Preparation of a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement for Transit Improvements in the BeltLine Corridor in the City of Atlanta, GA, 43278-43280 [E8-16990]
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43278
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 143 / Thursday, July 24, 2008 / Notices
the result of combining AC 20–27F and
AC 20–139, Commercial Assistance
During Construction of Amateur-Built
Aircraft), as well as for comments on the
percentage of fabrication and assembly
that must be completed by an amateur
builder to obtain an experimental
airworthiness certificate for an amateurbuilt aircraft. These and other related
documents are located on the FAA main
Web page. The Web link is: https://
www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/
display_docs/
index.cfm?Doc_Type=Pubs.
Issued in Washington, DC on July 21, 2008.
Frank Paskiewicz,
Manager, Production and Airworthiness
Division.
[FR Doc. E8–16989 Filed 7–23–08; 8:45 am]
Please submit your comments on
or before September 30, 2008.
AGENCY:
DATES:
You may submit your
comments via e-mail to
miguel.vasconcelos@faa.gov, via fax to
(202) 267–8850 (ATTN: Miguel
Vasconcelos, AIR–230) or via mail or
hand delivery to: Production and
Airworthiness Division (AIR–200),
Federal Aviation Administration (Room
815), 800 Independence Ave, SW.,
Washington, DC 20591, ATTN: Miguel
Vasconcelos.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Paskiewicz, Manager, Production
and Airworthiness Division, AIR–200,
Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Ave., SW., Washington,
DC 20591; telephone number: (202)
267–8361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Background
On July 15, 2008 (73 FR 40652), the
FAA published a notice requesting
comments on proposed changes to FAA
Order 8130.2F and Advisory Circular
(AC) 20–27G, as well as comments on
the percentage of fabrication and
assembly that must be completed by an
amateur builder to obtain an
experimental airworthiness certificate
for an amateur-built aircraft. The
comment close date of August 15, 2008
was not specifically posted in that
notice and was only available on the
FAA Web site. Because some interested
parties may not have web access and,
therefore, may not have been aware of
the original comment deadline, the FAA
has decided to extend the comment
period by 45 days to September 30,
2008, and to publish this announcement
in the Federal Register. This extension
will also allow more time for the public
to participate and provide the FAA with
more in-depth comments on the
proposed changes.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:14 Jul 23, 2008
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BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Summary Notice No. PE–2008–29]
Petition for Exemption; Summary of
Petition Received
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of petition for exemption
received.
SUMMARY: This notice contains a
summary of a petition seeking relief
from specified requirements of 14 CFR.
The purpose of this notice is to improve
the public’s awareness of, and
participation in, this aspect of FAA’s
regulatory activities. Neither publication
of this notice nor the inclusion or
omission of information in the summary
is intended to affect the legal status of
the petition or its final disposition.
DATES: Comments on this petition must
identify the petition docket number
involved and must be received on or
before August 13, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments
identified by Docket Number FAA–
2008–0741, using any of the following
methods:
• Government-wide rulemaking Web
site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
• Mail: Send comments to the Docket
Management Facility; U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., West Building Ground
Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC
20590.
• Fax: Fax comments to the Docket
Management Facility at 202–493–2251.
• Hand Delivery: Bring comments to
the Docket Management Facility in
Room W12–140 of the West Building
Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
Privacy: We will post all comments
we receive, without change, to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information you provide.
Using the search function of our docket
Web site, anyone can find and read the
comments received into any of our
dockets, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or
signing the comment for an association,
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business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477–78).
Docket: To read background
documents or comments received, go to
https://www.regulations.gov at any time
or to the Docket Management Facility in
Room W12–140 of the West Building
Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Katrina Holiday (202) 267–3603,
Program Analyst, or Frances Shaver
(202) 267–9681, Office of Rulemaking,
Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20591.
This notice is published pursuant to
14 CFR 11.85.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
Petition for Exemption
Docket No.: FAA–2008–0741.
Petitioner: Cessna Aircraft Company.
Section of 14 CFR Affected: 21.190(d).
Description of Relief Sought: Cessna
Aircraft Company requests relief from
the requirements of 14 CFR part
21.190(d) for aircraft manufactured
outside the United States to be eligible
for a special airworthiness certificate in
the light-sport category.
[FR Doc. E8–16860 Filed 7–23–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Preparation of a Tier 1 Environmental
Impact Statement for Transit
Improvements in the BeltLine Corridor
in the City of Atlanta, GA
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement and
4(f) Evaluation.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit
Administration and the Metropolitan
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
(MARTA) are planning to prepare a Tier
1 Environmental Impact Statement (Tier
1 EIS) and 4(f) Evaluation for an
approximately 22-mile loop of proposed
transit and trail improvements within
the City of Atlanta. The Tier 1 EIS will
be prepared in accordance with
regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 143 / Thursday, July 24, 2008 / Notices
well as provisions of the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA–LU), enacted in 2005.
The purpose of this Notice of Intent
(NOI) is to alert interested parties
regarding the plan to prepare the Tier 1
EIS; to provide information on the
nature of the proposed project; to invite
participation in the Tier 1 EIS process,
including comments on the scope of the
Tier 1 EIS proposed in this notice; and
to announce that public scoping
meetings will be conducted. Tiering
reflects FTA and MARTA’s belief that it
is necessary to focus on the actual issues
ripe for decision at each level of
environmental review (40 CFR 1508.28).
It is the intent of this preliminary
environmental documentation to
determine and environmentally evaluate
transit mode and general alignment for
both the transit and trails in this
corridor.
Comment Due Date: Written
comments on the scope of the Tier 1 EIS
should be sent to Don Williams, Project
Manager, MARTA, by September 22,
2008.
Scoping Meetings: Eight public
scoping meetings will be held between
August 19 and August 21, 2008, at
locations indicated under ADDRESSES
below. An interagency pre-scoping
meeting will be held on August 12,
2008, and an interagency post-scoping
meeting will be held on August 22,
2008, at MARTA Headquarters.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the
scope of the Tier 1 EIS should be sent
to Don Williams, Project Manager,
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit
Authority, 2424 Piedmont Road, NE.,
Atlanta, GA 30324–3330. Comments
may also be offered at the public
scoping meetings and via e-mail at
dwa_beltlinestudy@bellsouth.net.
The dates, times, and locations for the
public scoping meetings are as follow:
Meetings 1&2: Tuesday, August 19,
2008, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. and 6 p.m.–8
p.m., Trinity Presbyterian Church,
3003 Howell Mill Road, Room B,
Atlanta, GA 30327.
Meetings 3&4: Tuesday, August 19,
2008, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. and 6 p.m.–8
p.m., The Trolley Barn, 963
Edgewood Avenue, NE., Atlanta, GA
30307.
Meetings 5&6: Thursday, August 21,
2008, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. and 6 p.m.–8
p.m., Georgia Hill Neighborhood
Center, 250 Georgia Avenue, SE.,
Atlanta, GA 30312.
Meetings 7&8: Thursday, August 21,
2008, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. and 6 p.m.–8
p.m., Central United Methodist
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DATES:
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Church, 503 Mitchell Street, SW.,
Atlanta, GA 30314.
The appropriate federal, state, and
local agency offices will be notified
individually about the time and location
of the interagency scoping meeting.
The locations of the scoping meetings
are accessible to persons with
disabilities. If translation, signing
services, or other special
accommodations are needed, please
contact Project Hotline at (404) 524–
2070 or for hearing impaired TTY (404)
848–4931 at least 48 hours before the
meeting. A scoping information packet
is available on the project Web site at:
https://www.itsmarta.com/newsroom/
beltline.html or by calling the Project
Hotline at (404) 524–2070. Copies will
also be available at the scoping
meetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Schilling, Community Planner,
Federal Transit Administration, 230
Peachtree, NW., Suite 800, Atlanta,
Georgia 30303, Telephone: (404) 865–
5600, Facsimile (404) 865–5605; Don
Williams, Manager Regional Planning
and Analysis, Metropolitan Atlanta
Rapid Transit Authority, 2424 Piedmont
Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30324–3330,
Telephone: (404) 848–4422, Facsimile
(404) 848–5132; or Nate Conable, Senior
Project Manager, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.,
86 Pryor Street, Suite 200, Atlanta,
Georgia 30303, Telephone: (404) 880–
4100, Facsimile: (404) 880–0616.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description of Study Area and
Proposed Project: The BeltLine Corridor
contains many of Atlanta’s residential
neighborhoods, a majority of the parks
in the central city area, as well as a
significant number of major attractions
and points of interest. Transit
improvements in the Atlanta BeltLine
Corridor would create a new 22-mile
transit loop, including potential new
stations on an existing rail right-of-way.
The BeltLine Corridor would connect to
the MARTA heavy rail system at or near
four locations: Lindbergh Center, Inman
Park/Reynoldstown, West End, and
Ashby Stations. Improvements in the
BeltLine Corridor would support the
MARTA bus network, other regional bus
services, future High Capacity Transit
projects along I–75, I–285, Memorial
Drive and Buford Highway, the pending
commuter rail service between Lovejoy
and downtown Atlanta, and the
proposed Peachtree Streetcar. The
Atlanta BeltLine Corridor also includes
approximately 33 miles of new multiuse trails in a linear park located
primarily along the corridor, with
extensions connecting to parks and
other trails.
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43279
Purpose of and Need for the Proposed
Project: The purpose of the BeltLine
Corridor transit and trails improvements
are to improve local and regional
mobility, address accessibility and
connectivity, and support the City of
Atlanta’s redevelopment plans. The
need for the proposed project stems
from population and employment
growth that is related to the occurring
and planned redevelopment within the
City and the City’s desire to provide
better linkages to parks throughout the
area and to increase overall availability
of accessible greenspace.
Alternatives: Through a process of
technical evaluation and public input
during the previous MARTA BeltLine
study, the Inner Core Alternatives
Analysis (January 2007), a large number
of alternatives was examined, leading to
the agency selection of a Locally
Preferred Alternative (PA). This
decision was based on the PA being the
best performing alternative and
preferred by the public and major
stakeholders. The preliminary list of
alternatives to be considered in the Tier
1 Draft EIS will include the No Build
Alternative and the PA (henceforth
referred to as the Build Alternative):
• No Build Alternative: The No Build
Alternative assumes that no
transportation infrastructure
improvements would be made in the
project area apart from improvements
that have already been committed to by
the Georgia Department of
Transportation, the City of Atlanta, and
MARTA and are included in the
regional Transportation Improvement
Program. The No Build Alternative
would also assume that no trail
improvements would be made other
than what is currently committed to by
the City of Atlanta and Atlanta BeltLine
Inc.
• Build Alternatives: The Build
Alternatives are to be based on the PA
established in the Alternatives Analysis
and would evaluate variations in the
alignment based on feasibility and
potential for impacts. In addition to any
alternatives uncovered during public
scoping, the Build Alternatives would
include a new 23-mile transit service,
primarily on existing rail corridor and
identify locations for new stations on
the alignment, with connections to
MARTA’s heavy rail system at its
Lindbergh Center, Inman Park/
Reynoldstown, West End, and Ashby
Stations. The Build Alternatives would
also incorporate a system of connecting
trails that would run adjacent to the
transit line and provide vital
connections to existing and proposed
recreational facilities around the Atlanta
BeltLine Corridor.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 143 / Thursday, July 24, 2008 / Notices
This preliminary range of alternatives
may be supplemented during the public
scoping process and development of the
Tier 1 Draft EIS.
The Tiered EIS Process and the Role
of the Participating Agencies and the
Public: The purpose of the Tier 1 EIS
process is to serve as the basis for the
decision regarding the project design
concept and scope and will support the
acquisition of the right-of-way for
corridor preservation. The Tier 1 DEIS
will preliminarily screen and evaluate a
range of social, environmental, and
economic impacts resulting from the
mode choice, general alignment, and
approximate location of stations.
Impacts to the affected environment will
be screened and evaluated based upon
information uncovered during public
scoping and interagency coordination
efforts. MARTA will prepare an
Annotated Outline for the DEIS
following this scoping. This gives
assurances that the Tier 1 document
will focus on the issues ripe for
consideration and that scoping has
accomplished its intended purpose.
The Tier 1 EIS will build upon the
extensive screening, environmental and
technical studies and public comments
and outreach conducted to date. Tiering
will allow the FTA and MARTA to
conduct planning and NEPA activities
for this large project and focus on those
decisions that are ready to be made at
this level of analysis. The Tier 1
analysis will serve as a basis for
establishing the general alignment of the
proposed transit and trail corridor along
the entire 23-mile loop. Conceptual
locations of stations, trail connections,
and other facilities will be determined,
as will the choice of transit technology.
The scope of analysis in the Tier 1 EIS
will be appropriate to the level of detail
necessary to make informed decisions
and will receive input from the public
and the reviewing agencies.
A goal of the Tier 1 EIS and these
decisions is to support future ROW
preservation along the entire 22-mile
loop. FTA allows the advance
acquisition of a limited amount of real
property for hardship or protective
purposes as defined in the NEPA
regulation at 23 CFR 771.117(d)(12).
Also, in accordance with 49 U.S.C.
5324(c), the acquisition of pre-existing
railroad ROW may be evaluated for
NEPA purposes separately from the
future transit and trails project that will
ultimately be built on that ROW under
certain conditions and with certain
understandings. With these exceptions,
all corridor parcels cleared for ROW
preservation and purchase in the Tier 1
document will be individually
identified and documented.
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15:14 Jul 23, 2008
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This Tier 1 EIS will also meet the
requirements of the Georgia
Environmental Policy Act (GEPA).
GEPA requires the assessment of any
state-level action to determine whether
or not the action may significantly
adversely affect the quality of the
environment. A project that is subject to
NEPA review has met the requirements
of GEPA and does not require separate
documentation.
The Build Alternative would be
finalized after the circulation of the Tier
1 DEIS to the public and then included
in the Tier 1 Final EIS. After completion
the FEIS, the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) will issue a
Record of Decision (ROD) on the
Preferred Alternative which will
include selection of transit mode and
general alignment. The Tier 1 EIS will
serve as the point of departure for future
project refinement and subsequent, in
depth environmental analysis required
for Tier 2 analysis when the project
advances further through the project
development process. NEPA regulations
and SAFETEA–LU provisions call for
public involvement in the EIS process.
Section 6002 of SAFETEA–LU requires
that FTA and MARTA do the following:
(1) Extend an invitation to other Federal
and non-Federal agencies and Indian
tribes that may have an interest in the
proposed project to become
‘‘participating agencies,’’ (2) provide an
opportunity for involvement by
participating agencies and the public in
helping to define the purpose and need
for the proposed project, as well as the
range of alternatives for consideration in
the impact statement, and (3) establish
a plan for coordinating public and
agency participation in and comment on
the scoping information packet. It is
possible that we may not be able to
identify all Federal and non-Federal
agencies and Indian tribes that may
have such an interest. Any Federal or
non-Federal agency or Indian tribe
interested in the proposed project that
does not receive an invitation to become
a participating agency should notify at
the earliest opportunity the Project
Manager identified above under
ADDRESSES.
A comprehensive public involvement
program has been developed and a
public and agency involvement
Coordination Plan will be created. The
program includes a project Web site:
https://www.itsmarta.com/newsroom/
beltline.html; outreach to local and
county officials and community and
civic groups; a public scoping process to
define the issues of concern among all
parties interested in the project;
establishment of a technical advisory
committee and stakeholder advisory
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committee; a public hearing on the
release of the Tier I DEIS; and
development and distribution of project
newsletters. The Coordination Plan will
be posted to this Web site.
The purpose and need for the
proposed project have been
preliminarily identified in this notice.
We invite the public and participating
agencies to consider the preliminary
statement of purpose and need for the
proposed project, as well as the
alternatives proposed for consideration.
Suggestions for modifications to the
statement of purpose and need for the
proposed project and any other
alternatives that meet the purpose and
need for the proposed project are
welcome and will be given serious
consideration. Comments on potentially
significant environmental impacts that
may be associated with the proposed
project and alternatives are also
welcome. There will be additional
opportunities to participate in the
scoping process at the public meetings
announced in this notice.
In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105
(a) and 771.133, FTA will comply with
all Federal environmental laws,
regulations, and executive orders
applicable to the proposed project
during the environmental review
process to the maximum extent
practicable. These requirements
include, but are not limited to, the
regulations of the Council on
Environmental Quality and FTA
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts
1500–1508, and 23 CFR Part 771), the
project-level air quality conformity
regulation of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR part
93), and Section 404(b)(1) guidelines of
EPA (40 CFR part 230), the regulation
implementing Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (36
CFR Part 800), the regulation
implementing section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act (50 CFR part
402), Section 4(f) of the Department of
Transportation Act (23 CFR 771.135),
and Executive Orders 12898 on
environmental justice, 11988 on
floodplain management, and 11990 on
wetlands.
Issued on: July 17, 2008.
Yvette G. Taylor,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region 4.
[FR Doc. E8–16990 Filed 7–23–08; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 143 (Thursday, July 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43278-43280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16990]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Preparation of a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement for
Transit Improvements in the BeltLine Corridor in the City of Atlanta,
GA
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
and 4(f) Evaluation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration and the Metropolitan
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) are planning to prepare a Tier
1 Environmental Impact Statement (Tier 1 EIS) and 4(f) Evaluation for
an approximately 22-mile loop of proposed transit and trail
improvements within the City of Atlanta. The Tier 1 EIS will be
prepared in accordance with regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
[[Page 43279]]
well as provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), enacted in
2005. The purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to alert interested
parties regarding the plan to prepare the Tier 1 EIS; to provide
information on the nature of the proposed project; to invite
participation in the Tier 1 EIS process, including comments on the
scope of the Tier 1 EIS proposed in this notice; and to announce that
public scoping meetings will be conducted. Tiering reflects FTA and
MARTA's belief that it is necessary to focus on the actual issues ripe
for decision at each level of environmental review (40 CFR 1508.28). It
is the intent of this preliminary environmental documentation to
determine and environmentally evaluate transit mode and general
alignment for both the transit and trails in this corridor.
DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the Tier 1
EIS should be sent to Don Williams, Project Manager, MARTA, by
September 22, 2008.
Scoping Meetings: Eight public scoping meetings will be held
between August 19 and August 21, 2008, at locations indicated under
ADDRESSES below. An interagency pre-scoping meeting will be held on
August 12, 2008, and an interagency post-scoping meeting will be held
on August 22, 2008, at MARTA Headquarters.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the Tier 1 EIS should be
sent to Don Williams, Project Manager, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid
Transit Authority, 2424 Piedmont Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30324-3330.
Comments may also be offered at the public scoping meetings and via e-
mail at dwa_beltlinestudy@bellsouth.net.
The dates, times, and locations for the public scoping meetings are
as follow:
Meetings 1&2: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8
p.m., Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3003 Howell Mill Road, Room B,
Atlanta, GA 30327.
Meetings 3&4: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8
p.m., The Trolley Barn, 963 Edgewood Avenue, NE., Atlanta, GA 30307.
Meetings 5&6: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8
p.m., Georgia Hill Neighborhood Center, 250 Georgia Avenue, SE.,
Atlanta, GA 30312.
Meetings 7&8: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8
p.m., Central United Methodist Church, 503 Mitchell Street, SW.,
Atlanta, GA 30314.
The appropriate federal, state, and local agency offices will be
notified individually about the time and location of the interagency
scoping meeting.
The locations of the scoping meetings are accessible to persons
with disabilities. If translation, signing services, or other special
accommodations are needed, please contact Project Hotline at (404) 524-
2070 or for hearing impaired TTY (404) 848-4931 at least 48 hours
before the meeting. A scoping information packet is available on the
project Web site at: https://www.itsmarta.com/newsroom/beltline.html or
by calling the Project Hotline at (404) 524-2070. Copies will also be
available at the scoping meetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Schilling, Community Planner,
Federal Transit Administration, 230 Peachtree, NW., Suite 800, Atlanta,
Georgia 30303, Telephone: (404) 865-5600, Facsimile (404) 865-5605; Don
Williams, Manager Regional Planning and Analysis, Metropolitan Atlanta
Rapid Transit Authority, 2424 Piedmont Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30324-
3330, Telephone: (404) 848-4422, Facsimile (404) 848-5132; or Nate
Conable, Senior Project Manager, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., 86 Pryor
Street, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Telephone: (404) 880-4100,
Facsimile: (404) 880-0616.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description of Study Area and Proposed Project: The BeltLine
Corridor contains many of Atlanta's residential neighborhoods, a
majority of the parks in the central city area, as well as a
significant number of major attractions and points of interest. Transit
improvements in the Atlanta BeltLine Corridor would create a new 22-
mile transit loop, including potential new stations on an existing rail
right-of-way. The BeltLine Corridor would connect to the MARTA heavy
rail system at or near four locations: Lindbergh Center, Inman Park/
Reynoldstown, West End, and Ashby Stations. Improvements in the
BeltLine Corridor would support the MARTA bus network, other regional
bus services, future High Capacity Transit projects along I-75, I-285,
Memorial Drive and Buford Highway, the pending commuter rail service
between Lovejoy and downtown Atlanta, and the proposed Peachtree
Streetcar. The Atlanta BeltLine Corridor also includes approximately 33
miles of new multi-use trails in a linear park located primarily along
the corridor, with extensions connecting to parks and other trails.
Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Project: The purpose of the
BeltLine Corridor transit and trails improvements are to improve local
and regional mobility, address accessibility and connectivity, and
support the City of Atlanta's redevelopment plans. The need for the
proposed project stems from population and employment growth that is
related to the occurring and planned redevelopment within the City and
the City's desire to provide better linkages to parks throughout the
area and to increase overall availability of accessible greenspace.
Alternatives: Through a process of technical evaluation and public
input during the previous MARTA BeltLine study, the Inner Core
Alternatives Analysis (January 2007), a large number of alternatives
was examined, leading to the agency selection of a Locally Preferred
Alternative (PA). This decision was based on the PA being the best
performing alternative and preferred by the public and major
stakeholders. The preliminary list of alternatives to be considered in
the Tier 1 Draft EIS will include the No Build Alternative and the PA
(henceforth referred to as the Build Alternative):
No Build Alternative: The No Build Alternative assumes
that no transportation infrastructure improvements would be made in the
project area apart from improvements that have already been committed
to by the Georgia Department of Transportation, the City of Atlanta,
and MARTA and are included in the regional Transportation Improvement
Program. The No Build Alternative would also assume that no trail
improvements would be made other than what is currently committed to by
the City of Atlanta and Atlanta BeltLine Inc.
Build Alternatives: The Build Alternatives are to be based
on the PA established in the Alternatives Analysis and would evaluate
variations in the alignment based on feasibility and potential for
impacts. In addition to any alternatives uncovered during public
scoping, the Build Alternatives would include a new 23-mile transit
service, primarily on existing rail corridor and identify locations for
new stations on the alignment, with connections to MARTA's heavy rail
system at its Lindbergh Center, Inman Park/Reynoldstown, West End, and
Ashby Stations. The Build Alternatives would also incorporate a system
of connecting trails that would run adjacent to the transit line and
provide vital connections to existing and proposed recreational
facilities around the Atlanta BeltLine Corridor.
[[Page 43280]]
This preliminary range of alternatives may be supplemented during
the public scoping process and development of the Tier 1 Draft EIS.
The Tiered EIS Process and the Role of the Participating Agencies
and the Public: The purpose of the Tier 1 EIS process is to serve as
the basis for the decision regarding the project design concept and
scope and will support the acquisition of the right-of-way for corridor
preservation. The Tier 1 DEIS will preliminarily screen and evaluate a
range of social, environmental, and economic impacts resulting from the
mode choice, general alignment, and approximate location of stations.
Impacts to the affected environment will be screened and evaluated
based upon information uncovered during public scoping and interagency
coordination efforts. MARTA will prepare an Annotated Outline for the
DEIS following this scoping. This gives assurances that the Tier 1
document will focus on the issues ripe for consideration and that
scoping has accomplished its intended purpose.
The Tier 1 EIS will build upon the extensive screening,
environmental and technical studies and public comments and outreach
conducted to date. Tiering will allow the FTA and MARTA to conduct
planning and NEPA activities for this large project and focus on those
decisions that are ready to be made at this level of analysis. The Tier
1 analysis will serve as a basis for establishing the general alignment
of the proposed transit and trail corridor along the entire 23-mile
loop. Conceptual locations of stations, trail connections, and other
facilities will be determined, as will the choice of transit
technology. The scope of analysis in the Tier 1 EIS will be appropriate
to the level of detail necessary to make informed decisions and will
receive input from the public and the reviewing agencies.
A goal of the Tier 1 EIS and these decisions is to support future
ROW preservation along the entire 22-mile loop. FTA allows the advance
acquisition of a limited amount of real property for hardship or
protective purposes as defined in the NEPA regulation at 23 CFR
771.117(d)(12). Also, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5324(c), the
acquisition of pre-existing railroad ROW may be evaluated for NEPA
purposes separately from the future transit and trails project that
will ultimately be built on that ROW under certain conditions and with
certain understandings. With these exceptions, all corridor parcels
cleared for ROW preservation and purchase in the Tier 1 document will
be individually identified and documented.
This Tier 1 EIS will also meet the requirements of the Georgia
Environmental Policy Act (GEPA). GEPA requires the assessment of any
state-level action to determine whether or not the action may
significantly adversely affect the quality of the environment. A
project that is subject to NEPA review has met the requirements of GEPA
and does not require separate documentation.
The Build Alternative would be finalized after the circulation of
the Tier 1 DEIS to the public and then included in the Tier 1 Final
EIS. After completion the FEIS, the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) on the Preferred
Alternative which will include selection of transit mode and general
alignment. The Tier 1 EIS will serve as the point of departure for
future project refinement and subsequent, in depth environmental
analysis required for Tier 2 analysis when the project advances further
through the project development process. NEPA regulations and SAFETEA-
LU provisions call for public involvement in the EIS process. Section
6002 of SAFETEA-LU requires that FTA and MARTA do the following: (1)
Extend an invitation to other Federal and non-Federal agencies and
Indian tribes that may have an interest in the proposed project to
become ``participating agencies,'' (2) provide an opportunity for
involvement by participating agencies and the public in helping to
define the purpose and need for the proposed project, as well as the
range of alternatives for consideration in the impact statement, and
(3) establish a plan for coordinating public and agency participation
in and comment on the scoping information packet. It is possible that
we may not be able to identify all Federal and non-Federal agencies and
Indian tribes that may have such an interest. Any Federal or non-
Federal agency or Indian tribe interested in the proposed project that
does not receive an invitation to become a participating agency should
notify at the earliest opportunity the Project Manager identified above
under ADDRESSES.
A comprehensive public involvement program has been developed and a
public and agency involvement Coordination Plan will be created. The
program includes a project Web site: https://www.itsmarta.com/newsroom/
beltline.html; outreach to local and county officials and community and
civic groups; a public scoping process to define the issues of concern
among all parties interested in the project; establishment of a
technical advisory committee and stakeholder advisory committee; a
public hearing on the release of the Tier I DEIS; and development and
distribution of project newsletters. The Coordination Plan will be
posted to this Web site.
The purpose and need for the proposed project have been
preliminarily identified in this notice. We invite the public and
participating agencies to consider the preliminary statement of purpose
and need for the proposed project, as well as the alternatives proposed
for consideration. Suggestions for modifications to the statement of
purpose and need for the proposed project and any other alternatives
that meet the purpose and need for the proposed project are welcome and
will be given serious consideration. Comments on potentially
significant environmental impacts that may be associated with the
proposed project and alternatives are also welcome. There will be
additional opportunities to participate in the scoping process at the
public meetings announced in this notice.
In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105 (a) and 771.133, FTA will comply
with all Federal environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders
applicable to the proposed project during the environmental review
process to the maximum extent practicable. These requirements include,
but are not limited to, the regulations of the Council on Environmental
Quality and FTA implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and 23 CFR
Part 771), the project-level air quality conformity regulation of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR part 93), and
Section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 230), the regulation
implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36
CFR Part 800), the regulation implementing section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (50 CFR part 402), Section 4(f) of the Department of
Transportation Act (23 CFR 771.135), and Executive Orders 12898 on
environmental justice, 11988 on floodplain management, and 11990 on
wetlands.
Issued on: July 17, 2008.
Yvette G. Taylor,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region 4.
[FR Doc. E8-16990 Filed 7-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
