Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Urban Rail system in Austin, TX, 12788-12791 [2011-5201]
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12788
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 45 / Tuesday, March 8, 2011 / Notices
the air. The 2001 PEIS evaluated the
impacts of launching 72 small capacity
rockets, including the Pegasus launch
vehicle family, over a 10-year period.
The estimated annual number of
launches ranged from four to nine
launches, with an average of seven
annual launches. The rate of Pegasus
launches at CCAFS under the FAA’s
Proposed Action would not be expected
to exceed the rate of launches analyzed
in the 2001 PEIS. The only alternative
to the Proposed Action is the No Action
Alternative. Under this Alternative, the
FAA would not issue or renew Launch
Operator Licenses to operate Pegasus
launch vehicles at CCAFS.
Resource areas were considered to
provide a context for understanding and
assessing the potential environmental
effects of the Proposed Action, with
attention focused on key issues. The
resources areas considered in the Final
EA included air quality; biological
resources (including fish, wildlife, and
plants); compatible land use;
Department of Transportation Section
4(f) resources; hazardous materials,
pollution prevention, and solid waste;
historical, architectural, archaeological,
and cultural resources; noise;
socioeconomic impacts; and water
quality (including floodplains and
wetlands). Potential cumulative impacts
of the Proposed Action were also
addressed in the Final EA.
After careful and thorough
consideration of available data and
information on existing conditions and
potential impacts, the FAA has
determined that there will be no
significant short-term, long-term, or
cumulative impacts to the environment
or surrounding populations from the
issuance or renewal of Launch Operator
Licenses to operate Pegasus launch
vehicles at CCAFS. The proposed
Federal action is consistent with
existing national environmental policies
and objectives as set forth in Section
101 of NEPA and other applicable
environmental requirements and will
not significantly affect the quality of the
human environment within the meaning
of NEPA. Therefore, an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed
Action is not required and the FAA
issued a FONSI.
The FAA has posted the Final EA and
FONSI on the FAA Office of
Commercial Space Transportation Web
site at https://www.faa.gov/about/
office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/
environmental/review/launch/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Daniel Czelusniak, Environmental
Program Lead, Office of Commercial
Space Transportation, Federal Aviation
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Administration, 800 Independence
Avenue, SW., Room 325, Washington,
DC 20591, telephone (202) 267–5924; Email daniel.czelusniak@faa.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 1,
2011.
Michael McElligott,
Manager, Space Systems Development
Division.
[FR Doc. 2011–5242 Filed 3–7–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. FTA–2011–0014]
Agency Information Collection Activity
Under OMB Review
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
DOT.
ACTION:
Notice of request for comments.
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice
announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted
below is forwarded to the Office of
Management and Budget OMB) for
review and comments. A Federal
Register Notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting comments on the
following information collection was
published on December 8, 2010
(Citation 75 FR 76518). No comments
were received from that notice.
DATES: Comments must be submitted
before April 7, 2011. A comment to
OMB is most effective if OMB receives
it within 30 days of publication.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sylvia L. Marion, Office of
Administration, Office of Management
Planning, (202) 366–6680.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Survey of FTA Stakeholders
(OMB Number: 2132–0564).
Abstract: Executive Order 12862,
‘‘Setting Customer Service Standards,’’
requires FTA to identify its customers
and determine what they think about
FTA’s service. The survey covered in
this request will provide FTA with a
means to gather data directly from its
stakeholders. The information obtained
from the survey will be used to assess
how FTA’s services are perceived by
stakeholders, determine opportunities
for improvement and establish goals to
measure results. The survey will be
limited to data collections that solicit
voluntary opinions and will not involve
information that is required by
regulations.
Estimated Total Annual Burden:
1,200 hours.
SUMMARY:
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All written comments must
refer to the docket number that appears
at the top of this document and be
submitted to the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, 725 17th
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503,
Attention: FTA Desk Officer.
Comments are Invited on: Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; the accuracy of
the Department’s estimate of the burden
of the proposed information collection;
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
ADDRESSES:
Issued on: March 2, 2011.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–5203 Filed 3–7–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for a
Proposed Urban Rail system in Austin,
TX
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
DOT.
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
ACTION:
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA), as the Federal
lead agency, and the City of Austin (the
City) intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the proposed Urban Rail system in
Austin, Texas. The EIS will be prepared
in accordance with regulations
implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
well as provisions of the recently
enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU). The
proposed project, described more
completely within, is an Urban Rail
System, similar to Streetcar, that would
connect key activity centers within
Central Austin—Mueller TransitOriented Redevelopment (Mueller), the
University of Texas at Austin (UT)
campus, the State Capitol Complex
(Capitol), the central business district
(CBD), and Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport (ABIA) with each
SUMMARY:
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other and to emerging regional
transportation network nodes for
commuter rail, regional rail, and rapid
bus in Austin, Travis County, Texas.
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: Written 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 to Mr. Scott
Gross, P.E., Study Manager, City of
Austin Transportation Department on or
before Friday, April 29, 2011. Written
comments should be submitted at least
two weeks after the final scoping
meeting or at least 30 days after
publication of the NOI, whichever date
is later. Two public scoping meetings
will be held by FTA during which
questions about the project will be
addressed and written comments will be
accepted. The scoping meetings will be
held on the following dates:
• Monday, April 4, 2011; 2 p.m. to 5
p.m.; at the Austin Convention Center
(Meeting Room 3 on first floor), 500 E.
Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78709,
Telephone (512) 404–4000.
• Wednesday, April 6, 2011; 5 p.m. to
8 p.m.; at the Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory (SEDL)
(Conference Room on first floor) in the
Mueller Redevelopment, 4700 Mueller
Boulevard, Austin, TX 78723,
Telephone (512) 476–6861.
Three local agency public outreach
meetings, at which information about
the project will be provided, will be
held on the following dates:
• Thursday, April 7, 2011; 11 a.m. to
2 p.m.; at the AT&T Executive
Education and Conference Center
(Classroom 103 on first floor), 1900
University Avenue, Austin, TX 78705,
Telephone (512) 404–1900.
• Thursday, April 7, 2011; 5 p.m. to
8 p.m.; at the George Washington Carver
Museum (Museum Foyer), 1161
Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702,
Telephone (512) 974–4926.
• Saturday, April 9, 2011; 11 a.m. to
2 p.m.; at the Ruiz Branch Library
(Meeting Rooms), 1600 Grove
Boulevard, Austin, TX 78741,
Telephone (512) 974–7500.
The buildings used for the meetings
are accessible to persons with
disabilities. Any individual who
requires special assistance, such as a
sign language interpreter, to participate
´
in the meetings should contact Marion
´
Sanchez at Estilo Communications
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(512)–477–1018 or
marion@estilopr.com, five days prior to
the meeting.
Information describing the project
purpose and need and the alternatives
proposed for analysis will be available
at the meetings and on the project Web
site at https://
www.austinstrategicmobility.com/
resources/urban-rail-project. Paper
copies of the information materials may
also be obtained from Mr. Scott Gross,
P.E., Study Manager, City of Austin
Transportation Department at (512)
974–5621 or e-mail
scott.gross@ci.austin.tx.us.
Representatives of Native American
Tribal governments and of all Federal,
State, regional and local agencies that
may have an interest in any aspect of
the project will be invited to be
participating or cooperating agencies, as
appropriate.
ADDRESSES: Written 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 will be accepted at the
public scoping meetings or they may be
sent to: Mr. Scott Gross, P.E., Study
Manager, City of Austin Transportation
Department, 505 Barton Springs Road,
Suite 800, Austin, TX 78704, e-mail
scott.gross@ci.austin.tx.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Julieann Dwyer, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Federal Transit
Administration Region VI, 819 Taylor
Street, Room 8A36, Fort Worth, TX
76102, phone 817–978–0550, e-mail
julieann.dwyer@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Scoping
FTA and the City of Austin invite all
interested individuals and
organizations, public agencies, and
Native American Tribes to comment on
the scope of the EIS for the proposed
Urban Rail system, 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.
‘‘Scoping’’ as described in the
regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (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
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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 * * * [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 participating agencies and posted
on the project Web site. 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 Urban Rail system
is to improve the mobility, connectivity,
and sustainability of Central Austin—
the region’s core—by providing greater
mobility options; improving personmoving capacity; improving access and
linkages to major activity centers and
commuter and regional rail; supporting
the City’s environmental, public health,
and economic development goals; and
encouraging investment.
The need for the proposed Urban Rail
system is based on the following
considerations for Central Austin: A
need for direct connectivity between
Mueller Redevelopment, the University
of Texas, the State Capitol Complex, the
central business district, and Austin-
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Bergstrom International Airport; a need
for a direct link between existing and
planned passenger rail systems at
opposite sides of downtown; a need for
increased transportation network
capacity in constrained rights-of-way
through established neighborhoods; a
need for additional alternatives to
single-occupancy/privately owned
vehicles; a need to attract and
concentrate development within the
region’s core; a need to improve air
quality by reducing the growth of
automobile emissions; and a need to
support the City’s environmental, public
health, and economic development
goals.
Alternatives
The City of Austin Transportation
Department (ATD) completed the
Central Austin Transit Study (CATS)
Alternatives Evaluation in July 2010,
which evaluated potential route,
technology, and investment alternatives.
The CATS is posted on the project Web
site. ATD recommended Urban Rail as
the modal option on the alignment
described above in July 2010, after
evaluating three investment alternatives:
No-Build, Better Bus (TSM), and Urban
Rail. The Better Bus (TSM) Alternative,
as described in detail in the CATS, was
considered per FTA New Starts
requirements and will not be examined
further for NEPA purposes because it
does not meet the purpose and need of
the proposed action. Accordingly, the
Urban Rail Alternative and the No-Build
Alternative are proposed to be evaluated
in the EIS. These two NEPA alternatives
are described as follows:
No-Build Alternative: The No-Build
Alternative is defined as the existing
transportation system, plus any
committed transportation
improvements. Committed
transportation improvements include
the highway and transit projects in
CAMPO’s current fiscally constrained
long-range transportation plan, CAMPO
2035 Plan, as amended, except for the
proposed Urban Rail system. The NoBuild Alternative serves as the NEPA
baseline against which the
environmental effects of other
alternatives, including the proposed
project, are measured. Under the NoBuild Alternative, the transit network
within the project area is projected to be
substantially the same as it is now, with
bus service adjusted to meet anticipated
demand. All elements of the No-Build
Alternative are included in each of the
other alternatives.
Urban Rail Alternative: The Urban
Rail Alternative would utilize modern
streetcar technology on the alignment
described above, along with all of the
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elements of the No-Build Alternative.
Urban Rail is the City of Austin’s term
for an overhead-electric powered
fixed-guideway service that blends the
operational characteristics of modern
streetcar and light rail transit (LRT).
Urban Rail may use shared street or
exclusive rights-of-way with single- or
multi-car trains, boarding passengers at
track level or car floor level.
Other refinements to the Urban Rail
Alternative will be considered as part of
the EIS alternatives’ evaluation process,
including refinement of the proposed
alignment, Lady Bird Lake crossing
options, project termini, operating
plans, stop locations, vehicle storage
and maintenance facility location, and/
or design alternatives, such as medianrunning vs. curb-running location
within the preferred alignment. While
the environmental process will examine
the entire 16.5 mile system, an initial
phase or First Investment Segment (FIS),
consisting of a minimum operating
segment (MOS), will be identified
within this NEPA process and may be
constructed and operated as a starter
system, with the remainder being
constructed during subsequent phases.
In addition to the alternatives
described above, other transit
alternatives identified through the
public and agency scoping process will
be evaluated for potential inclusion in
the EIS.
EIS Process and the Role of
Participating Agencies and the Public
The regulations implementing NEPA,
as well as provisions of the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA–LU), call for public
involvement in the EIS process. Section
6002 of SAFETEA–LU (23 U.S.C. 139)
require that FTA and the City do the
following: (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;’’ (2)
provide an opportunity for involvement
by participating agencies and the public
to help define the purpose and need for
a proposed project, as well as the range
of alternatives for consideration in the
EIS; and (3) establish a plan for
coordinating public and agency
participation in, and comment on, the
environmental review process. 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.
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A comprehensive public involvement
program and a Coordination Plan for
public and interagency involvement
will be developed for the project and
posted on the project’s Web site at
https://www.austinstrategicmobility.com/
resources/urban-rail-project. The public
involvement program includes a full
range of activities including maintaining
the project Web site and outreach to
local officials, community and civic
groups, and the public. Specific
activities or events for involvement will
be detailed in the project’s public
participation plan.
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 written request for a complete
printed set of environmental documents
is received by the close of the scoping
process by the Project Manager
identified under ADDRESSES, FTA and
its grantees will distribute only the
executive summary and a Compact Disc
(CD) of the complete environmental
document. A complete printed set of the
environmental document will be
available for review at the project
sponsor’s offices and elsewhere; an
electronic copy of the complete
environmental document will also be
available on the project Web site.
Other
The City is expecting to seek New or
Small Starts funding for some or all
phases of the proposed project under 49
United States Code 5309 and will,
therefore, be subject to New Starts
regulations (49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) part 611) at some
point in the project development
process. The New and Small Starts
regulations also require the submission
of certain project justification and local
financial commitment information to
support a request to FTA for approval of
entry into the Preliminary Engineering
phase of the New Starts review process.
Pertinent New Starts evaluation criteria
will be included in the EIS.
The EIS will be prepared in
accordance with NEPA and its
implementing regulations issued by the
Council on Environmental Quality (40
CFR parts 1500–1508) and with the
FTA/Federal Highway Administration
regulations ‘‘Environmental Impact and
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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: March 2, 2011.
Blas M. Uribe,
Deputy Regional Administrator, Federal
Transit Administration Region VI, Fort Worth,
Texas.
[FR Doc. 2011–5201 Filed 3–7–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
Information Collection Activities:
Submission for the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
Review; Request for Comment
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of the OMB review of
information collection and solicitation
of public comment.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice
announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted
below will be submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review. The ICR describes the nature of
the information collection and its
expected burden. A Federal Register
Notice with a 60-day comment period
soliciting public comment on the
following information collection was
published on December 9, 2010 (75 FR
76781–76783).
DATES: Submit comments to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) on or
before April 7, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk
Officer for Department of
Transportation, National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alan Block at the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, Office of
Behavioral Safety Research (NTI–131),
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Block’s
phone number is 202–366–6401 and his
e-mail address is alan.block@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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SUMMARY:
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Title: Evaluation Surveys for Impaired
Driving and Seat Belt Interventions.
OMB Number: 2127–0646.
Type of Request: Revision.
Abstract: Telephone surveys have
been an important component in
NHTSA’s evaluation of seat belt and
alcohol-impaired driving intervention
activity. They have been used to
measure public awareness of
intervention campaigns, penetration of
campaign messages, and perceived risk
of negative consequences from engaging
in proscribed behavior. The surveys
have typically followed a pre-post
design, where differences between an
initial baseline survey wave and a later
survey wave were associated with an
intervening intervention. NHTSA has
found such surveys to be valuable in
assessing the multi-million dollar
national media campaigns conducted
for the National Impaired Driving
Crackdowns and the National Click It or
Ticket Mobilizations. They also have
been useful in evaluating localized
programs that tested variants of
intervention models by providing
information to assess campaign
communications or interpret collected
behavioral measures. With seat belt and
alcohol-impaired driving intervention
activity anticipated to remain heavy for
the foreseeable future, there is a need for
NHTSA to continue to apply these data
collection techniques to see if the
campaigns are achieving their
objectives.
NHTSA is proposing to continue
conducting national telephone surveys
surrounding the National Impaired
Driving Crackdowns and National Click
It or Ticket Mobilizations. In conducting
one or more of the National surveys,
NHTSA may have a need to collect
information to assess localized activity
associated with the National Crackdown
or Mobilization. This would involve
augmentation of the pre- and post
national sample with one or more
Regional, State, or Community samples.
In addition to the telephone surveys
associated with the National Impaired
Driving Crackdown and National Click
It or Ticket Mobilization, NHTSA
intends to conduct telephone surveys to
assess selected demonstrations of
interventions designed to reduce
alcohol-impaired driving and/or
increase seat belt use. The surveys will
also follow a pre-post design.
Interventions sustained over an
extended period of time may add one or
more interim survey waves.
NHTSA currently has an approved
inventory of 164,800 10-minute
interviews under OMB Number 2127–
0646 for surveys to help assess the
National Impaired Driving Crackdowns,
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the National Click It or Ticket
Mobilizations, and certain localized seat
belt or alcohol-impaired driving
demonstration projects. To date,
approximately 59,000 interviews have
either been completed or are scheduled
to be completed prior to an OMB
decision regarding this requested
revision. The requested revision is to
decrease the inventory to 160,211 while
renewing the clearance for three more
years.
Affected Public: Randomly selected
members of the general public eighteen
and older in telephone households.
Estimated Total Annual Burden:
5,600 hours per year (33,600 10-minute
interviews) divided as follows: 2,000
hours (12,000 interviews) for national
surveys associated with the National
Impaired Driving Crackdowns or
National Click It or Ticket
Mobilizations, 1,333 hours (8,000
interviews) for localized surveys
associated with the National
Crackdowns or Mobilizations, and 2,267
hours (13,600 interviews) for other
selected seat belt or alcohol-impaired
driving demonstrations. Over a three
year period this would be 16,800 hours
for 100,800 interviews.
Comments are invited on: Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Department of
Transportation, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
the accuracy of the Department’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
information collection; ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the
information to be collected; and ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including
the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. A comment to OMB is most
effective if OMB receives it within 30
days of publication.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. Section 3506(c)(2)(A).
Jeffrey Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and
Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2011–5216 Filed 3–7–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–59–P
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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12788-12791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5201]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Urban Rail system
in Austin, TX
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as the Federal lead
agency, and the City of Austin (the City) intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Urban Rail system
in Austin, Texas. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with
regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
as well as provisions of the recently enacted Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU). The proposed project, described more completely within,
is an Urban Rail System, similar to Streetcar, that would connect key
activity centers within Central Austin--Mueller Transit-Oriented
Redevelopment (Mueller), the University of Texas at Austin (UT) campus,
the State Capitol Complex (Capitol), the central business district
(CBD), and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) with each
[[Page 12789]]
other and to emerging regional transportation network nodes for
commuter rail, regional rail, and rapid bus in Austin, Travis County,
Texas. 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: Written 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 to Mr. Scott Gross, P.E., Study Manager,
City of Austin Transportation Department on or before Friday, April 29,
2011. Written comments should be submitted at least two weeks after the
final scoping meeting or at least 30 days after publication of the NOI,
whichever date is later. Two public scoping meetings will be held by
FTA during which questions about the project will be addressed and
written comments will be accepted. The scoping meetings will be held on
the following dates:
Monday, April 4, 2011; 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.; at the Austin
Convention Center (Meeting Room 3 on first floor), 500 E. Cesar Chavez
Street, Austin, TX 78709, Telephone (512) 404-4000.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; at the
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) (Conference Room on
first floor) in the Mueller Redevelopment, 4700 Mueller Boulevard,
Austin, TX 78723, Telephone (512) 476-6861.
Three local agency public outreach meetings, at which information
about the project will be provided, will be held on the following
dates:
Thursday, April 7, 2011; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; at the AT&T
Executive Education and Conference Center (Classroom 103 on first
floor), 1900 University Avenue, Austin, TX 78705, Telephone (512) 404-
1900.
Thursday, April 7, 2011; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; at the George
Washington Carver Museum (Museum Foyer), 1161 Angelina Street, Austin,
TX 78702, Telephone (512) 974-4926.
Saturday, April 9, 2011; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; at the Ruiz
Branch Library (Meeting Rooms), 1600 Grove Boulevard, Austin, TX 78741,
Telephone (512) 974-7500.
The buildings used for the meetings are accessible to persons with
disabilities. Any individual who requires special assistance, such as a
sign language interpreter, to participate in the meetings should
contact Mari[oacute]n S[aacute]nchez at Estilo Communications (512)-
477-1018 or marion@estilopr.com, five days prior to the meeting.
Information describing the project purpose and need and the
alternatives proposed for analysis will be available at the meetings
and on the project Web site at https://www.austinstrategicmobility.com/resources/urban-rail-project. Paper copies of the information materials
may also be obtained from Mr. Scott Gross, P.E., Study Manager, City of
Austin Transportation Department at (512) 974-5621 or e-mail
scott.gross@ci.austin.tx.us. Representatives of Native American Tribal
governments and of all Federal, State, regional and local agencies that
may have an interest in any aspect of the project will be invited to be
participating or cooperating agencies, as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: Written 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 will be accepted at the public scoping meetings or they may
be sent to: Mr. Scott Gross, P.E., Study Manager, City of Austin
Transportation Department, 505 Barton Springs Road, Suite 800, Austin,
TX 78704, e-mail scott.gross@ci.austin.tx.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Julieann Dwyer, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Federal Transit Administration Region VI, 819
Taylor Street, Room 8A36, Fort Worth, TX 76102, phone 817-978-0550, e-
mail julieann.dwyer@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Scoping
FTA and the City of Austin invite all interested individuals and
organizations, public agencies, and Native American Tribes to comment
on the scope of the EIS for the proposed Urban Rail system, 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.
``Scoping'' as described in the regulations implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (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 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 participating agencies
and posted on the project Web site. 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 Urban Rail system is to improve the mobility,
connectivity, and sustainability of Central Austin--the region's core--
by providing greater mobility options; improving person-moving
capacity; improving access and linkages to major activity centers and
commuter and regional rail; supporting the City's environmental, public
health, and economic development goals; and encouraging investment.
The need for the proposed Urban Rail system is based on the
following considerations for Central Austin: A need for direct
connectivity between Mueller Redevelopment, the University of Texas,
the State Capitol Complex, the central business district, and Austin-
[[Page 12790]]
Bergstrom International Airport; a need for a direct link between
existing and planned passenger rail systems at opposite sides of
downtown; a need for increased transportation network capacity in
constrained rights-of-way through established neighborhoods; a need for
additional alternatives to single-occupancy/privately owned vehicles; a
need to attract and concentrate development within the region's core; a
need to improve air quality by reducing the growth of automobile
emissions; and a need to support the City's environmental, public
health, and economic development goals.
Alternatives
The City of Austin Transportation Department (ATD) completed the
Central Austin Transit Study (CATS) Alternatives Evaluation in July
2010, which evaluated potential route, technology, and investment
alternatives. The CATS is posted on the project Web site. ATD
recommended Urban Rail as the modal option on the alignment described
above in July 2010, after evaluating three investment alternatives: No-
Build, Better Bus (TSM), and Urban Rail. The Better Bus (TSM)
Alternative, as described in detail in the CATS, was considered per FTA
New Starts requirements and will not be examined further for NEPA
purposes because it does not meet the purpose and need of the proposed
action. Accordingly, the Urban Rail Alternative and the No-Build
Alternative are proposed to be evaluated in the EIS. These two NEPA
alternatives are described as follows:
No-Build Alternative: The No-Build Alternative is defined as the
existing transportation system, plus any committed transportation
improvements. Committed transportation improvements include the highway
and transit projects in CAMPO's current fiscally constrained long-range
transportation plan, CAMPO 2035 Plan, as amended, except for the
proposed Urban Rail system. The No-Build Alternative serves as the NEPA
baseline against which the environmental effects of other alternatives,
including the proposed project, are measured. Under the No-Build
Alternative, the transit network within the project area is projected
to be substantially the same as it is now, with bus service adjusted to
meet anticipated demand. All elements of the No-Build Alternative are
included in each of the other alternatives.
Urban Rail Alternative: The Urban Rail Alternative would utilize
modern streetcar technology on the alignment described above, along
with all of the elements of the No[hyphen]Build Alternative. Urban Rail
is the City of Austin's term for an overhead[hyphen]electric powered
fixed[hyphen]guideway service that blends the operational
characteristics of modern streetcar and light rail transit (LRT). Urban
Rail may use shared street or exclusive rights-of-way with single- or
multi-car trains, boarding passengers at track level or car floor
level.
Other refinements to the Urban Rail Alternative will be considered
as part of the EIS alternatives' evaluation process, including
refinement of the proposed alignment, Lady Bird Lake crossing options,
project termini, operating plans, stop locations, vehicle storage and
maintenance facility location, and/or design alternatives, such as
median-running vs. curb-running location within the preferred
alignment. While the environmental process will examine the entire 16.5
mile system, an initial phase or First Investment Segment (FIS),
consisting of a minimum operating segment (MOS), will be identified
within this NEPA process and may be constructed and operated as a
starter system, with the remainder being constructed during subsequent
phases.
In addition to the alternatives described above, other transit
alternatives identified through the public and agency scoping process
will be evaluated for potential inclusion in the EIS.
EIS Process and the Role of Participating Agencies and the Public
The regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), call for public involvement in the EIS
process. Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU (23 U.S.C. 139) require that FTA
and the City do the following: (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;'' (2) provide an opportunity for involvement by participating
agencies and the public to help define the purpose and need for a
proposed project, as well as the range of alternatives for
consideration in the EIS; and (3) establish a plan for coordinating
public and agency participation in, and comment on, the environmental
review process. 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.
A comprehensive public involvement program and a Coordination Plan
for public and interagency involvement will be developed for the
project and posted on the project's Web site at https://www.austinstrategicmobility.com/resources/urban-rail-project. The
public involvement program includes a full range of activities
including maintaining the project Web site and outreach to local
officials, community and civic groups, and the public. Specific
activities or events for involvement will be detailed in the project's
public participation plan.
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
written request for a complete printed set of environmental documents
is received by the close of the scoping process by the Project Manager
identified under ADDRESSES, FTA and its grantees will distribute only
the executive summary and a Compact Disc (CD) of the complete
environmental document. A complete printed set of the environmental
document will be available for review at the project sponsor's offices
and elsewhere; an electronic copy of the complete environmental
document will also be available on the project Web site.
Other
The City is expecting to seek New or Small Starts funding for some
or all phases of the proposed project under 49 United States Code 5309
and will, therefore, be subject to New Starts regulations (49 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) part 611) at some point in the project
development process. The New and Small Starts regulations also require
the submission of certain project justification and local financial
commitment information to support a request to FTA for approval of
entry into the Preliminary Engineering phase of the New Starts review
process. Pertinent New Starts evaluation criteria will be included in
the EIS.
The EIS will be prepared in accordance with NEPA and its
implementing regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and with the FTA/Federal Highway
Administration regulations ``Environmental Impact and
[[Page 12791]]
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: March 2, 2011.
Blas M. Uribe,
Deputy Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration Region
VI, Fort Worth, Texas.
[FR Doc. 2011-5201 Filed 3-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
