the
scoping and comment period, SEA will issue a final Scope of Study for
the EIS.
After issuing the final Scope of Study, SEA will prepare a Draft
EIS for the Project. The Draft EIS will address the environmental
issues and concerns identified during the scoping process. It will also
contain SEA's preliminary recommendations for environmental mitigation
measures. The Draft EIS will be made available upon its completion for
review and comment by the public, government agencies, and other
interested parties. SEA will prepare a Final EIS that considers
comments on the Draft EIS. In reaching its decision in this case, the
Board will take into account the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, and all
environmental comments that are received.
SEA has recently invited several agencies to participate in this
EIS process as cooperating agencies on the basis of their special
expertise or jurisdiction by law. These agencies include: U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers--Alaska District; Alaska Department of Natural
Resources; and U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad
Administration.
Filing Environmental Comments: Comments submitted by mail should be
addressed to: David Navecky, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, Attention: Environmental
Filing, STB Finance Docket No. 35095.
Comments may also be filed electronically on the Board's Web site,
https://www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking on the ``E-FILING'' link.
Please refer to STB Finance Docket No. 35095 in all correspondence,
including e-filings, addressed to the Board.
Comments are due by March 21, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Navecky, Section of
Environmental Analysis, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20423, or call SEA's toll-free number for the
Project at 1-888-257-7560. Assistance for the hearing impaired is
available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339. The Web site for the Board is https://www.stb.dot.gov.
Project specific information on the Board's Web site may be found by
placing your cursor on the ``Environmental Matters'' button, then
clicking on the ``Key Cases'' button in the drop down menu.
Draft Scope of Study for the EIS
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the Project is to establish a rail link between the
Port and the ARRC rail system, providing Port customers and shippers
with rail transportation between the Port and Interior Alaska. The Port
is a deepwater facility on the north side of Knik Arm in upper Cook
Inlet, located in south-central Alaska. Presently, the only surface
mode of freight transport available to the Port is trucking. The
construction of a rail line would satisfy the need for an additional
mode of transportation for the movement of bulk materials, intermodal
containers, and other freight to and from the Port.
Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proposed rail line would extend approximately 30 to 45 miles,
depending on the route selected, from the Port to ARRC's existing main
line between Wasilla and north of Willow. Other major elements of the
proposed Project would include a 200-foot-wide right-of-way; crossings
of local roads, streams, trails, and utility corridors; sidings; and
ancillary facilities. The anticipated train traffic would be two trains
daily on average, with one train per day traveling in each direction.
The EIS will analyze the potential impacts of alternative routes and a
no-action alternative.
The reasonable and feasible alternatives that will be evaluated in
the EIS are: (1) Construction and operation of the proposed rail line
along several alternative alignments, (2) other route alternatives that
might be identified during the scoping process, and (3) the no-action
alternative.
Environmental Impact Analysis
Proposed New Construction
Analysis in the EIS will address the proposed activities associated
with the construction and operation of new rail facilities and their
potential environmental impacts, as appropriate.
Impact Categories
The EIS will analyze potential direct and indirect impacts for each
alternative of the proposed construction and operation of new rail
facilities on the human and natural environment, or in
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the case of the no-action, of the lack of these activities. Impact
areas addressed will include the categories of land use, recreation,
biological resources, water resources including wetlands and other
waters of the U.S., navigation, geology and soils, air quality, noise,
energy resources, socioeconomics as they relate to physical changes in
the environment, safety, grade crossing delay, cultural and historic
resources, and environmental justice. Other categories of impacts may
also be included as a result of comments received during the scoping
process or the draft EIS. The EIS will include a discussion of each of
these categories as they currently exist in the Project area and will
address the potential direct and indirect impacts of each alternative
on each category as described below:
1. Safety
The EIS will:
a. Describe existing road/rail grade crossing safety and analyze
the potential for an increase in accidents related to the new rail
operations, as appropriate.
b. Describe existing rail operations and analyze the potential for
increased probability of train accidents, as appropriate.
c. Evaluate the potential for disruption and delays to the movement
of emergency vehicles.
d. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to safety, as appropriate.
2. Land Use
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate potential impacts of each alternative on existing land
use patterns within the Project area and identify those land uses that
would be potentially impacted by new rail line construction.
b. Analyze the potential impacts associated with each alternative
to land uses identified within the Project area. Such potential impacts
may include incompatibility with existing land use and conversion of
land to railroad use.
c. Determine if the proposed rail line is consistent with Alaska's
coastal management program.
d. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
impacts to land use, as appropriate.
3. Recreation
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate existing conditions and the potential impacts of the
alternatives, including the various new rail line construction
alignments and their operation, on recreational trails and other
opportunities provided in the Project area.
b. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts on recreational opportunities, as appropriate.
4. Biological Resources
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate the existing biological resources within the Project
area, including vegetative communities, wildlife, anadromous and other
fisheries, wetlands, and Federal and state threatened or endangered
species and the potential impacts to these resources resulting from
each alternative.
b. Describe any wildlife sanctuaries, refuges, national or state
parks, forests, or grasslands and evaluate the potential impacts to
these resources resulting from each alternative.
c. Propose mitigative measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate
for potential impacts to biological resources, as appropriate.
5. Water Resources
The EIS will:
a. Describe the existing surface water and groundwater resources
within the Project area, including lakes, rivers, streams, stock ponds,
wetlands, and floodplains and analyze the potential impacts on these
resources resulting from each alternative.
b. Describe the permitting requirements for the various
alternatives with regard to wetlands, stream and river crossings, water
quality, floodplains, and erosion control.
c. Propose mitigative measures to avoid, minimize or compensate for
potential Project impacts to water resources, as appropriate.
6. Navigation
The EIS will:
a. Identify existing navigable waterways within the Project area
and analyze the potential impacts on navigability resulting from each
alternative.
b. Describe the permitting requirements for the various
alternatives with regards to navigation.
c. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
impacts to navigation, as appropriate.
7. Geology and Soils
The EIS will:
a. Describe the geology, soils and seismic conditions found within
the Project area, including unique or problematic geologic formations
or soils, prime farmland, and hydric soils, and analyze the potential
impacts on these resources resulting from the various alternatives for
construction and operation of a new rail line.
b. Evaluate potential measures employed to avoid or construct
through unique or problematic geologic formations or soils.
c. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to geology and soils, as appropriate.
8. Air Quality
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate rail operation air emissions, if the alternative would
affect a Class I or non-attainment or maintenance area as designated
under the Clean Air Act.
b. Describe the potential air quality impact resulting from new
rail line construction activities.
c. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to air quality, as appropriate.
9. Noise
The EIS will:
a. Describe the potential noise impacts during new rail line
construction.
b. Describe the potential noise impacts of new rail line operation.
c. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to sensitive noise receptors, as appropriate.
10. Energy Resources
The EIS will:
a. Describe and evaluate the potential impact of the new rail line
on the distribution of energy resources in the Project area for each
alternative, including petroleum and gas pipelines and overhead
electric transmission lines.
b. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to energy resources, as appropriate.
11. Socioeconomics
The EIS will:
a. Analyze the effects of a potential influx of construction
workers and the potential increase in demand for local services
interrelated with natural or physical environmental effects.
b. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project adverse impacts to social and economic resources, as
appropriate.
12. Transportation Systems
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate the potential impacts of each alternative, including
new rail line construction and operation, on the existing
transportation network in the Project area, including vehicular delays
at grade crossings.
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b. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to transportation systems, as appropriate.
13. Cultural and Historic Resources
The EIS will:
a. Analyze the potential impacts to historic structures or
districts previously recorded and determined potentially eligible,
eligible, or listed on the National Register of Historic Places within
or immediately adjacent to the right-of-way for the proposed rail
alignments.
b. Evaluate the potential impacts of each alternative to
archaeological sites previously recorded and either listed as
unevaluated or determined potentially eligible, eligible, or listed on
the National Register of Historic Places within the right-of-way for
the alternative rail alignments and the no-action alternative.
c. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts to cultural and historic resources, as appropriate.
14. Environmental Justice
The EIS will:
a. Evaluate the potential impacts of each alternative, including
construction and operation of the rail lines, on local and regional
minority populations and low-income populations.
b. Propose mitigative measures to minimize or eliminate potential
Project impacts on environmental justice issues, as appropriate.
15. Cumulative Impacts
The EIS will address the impact on the environment which results
from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what
agency (Federal or non-federal) or person undertakes such actions.
By the Board, Victoria Rutson, Chief, Section of Environmental
Analysis.
Anne K. Quinlan,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-2562 Filed 2-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
