Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Potomac Yard Metrorail Station in Alexandria, VA, 4988-4991 [2011-1761]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
4988
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2011 / Notices
In view of escorting requirements, nonGovernment attendees should plan to
arrive 15 minutes before the meeting
begins. Requests for reasonable
accommodation should be made to
Sherry Booth prior to Tuesday, February
8th. Requests made after that date will
be considered, but might not be possible
to fulfill.
Personal data is requested pursuant to
Public Law 99–399 (Omnibus
Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism
Act of 1986), as amended; Public Law
107–56 (USA PATRIOT Act); and
Executive Order 13356. The purpose of
the collection is to validate the identity
of individuals who enter Department
facilities. The data will be entered into
the Visitor Access Control System
(VACS–D) database. Please see the
Privacy Impact Assessment for VACS–D
at https://www.state.gov/documents/
organization/100305.pdf for additional
information.
For additional information, contact
Deputy Outreach Coordinator Tiffany
Enoch, Office of Economic Policy
Analysis and Public Diplomacy, Bureau
of Economic, Energy and Business
Affairs, at (202) 647–2231 or
EnochT@state.gov.
Dated: January 21, 2011.
Maryruth Coleman,
Office Director, Office of Economic Policy
Analysis and Public Diplomacy, U.S.
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011–1785 Filed 1–26–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–07–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Commercial Space Transportation
Advisory Committee—Public
Teleconference
Issued in Washington, DC, January 21,
2011.
George C. Nield,
Associate Administrator for Commercial
Space Transportation.
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Commercial Space
Transportation Advisory Committee
Teleconference.
AGENCY:
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2011–1769 Filed 1–26–11; 8:45 am]
Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of
the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2), notice
is hereby given of a teleconference of
the Commercial Space Transportation
Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). The
teleconference will take place on
Tuesday, February 15, 2011, starting at
1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Individuals who plan to participate
should contact Susan Lender, DFO, (the
Contact Person listed below) by phone
or e-mail for the teleconference call in
number.
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:51 Jan 26, 2011
Jkt 223001
The proposed agenda for this
teleconference is to continue the
discussion started during the January
20, 2011, teleconference. This
discussion concerns the structure of the
COMSTAC working groups and the
organization of the COMSTAC meetings
themselves.
Interested members of the public may
submit relevant written statements for
the COMSTAC members to consider
under the advisory process. Statements
may concern the issues and agenda
items mentioned above or additional
issues that may be relevant for the U.S.
commercial space transportation
industry. Interested parties wishing to
submit written statements should
contact Susan Lender, DFO, (the Contact
Person listed below) in writing (mail or
e-mail) by February 11, 2011, so that the
information can be made available to
COMSTAC members for their review
and consideration before the February
157, 2011, teleconference. Written
statements should be supplied in the
following formats: One hard copy with
original signature or one electronic copy
via e-mail.
An agenda will be posted on the FAA
Web site at https://www.faa.gov/go/ast.
Individuals who plan to participate
and need special assistance should
inform the Contact Person listed below
in advance of the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Susan Lender (AST–100), Office of
Commercial Space Transportation
(AST), 800 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Room 331, Washington, DC 20591,
telephone (202) 267–8029; e-mail
susan.lender@faa.gov. Complete
information regarding COMSTAC is
available on the FAA Web site at:
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/
headquarters_offices/ast/
advisory_committee/.
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for a Potomac Yard
Metrorail Station in Alexandria, VA
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00131
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) as the Federal
lead agency, in cooperation with the
City of Alexandria, the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
(WMATA), and the National Park
Service (NPS), is issuing this Notice of
Intent (NOI) to advise the public that it
proposes to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the
potential environmental impacts
associated with the proposed
construction and operation of the
Potomac Yard Metrorail Station. The
proposed project, described more
completely within, would consist of the
construction of a Metrorail infill station
along the existing combined Blue and
Yellow Lines between the Ronald
Reagan Washington National Airport
Station and the Braddock Road Station.
The purpose of this notice is to alert
interested parties regarding the intent to
prepare the EIS, to provide information
on the nature of the proposed project
and possible alternatives, and to invite
public participation in the EIS process.
SUMMARY:
Comments on the scope of the
EIS, including the project’s purpose and
need, the alternatives to be considered,
the impacts to be evaluated, and the
methodologies to be used in the
evaluations should be sent before March
15, 2011. See ADDRESSES below for the
address to which written comments may
be sent. Scoping meetings to accept
comments on the scope of the EIS will
be held on the following date:
• Agency Scoping Meeting: Thursday,
February 10, 2011, Cora Kelly
Recreation Center, 25 West Reed
Avenue, Alexandria, VA at 3 p.m.
Representatives from Federal, State,
regional, Tribal, and local agencies that
may have an interest in any aspect of
the project will be invited to serve as
either participating or cooperating
agencies.
• Public Scoping Meetings: Thursday,
February 10, 2011, Cora Kelly
Recreation Center, 25 West Reed
Avenue, Alexandria, VA at 4:30 p.m.
and 6:30 p.m.
The buildings used for the scoping
meetings are accessible to persons with
disabilities. Spanish language materials
and interpreters will be provided at the
scoping meetings. Anyone who requires
special assistance at a scoping meeting
should contact Jim Ashe at WMATA at
(202) 962–1745 or jashe@wmata.com at
least 3 days prior to the meeting. A
scoping packet is available on the
project Web site at https://
www.potomacyardmetro.com or by
contacting Jim Ashe at the telephone
number or e-mail address above. Copies
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM
27JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2011 / Notices
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
will also be available at the scoping
meetings.
If the City of Alexandria public
schools are closed due to inclement
weather on February 10, 2011, the
public and agency scoping meetings
will be held at the same times on the
snow date of February 15, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments will be accepted
at the public scoping meetings or they
may be sent on or before March 15, 2011
by e-mail to
comments@potomacyardmetro.com or
by regular mail to Potomac Yard
Metrorail Station EIS, P.O. Box 25132,
Alexandria, VA 22313.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melissa Barlow, Community Planner,
Federal Transit Administration, DC
Metro Office, 1990 K Street, NW., Suite
510, Washington, DC 20006,
Melissa.barlow@dot.gov or (202) 219–
3565; or Jim Ashe, Manager,
Environmental Planning and
Compliance Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority, 600 5th Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20001,
jashe@wmata.com or (202) 962–1745.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
more useful to decision makers and the
public; and to reduce paperwork and
the accumulation of extraneous
background data, in order to emphasize
the need to focus on real environmental
issues and alternatives… [by requiring]
impact statements to be concise, clear,
and to the point, and supported by
evidence that agencies have made the
necessary environmental analyses.’’
Executive Order 11991, of May 24, 1977.
Transit projects may also generate
environmental benefits; these should be
highlighted as well—the impact
statement process should draw attention
to positive impacts, not just negative
impacts.
Once the scope of the environmental
study, including significant
environmental issues to be addressed, is
settled, an annotated outline of the
document will be prepared and shared
with interested agencies and the public.
The outline serves at least three worthy
purposes, including (1) documenting
the results of the scoping process; (2)
contributing to the transparency of the
process; and (3) providing a clear
roadmap for concise development of the
environmental document.
Scoping
FTA invites all interested individuals,
organizations, public agencies, and
Native American Tribes to comment on
the scope of the EIS, including the
project’s purpose and need, the
alternatives to be studied, the impacts to
be evaluated, and the evaluation
methods to be used. Comments should
address (1) feasible alternatives that may
better achieve the project’s purpose and
need with fewer adverse impacts, and
(2) any significant environmental
impacts relating to the alternatives.
NEPA ‘‘scoping’’ (Title 40 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 1501.7)
has specific and fairly limited
objectives, one of which is to identify
the significant issues associated with
alternatives that will be examined in
detail in the document, while
simultaneously limiting consideration
and development of issues that are not
truly significant. It is in the NEPA
scoping process that potentially
significant environmental impacts—
those that give rise to the need to
prepare an environmental impact
statement—should be identified;
impacts that are deemed not to be
significant need not be developed
extensively in the context of the impact
statement, thereby keeping the
statement focused on impacts of
consequence consistent with the
ultimate objectives of the NEPA
implementing regulations—‘‘to make the
environmental impact statement process
Purpose and Need for the Project
The purpose of the project is to
improve accessibility of the Potomac
Yard area and provide more
transportation choices for current and
future residents, employees, and
businesses by establishing a new access
point to the regional Metrorail system.
This additional access point is needed
to address existing and future travel
demand in the area resulting from the
City of Alexandria’s planned
development of a major transit-oriented
mixed-use activity center in the vicinity
of the proposed station.
The project area in Alexandria is
located in the Northern Virginia portion
of the Washington metropolitan region,
which is expected to see approximately
30% population growth in the next 30
years. The project area is located
adjacent to existing residential
neighborhoods to the west and
southeast and an approximately 600,000
square-foot retail center. The existing
retail center is approved for
redevelopment of 2.25 million square
feet of mixed-use development
including office, retail, residential and
hotel uses. Other properties in the
Potomac Yard redevelopment area are
approved for a total of approximately 4
million square feet of development. This
additional development will impact the
existing roadway network with
increased travel demand adding
additional vehicle and transit trips. The
transportation network in the project
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:51 Jan 26, 2011
Jkt 223001
PO 00000
Frm 00132
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
4989
area is limited by the heavy rail to the
east and limited east-west connectivity
west of Route 1.
Currently the project area is not
served by Metrorail or any other rapid
transit services which provide regional
connectivity. The project area is located
between two Metrorail stations located
3.1-miles apart. This gap between the
Ronald Reagan Washington National
Airport Station and the Braddock Road
Station is the longest for the portions of
the Metrorail system that serve urban
residential and commercial corridors.
This area is currently served by local
bus services that operate in mixed traffic
along the congested US Route 1
corridor, yet they have numerous local
stops resulting in slow transit travel
speeds. This results in relatively long
transit travel times to access the area.
The Crystal City-Potomac Yard
Transitway, which will provide bus
priority lanes on nearby Route 1, will
improve reliability of local transit
services along the Route 1 corridor
however, access to the Metrorail system
is still needed to accommodate longer
regional transit trips.
The anticipated Potomac Yard
Metrorail Station was included in
WMATA’s 1999 Transit Service
Expansion Plan, the 2010 Financially
Constrained Long-Range Transportation
Plan for the National Capital Region,
and earlier WMATA and regional
transportation plans, in addition to the
City of Alexandria’s 1992 and 2008
Transportation Master Plans and North
Potomac Yard Small Area Plan.
Establishing a new access point to the
regional Metrorail system would
provide more transit-friendly
development patterns supported by
improved access to transit as well as a
safe and reliable alternative to
automobile travel to and from the
Potomac Yard area. Improved access to
the regional system is also needed to
accommodate a greater share of travel to
and from the area on transit, potentially
reducing reliance on single-occupant
vehicle use, decreasing automobile
emissions, and improving regional air
quality. The Washington Metropolitan
area has been identified as a nonattainment area for ozone and
particulate matter since the
concentrations of these pollutants
exceed acceptable levels as designated
by the EPA.
Possible Alternatives
The alternatives expected to be
addressed in the EIS include:
No Action Alternative: The No Action
Alternative represents future conditions
in the EIS analysis year of 2035 without
the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station
E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM
27JAN1
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
4990
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2011 / Notices
Project. The No Action Alternative
includes the existing transit and
transportation system in the
Washington, DC region plus planned
improvements for which the need,
commitment, financing, and public and
political support have been identified,
and which may reasonably be expected
to be implemented. This alternative is
included in the Draft EIS as a means of
comparing and evaluating the impacts
and benefits of the Potomac Yard
Metrorail Station alternatives.
Build Alternatives: Proposed build
alternatives are being evaluated for the
project. Potomac Yard is located in the
City of Alexandria and the southern
edge of Arlington, VA. The area is
roughly bound by U.S. Route 1
(Jefferson Davis Highway) to the west,
the George Washington Memorial
Parkway on the east, Four Mile Run to
the north, and E. Howell Avenue on the
south.
The study corridor where the project
would be located is approximately 1.5
miles in length. Build alternatives will
be analyzed that are either along or just
to the west of the existing WMATA
right-of-way for the Blue and Yellow
lines in this area. Build alternatives
include:
• Metrorail Station Alternative A:
Station Alternative A would be located
along the existing mainline tracks
between the George Washington
Memorial Parkway and the CSX
Railroad tracks and adjacent to the
Potomac Greens Neighborhood.
• Metrorail Station Alternative B1:
Station Alternative B1 would be located
along the existing mainline tracks
between the George Washington
Memorial Parkway and the CSX
Railroad, just to the north of Alternative
A.
• Metrorail Station Alternative B2:
Station Alternative B2 would be located
along a short segment of realigned track
between the George Washington
Memorial Parkway and the CSX
Railroad, to the north of Alternative A
and to the south of Alternative B1.
• Metrorail Station Alternative B3:
Station Alternative B3 would be located
along a short segment of realigned track
between the George Washington
Memorial Parkway and the CSX
Railroad, just to the east of Alternative
B2.
• Metrorail Station Alternative C1:
Station Alternative C1 would be located
along realigned Metrorail track between
the CSX Railroad and Route 1.
• Metrorail Station Alternative C2:
Station Alternative C2 would be located
along realigned Metrorail track between
the CSX Railroad and Route 1, just east
of Alternative C1.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:51 Jan 26, 2011
Jkt 223001
• Metrorail Station Alternative D1:
Station Alternative D1 would be located
along realigned Metrorail tracks
between the CSX Railroad and Route 1,
just east of Alternative C2.
• Metrorail Station Alternative D2:
Station Alternative D2 would be located
along realigned Metrorail tracks
between the CSX Railroad and Route 1,
just east of Alternative D1.
Possible Effects
FTA will evaluate project-specific as
well as indirect and cumulative effects
to the existing physical, social,
economic, and environmental setting in
which the proposed station would be
located. The permanent, long-term
effects to the region could include, but
are not limited to effects to traffic and
transportation; land use and
socioeconomics; visual character and
aesthetics; noise and vibration;
historical and archaeological resources;
community impacts; natural resources;
air quality and climate change; and
visual impacts upon the setting of the
George Washington Memorial Parkway,
a unit of the national park system.
Investigation may reveal that the
proposed project will not affect or not
substantially affect many of these areas.
Measures to avoid, minimize, or
mitigate any significant adverse impacts
will be identified.
FTA Procedures
The regulations implementing NEPA,
as well as provisions of the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA–LU), call for public
involvement in the EIS process for
transportation projects. In accordance
with Section 6002 of SAFETEA–LU,
FTA will: (1) Extend an invitation to
other Federal and non-Federal agencies
and Native American Tribes that may
have an interest in the proposed project
to become participating agencies (any
interested party that does not receive an
invitation to become a participating
agency can notify any of the contact
persons listed earlier in this NOI); (2)
provide an opportunity for involvement
by participating agencies and the public
to help define the purpose and need for
the proposed project, as well as the
range of alternatives for consideration in
the EIS; and (3) establish a plan for
coordinating public and agency
participation in, and comment on, the
environmental review process. A Public
Involvement Plan and an Agency
Coordination Plan will be developed
outlining public and agency
involvement for the project. These will
be available on the project Web site,
https://www.potomacyardmetro.com, or
PO 00000
Frm 00133
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
through written request. Opportunities
for comment will be provided
throughout the EIS process, including
public and agency meetings, the project
Web site, a mailing address, and a
phone information line. Comments
received from any of these sources will
be considered in the development of the
final scope and content of the
environmental documents.
An invitation to become a
participating or cooperating agency,
with scoping materials appended, will
be extended to other Federal and nonFederal agencies and Native American
Tribes that may have an interest in the
proposed project. It is possible that FTA
will not be able to identify all Federal
and non-Federal agencies and Native
American Tribes that may have such an
interest. Any Federal or non-Federal
agency or Native American 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.
Summary/Next Steps
With the publication of this NOI, the
scoping process for the project begins.
After the publication of the Draft
Scoping Document, a public comment
period will begin, allowing the public to
offer input on the scope of the EIS until
March 15, 2011. Public comments will
be received through those methods
explained earlier in this NOI and will be
incorporated into the Annotated
Outline. This document will detail the
scope of the EIS and the potential
environmental effects that will be
considered during the study period.
After the completion of the Draft EIS, a
public hearing and another public
commenting period will allow for input
on the EIS, and these comments will be
incorporated into the Final EIS report
before publication.
Paperwork Reduction
The Paperwork Reduction Act seeks,
in part, to minimize the cost to the
taxpayer of the creation, collection,
maintenance, use, dissemination, and
disposition of information. Consistent
with this goal and with principles of
economy and efficiency in government,
it is FTA policy to limit insofar as
possible distribution of complete
printed sets of environmental
documents. Accordingly, unless a
specific request for a complete printed
set of environmental documents is
received (preferably at the conclusion of
scoping), FTA and its grantees will
distribute only the executive summary
of the environmental document together
E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM
27JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2011 / Notices
with a Compact Disc of the complete
environmental document. A complete
printed set of the environmental
document will be available for review at
the grantee’s offices and elsewhere; an
electronic copy of the complete
environmental document will also be
available on the project Web site,
https://www.potomacyardmetro.com.
Other
The City of Alexandria is pursuing
USDOT Discretionary Capital Grant
funding for the project. The EIS will be
prepared in accordance with NEPA and
its implementing regulations issued by
the Council on Environmental Quality
(40 CFR parts 1500–1508) and with the
FTA/Federal Highway Administration
regulations ‘‘Environmental Impact and
Related Procedures’’ (23 CFR part 771).
Related environmental procedures to be
addressed during the NEPA process
include, but are not limited to,
Executive Order 12898 on
Environmental Justice; Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act;
and Section 4(f) of the DOT Act (49
U.S.C. 303).
Issued on: January 20, 2011.
Letitia A. Thompson,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit
Administration Region III, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 2011–1761 Filed 1–26–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
Petition for Exemption From the
Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard;
Suzuki
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Grant of petition for exemption.
This document grants in full
the American Suzuki Motor
Corporation’s (Suzuki) petition for an
exemption of the Kizashi vehicle line in
accordance with 49 CFR part 543,
Exemption from the Theft Prevention
Standard. This petition is granted
because the agency has determined that
the antitheft device to be placed on the
line as standard equipment is likely to
be as effective in reducing and deterring
motor vehicle theft as compliance with
the parts-marking requirements of the
49 CFR part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle
Theft Prevention Standard.
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:51 Jan 26, 2011
Jkt 223001
The exemption granted by this
notice is effective beginning with the
2012 model year.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Deborah Mazyck, Office of International
Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer
Programs, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590. Ms.
Mazyck’s phone number is (202) 366–
4139. Her fax number is (202) 493–2990.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a
petition dated October 22, 2010, Suzuki
requested an exemption from the partsmarking requirements of the Theft
Prevention Standard (49 CFR part 541)
for the MY 2012 Suzuki Kizashi vehicle
line. The petition requested an
exemption from parts-marking pursuant
to 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from
Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard,
based on the installation of an antitheft
device as standard equipment for an
entire vehicle line. The agency informed
Suzuki by telephone on November 29,
2010, of the areas of insufficiency with
respect to its October 22, 2010 petition
for exemption. On December 10, 2010,
Suzuki submitted supplementary
information to the agency addressing its
areas of insufficiency.
Under § 543.5(a), a manufacturer may
petition NHTSA to grant exemptions for
one line of its vehicle lines per year. In
its petition, Suzuki provided a detailed
description and diagram of the identity,
design, and location of the components
of the antitheft device for its Kazashi
vehicle line. Suzuki will install its
passive antitheft device as standard
equipment on the line. Key features of
the antitheft device will include an
electronically coded key fob, Body
Control Module (BCM), Engine Control
Module (ECM) and a passive
immobilizer. Suzuki’s submission, along
with its supplementary information is
considered a complete petition as
required by 49 CFR 543.7, in that it
meets the general requirements
contained in § 543.5 and the specific
content requirements of § 543.6. Suzuki
stated that the proposed device is
designed to be active at all times
without direct intervention by the
vehicle operator and is fully armed
immediately after the ignition has been
turned off and the key is removed. The
device will provide protection against
unauthorized starting and fueling of the
engine. Suzuki further stated that the
device will also incorporate an audible
and visible alarm feature as standard
equipment. The lights will flash and the
horn will sound in the event of
unauthorized vehicle entry.
Suzuki stated that the antitheft device
will also utilize a special ignition key
and decoder module. Before the vehicle
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00134
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
4991
can be operated, the coded key fob must
be confirmed to authorize start and fuel
of the engine. Specifically, Suzuki
stated that the BCM sends a signal and
an electronically-coded identification
number to the key fob. If the correct key
fob is used, it conducts a calculation
and sends the result to the BCM. The
BCM also conducts its own calculation
and verifies that the BCM and key fob
calculation result are identical. If the
results are identical, the BCM will send
data to the ECM allowing the vehicle to
start. If either the key fob identification
number or calculation result are not an
exact match with the BCM information,
Suzuki stated that the ECM will prohibit
operation of the vehicle.
In addressing the specific content
requirements of 543.6, Suzuki provided
information on the reliability and
durability of the proposed device. To
ensure reliability and durability of the
device, Suzuki conducted tests based on
its own specified standards. Suzuki
provided a detailed list of the tests
conducted on the components of its
immobilizer device and believes that the
device is reliable and durable since it
complied with the specified
requirements for each test. According to
the information provided by Suzuki, the
components of the device were tested
and the results confirm that the device
performed as designed, meeting
compliance in climatic, chemical
environments, and immunity to various
electromagnetic radiations.
Suzuki stated that although there is
no theft data available to show the theft
reduction benefits for the Kizashi
vehicle line at this time, it has
compared the effectiveness of its
antitheft device with devices which it
believes are functionally and
operationally similar to its proposed
device. Suzuki stated that data
published by the agency, the Highway
Loss data Institute and the National
Insurance Crime Bureau show the
effectiveness of passive immobilizer
devices at reducing and deterring theft.
Suzuki stated that the agency’s theft
data show that the theft rate for the 1999
Nissan Maxima equipped with a
standard passive immobilizer is 2.5
thefts per thousand vehicles, compared
to a theft rate of 5.2 thefts for the 1998
Nissan Maxima without a passive
immobilizer, a reduction of more than
50 percent. Additionally, Suzuki noted
that data from the Highway Loss Data
Institute show that overall theft losses
for the 1999 Nissan Maxima (with a
passive immobilizer) were reduced by
over 85 percent compared to the overall
losses for the 1998 Nissan Maxima
(without a passive immobilizer). Suzuki
provided further information showing
E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM
27JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4988-4991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1761]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Potomac
Yard Metrorail Station in Alexandria, VA
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as the Federal lead
agency, in cooperation with the City of Alexandria, the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and the National Park
Service (NPS), is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to advise the
public that it proposes to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the
proposed construction and operation of the Potomac Yard Metrorail
Station. The proposed project, described more completely within, would
consist of the construction of a Metrorail infill station along the
existing combined Blue and Yellow Lines between the Ronald Reagan
Washington National Airport Station and the Braddock Road Station. The
purpose of this notice is to alert interested parties regarding the
intent to prepare the EIS, to provide information on the nature of the
proposed project and possible alternatives, and to invite public
participation in the EIS process.
DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS, including the project's
purpose and need, the alternatives to be considered, the impacts to be
evaluated, and the methodologies to be used in the evaluations should
be sent before March 15, 2011. See ADDRESSES below for the address to
which written comments may be sent. Scoping meetings to accept comments
on the scope of the EIS will be held on the following date:
Agency Scoping Meeting: Thursday, February 10, 2011, Cora
Kelly Recreation Center, 25 West Reed Avenue, Alexandria, VA at 3 p.m.
Representatives from Federal, State, regional, Tribal, and local
agencies that may have an interest in any aspect of the project will be
invited to serve as either participating or cooperating agencies.
Public Scoping Meetings: Thursday, February 10, 2011, Cora
Kelly Recreation Center, 25 West Reed Avenue, Alexandria, VA at 4:30
p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
The buildings used for the scoping meetings are accessible to
persons with disabilities. Spanish language materials and interpreters
will be provided at the scoping meetings. Anyone who requires special
assistance at a scoping meeting should contact Jim Ashe at WMATA at
(202) 962-1745 or jashe@wmata.com at least 3 days prior to the meeting.
A scoping packet is available on the project Web site at https://www.potomacyardmetro.com or by contacting Jim Ashe at the telephone
number or e-mail address above. Copies
[[Page 4989]]
will also be available at the scoping meetings.
If the City of Alexandria public schools are closed due to
inclement weather on February 10, 2011, the public and agency scoping
meetings will be held at the same times on the snow date of February
15, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments will be accepted at the public scoping meetings or
they may be sent on or before March 15, 2011 by e-mail to
comments@potomacyardmetro.com or by regular mail to Potomac Yard
Metrorail Station EIS, P.O. Box 25132, Alexandria, VA 22313.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Barlow, Community Planner,
Federal Transit Administration, DC Metro Office, 1990 K Street, NW.,
Suite 510, Washington, DC 20006, Melissa.barlow@dot.gov or (202) 219-
3565; or Jim Ashe, Manager, Environmental Planning and Compliance
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 5th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20001, jashe@wmata.com or (202) 962-1745.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Scoping
FTA invites all interested individuals, organizations, public
agencies, and Native American Tribes to comment on the scope of the
EIS, including the project's purpose and need, the alternatives to be
studied, the impacts to be evaluated, and the evaluation methods to be
used. Comments should address (1) feasible alternatives that may better
achieve the project's purpose and need with fewer adverse impacts, and
(2) any significant environmental impacts relating to the alternatives.
NEPA ``scoping'' (Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Sec. 1501.7) has specific and fairly limited objectives, one of which
is to identify the significant issues associated with alternatives that
will be examined in detail in the document, while simultaneously
limiting consideration and development of issues that are not truly
significant. It is in the NEPA scoping process that potentially
significant environmental impacts--those that give rise to the need to
prepare an environmental impact statement--should be identified;
impacts that are deemed not to be significant need not be developed
extensively in the context of the impact statement, thereby keeping the
statement focused on impacts of consequence consistent with the
ultimate objectives of the NEPA implementing regulations--``to make the
environmental impact statement process more useful to decision makers
and the public; and to reduce paperwork and the accumulation of
extraneous background data, in order to emphasize the need to focus on
real environmental issues and alternatives[hellip] [by requiring]
impact statements to be concise, clear, and to the point, and supported
by evidence that agencies have made the necessary environmental
analyses.'' Executive Order 11991, of May 24, 1977. Transit projects
may also generate environmental benefits; these should be highlighted
as well--the impact statement process should draw attention to positive
impacts, not just negative impacts.
Once the scope of the environmental study, including significant
environmental issues to be addressed, is settled, an annotated outline
of the document will be prepared and shared with interested agencies
and the public. The outline serves at least three worthy purposes,
including (1) documenting the results of the scoping process; (2)
contributing to the transparency of the process; and (3) providing a
clear roadmap for concise development of the environmental document.
Purpose and Need for the Project
The purpose of the project is to improve accessibility of the
Potomac Yard area and provide more transportation choices for current
and future residents, employees, and businesses by establishing a new
access point to the regional Metrorail system. This additional access
point is needed to address existing and future travel demand in the
area resulting from the City of Alexandria's planned development of a
major transit-oriented mixed-use activity center in the vicinity of the
proposed station.
The project area in Alexandria is located in the Northern Virginia
portion of the Washington metropolitan region, which is expected to see
approximately 30% population growth in the next 30 years. The project
area is located adjacent to existing residential neighborhoods to the
west and southeast and an approximately 600,000 square-foot retail
center. The existing retail center is approved for redevelopment of
2.25 million square feet of mixed-use development including office,
retail, residential and hotel uses. Other properties in the Potomac
Yard redevelopment area are approved for a total of approximately 4
million square feet of development. This additional development will
impact the existing roadway network with increased travel demand adding
additional vehicle and transit trips. The transportation network in the
project area is limited by the heavy rail to the east and limited east-
west connectivity west of Route 1.
Currently the project area is not served by Metrorail or any other
rapid transit services which provide regional connectivity. The project
area is located between two Metrorail stations located 3.1-miles apart.
This gap between the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station
and the Braddock Road Station is the longest for the portions of the
Metrorail system that serve urban residential and commercial corridors.
This area is currently served by local bus services that operate in
mixed traffic along the congested US Route 1 corridor, yet they have
numerous local stops resulting in slow transit travel speeds. This
results in relatively long transit travel times to access the area. The
Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway, which will provide bus priority
lanes on nearby Route 1, will improve reliability of local transit
services along the Route 1 corridor however, access to the Metrorail
system is still needed to accommodate longer regional transit trips.
The anticipated Potomac Yard Metrorail Station was included in
WMATA's 1999 Transit Service Expansion Plan, the 2010 Financially
Constrained Long-Range Transportation Plan for the National Capital
Region, and earlier WMATA and regional transportation plans, in
addition to the City of Alexandria's 1992 and 2008 Transportation
Master Plans and North Potomac Yard Small Area Plan. Establishing a new
access point to the regional Metrorail system would provide more
transit-friendly development patterns supported by improved access to
transit as well as a safe and reliable alternative to automobile travel
to and from the Potomac Yard area. Improved access to the regional
system is also needed to accommodate a greater share of travel to and
from the area on transit, potentially reducing reliance on single-
occupant vehicle use, decreasing automobile emissions, and improving
regional air quality. The Washington Metropolitan area has been
identified as a non-attainment area for ozone and particulate matter
since the concentrations of these pollutants exceed acceptable levels
as designated by the EPA.
Possible Alternatives
The alternatives expected to be addressed in the EIS include:
No Action Alternative: The No Action Alternative represents future
conditions in the EIS analysis year of 2035 without the Potomac Yard
Metrorail Station
[[Page 4990]]
Project. The No Action Alternative includes the existing transit and
transportation system in the Washington, DC region plus planned
improvements for which the need, commitment, financing, and public and
political support have been identified, and which may reasonably be
expected to be implemented. This alternative is included in the Draft
EIS as a means of comparing and evaluating the impacts and benefits of
the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station alternatives.
Build Alternatives: Proposed build alternatives are being evaluated
for the project. Potomac Yard is located in the City of Alexandria and
the southern edge of Arlington, VA. The area is roughly bound by U.S.
Route 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) to the west, the George Washington
Memorial Parkway on the east, Four Mile Run to the north, and E. Howell
Avenue on the south.
The study corridor where the project would be located is
approximately 1.5 miles in length. Build alternatives will be analyzed
that are either along or just to the west of the existing WMATA right-
of-way for the Blue and Yellow lines in this area. Build alternatives
include:
Metrorail Station Alternative A: Station Alternative A
would be located along the existing mainline tracks between the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and the CSX Railroad tracks and adjacent to
the Potomac Greens Neighborhood.
Metrorail Station Alternative B1: Station Alternative B1
would be located along the existing mainline tracks between the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and the CSX Railroad, just to the north of
Alternative A.
Metrorail Station Alternative B2: Station Alternative B2
would be located along a short segment of realigned track between the
George Washington Memorial Parkway and the CSX Railroad, to the north
of Alternative A and to the south of Alternative B1.
Metrorail Station Alternative B3: Station Alternative B3
would be located along a short segment of realigned track between the
George Washington Memorial Parkway and the CSX Railroad, just to the
east of Alternative B2.
Metrorail Station Alternative C1: Station Alternative C1
would be located along realigned Metrorail track between the CSX
Railroad and Route 1.
Metrorail Station Alternative C2: Station Alternative C2
would be located along realigned Metrorail track between the CSX
Railroad and Route 1, just east of Alternative C1.
Metrorail Station Alternative D1: Station Alternative D1
would be located along realigned Metrorail tracks between the CSX
Railroad and Route 1, just east of Alternative C2.
Metrorail Station Alternative D2: Station Alternative D2
would be located along realigned Metrorail tracks between the CSX
Railroad and Route 1, just east of Alternative D1.
Possible Effects
FTA will evaluate project-specific as well as indirect and
cumulative effects to the existing physical, social, economic, and
environmental setting in which the proposed station would be located.
The permanent, long-term effects to the region could include, but are
not limited to effects to traffic and transportation; land use and
socioeconomics; visual character and aesthetics; noise and vibration;
historical and archaeological resources; community impacts; natural
resources; air quality and climate change; and visual impacts upon the
setting of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a unit of the
national park system. Investigation may reveal that the proposed
project will not affect or not substantially affect many of these
areas. Measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any significant adverse
impacts will be identified.
FTA Procedures
The regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), call for public involvement in the EIS
process for transportation projects. In accordance with Section 6002 of
SAFETEA-LU, FTA will: (1) Extend an invitation to other Federal and
non-Federal agencies and Native American Tribes that may have an
interest in the proposed project to become participating agencies (any
interested party that does not receive an invitation to become a
participating agency can notify any of the contact persons listed
earlier in this NOI); (2) provide an opportunity for involvement by
participating agencies and the public to help define the purpose and
need for the proposed project, as well as the range of alternatives for
consideration in the EIS; and (3) establish a plan for coordinating
public and agency participation in, and comment on, the environmental
review process. A Public Involvement Plan and an Agency Coordination
Plan will be developed outlining public and agency involvement for the
project. These will be available on the project Web site, https://www.potomacyardmetro.com, or through written request. Opportunities for
comment will be provided throughout the EIS process, including public
and agency meetings, the project Web site, a mailing address, and a
phone information line. Comments received from any of these sources
will be considered in the development of the final scope and content of
the environmental documents.
An invitation to become a participating or cooperating agency, with
scoping materials appended, will be extended to other Federal and non-
Federal agencies and Native American Tribes that may have an interest
in the proposed project. It is possible that FTA will not be able to
identify all Federal and non-Federal agencies and Native American
Tribes that may have such an interest. Any Federal or non-Federal
agency or Native American 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.
Summary/Next Steps
With the publication of this NOI, the scoping process for the
project begins. After the publication of the Draft Scoping Document, a
public comment period will begin, allowing the public to offer input on
the scope of the EIS until March 15, 2011. Public comments will be
received through those methods explained earlier in this NOI and will
be incorporated into the Annotated Outline. This document will detail
the scope of the EIS and the potential environmental effects that will
be considered during the study period. After the completion of the
Draft EIS, a public hearing and another public commenting period will
allow for input on the EIS, and these comments will be incorporated
into the Final EIS report before publication.
Paperwork Reduction
The Paperwork Reduction Act seeks, in part, to minimize the cost to
the taxpayer of the creation, collection, maintenance, use,
dissemination, and disposition of information. Consistent with this
goal and with principles of economy and efficiency in government, it is
FTA policy to limit insofar as possible distribution of complete
printed sets of environmental documents. Accordingly, unless a specific
request for a complete printed set of environmental documents is
received (preferably at the conclusion of scoping), FTA and its
grantees will distribute only the executive summary of the
environmental document together
[[Page 4991]]
with a Compact Disc of the complete environmental document. A complete
printed set of the environmental document will be available for review
at the grantee's offices and elsewhere; an electronic copy of the
complete environmental document will also be available on the project
Web site, https://www.potomacyardmetro.com.
Other
The City of Alexandria is pursuing USDOT Discretionary Capital
Grant funding for the project. The EIS will be prepared in accordance
with NEPA and its implementing regulations issued by the Council on
Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and with the FTA/Federal
Highway Administration regulations ``Environmental Impact and Related
Procedures'' (23 CFR part 771). Related environmental procedures to be
addressed during the NEPA process include, but are not limited to,
Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice; Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act; and Section 4(f) of the DOT Act (49
U.S.C. 303).
Issued on: January 20, 2011.
Letitia A. Thompson,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration Region III,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[FR Doc. 2011-1761 Filed 1-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
