Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Federal Way Transit Extension, King County, Washington, 36298-36300 [2013-14296]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
36298
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 116 / Monday, June 17, 2013 / Notices
outside the U.S. as gasoline or diesel
vehicles are imported to the United
States and then retrofitted or modified
in the United States so that they can
operate on alternative fuels. Another
commenter suggested that FHWA issue
a policy that defines the acceptable limit
on domestic content.
In response to these comments, the
FHWA does not believe that it is
appropriate to establish a vehicle
domestic content requirement threshold
at the present time. The FHWA is
uncertain whether such a condition
would further the objectives of CMAQ
Program to encourage State and local
entities to pursue clean fuel
technologies. Moreover, the FHWA has
no data in order to determine what such
a content standard should be. Also, the
practicality of establishing such a limit
for just the iron and steel components
in a vehicle is questionable. The FHWA
is unaware of any method by which the
agency can use to determine where the
steel and iron contained in the steel and
iron components of a vehicle were
manufactured. Similarly, the FHWA has
no basis for defining the point of final
assembly for vehicle retrofit projects
other than the location where the
retrofitting of the vehicle takes place
prior to turning the vehicle over to the
owner. As such, the FHWA is not
prepared to address these issues as part
of this particular waiver request.
As a result, State departments of
transportation (DOT) will need to make
a good faith effort to determine whether
the final assembly of a vehicle or
vehicle retrofit occurs in the United
States. With respect to passenger motor
vehicles, the FHWA notes that the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has established criteria
in 49 CFR Part 583 for vehicles subject
to the America Automobile Labeling Act
(AALA) (https://www.nhtsa.gov/Laws+&
+Regulations/Part+583+American
+Automobile+Labeling+Act
+(AALA)+Reports). Vehicles meeting
the criteria for final assembly under the
AALA is one option for State DOTs to
make a good faith effort in determining
whether final assembly of vehicles
subject to AALA requirements occurs in
the United States. The FHWA will
publish a notice in the Federal Register
at a future date to request public
comments on what standards should
apply to vehicles. In the meantime, the
FHWA does not wish to further delay
these projects while the appropriate
standard for vehicles is established.
While the FHWA has not located a
vehicle that meets a 100 percent
domestic iron and steel content
requirement, the FHWA does not find
that a complete waiver based on non-
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:38 Jun 14, 2013
Jkt 229001
availability pursuant to 23 U.S.C.
313(b)(2) is appropriate. However, the
FHWA also recognizes that at least a
conditional waiver is necessary in order
to permit the State DOTs to proceed
with the projects. The FHWA believes
that a conditional waiver that allows the
public agencies to purchase vehicles so
long as the final assembly of the vehicle
as the end product occurs in the United
States is appropriate. This approach is
similar to the conditional waivers given
to Alameda County, San Francisco
County, and Merced County, CA, for
vehicle purchases on November 21,
2011 (76 FR 72027 and 76 FR 72028)
and March 30, 2012 (77 FR 19410).
In conclusion, and in light of the
above, pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 313(b)(1),
the FHWA finds that it is in the public
interest to grant a conditional waiver
from the general 100 percent domestic
content requirement that applies to
Federal-aid highway projects under Buy
America. Under this conditional waiver,
however, the final assembly of any
vehicles purchased with HTF funds
must occur in the United States. Thus,
so long as the final assembly of the 74
vehicle projects (including sedans, vans,
pickups, SUVs, trucks, buses, and
equipment, such as backhoes, street
sweepers, and tractors) occurs in the
United States, applicants to this waiver
request may proceed to purchase these
vehicles and equipment consistent with
the Buy America requirement.
In accordance with the provisions of
section 117 of the SAFETEA–LU
Technical Corrections Act of 2008 (Pub.
L. 110–244, 122 Stat. 1572), the FHWA
is providing this notice as its finding
that a conditional waiver of Buy
America requirements is appropriate.
The FHWA invites public comment on
this finding for an additional 15 days
following the effective date of the
finding. Comments may be submitted to
the FHWA’s Web site via the link
provided to the waiver page noted
above.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 313; Pub. L. 110–161,
23 CFR 635.410.
Issued on: June 6, 2013.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator, Federal Highway
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013–14146 Filed 6–14–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
PO 00000
Frm 00139
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Federal Way Transit Extension,
King County, Washington
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), DOT
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) and the Central
Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority
(Sound Transit) are planning to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Sound Transit’s proposed
Federal Way Transit Extension (FWTE)
project. The FWTE project would allow
Sound Transit to improve public transit
service between the cities of SeaTac and
Federal Way in King County,
Washington. The FWTE project would
also respond to a growing number of
transportation and community needs
identified in the agency’s regional
transit system plan, Sound Transit 2
(ST2).
The EIS will be prepared in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
Washington’s State Environmental
Policy Act (SEPA). This Notice of Intent
initiates formal scoping for the EIS,
invites interested parties to participate
in the EIS process, provides information
about the purpose and need for the
proposed transit project, includes the
general set of alternatives being
considered for evaluation in the EIS,
and identifies potential environmental
effects to be considered. This notice
invites public comments on the scope of
the EIS and announces the public
scoping meetings to receive comments.
Alternatives being considered for
evaluation include a No-Build
alternative and various build
alternatives to develop light rail in the
FWTE corridor. The light rail
alternatives were developed through an
early scoping process, and an
alternatives analysis study. Early
scoping notification for the alternatives
analysis phase was announced in the
Federal Register on October 16, 2012.
Results of the early scoping process, the
alternatives analysis findings, and other
background technical reports are
available on the project Web site.
DATES: Written comments on the scope
of alternatives and impacts to be
considered in the EIS must be received
no later than July 15, 2013, and must be
sent to Sound Transit as indicated
below. Information about the proposed
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\17JNN1.SGM
17JNN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 116 / Monday, June 17, 2013 / Notices
project, the alternatives analysis
findings, the Scoping Information Folio,
and the EIS process will be available at
two public scoping meetings (on June 19
and June 26) and one scoping meeting
for tribal and agency representatives (on
June 25) at the locations described
below. Sound Transit and FTA will
accept comments at those meetings.
1. June 19, 2013, 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Federal Way Transit Center, 31621
23rd Ave S., Federal Way, WA 98003.
2. June 26, 2013, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Parkside Elementary School, 2104 S.
247th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198.
3. (Agency and Tribal Meeting) June 25,
2013, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Sound Transit, Union Station, Ruth
Fisher Boardroom, 401 S. Jackson Street,
Seattle, WA 98104.
Invitations to the agency and tribal
scoping meeting have been sent to
appropriate Federal, tribal, state, and
local governmental units. All public
meeting locations are accessible to
persons with disabilities who may also
request materials be prepared and
supplied in alternate formats by calling
Tralayne Myers, (206) 398–5014 at least
48 hours in advance of the meeting.
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing
may call (888) 713–6030 TTY.
Scoping information as well as
general information is available at:
https://www.soundtransit.org/
FWextension.
The scoping period extends to July 15,
2013, or 30 days from the date of this
notice, whichever is later. Written
scoping comments are requested by July
15, 2013 at the address above, or they
can be submitted at the public meetings.
ADDRESSES: Federal Way Transit
Extension (c/o Kent Hale, Senior
Environmental Planner) Sound Transit,
401 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA
98104–2826, or by email to
FWTE@soundtransit.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Saxton, FTA Transportation
Program Specialist, phone: (206) 220–
4311.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Proposed Project. Sound Transit
is proposing to extend Link light rail
transit service from the future Angle
Lake Link light rail station at South
200th Street in SeaTac to the Federal
Way Transit Center area in Federal Way.
The project corridor is approximately
7.6 miles long and parallels State Route
99 (SR 99) and Interstate 5 (I–5). It
generally follows a topographic ridge
between Puget Sound and the Green
River Valley where the city limits of
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:38 Jun 14, 2013
Jkt 229001
SeaTac, Des Moines, Kent, and Federal
Way meet. The project is part of the ST2
Plan of transit investments approved by
the voters in 2008. Currently, there is
projected funding to construct to Kent/
Des Moines in the vicinity of Highline
Community College.
Purpose of and Need for the Project.
The purpose of the Federal Way Transit
Extension is to expand the Sound
Transit Link light rail system from
SeaTac to the cities of Des Moines, Kent,
and Federal Way in King County in
order to meet the following objectives:
• Provide a rapid, reliable, accessible,
and efficient alternative for travel to and
from the corridor and other urban
growth and activity centers in the region
with sufficient capacity to meet
projected demand.
• Expand mobility alternatives to
traveling on congested roadways and
improve connections to the regional
multimodal transportation system with
peak and off-peak service.
• Provide the high-capacity transit
(HCT) infrastructure to support adopted
regional and local land use,
transportation, and economic
development plans.
• Advance the long-range vision,
goals, and objectives for transit service
established by the Sound Transit LongRange Plan for high-quality regional
transit service connecting major activity
centers in King, Pierce, and Snohomish
counties.
• Implement a financially feasible
system that seeks to preserve and
promote a healthy environment.
The following conditions within the
project corridor demonstrate the need
for the project:
• North-south transit demand is
expected to grow by 30 to 40 percent by
2035 as a result of residential and
employment growth in the FWTE
corridor and regionally.
• The FWTE corridor population is a
highly transit-dependent population
with needs for efficient, reliable regional
connectivity.
• Congestion on I-5 and on the key
corridor arterials leading in and out of
the study area will increase and further
degrade existing transit performance
and reliability.
• There is a lack of reliable and
efficient peak and off-peak transit
service connecting persons in the FWTE
corridor with the region’s growth
centers.
• Regional and local plans call for
HCT in the corridor consistent with
PSRC’s VISION 2040 and the Regional
Transit Long-Range Plan.
• Implementing the project will help
meet environmental and sustainability
goals of the state and region, including
PO 00000
Frm 00140
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
36299
reduced vehicle miles traveled and
greenhouse gas emissions.
Potential EIS Alternatives. Sound
Transit and FTA are considering
multiple alternatives for study in the
EIS including a No-Build alternative
and several light rail alternatives
operating between the cities of SeaTac
and Federal Way. Preliminary light rail
alternatives were developed through an
alternatives analysis process, the early
scoping process (October 18 through
November 19, 2012), and previous
regional and local planning studies.
Each light rail alternative includes three
general station locations: the vicinity of
South 240th Street (near Highline
Community College), the vicinity of
South 272nd Street (near the Redondo
and Star Lake park-and-ride facilities),
and the vicinity of South 317th Street
(near the Federal Way Transit Center).
The alternatives may include other
additional station locations identified
through the early scoping and
alternatives analysis processes. FTA and
Sound Transit invite comments on these
preliminary alternatives. Public and
agency input received during the
scoping period will help FTA and
Sound Transit develop a range of
reasonable alternatives to evaluate in
the Draft EIS.
No Build Alternative. NEPA requires
consideration of a No-Build Alternative.
It reflects the existing transportation
system plus the transportation
improvements included in PSRC’s
Transportation Improvement Program.
Potential I–5 Alternatives. The
potential I–5 Alternatives consist of
light rail guideway along I–5 in two
configurations. In one configuration, the
guideway would run along the south
side of the proposed SR 509 right-ofway to I–5 and then along the west side
of the I–5 right-of-way. The guideway
would deviate west from the I–5 rightof-way near 317th Street to access the
Federal Way Transit Center area. For the
other configuration, the alignment
would transition from the west side of
I–5 to the median of I–5 south of S.
240th Street, briefly transition back to
the west side at 272nd Street, then
continue in the median to 317th Street
before transitioning back to the west
side to access the Federal Way Transit
Center area Station locations proposed
for evaluation with the I–5 Alternative
include the vicinity of South 240th
Street near Highline Community
College; the vicinity of South 272nd
Street near the Star Lake park-and-ride
facility; and the vicinity of South 317th
Street near the Federal Way Transit
Center.
Potential SR 99 Alternatives. The
potential SR 99 Alternatives would
E:\FR\FM\17JNN1.SGM
17JNN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
36300
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 116 / Monday, June 17, 2013 / Notices
consist of light rail guideway along SR
99 in two configurations. In one
configuration the guideway would
follow the median for most of the length
of SR 99. For the other configuration,
the guideway could utilize and
transition between the east side, west
side, and/or median of SR 99. Station
locations proposed for evaluation with
the SR 99 Alternatives include the areas
near the vicinity of South 240th Street
near Highline Community College; the
vicinity of South 272nd Street near the
Redondo park-and-ride facility; and the
vicinity of South 317th Street near the
Federal Way Transit Center. The SR 99
alternatives may include other
additional station locations in the
vicinities of South 216th Street and
South 260th Street identified through
the early scoping and alternatives
analysis processes.
Potential 30th Avenue Alternative.
The potential 30th Avenue Alternative
would consist of light rail guideway
along a portion of 30th Avenue South in
the cities of Des Moines and Kent. From
Angle Lake Station, the guideway would
travel along SR 99 and transition east to
30th Avenue at approximately South
220th Street. The guideway would
remain on 30th Avenue South from
South 224th Street to approximately
South 240th Street. From South 240th
Street, the guideway would transition to
SR–99 or I–5 and continue towards
Federal Way. The station locations
would be the same as those described in
the previous alternatives.
Scope of Environmental Analysis. The
EIS process explores in a public setting
the potentially significant effects of
implementing the proposed action (and
alternatives to the proposed action) on
the physical, human, and natural
environment. Areas of investigation for
this project may include, but might not
be limited to, transportation, land use
and consistency with applicable plans,
land acquisition and displacements,
socioeconomic impacts, park and
recreation resources, historic and
cultural resources, environmental
justice, visual and aesthetic qualities, air
quality, noise and vibration, energy use,
safety and security, and ecosystems,
including threatened and endangered
species. These effects will be evaluated
for both the construction period and the
long-term period of operation. Indirect,
secondary and cumulative impacts will
also be evaluated. The EIS will identify
measures to avoid, minimize, or
mitigate significant adverse impacts.
Roles of Agencies and the Public.
NEPA, and FTA’s regulations for
implementing NEPA, call for public
involvement in the EIS process,
including: (1) Invitations to other
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:38 Jun 14, 2013
Jkt 229001
Federal and non-Federal agencies and
Indian tribes that may have an interest
in the proposed project to become
‘‘cooperating’’ or ‘‘participating
agencies,’’ (2) opportunities for
involvement by agencies and the public
in helping to define the proposed
project’s purpose and need, as well as
the range of alternatives for
consideration in the impact statement,
and (3) a plan for coordinating public
and agency participation in and
comment on the environmental review
process.
An invitation to become a cooperating
or participating agency will be extended
to Federal and non-Federal agencies and
Indian tribes that may have an interest
in the proposed project. Any agency or
tribe interested in the project that does
not receive such an invitation should
promptly notify the Sound Transit
Senior Environmental Planner
identified above under ADDRESSES.
A draft Coordination Plan for public
and agency involvement is available for
review at the project Web site. It
identifies the project’s coordination
approach and structure, details the
major milestones for agency and public
involvement, and includes an initial list
of interested agencies and organizations.
FTA and Sound Transit welcome
comments from interested individuals,
organizations, tribes and agencies.
Comments are invited regarding the
preliminary statement of purpose and
need; the alternatives to be evaluated in
the EIS; and any significant
environmental issues related to the
alternatives. Suggested reasonable
alternatives that meet the project
purpose and need will be considered.
To assist the public during scoping,
Sound Transit has prepared an
Environmental Scoping Information
Folio describing the project, potential
alternatives, potential impact areas to be
evaluated, and the preliminary EIS
schedule. You may request a copy from
Tralayne Myers, Sound Transit, 401 S.
Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104–2826,
telephone: (206) 398–5014 or email:
traylane.myers@soundtransit.org. It is
also available at https://
www.soundtransit.org/FWextension.
After the comment period, Sound
Transit will publish a summary of the
public and agency comments it receives.
After scoping concludes later this year,
the Sound Transit Board is expected to
consider the scoping comments received
and then act on a motion addressing the
purpose and need for the project, the
scope of environmental review, and
alternatives to be considered in the draft
EIS.
FTA and Sound Transit will comply
with all applicable Federal
PO 00000
Frm 00141
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
environmental laws, regulations, and
executive orders during the
environmental review process. These
requirements include, but are not
limited to, the regulations of the Council
on Environmental Quality
implementing NEPA, and FTA’s own
NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–
1508, and 23 CFR part 771); the air
quality conformity regulations of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) (40 CFR part 93); the Section
404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part
230); the regulations implementing
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (36 CFR part 800); the
regulations implementing Section 7 of
the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR
part 402); Section 4(f) of the Dept. of
Transportation Act (23 CFR part 774);
Executive Order 12898 on
Environmental Justice, 11988 on
floodplain management, and 11990 on
wetlands; and DOT Order 5610.2(a) on
Environmental Justice.
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, FTA limits as
much as possible the distribution of
complete sets of printed environmental
documents. Accordingly, absent a
specific request for a complete printed
set of environmental documents
(preferably in advance of printing),
Sound Transit will distribute only the
executive summary of the
environmental document together with
a compact disc of the complete
environmental document. A complete
printed set of the environmental
document will be available for review at
the grantee’s offices and elsewhere; an
electronic copy of the complete
environmental document will also be
available on Sound Transit’s Web page.
Issued On: June 11, 2013.
Kenneth A. Feldman,
Deputy Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013–14296 Filed 6–14–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–57–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
[NHTSA Docket No. NHTSA–2013–0075]
Federal Interagency Committee on
Emergency Medical Services; Meeting
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\17JNN1.SGM
17JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 116 (Monday, June 17, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36298-36300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14296]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Federal Way Transit Extension, King County, Washington
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Central Puget
Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) are planning to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Sound Transit's
proposed Federal Way Transit Extension (FWTE) project. The FWTE project
would allow Sound Transit to improve public transit service between the
cities of SeaTac and Federal Way in King County, Washington. The FWTE
project would also respond to a growing number of transportation and
community needs identified in the agency's regional transit system
plan, Sound Transit 2 (ST2).
The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Washington's State Environmental
Policy Act (SEPA). This Notice of Intent initiates formal scoping for
the EIS, invites interested parties to participate in the EIS process,
provides information about the purpose and need for the proposed
transit project, includes the general set of alternatives being
considered for evaluation in the EIS, and identifies potential
environmental effects to be considered. This notice invites public
comments on the scope of the EIS and announces the public scoping
meetings to receive comments. Alternatives being considered for
evaluation include a No-Build alternative and various build
alternatives to develop light rail in the FWTE corridor. The light rail
alternatives were developed through an early scoping process, and an
alternatives analysis study. Early scoping notification for the
alternatives analysis phase was announced in the Federal Register on
October 16, 2012. Results of the early scoping process, the
alternatives analysis findings, and other background technical reports
are available on the project Web site.
DATES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts to be
considered in the EIS must be received no later than July 15, 2013, and
must be sent to Sound Transit as indicated below. Information about the
proposed
[[Page 36299]]
project, the alternatives analysis findings, the Scoping Information
Folio, and the EIS process will be available at two public scoping
meetings (on June 19 and June 26) and one scoping meeting for tribal
and agency representatives (on June 25) at the locations described
below. Sound Transit and FTA will accept comments at those meetings.
1. June 19, 2013, 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Federal Way Transit Center, 31621 23rd Ave S., Federal Way, WA
98003.
2. June 26, 2013, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Parkside Elementary School, 2104 S. 247th Street, Des Moines, WA
98198.
3. (Agency and Tribal Meeting) June 25, 2013, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Sound Transit, Union Station, Ruth Fisher Boardroom, 401 S. Jackson
Street, Seattle, WA 98104.
Invitations to the agency and tribal scoping meeting have been sent
to appropriate Federal, tribal, state, and local governmental units.
All public meeting locations are accessible to persons with
disabilities who may also request materials be prepared and supplied in
alternate formats by calling Tralayne Myers, (206) 398-5014 at least 48
hours in advance of the meeting. Persons who are deaf or hard of
hearing may call (888) 713-6030 TTY.
Scoping information as well as general information is available at:
https://www.soundtransit.org/FWextension.
The scoping period extends to July 15, 2013, or 30 days from the
date of this notice, whichever is later. Written scoping comments are
requested by July 15, 2013 at the address above, or they can be
submitted at the public meetings.
ADDRESSES: Federal Way Transit Extension (c/o Kent Hale, Senior
Environmental Planner) Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson Street, Seattle,
WA 98104-2826, or by email to FWTE@soundtransit.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Saxton, FTA Transportation
Program Specialist, phone: (206) 220-4311.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Proposed Project. Sound Transit is proposing to extend Link
light rail transit service from the future Angle Lake Link light rail
station at South 200th Street in SeaTac to the Federal Way Transit
Center area in Federal Way. The project corridor is approximately 7.6
miles long and parallels State Route 99 (SR 99) and Interstate 5 (I-5).
It generally follows a topographic ridge between Puget Sound and the
Green River Valley where the city limits of SeaTac, Des Moines, Kent,
and Federal Way meet. The project is part of the ST2 Plan of transit
investments approved by the voters in 2008. Currently, there is
projected funding to construct to Kent/Des Moines in the vicinity of
Highline Community College.
Purpose of and Need for the Project. The purpose of the Federal Way
Transit Extension is to expand the Sound Transit Link light rail system
from SeaTac to the cities of Des Moines, Kent, and Federal Way in King
County in order to meet the following objectives:
Provide a rapid, reliable, accessible, and efficient
alternative for travel to and from the corridor and other urban growth
and activity centers in the region with sufficient capacity to meet
projected demand.
Expand mobility alternatives to traveling on congested
roadways and improve connections to the regional multimodal
transportation system with peak and off-peak service.
Provide the high-capacity transit (HCT) infrastructure to
support adopted regional and local land use, transportation, and
economic development plans.
Advance the long-range vision, goals, and objectives for
transit service established by the Sound Transit Long-Range Plan for
high-quality regional transit service connecting major activity centers
in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
Implement a financially feasible system that seeks to
preserve and promote a healthy environment.
The following conditions within the project corridor demonstrate
the need for the project:
North-south transit demand is expected to grow by 30 to 40
percent by 2035 as a result of residential and employment growth in the
FWTE corridor and regionally.
The FWTE corridor population is a highly transit-dependent
population with needs for efficient, reliable regional connectivity.
Congestion on I-5 and on the key corridor arterials
leading in and out of the study area will increase and further degrade
existing transit performance and reliability.
There is a lack of reliable and efficient peak and off-
peak transit service connecting persons in the FWTE corridor with the
region's growth centers.
Regional and local plans call for HCT in the corridor
consistent with PSRC's VISION 2040 and the Regional Transit Long-Range
Plan.
Implementing the project will help meet environmental and
sustainability goals of the state and region, including reduced vehicle
miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.
Potential EIS Alternatives. Sound Transit and FTA are considering
multiple alternatives for study in the EIS including a No-Build
alternative and several light rail alternatives operating between the
cities of SeaTac and Federal Way. Preliminary light rail alternatives
were developed through an alternatives analysis process, the early
scoping process (October 18 through November 19, 2012), and previous
regional and local planning studies. Each light rail alternative
includes three general station locations: the vicinity of South 240th
Street (near Highline Community College), the vicinity of South 272nd
Street (near the Redondo and Star Lake park-and-ride facilities), and
the vicinity of South 317th Street (near the Federal Way Transit
Center). The alternatives may include other additional station
locations identified through the early scoping and alternatives
analysis processes. FTA and Sound Transit invite comments on these
preliminary alternatives. Public and agency input received during the
scoping period will help FTA and Sound Transit develop a range of
reasonable alternatives to evaluate in the Draft EIS.
No Build Alternative. NEPA requires consideration of a No-Build
Alternative. It reflects the existing transportation system plus the
transportation improvements included in PSRC's Transportation
Improvement Program.
Potential I-5 Alternatives. The potential I-5 Alternatives consist
of light rail guideway along I-5 in two configurations. In one
configuration, the guideway would run along the south side of the
proposed SR 509 right-of-way to I-5 and then along the west side of the
I-5 right-of-way. The guideway would deviate west from the I-5 right-
of-way near 317th Street to access the Federal Way Transit Center area.
For the other configuration, the alignment would transition from the
west side of I-5 to the median of I-5 south of S. 240th Street, briefly
transition back to the west side at 272nd Street, then continue in the
median to 317th Street before transitioning back to the west side to
access the Federal Way Transit Center area Station locations proposed
for evaluation with the I-5 Alternative include the vicinity of South
240th Street near Highline Community College; the vicinity of South
272nd Street near the Star Lake park-and-ride facility; and the
vicinity of South 317th Street near the Federal Way Transit Center.
Potential SR 99 Alternatives. The potential SR 99 Alternatives
would
[[Page 36300]]
consist of light rail guideway along SR 99 in two configurations. In
one configuration the guideway would follow the median for most of the
length of SR 99. For the other configuration, the guideway could
utilize and transition between the east side, west side, and/or median
of SR 99. Station locations proposed for evaluation with the SR 99
Alternatives include the areas near the vicinity of South 240th Street
near Highline Community College; the vicinity of South 272nd Street
near the Redondo park-and-ride facility; and the vicinity of South
317th Street near the Federal Way Transit Center. The SR 99
alternatives may include other additional station locations in the
vicinities of South 216th Street and South 260th Street identified
through the early scoping and alternatives analysis processes.
Potential 30th Avenue Alternative. The potential 30th Avenue
Alternative would consist of light rail guideway along a portion of
30th Avenue South in the cities of Des Moines and Kent. From Angle Lake
Station, the guideway would travel along SR 99 and transition east to
30th Avenue at approximately South 220th Street. The guideway would
remain on 30th Avenue South from South 224th Street to approximately
South 240th Street. From South 240th Street, the guideway would
transition to SR-99 or I-5 and continue towards Federal Way. The
station locations would be the same as those described in the previous
alternatives.
Scope of Environmental Analysis. The EIS process explores in a
public setting the potentially significant effects of implementing the
proposed action (and alternatives to the proposed action) on the
physical, human, and natural environment. Areas of investigation for
this project may include, but might not be limited to, transportation,
land use and consistency with applicable plans, land acquisition and
displacements, socioeconomic impacts, park and recreation resources,
historic and cultural resources, environmental justice, visual and
aesthetic qualities, air quality, noise and vibration, energy use,
safety and security, and ecosystems, including threatened and
endangered species. These effects will be evaluated for both the
construction period and the long-term period of operation. Indirect,
secondary and cumulative impacts will also be evaluated. The EIS will
identify measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate significant adverse
impacts.
Roles of Agencies and the Public. NEPA, and FTA's regulations for
implementing NEPA, call for public involvement in the EIS process,
including: (1) Invitations to other Federal and non-Federal agencies
and Indian tribes that may have an interest in the proposed project to
become ``cooperating'' or ``participating agencies,'' (2) opportunities
for involvement by agencies and the public in helping to define the
proposed project's purpose and need, as well as the range of
alternatives for consideration in the impact statement, and (3) a plan
for coordinating public and agency participation in and comment on the
environmental review process.
An invitation to become a cooperating or participating agency will
be extended to Federal and non-Federal agencies and Indian tribes that
may have an interest in the proposed project. Any agency or tribe
interested in the project that does not receive such an invitation
should promptly notify the Sound Transit Senior Environmental Planner
identified above under ADDRESSES.
A draft Coordination Plan for public and agency involvement is
available for review at the project Web site. It identifies the
project's coordination approach and structure, details the major
milestones for agency and public involvement, and includes an initial
list of interested agencies and organizations.
FTA and Sound Transit welcome comments from interested individuals,
organizations, tribes and agencies. Comments are invited regarding the
preliminary statement of purpose and need; the alternatives to be
evaluated in the EIS; and any significant environmental issues related
to the alternatives. Suggested reasonable alternatives that meet the
project purpose and need will be considered. To assist the public
during scoping, Sound Transit has prepared an Environmental Scoping
Information Folio describing the project, potential alternatives,
potential impact areas to be evaluated, and the preliminary EIS
schedule. You may request a copy from Tralayne Myers, Sound Transit,
401 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104-2826, telephone: (206) 398-
5014 or email: traylane.myers@soundtransit.org. It is also available at
https://www.soundtransit.org/FWextension. After the comment period,
Sound Transit will publish a summary of the public and agency comments
it receives. After scoping concludes later this year, the Sound Transit
Board is expected to consider the scoping comments received and then
act on a motion addressing the purpose and need for the project, the
scope of environmental review, and alternatives to be considered in the
draft EIS.
FTA and Sound Transit will comply with all applicable Federal
environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders during the
environmental review process. These requirements include, but are not
limited to, the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality
implementing NEPA, and FTA's own NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508, and 23 CFR part 771); the air quality conformity regulations of
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR part 93); the
Section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 230); the regulations
implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36
CFR part 800); the regulations implementing Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (50 CFR part 402); Section 4(f) of the Dept. of
Transportation Act (23 CFR part 774); Executive Order 12898 on
Environmental Justice, 11988 on floodplain management, and 11990 on
wetlands; and DOT Order 5610.2(a) on Environmental Justice.
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, FTA limits as much as possible the distribution of
complete sets of printed environmental documents. Accordingly, absent a
specific request for a complete printed set of environmental documents
(preferably in advance of printing), Sound Transit will distribute only
the executive summary of the environmental document together with a
compact disc of the complete environmental document. A complete printed
set of the environmental document will be available for review at the
grantee's offices and elsewhere; an electronic copy of the complete
environmental document will also be available on Sound Transit's Web
page.
Issued On: June 11, 2013.
Kenneth A. Feldman,
Deputy Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-14296 Filed 6-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
