Service Level Environmental Impact Statement for the Texas Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study Corridor, South Texas to Oklahoma City, 16036-16039 [2013-05732]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 49 / Wednesday, March 13, 2013 / Notices
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or of the person signing the
comment, if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review DOT’s Privacy Act
Statement for the Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) published
in the Federal Register on December 29,
2010 (75 FR 82132), or you may visit
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-201012-29/pdf/2010-32876.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elaine M. Papp, Chief, Medical
Programs Division, 202–366–4001,
fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA,
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W64–
224, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315,
FMCSA may renew an exemption from
the vision requirements in 49 CFR
391.41(b)(10), which applies to drivers
of CMVs in interstate commerce, for a
two-year period if it finds ‘‘such
exemption would likely achieve a level
of safety that is equivalent to or greater
than the level that would be achieved
absent such exemption.’’ The
procedures for requesting an exemption
(including renewals) are set out in 49
CFR part 381.
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Exemption Decision
This notice addresses 5 individuals
who have requested renewal of their
exemptions in accordance with FMCSA
procedures. FMCSA has evaluated these
5 applications for renewal on their
merits and decided to extend each
exemption for a renewable two-year
period. They are:
Richard D. Carlson (MN)
Robert P. Conrad, Sr. (MD)
Donald P. Dodson, Jr. (WV)
James A. Stoudt (PA)
Ralph A. Thompson (KY)
The exemptions are extended subject
to the following conditions: (1) That
each individual has a physical
examination every year (a) by an
ophthalmologist or optometrist who
attests that the vision in the better eye
continues to meet the requirements in
49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), and (b) by a
medical examiner who attests that the
individual is otherwise physically
qualified under 49 CFR 391.41; (2) that
each individual provides a copy of the
ophthalmologist’s or optometrist’s
report to the medical examiner at the
time of the annual medical examination;
and (3) that each individual provide a
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copy of the annual medical certification
to the employer for retention in the
driver’s qualification file and retains a
copy of the certification on his/her
person while driving for presentation to
a duly authorized Federal, State, or local
enforcement official. Each exemption
will be valid for two years unless
rescinded earlier by FMCSA. The
exemption will be rescinded if: (1) The
person fails to comply with the terms
and conditions of the exemption; (2) the
exemption has resulted in a lower level
of safety than was maintained before it
was granted; or (3) continuation of the
exemption would not be consistent with
the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C.
31136(e) and 31315.
Basis for Renewing Exemptions
Under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(1), an
exemption may be granted for no longer
than two years from its approval date
and may be renewed upon application
for additional two year periods. In
accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and
31315, each of the 5 applicants has
satisfied the entry conditions for
obtaining an exemption from the vision
requirements (63 FR 66226; 64 FR
16517; 65 FR 20245; 65 FR 57230; 65 FR
78256; 66 FR 16311; 66 FR 17994; 67 FR
57266; 67 FR 76439; 68 FR 10298; 68 FR
13360; 68 FR 15037; 69 FR 52741; 70 FR
12265; 70 FR 14747; 70 FR 16887; 70 FR
2701; 70 FR 7545; 72 FR 12665; 74 FR
9329; 76 FR 15360). Each of these 5
applicants has requested renewal of the
exemption and has submitted evidence
showing that the vision in the better eye
continues to meet the requirement
specified at 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and
that the vision impairment is stable. In
addition, a review of each record of
safety while driving with the respective
vision deficiencies over the past two
years indicates each applicant continues
to meet the vision exemption
requirements.
These factors provide an adequate
basis for predicting each driver’s ability
to continue to drive safely in interstate
commerce. Therefore, FMCSA
concludes that extending the exemption
for each renewal applicant for a period
of two years is likely to achieve a level
of safety equal to that existing without
the exemption.
Request for Comments
FMCSA will review comments
received at any time concerning a
particular driver’s safety record and
determine if the continuation of the
exemption is consistent with the
requirements at 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and
31315. However, FMCSA requests that
interested parties with specific data
concerning the safety records of these
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drivers submit comments by April 12,
2013.
FMCSA believes that the
requirements for a renewal of an
exemption under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and
31315 can be satisfied by initially
granting the renewal and then
requesting and evaluating, if needed,
subsequent comments submitted by
interested parties. As indicated above,
the Agency previously published
notices of final disposition announcing
its decision to exempt these 5
individuals from the vision requirement
in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). The final
decision to grant an exemption to each
of these individuals was made on the
merits of each case and made only after
careful consideration of the comments
received to its notices of applications.
The notices of applications stated in
detail the qualifications, experience,
and medical condition of each applicant
for an exemption from the vision
requirements. That information is
available by consulting the above cited
Federal Register publications.
Interested parties or organizations
possessing information that would
otherwise show that any, or all, of these
drivers are not currently achieving the
statutory level of safety should
immediately notify FMCSA. The
Agency will evaluate any adverse
evidence submitted and, if safety is
being compromised or if continuation of
the exemption would not be consistent
with the goals and objectives of 49
U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA will
take immediate steps to revoke the
exemption of a driver.
Issued on: March 4, 2013.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013–05746 Filed 3–12–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Service Level Environmental Impact
Statement for the Texas Oklahoma
Passenger Rail Study Corridor, South
Texas to Oklahoma City
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA).
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
AGENCY:
FRA is issuing this notice to
advise the public that it will prepare a
Service Level/Tier 1 EIS with the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
to study potential new and/or improved
high-speed intercity passenger rail
service along an 850-mile corridor
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 49 / Wednesday, March 13, 2013 / Notices
extending from Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, to the south Texas cities of
Laredo and Brownsville (proposed
action). In addition to the Service Level
EIS, the Texas Oklahoma Passenger Rail
Study (Study) also includes preparation
of a service development plan for the
corridor for each of three sections of the
corridor: Oklahoma City to Dallas/Fort
Worth, Dallas/Fort Worth to San
Antonio, and San Antonio to south
Texas. The Oklahoma Department of
Transportation (ODOT) is a partnering
state agency in the development of the
EIS. The Service Level EIS will evaluate
a reasonable range of corridor
alternatives and make decisions
regarding the preferred corridor,
location of train service termini,
location of intermediate stops, the level
of service, and future planning for
projects to implement the service.
Alternatives under consideration will
include a No Action (No Build)
alternative, as well as multiple build
alternatives. The build alternatives may
include infrastructure improvements in
existing or prior rail corridors, the
development of one or more new rail
corridors, or a combination of both, as
well as varying levels of service. FRA is
issuing this Notice to solicit public and
agency input in the development of the
scope of the EIS and to advise the public
that FRA and TxDOT will conduct
outreach activities regarding the scope
of the EIS. To ensure all significant
issues are identified and considered, the
public is invited to comment on the
scope of the EIS, including the purpose
and need, alternatives to be considered,
impacts to be evaluated, and
methodologies to be used in the
evaluation.
Written comments on the scope
of the Service Level EIS for the Texas
Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study should
be provided to TxDOT by April 26,
2013. Comments will also be accepted at
public scoping meetings to be held from
March 25, 2013, through April 4, 2013,
at the times and locations identified
below:
• Oklahoma City: Metro Tech Center,
1900 Springlake Drive, Oklahoma City,
OK on March 25, 2013 from 2 p.m.
through 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. through
8 p.m.
• Ardmore: Ardmore Train Station,
251 E. Main Street, Ardmore, OK on
March 26, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8
p.m.
• Sherman: Sherman Senior Center,
1500 N. Broughton Street, Sherman, TX
on April 2, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8
p.m.
• Fort Worth: TxDOT Training
Offices, 2501 SW Loop 820, Fort Worth,
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TX on March 28, 2013 from 6 p.m.
through 8 p.m.
• Dallas: MSDC Offices, 8828 N.
Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX on April
3, 2013 from 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. and
from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
• Belton: Central Texas Council of
Governments, 2180 N, Main Street,
Belton, TX on April 1, 2013 from 6 p.m.
through 8 p.m.
• Waco: Heart of Texas Council of
Governments, 1514 S. New Road, Waco,
TX on March 25, 2013 from 6 p.m.
through 8 p.m.
• Austin: TxDOT Austin Office,
Building 7, 7901 N. IH 35, Austin, TX
on March 27, 2013 from 2 p.m. through
4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
• Windcrest: Windcrest Civic Center,
9310 Jim Seal Drive, Windcrest, TX on
April 1, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8
p.m.
• Harlingen: Harlingen City Hall, 502
E. Tyler Avenue, Harlingen, TX on April
4, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
• Corpus Christi: TxDOT Offices,
1701 S. Padre Island Drive, Corpus
Christi, TX on April 2, 2013 from 6 p.m.
through 8 p.m.
• Laredo: TxDOT Offices, 1817 Bob
Bullock Avenue, Laredo, TX on April 3,
2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the
scope of this study should be mailed or
emailed to Mr. Mark Werner, Rail
Division, Texas Department of
Transportation, 125 E. 11th Street,
Austin, TX 78701–2483. The email
address is provided on the project Web
site: www.txokrail.org.
The buildings used for the scoping
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 Mr. Mark
Werner, Project Manager, Texas
Department of Transportation, (512)
486–5137, seven calendar days prior to
the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Mark Werner, Project Manager, TxDOT,
125 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701–
2483, (512) 486–5137; or Ms. Catherine
Dobbs, Office of Railroad Policy and
Development, Federal Railroad
Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590,
(202) 493–6347 . Information and
documents regarding the Service Level
EIS and environmental process will be
made available for the duration of the
environmental process at:
www.txokrail.org.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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16037
I. Environmental Review Process
The Service Level (Tier 1) EIS will be
prepared in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing
NEPA and the FRA’s Procedures for
Considering Environmental Impacts as
set forth in 64 FR 28545 dated May 26,
1999 (Environmental Procedures). The
Service Level EIS will also address
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the U.S.
Department of Transportation Act of
1966 (49 U.S.C. 303) and other
applicable Federal and state laws and
regulations. The Service Level EIS and
any subsequent project (Tier 2)
environmental documents will be
developed in accordance with CEQ
regulations, FRA’s Environmental
Procedures, and FRA’s Update to NEPA
Implementing Procedures (78 FR 2713;
January 14, 2013).
FRA and TxDOT will use a tiered
process, as provided for in 40 CFR
1508.28, in the completion of the
environmental review of the Study.
‘‘Tiering’’ is a staged environmental
review process applied to
environmental reviews for complex
projects. The Service Level EIS will
address first tier of broad corridor issues
and alternatives. Subsequent projectlevel second tier NEPA evaluations will
analyze site-specific projects based on
the decisions made at the Service Level.
The Service Level NEPA assessment
will result in an EIS with the
appropriate level of detail for corridor
decisions and will address broad overall
issues of concern, including but not
limited to:
• Confirm the purpose and need for
the proposed action.
• Confirm the study area appropriate
to assess reasonable alternatives.
• Identify a comprehensive set of
goals and objectives for the corridor in
conjunction with stakeholders. These
goals and objectives will be crafted to
allow comprehensive evaluation of all
aspects of study alternatives necessary
to achieve the goals, including train
operations, vehicles, and infrastructure.
• Develop alternative evaluation
criteria based on purpose and need,
goals and objectives.
• Identify the range of reasonable
alternatives to be considered, consistent
with the current and planned use of the
corridor and the existing services within
and adjacent to the study area, as well
as considering a no action/no build
alternative.
• Identify the general corridor
alignment(s) and right-of-way
requirements of the reasonable build
alternatives.
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• Identify, at a corridor planning
level, the infrastructure and equipment
investment requirements for the
reasonable build alternatives.
• Include the consideration of the NoBuild Alternative which will be studied
as the baseline for comparison with the
build alternatives. The No-Build
Alternative represents other
transportation modes such as auto, air
travel, intercity bus, and existing rail
and the physical characteristics and
capacities as they exist at the time of the
Service Level EIS, with planned and
funded improvements that will be in
place at the time rail improvements
would become operational.
• Evaluate and describe, at a corridor
planning level, the potential
environmental consequences (benefits
and adverse effects to the human and
natural environment) associated with
the reasonable alternatives.
• Establish the timing and sequencing
and future NEPA processes for
component actions to implement the
proposed action.
• Identify preferred alternatives for
corridor route alignment within each of
the three corridor sections.
Subsequent to this Service Level EIS,
project level assessment(s) will address
component projects to be implemented
within the selected general corridor and
where appropriate will incorporate by
reference the data and evaluations
included in the Service Level EIS.
Subsequent evaluations will concentrate
on the issues specific to the component
of the alternative selected with the
Service Level EIS, identify the Project
alternatives that meet the purpose and
need for each component project, and
analyze the specific environmental
consequences and measures necessary
to mitigate environmental impacts at a
site-specific level of detail. This Service
Level EIS process will be coordinated
with the ongoing preliminary
engineering and environmental
planning efforts for the Dallas/Fort
Worth—Houston passenger rail corridor.
II. Project Background
The 850-mile Texas Oklahoma
Passenger Rail Study Corridor extends
from Oklahoma City in the north
through Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and
San Antonio to destinations in south
Texas including Laredo, Corpus Christi,
and Brownsville. Existing passenger rail
service includes intercity service on the
Heartland Flyer (Oklahoma City to Fort
Worth), Texas Eagle (Fort Worth to San
Antonio), and Sunset Limited (Los
Angeles to New Orleans via San
Antonio) operated by Amtrak, and
regional/commuter rail service on the
Trinity Railway Express (Dallas to Fort
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Worth) and Capital MetroRail (Austin)
operated by Texas operators. Intercity
passenger rail between Oklahoma City
and San Antonio provides service to
cities and communities generally along
the Interstate 35 (I–35) corridor. The
purpose of Study is to evaluate
alternatives to provide higher speed
passenger rail service to meet future
intercity travel demand and to improve
rail facilities, reduce journey times, and
improve connections with regional
public transit services. These
improvements are needed because of the
current and forecast population and
business growth within the study area
that has resulted in growing congestion
on highways and rail services along the
Interstate 35 (I–35) corridor.
The I–35 corridor, running from
Duluth, Minnesota, to Laredo, Texas, is
a congressionally identified corridor of
national significance and is one of the
fastest growing regions in the U.S.,
running through six of the largest urban
areas and nine of the 50 largest cities in
the U.S. International truck traffic
demand, intercity truck traffic demand,
and passenger travel demand compete
for highway capacity, creating
substantial congestion inside the urban
areas through which the highway runs.
Projections for the Dallas/Fort Worth to
San Antonio portion of the corridor
show average speeds along I–35 would
drop from 55 to 15 miles per hour by
2035.
Transportation plans for Texas and
Oklahoma have identified substantial
population growth and population aging
within the Study corridor. Texas
population is expected to grow by 39%
from 2010 to 2035. The population of
the Texas Triangle (a region of Texas
bounded by Dallas, Houston, and San
Antonio) has been growing rapidly over
the last several decades, with growth
rates in some areas as high as 27%.
Texas’ population has grown making it
the second most populous state in the
U.S. with most of the state’s population
centered in the eastern half of the state,
along and east of the I–35 corridor.
Oklahoma City is expected to see a
population increase of 25% from 2000
to 2035, with intensified population
densities in the metropolitan area.
Populations within the Study area are
also aging, with the percentage of
people who are 65 years old or older
expected to grow from about 13% to
nearly 20% by 2030 in Oklahoma and
from 10% to over 17% in Texas, with
the aging population expected to rely
more heavily on public transportation
such as intercity rail. Long range
transportation plans in Texas and
Oklahoma have identified the need to
improve passenger rail services to meet
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the future demand brought on by these
changes in population.
While a common need exists for
increased passenger rail service across
the 850-mile Study corridor, the
corridor has been divided into three
sections where the passenger rail needs
and opportunities within each section,
while interdependent, are distinct. Each
section will both be evaluated
separately by section and as parts of the
overall rail corridor in the Service Level
EIS.
The north section between Oklahoma
City and Dallas/Fort Worth has existing
intercity passenger rail service
(Heartland Flyer) with one train in each
direction per day, where annual
ridership has increased by as much as
10% within the last three years. In this
section, over 60% of train passengers
would otherwise have taken private
vehicles and up to 29% of passengers
would otherwise have not made the
journey. This passenger rail service is
constrained by operation on a busy
freight railroad line resulting in delays
and schedules with inconvenient
layovers for connecting with other rail
or transit services in Fort Worth. Rail
improvement planning in this section
has identified the need for enhanced
railroad facilities and better
coordination with other connecting
passenger rail services to increase the
attractiveness of rail as a travel mode
choice. Additional needs in this section
include direct connection to the City of
Dallas and the Dallas/Fort Worth airport
(DFW), improved train control systems
to increase train speed and allow safe
operation of increased numbers of
freight and passenger trains within the
existing rail corridor, and additional
roadway/railroad grade separations to
enhance safety where rail and roadways
cross.
The central section between Dallas/
Fort Worth and San Antonio via Austin
has existing intercity passenger rail
service in the form of the Texas Eagle,
the southernmost portion of daily
Amtrak service between Chicago and
San Antonio. From Fort Worth, there are
daily connections with the Heartland
Flyer providing intercity rail service
north to Oklahoma City. From San
Antonio, there are connections with the
Sunset Limited running three times
weekly east to New Orleans and west to
Los Angeles. Approximately 23% of
Amtrak train trips ending in Texas
originate within the state.
The central section is characterized by
the highest level of intercity travel
demand within the state. This is, in
part, a result of its linking three of the
four largest metropolitan areas within
the state, all of which are projected to
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continue to grow in the future. The
central section, via existing I–35, is
characterized by substantially higher
automobile and truck volumes than any
other intercity corridor in the state.
These volumes are projected to increase
steadily through 2035, by which time
traffic volumes are projected to result in
freeway speeds as low as 15 miles per
hour, contributing to very substantial
delays. Air travel between the central
section termini (i.e., Dallas/Fort Worth
and San Antonio) is characterized by
higher passenger volumes than any
other intrastate connection. With the
exception of the Dallas/Fort Worth-toHouston connection, air travel demand
between Dallas/Fort Worth and San
Antonio is more than twice the demand
of any other intrastate intercity
connection. Enhanced passenger rail
service in the central section would
serve a clear need for additional
transportation capacity and options. It
would assist in meeting the strong
demand for intercity travel in this
highly populated corridor, thereby
diverting some of the heavy automobile
and truck volumes occurring at present
and projected for the future.
The southern section between San
Antonio and the cities of Laredo, Corpus
Christi, and Brownsville does not have
passenger rail services. Instead, Amtrak
provides passenger service south of San
Antonio by motor coach. The border
areas of Brownsville and Laredo have
heavy commercial truck traffic on the
highways and freight traffic along
existing freight railroad lines. The
growing congestion in the border cities
is affecting the economic viability of the
region. Other intercity public
transportation, including transportation
to other destinations in the U.S. and
Mexico, is provided by motor coaches
operated by an assortment of Mexican
and U.S. operators. A need exists to
provide travel mode options to address
future passenger travel demand in this
area and reduce roadway congestion
resulting from the passenger buses
combined with commercial truck traffic.
Rail service in this section would
provide an efficient, safe, equitable, and
affordable alternative to highway, bus,
or air travel. In this section, cross-border
travel demand to Mexican destinations
such as Monterrey, a major business
hub, results in strong potential
passenger rail demand.
III. Scoping and Public Involvement
FRA encourages broad participation
in the Service Level EIS process during
scoping and subsequent review of the
resulting environmental documents.
Comments and suggestions are invited
from all interested agencies and the
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public at large to ensure the full range
of issues related to the proposed action
and all reasonable alternatives are
addressed and all significant issues are
identified. In particular, FRA is
interested in determining whether areas
of environmental concern exist where
the potential may exist for significant
impacts identifiable at a corridor level.
Appropriate Federal, State, and local
agencies and appropriate railroads are
being notified of the proposed Project
and comments are being solicited.
Public agencies with jurisdiction are
requested to advise the FRA and TxDOT
of the applicable permit and
environmental review requirements of
each agency and the scope and content
of the environmental information that is
germane to the agency’s statutory
responsibilities in connection with the
proposed improvements.
An iterative public involvement/
information program will support the
process. The program will involve
stakeholder workshops, newsletters, a
Web site, public open houses, small
group and community meetings, and
other methods to solicit and incorporate
public input throughout the Service
Level EIS process. To ensure that the
full range of issues relating to the
proposed action is addressed, comments
and suggestions are invited from all
interested parties. Comments and
questions concerning the proposed
action should be directed to TxDOT or
to the FRA at the addresses provided
above. Additional information can be
obtained by visiting the web site at
www.txokrail.org, or sending an email
using the link on the Web site.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 7,
2013.
Corey Hill,
Director, Passenger and Freight Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013–05732 Filed 3–12–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
16039
public, it must receive approval from
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB). 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 is being forwarded to OMB for
review and comments. A Federal
Register notice (77 FR 11621) with a 60day comment period soliciting
comments on the proposed information
collection for the agency’s new
consumer Vehicle-child restraint system
(CRS) Fit program and consolidation of
existing collection of vehicle safety
information (OMB Control Number
2127–0629) was published on February
27, 2012. The February 2012 ‘‘Request
for comments’’ notice described a new
collection of information for which
NHTSA intend to seek OMB approval
concerning recommendations from
vehicle manufacturers regarding child
restraint systems (CRSs) that fit in their
individual vehicles. Furthermore,
NHTSA planned to combine the new
information collection with an existing
collection for obtaining vehicle
information for consumer information
purposes. The agency received
comments from the public on the new
and existing collection of information.
However, since the agency has not
published its final decision on the new
consumer information program, it is not
able at this time to address comments
received from the public regarding the
new provisions for the collection of
information on vehicle-CRS matchups
from vehicle manufacturers. Thus, this
‘‘Correction’’ notice now focuses on
renewing the existing collection of
vehicle safety information and only
addresses comments received from that
information collection. Comments
pertaining to the new Vehicle-CRS Fit
Program will be addressed at a later
time in a new submission, when the
agency publishes its final decision on
the new program.
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
DATES:
[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA–2011–
0169]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping
Requirements
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comment
on obtaining vehicle information for the
general public; Correction.
AGENCY:
Before a Federal agency can
collect certain information from the
SUMMARY:
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Comments must be received on
or before April 12, 2013.
Complete copies of each request for
collection of information may be
obtained at no charge from Johanna
Lowrie, U.S. Department of
Transportation, NHTSA, Room W43–
410, 1200 New Jersey Ave SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Lowrie’s
telephone number is (202) 366–5269.
Please identify the relevant collection of
information by referring to its OMB
Control Number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16036-16039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05732]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Service Level Environmental Impact Statement for the Texas
Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study Corridor, South Texas to Oklahoma City
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it will
prepare a Service Level/Tier 1 EIS with the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) to study potential new and/or improved high-
speed intercity passenger rail service along an 850-mile corridor
[[Page 16037]]
extending from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to the south Texas cities of
Laredo and Brownsville (proposed action). In addition to the Service
Level EIS, the Texas Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study (Study) also
includes preparation of a service development plan for the corridor for
each of three sections of the corridor: Oklahoma City to Dallas/Fort
Worth, Dallas/Fort Worth to San Antonio, and San Antonio to south
Texas. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) is a partnering
state agency in the development of the EIS. The Service Level EIS will
evaluate a reasonable range of corridor alternatives and make decisions
regarding the preferred corridor, location of train service termini,
location of intermediate stops, the level of service, and future
planning for projects to implement the service. Alternatives under
consideration will include a No Action (No Build) alternative, as well
as multiple build alternatives. The build alternatives may include
infrastructure improvements in existing or prior rail corridors, the
development of one or more new rail corridors, or a combination of
both, as well as varying levels of service. FRA is issuing this Notice
to solicit public and agency input in the development of the scope of
the EIS and to advise the public that FRA and TxDOT will conduct
outreach activities regarding the scope of the EIS. To ensure all
significant issues are identified and considered, the public is invited
to comment on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose and need,
alternatives to be considered, impacts to be evaluated, and
methodologies to be used in the evaluation.
DATES: Written comments on the scope of the Service Level EIS for the
Texas Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study should be provided to TxDOT by
April 26, 2013. Comments will also be accepted at public scoping
meetings to be held from March 25, 2013, through April 4, 2013, at the
times and locations identified below:
Oklahoma City: Metro Tech Center, 1900 Springlake Drive,
Oklahoma City, OK on March 25, 2013 from 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. and from
6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Ardmore: Ardmore Train Station, 251 E. Main Street,
Ardmore, OK on March 26, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Sherman: Sherman Senior Center, 1500 N. Broughton Street,
Sherman, TX on April 2, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Fort Worth: TxDOT Training Offices, 2501 SW Loop 820, Fort
Worth, TX on March 28, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Dallas: MSDC Offices, 8828 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX
on April 3, 2013 from 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. through 8
p.m.
Belton: Central Texas Council of Governments, 2180 N, Main
Street, Belton, TX on April 1, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Waco: Heart of Texas Council of Governments, 1514 S. New
Road, Waco, TX on March 25, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Austin: TxDOT Austin Office, Building 7, 7901 N. IH 35,
Austin, TX on March 27, 2013 from 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m.
through 8 p.m.
Windcrest: Windcrest Civic Center, 9310 Jim Seal Drive,
Windcrest, TX on April 1, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Harlingen: Harlingen City Hall, 502 E. Tyler Avenue,
Harlingen, TX on April 4, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Corpus Christi: TxDOT Offices, 1701 S. Padre Island Drive,
Corpus Christi, TX on April 2, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Laredo: TxDOT Offices, 1817 Bob Bullock Avenue, Laredo, TX
on April 3, 2013 from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of this study should be mailed
or emailed to Mr. Mark Werner, Rail Division, Texas Department of
Transportation, 125 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701-2483. The email
address is provided on the project Web site: www.txokrail.org.
The buildings used for the scoping 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 Mr. Mark Werner, Project Manager, Texas
Department of Transportation, (512) 486-5137, seven calendar days prior
to the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Werner, Project Manager,
TxDOT, 125 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701-2483, (512) 486-5137; or
Ms. Catherine Dobbs, Office of Railroad Policy and Development, Federal
Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-6347 . Information
and documents regarding the Service Level EIS and environmental process
will be made available for the duration of the environmental process
at: www.txokrail.org.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Environmental Review Process
The Service Level (Tier 1) EIS will be prepared in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA and the FRA's
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts as set forth in 64 FR
28545 dated May 26, 1999 (Environmental Procedures). The Service Level
EIS will also address Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act, Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966
(49 U.S.C. 303) and other applicable Federal and state laws and
regulations. The Service Level EIS and any subsequent project (Tier 2)
environmental documents will be developed in accordance with CEQ
regulations, FRA's Environmental Procedures, and FRA's Update to NEPA
Implementing Procedures (78 FR 2713; January 14, 2013).
FRA and TxDOT will use a tiered process, as provided for in 40 CFR
1508.28, in the completion of the environmental review of the Study.
``Tiering'' is a staged environmental review process applied to
environmental reviews for complex projects. The Service Level EIS will
address first tier of broad corridor issues and alternatives.
Subsequent project-level second tier NEPA evaluations will analyze
site-specific projects based on the decisions made at the Service
Level. The Service Level NEPA assessment will result in an EIS with the
appropriate level of detail for corridor decisions and will address
broad overall issues of concern, including but not limited to:
Confirm the purpose and need for the proposed action.
Confirm the study area appropriate to assess reasonable
alternatives.
Identify a comprehensive set of goals and objectives for
the corridor in conjunction with stakeholders. These goals and
objectives will be crafted to allow comprehensive evaluation of all
aspects of study alternatives necessary to achieve the goals, including
train operations, vehicles, and infrastructure.
Develop alternative evaluation criteria based on purpose
and need, goals and objectives.
Identify the range of reasonable alternatives to be
considered, consistent with the current and planned use of the corridor
and the existing services within and adjacent to the study area, as
well as considering a no action/no build alternative.
Identify the general corridor alignment(s) and right-of-
way requirements of the reasonable build alternatives.
[[Page 16038]]
Identify, at a corridor planning level, the infrastructure
and equipment investment requirements for the reasonable build
alternatives.
Include the consideration of the No- Build Alternative
which will be studied as the baseline for comparison with the build
alternatives. The No-Build Alternative represents other transportation
modes such as auto, air travel, intercity bus, and existing rail and
the physical characteristics and capacities as they exist at the time
of the Service Level EIS, with planned and funded improvements that
will be in place at the time rail improvements would become
operational.
Evaluate and describe, at a corridor planning level, the
potential environmental consequences (benefits and adverse effects to
the human and natural environment) associated with the reasonable
alternatives.
Establish the timing and sequencing and future NEPA
processes for component actions to implement the proposed action.
Identify preferred alternatives for corridor route
alignment within each of the three corridor sections.
Subsequent to this Service Level EIS, project level assessment(s)
will address component projects to be implemented within the selected
general corridor and where appropriate will incorporate by reference
the data and evaluations included in the Service Level EIS. Subsequent
evaluations will concentrate on the issues specific to the component of
the alternative selected with the Service Level EIS, identify the
Project alternatives that meet the purpose and need for each component
project, and analyze the specific environmental consequences and
measures necessary to mitigate environmental impacts at a site-specific
level of detail. This Service Level EIS process will be coordinated
with the ongoing preliminary engineering and environmental planning
efforts for the Dallas/Fort Worth--Houston passenger rail corridor.
II. Project Background
The 850-mile Texas Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study Corridor extends
from Oklahoma City in the north through Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and
San Antonio to destinations in south Texas including Laredo, Corpus
Christi, and Brownsville. Existing passenger rail service includes
intercity service on the Heartland Flyer (Oklahoma City to Fort Worth),
Texas Eagle (Fort Worth to San Antonio), and Sunset Limited (Los
Angeles to New Orleans via San Antonio) operated by Amtrak, and
regional/commuter rail service on the Trinity Railway Express (Dallas
to Fort Worth) and Capital MetroRail (Austin) operated by Texas
operators. Intercity passenger rail between Oklahoma City and San
Antonio provides service to cities and communities generally along the
Interstate 35 (I-35) corridor. The purpose of Study is to evaluate
alternatives to provide higher speed passenger rail service to meet
future intercity travel demand and to improve rail facilities, reduce
journey times, and improve connections with regional public transit
services. These improvements are needed because of the current and
forecast population and business growth within the study area that has
resulted in growing congestion on highways and rail services along the
Interstate 35 (I-35) corridor.
The I-35 corridor, running from Duluth, Minnesota, to Laredo,
Texas, is a congressionally identified corridor of national
significance and is one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S.,
running through six of the largest urban areas and nine of the 50
largest cities in the U.S. International truck traffic demand,
intercity truck traffic demand, and passenger travel demand compete for
highway capacity, creating substantial congestion inside the urban
areas through which the highway runs. Projections for the Dallas/Fort
Worth to San Antonio portion of the corridor show average speeds along
I-35 would drop from 55 to 15 miles per hour by 2035.
Transportation plans for Texas and Oklahoma have identified
substantial population growth and population aging within the Study
corridor. Texas population is expected to grow by 39% from 2010 to
2035. The population of the Texas Triangle (a region of Texas bounded
by Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio) has been growing rapidly over the
last several decades, with growth rates in some areas as high as 27%.
Texas' population has grown making it the second most populous state in
the U.S. with most of the state's population centered in the eastern
half of the state, along and east of the I-35 corridor. Oklahoma City
is expected to see a population increase of 25% from 2000 to 2035, with
intensified population densities in the metropolitan area. Populations
within the Study area are also aging, with the percentage of people who
are 65 years old or older expected to grow from about 13% to nearly 20%
by 2030 in Oklahoma and from 10% to over 17% in Texas, with the aging
population expected to rely more heavily on public transportation such
as intercity rail. Long range transportation plans in Texas and
Oklahoma have identified the need to improve passenger rail services to
meet the future demand brought on by these changes in population.
While a common need exists for increased passenger rail service
across the 850-mile Study corridor, the corridor has been divided into
three sections where the passenger rail needs and opportunities within
each section, while interdependent, are distinct. Each section will
both be evaluated separately by section and as parts of the overall
rail corridor in the Service Level EIS.
The north section between Oklahoma City and Dallas/Fort Worth has
existing intercity passenger rail service (Heartland Flyer) with one
train in each direction per day, where annual ridership has increased
by as much as 10% within the last three years. In this section, over
60% of train passengers would otherwise have taken private vehicles and
up to 29% of passengers would otherwise have not made the journey. This
passenger rail service is constrained by operation on a busy freight
railroad line resulting in delays and schedules with inconvenient
layovers for connecting with other rail or transit services in Fort
Worth. Rail improvement planning in this section has identified the
need for enhanced railroad facilities and better coordination with
other connecting passenger rail services to increase the attractiveness
of rail as a travel mode choice. Additional needs in this section
include direct connection to the City of Dallas and the Dallas/Fort
Worth airport (DFW), improved train control systems to increase train
speed and allow safe operation of increased numbers of freight and
passenger trains within the existing rail corridor, and additional
roadway/railroad grade separations to enhance safety where rail and
roadways cross.
The central section between Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio via
Austin has existing intercity passenger rail service in the form of the
Texas Eagle, the southernmost portion of daily Amtrak service between
Chicago and San Antonio. From Fort Worth, there are daily connections
with the Heartland Flyer providing intercity rail service north to
Oklahoma City. From San Antonio, there are connections with the Sunset
Limited running three times weekly east to New Orleans and west to Los
Angeles. Approximately 23% of Amtrak train trips ending in Texas
originate within the state.
The central section is characterized by the highest level of
intercity travel demand within the state. This is, in part, a result of
its linking three of the four largest metropolitan areas within the
state, all of which are projected to
[[Page 16039]]
continue to grow in the future. The central section, via existing I-35,
is characterized by substantially higher automobile and truck volumes
than any other intercity corridor in the state. These volumes are
projected to increase steadily through 2035, by which time traffic
volumes are projected to result in freeway speeds as low as 15 miles
per hour, contributing to very substantial delays. Air travel between
the central section termini (i.e., Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio)
is characterized by higher passenger volumes than any other intrastate
connection. With the exception of the Dallas/Fort Worth-to-Houston
connection, air travel demand between Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio
is more than twice the demand of any other intrastate intercity
connection. Enhanced passenger rail service in the central section
would serve a clear need for additional transportation capacity and
options. It would assist in meeting the strong demand for intercity
travel in this highly populated corridor, thereby diverting some of the
heavy automobile and truck volumes occurring at present and projected
for the future.
The southern section between San Antonio and the cities of Laredo,
Corpus Christi, and Brownsville does not have passenger rail services.
Instead, Amtrak provides passenger service south of San Antonio by
motor coach. The border areas of Brownsville and Laredo have heavy
commercial truck traffic on the highways and freight traffic along
existing freight railroad lines. The growing congestion in the border
cities is affecting the economic viability of the region. Other
intercity public transportation, including transportation to other
destinations in the U.S. and Mexico, is provided by motor coaches
operated by an assortment of Mexican and U.S. operators. A need exists
to provide travel mode options to address future passenger travel
demand in this area and reduce roadway congestion resulting from the
passenger buses combined with commercial truck traffic. Rail service in
this section would provide an efficient, safe, equitable, and
affordable alternative to highway, bus, or air travel. In this section,
cross-border travel demand to Mexican destinations such as Monterrey, a
major business hub, results in strong potential passenger rail demand.
III. Scoping and Public Involvement
FRA encourages broad participation in the Service Level EIS process
during scoping and subsequent review of the resulting environmental
documents. Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested
agencies and the public at large to ensure the full range of issues
related to the proposed action and all reasonable alternatives are
addressed and all significant issues are identified. In particular, FRA
is interested in determining whether areas of environmental concern
exist where the potential may exist for significant impacts
identifiable at a corridor level. Appropriate Federal, State, and local
agencies and appropriate railroads are being notified of the proposed
Project and comments are being solicited. Public agencies with
jurisdiction are requested to advise the FRA and TxDOT of the
applicable permit and environmental review requirements of each agency
and the scope and content of the environmental information that is
germane to the agency's statutory responsibilities in connection with
the proposed improvements.
An iterative public involvement/information program will support
the process. The program will involve stakeholder workshops,
newsletters, a Web site, public open houses, small group and community
meetings, and other methods to solicit and incorporate public input
throughout the Service Level EIS process. To ensure that the full range
of issues relating to the proposed action is addressed, comments and
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments and
questions concerning the proposed action should be directed to TxDOT or
to the FRA at the addresses provided above. Additional information can
be obtained by visiting the web site at www.txokrail.org, or sending an
email using the link on the Web site.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2013.
Corey Hill,
Director, Passenger and Freight Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-05732 Filed 3-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
