Petition for Waiver of Compliance, 69921-69922 [2012-28351]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 225 / Wednesday, November 21, 2012 / Notices
the joint-lead state agency for the
environmental review process.
IDOT proposes to improve high speed
passenger rail service between Chicago,
Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri,
including the rail lines through
Springfield, Illinois. The proposal
includes the development of double
track along the railroad corridor to
improve high-speed passenger service
reliability and safety, and to increase the
number of trips between Chicago and St.
Louis, as well as improvements to
railroad crossings, signals, and stations.
The Final EIS presents the Program’s
purpose and need, identifies all
reasonable alternatives, describes the
affected environment, analyzes the
potential environmental impacts of all
the reasonable alternatives and the NoBuild Alternative, and identifies the
Preferred Alternative and appropriate
mitigation measures to minimize the
potential environmental impacts.
DATES: FRA will issue a final decision
on the proposal after the 30 day wait
period which concludes on December
10, 2012, established by Environmental
Protection Agency’s publication of the
notice of availability of the EIS in the
Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS have
been sent to affected Federal, State, and
local government agencies,
stakeholders, and are also available for
public review at IDOT, 505 North
MacArthur Boulevard, Springfield,
Illinois 62702 and online at FRA’s Web
site: https://www.fra.dot.gov and IDOT’s
Web site: https://www.idothsr.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andrea E. Martin, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Office of Railroad
Policy and Development, Federal
Railroad Administration, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., MS–20,
Washington, DC 20590; email:
andrea.martin@dot.gov; telephone: 202–
493–6201 or Joseph E. Shacter, Director,
Division of Public and Intermodal
Transportation, Illinois Department of
Transportation, 100 West Randolph
Street, Suite 6–600, Chicago, Illinois
60601; email:
Joseph.Shacter@Illinois.gov; telephone:
312–793–2116.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed Program would include the
development of a double track and
railroad crossings, signals, and stations
along a preferred route of existing
railroad corridors between Chicago,
Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri, to
improve high-speed passenger service
reliability and safety, and increase the
number of trips. This Program of
improvements would be in addition to
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16:56 Nov 20, 2012
Jkt 229001
those associated with FRA studies
within the Chicago to St. Louis Corridor
previously conducted from 2004 and
2011 and being implemented by IDOT.
The Final EIS identifies and evaluates
the environmental and transportation
impacts for corridor capacity
enhancements, including double track.
The current Chicago to St. Louis
Corridor operates predominantly on a
single track that is shared by both
traditional freight and Amtrak passenger
rail service.
A tiered environmental process was
used to evaluate the proposed Program.
A tiered environmental process is a
phased environmental review used in
the development of complex projects.
Under this process, the Tier 1 EIS
addresses broad, corridor issues and
alternatives. Tier 2 environmental
documents address individual
component projects of the Selected
Alternative carried forward from the
Tier 1 environmental process.
Concurrently with this Tier 1 study of
the full Chicago to St. Louis Corridor,
IDOT and FRA conducted a Tier 2
evaluation for the portion of the HighSpeed Rail Corridor in Springfield, IL.
In June 2012, IDOT circulated the
Draft Tier 1 EIS for a 45-day public and
agency review and comment period
pursuant to 40 CFR 1502.9(b). The Draft
Tier 1 EIS analyzed a No-Build
Alternative and various Build
Alternatives. IDOT and FRA convened
public hearings in August 2012 in
Chicago, Joliet, Springfield,
Bloomington, and Alton, Illinois.
The IDOT and FRA considered the
entire record and compared the
potential environmental impacts of the
Tier 1 Build Alternatives, as well as
impacts of the No-Build Alternative, in
order to select the Preferred Alternative.
The Preferred Alternative follows the
existing Amtrak passenger corridor,
except through Springfield and north of
Joliet. Between Chicago and Joliet, the
Preferred Alternative follows the Metra
Rock Island District line from Joliet
Union Station to the Norfolk Southern
(NS) line near 40th Street in Chicago,
the NS to Amtrak south of Union
Station, and Amtrak owned tracks to
Union Station. The Preferred
Alternative allows for eight daily round
trips at 110 miles per hour (mph) on two
tracks.
Other improvements also identified in
the Final EIS include sidings, pedestrian
grade separations at the stations, and
grade separations along major roadways.
Individual component projects along the
corridor would be advanced and studied
in greater detail as future Tier 2 projectlevel evaluations, as part of the tiered
environmental review process.
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69921
A Tier 2 project-level evaluation for
improvements in Springfield is also
included within the Final EIS. The
Springfield Rail Improvements Project
has been advanced concurrently as a
component of the overall corridor
program. The Tier 2 evaluation further
considers the environmental and
transportation impacts of alternatives
following different rail routes through
the City of Springfield, Illinois. The
evaluation addresses safety, noise, and
traffic delays that would result from
increased volumes of both passenger
and freight rail traffic on the three
north-south rail corridors that pass
through the City of Springfield. In
Springfield (as identified in the Tier 2
project-level evaluation), the Preferred
Alternative is to shift Union Pacific (UP)
freight as well as new and existing
Amtrak passenger trains to an expanded
NS corridor along Tenth Street.
This Final EIS has been prepared in
compliance with the provisions of
Section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA
(40 CFR part 1500 et seq.), and FRA’s
Procedures for Considering
Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545;
May 26, 1999).
Issued in Washington, DC, on November
15, 2012.
Corey W. Hill,
Director, Office of Passenger and Freight
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012–28301 Filed 11–20–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2002–13398]
Petition for Waiver of Compliance
In accordance with Parts 240 and 242
of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), this document provides the
public notice that by a document dated
August 16, 2012, the Hillsborough Area
Regional Transit Authority (HART) has
petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of
compliance from certain provisions of
the Federal railroad safety regulations
contained at 49 CFR part 240—
Qualification and Certification of
Locomotive Engineers and 49 CFR part
242—Qualification and Certification of
Conductors for continued operation of
its TECO Line Streetcar System at a
‘‘limited connection’’ with a railroad
operated by CSX Transportation (CSX).
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srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with
69922
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 225 / Wednesday, November 21, 2012 / Notices
In its petition, HART seeks to extend
the terms and conditions of its Shared
Use waiver (originally granted by FRA’s
Railroad Safety Board (Board) on
October 18, 2002, and extended on July
14, 2006) for operation of its TECO
Trolley across the 14th Street automatic
interlocking at-grade rail-rail diamond
crossing with CSX in Tampa, FL.
On January 11, 2011, HART requested
an extension of the terms and
conditions of its Shared Use waiver for
operation of its TECO Trolley. The
Board granted HART’s request for an
extension of the relief for a period of
only 18 months, citing deficiencies
found during recent FRA inspections.
FRA granted the 18-month extension on
the condition that HART remedies the
deficiencies and conducts, at the least,
quarterly meetings to review operations
at this crossing with CSX and the
Florida Department of Transportation.
FRA would continue to review its
operation, and HART could apply for
another extension prior to the end of
that time period. HART states in its
current petition letter that during two
FRA inspections, no deficiencies in its
operation were found, and requests a 5year extension of the original waiver.
For the reasons stated above, HART
explained that its request is consistent
with the waiver process for shared use.
See Statement of Agency Policy
Concerning Jurisdiction Over the Safety
of Railroad Passenger Operations and
Waivers Related to Shared Use of the
Tracks of the General Railroad System
by Light Rail and Conventional
Equipment, 65 FR 42529 (July 10, 2000);
see also Joint Statement of Agency
Policy Concerning Shared Use of the
Tracks of the General Railroad System
by Conventional Railroads and Light
Rail Transit Systems, 65 FR 42626 (July
10, 2000).
A copy of the petition, as well as any
written communications concerning the
petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov and in person at
the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590. The Docket
Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal Holidays.
Interested parties are invited to
participate in these proceedings by
submitting written views, data, or
comments. FRA does not anticipate
scheduling a public hearing in
connection with these proceedings since
the facts do not appear to warrant a
hearing. If any interested party desires
an opportunity for oral comment, they
should notify FRA, in writing, before
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16:56 Nov 20, 2012
Jkt 229001
the end of the comment period and
specify the basis for their request.
All communications concerning these
proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be
submitted by any of the following
methods:
• Web site: https://
www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 202–493–2251.
• Mail: Docket Operations Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal Holidays.
Communications received by January
7, 2013 will be considered by FRA
before final action is taken. Comments
received after that date will be
considered as far as practicable.
Anyone is able to search the
electronic form of any written
communications and comments
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or signing the comment, if
submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume
65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78), or
online at https://www.dot.gov/
privacy.html.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November
15, 2012.
Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for
Regulatory and Legislative Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012–28351 Filed 11–20–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2012–0083]
Petition for Waiver of Compliance
In accordance with Part 211 of Title
49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
this document provides the public
notice that by a document dated October
5, 2012, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit)
has petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of
compliance from certain provisions of
the Federal railroad safety regulations at
49 CFR part 218, Railroad Operating
Practices. FRA assigned the petition
Docket Number FRA–2012–0083.
NJ Transit owns and operates service
on the Pascack Valley Line, which runs
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Frm 00134
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
from Spring Valley, NY to Hoboken, NJ.
Commuter rail service for the three
stations in New York State (Spring
Valley, Pearl River, and Nanuet) is
provided under contract with MetroNorth Railroad. Woodbine Yard, located
in Spring Valley, NY, has been in
service long before NJ Transit became
operational on January 1, 1983. The
yard consists of three tracks terminating
at the end of the 31-mile Pascack Valley
Line. In 2003, the yard was expanded
and updated to make room for
additional commuter rail service on the
line. All three tracks were extended to
the maximum distance allowed by the
available land for train storage and use
by mechanical personnel for inspection,
servicing, and repairs that require Blue
Signal Protection.
The current Mechanical Department
workforce at this facility includes
approximately 24 employees inspecting,
servicing, and repairing approximately
10 trains per day. The allotted times for
servicing equipment are restricted due
to train availability, time of day, and
train scheduling requirements.
Currently, all three tracks are used for
inspection, servicing, and repairs that
require Blue Signal Protection. The
maximum track space on each track is
being used to accommodate the current
length of the train consists. However,
complying with the current regulations
requiring derails to be placed 150 feet
away from equipment requiring Blue
Signal Protection will restrict the train
lengths that can be placed on a given
track. In addition, lining and locking a
track switch away from the track being
protected will restrict the amount of
equipment that can be simultaneously
inspected, serviced, or repaired.
Based on the situation described
above, NJ Transit seeks a waiver from 49
CFR Section 218.29(c)(1) for Woodbine
Yard in Spring Valley, NY. This section
requires that derails protecting tracks
under Blue Signal Protection be placed
‘‘no less than 150 feet’’ from equipment
and locked ‘‘with an effective locking
device.’’ The combination of the yard
layout at Spring Valley and equipment
track occupancy is such that meeting
this requirement is impractical. In
addition, the layout of switches to
individual tracks is such that the use of
the method of lining switches against
movement as provided by Section
218.27(b) is also impractical due to track
configuration and the necessity to
inspect, service, and repair equipment
on the adjacent tracks simultaneously.
In lieu of Section 218.29(c)(1), NJ
Transit requests that FRA grant
permission to NJ Transit to use Section
218.29(a)(4) that permits the placement
of derails at least 50 feet from the end
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69921-69922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28351]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2002-13398]
Petition for Waiver of Compliance
In accordance with Parts 240 and 242 of Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a
document dated August 16, 2012, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
Authority (HART) has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal
railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 240--Qualification
and Certification of Locomotive Engineers and 49 CFR part 242--
Qualification and Certification of Conductors for continued operation
of its TECO Line Streetcar System at a ``limited connection'' with a
railroad operated by CSX Transportation (CSX).
[[Page 69922]]
In its petition, HART seeks to extend the terms and conditions of
its Shared Use waiver (originally granted by FRA's Railroad Safety
Board (Board) on October 18, 2002, and extended on July 14, 2006) for
operation of its TECO Trolley across the 14th Street automatic
interlocking at-grade rail-rail diamond crossing with CSX in Tampa, FL.
On January 11, 2011, HART requested an extension of the terms and
conditions of its Shared Use waiver for operation of its TECO Trolley.
The Board granted HART's request for an extension of the relief for a
period of only 18 months, citing deficiencies found during recent FRA
inspections. FRA granted the 18-month extension on the condition that
HART remedies the deficiencies and conducts, at the least, quarterly
meetings to review operations at this crossing with CSX and the Florida
Department of Transportation. FRA would continue to review its
operation, and HART could apply for another extension prior to the end
of that time period. HART states in its current petition letter that
during two FRA inspections, no deficiencies in its operation were
found, and requests a 5-year extension of the original waiver.
For the reasons stated above, HART explained that its request is
consistent with the waiver process for shared use. See Statement of
Agency Policy Concerning Jurisdiction Over the Safety of Railroad
Passenger Operations and Waivers Related to Shared Use of the Tracks of
the General Railroad System by Light Rail and Conventional Equipment,
65 FR 42529 (July 10, 2000); see also Joint Statement of Agency Policy
Concerning Shared Use of the Tracks of the General Railroad System by
Conventional Railroads and Light Rail Transit Systems, 65 FR 42626
(July 10, 2000).
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of
Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations
Facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal Holidays.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party
desires an opportunity for oral comment, they should notify FRA, in
writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for
their request.
All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following
methods:
Web site: https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC
20590.
Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal Holidays.
Communications received by January 7, 2013 will be considered by
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date
will be considered as far as practicable.
Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written
communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment,
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages
19477-78), or online at https://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2012.
Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-28351 Filed 11-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P