Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Extension Project (Formerly Referred to as the Southwest Transitway), 43964 [2013-17506]

Agencies

• Federal Transit Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 43964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17506]



[[Page 43964]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Extension Project 
(Formerly Referred to as the Southwest Transitway)

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal lead 
agency, and the Metropolitan Council (Council), the local lead agency, 
intend to publish a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(SDEIS) for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Extension (SWLRT) Project 
(formerly referred to as the Southwest Transitway Project), in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), its 
implementing regulations, provisions of the Moving Ahead for Progress 
in the 21st Century (MAP-21), and the Minnesota Environmental Policy 
Act (MEPA). The original Notice of Intent to prepare a DEIS for the 
Project was issued on September 23, 2008. The Project's Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published on October 12, 
2012, with a public comment period concluding on December 31, 2012. The 
Project is a new 15.8-mile light rail alignment with 17 new light rail 
stations, several new park-and-ride lots, and one new light rail 
operations and maintenance facility (OMF). The project requires 
modification to existing freight rail alignments within the project 
vicinity. The SDEIS will evaluate environmental impacts associated with 
proposed adjustments to the Locally Preferred Alternative, freight rail 
alignments, and location of the OMF. The SDEIS will also incorporate 
pertinent issues raised during the DEIS comment period.
    For commenting purposes under NEPA, written comments on the scope 
of the SDEIS should be directed to Ms. Nani Jacobson, Project Manager, 
Southwest Light Rail Transit Project Office, 6465 Wayzata Boulevard, 
Suite 500, St. Louis Park, MN 55426, Telephone: 612-373-3808; Email: 
nani.jacobson@metrotransit.org. Comments on the scope may be submitted 
within 20 days of publication of the preparation notice in the state 
publication, the EQB Monitor. Notice in the EQB Monitor is anticipated 
to be published on July 22, 2013, with the 20 day period for submitting 
written comments ending on August 12, 2013. In accordance with MEPA, 
comments received within this period, and responses to the comments, 
will be included in the SDEIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on FTA's NEPA 
review, please contact Maya Sarna, Department of Transportation, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., East Building, Washington DC 20590, Telephone: 
(202) 366-5811.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SWLRT Project will operate from downtown 
Minneapolis through the southwestern suburban cities of St. Louis Park, 
Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie, passing in close proximity to 
the city of Edina. The proposed alignment is primarily at-grade and 
will include 17 new stations and approximately 15.8-miles of double 
track. The line will connect major activity centers in the region 
including downtown Minneapolis, Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, 
the Opus/Golden Triangle employment area in Minnetonka and Eden 
Prairie, and, the Eden Prairie Center Mall. Ridership in 2030 is 
projected at 29,660 weekday passengers. The project will connect with 
the Green Line (Central Corridor LRT), which will provide a one-seat 
ride to destinations such as the University of Minnesota, the State 
Capitol, and downtown St. Paul. The proposed SWLRT will be part of an 
integrated system of transitways, including connections to the METRO 
Blue Line, the Northstar Commuter Rail line, a variety of major bus 
routes along the alignment, and proposed future transitway and rail 
lines.
    The SDEIS will supplement the evaluation of impacts included in the 
Project's DEIS where there have been adjustments to the design of 
proposed LRT and freight rail alignments, stations, park-and-ride lots, 
and an OMF site that would likely result in impacts not documented in 
the Project's DEIS. FTA and the Council anticipate that the SDEIS scope 
will include, but not be limited to, the following areas: Eden Prairie 
LRT alignment and stations; LRT OMF site; freight rail alignments 
(i.e., Relocation and Co-location); and other areas where FTA and the 
Council determine that there is a need to be supplemented with 
additional information which was not included in the Project's October 
2012 DEIS.
    Notice regarding the intent to prepare the SDEIS will be sent to 
the appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies. Following 
publication and review of the SDEIS, a FEIS will be prepared and 
circulated.
    The Paperwork Reduction Act seeks, in part, to minimize the cost to 
the taxpayer of the creation, collection, maintenance, use, 
dissemination, and disposition of information. Consistent with this 
goal and with principles of economy and efficiency in government, it is 
FTA policy to limit insofar as possible distribution of complete 
printed sets of NEPA documents. Accordingly, unless a specific request 
for a complete printed set of the NEPA document is received before the 
document is printed, FTA and its grant applicants will distribute only 
electronic copies of the NEPA document. A complete printed set of the 
environmental document will be available for review at the Metropolitan 
Council's offices and elsewhere as will be noted in the Notice of 
Availability; and electronic copy of the complete environmental 
document will be available on the Metropolitan Council's Southwest 
Light Rail Transit Project Web site (https://www.swlrt.org).

    Issued on: July 11, 2013.
Marisol Simon,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region V.
[FR Doc. 2013-17506 Filed 7-19-13; 8:45 am]
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