Environmental Impact Statement for the Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel Project Along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Baltimore, MD, 33036-33038 [2014-13318]
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ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
33036
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 110 / Monday, June 9, 2014 / Notices
The remainder of the project is referred
to as the No Capacity Improvement
Area. The total project length is
approximately 40 miles. The actions by
the FHWA and the laws under which
such actions were taken are described in
the Environmental Assessment (EA) and
in the Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) issued on April 18, 2013, and
are available at https://sr40pde.com/.
2. Project Location: Baldwin, Duval
County, SR 200/US 301. Federal-Aid
Project Number: 3115–025–P. Project
type: The SR 200/US 301 Baldwin
Bypass proposes a 4.1 mile four-lane
divided highway on new alignment to
serve as an alternate route for S.R. 200/
U.S. 301 to bypass the Town of
Baldwin. The project includes two
railroad overpasses and one Rails-toTrails overpass. The project will
connect with the existing U.S. 301 on
the south and the north sides of
Baldwin and will intersect with U.S. 90.
The actions by the FHWA and the laws
under which such actions were taken
are described in the Environmental
Assessment (EA) and in the Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued
on May 24, 2013, and are available at
https://www.us301northflorida.com/
Pages/Home.aspx.
3. Project Location: Crestview,
Okaloosa County, PJ Adams Parkway.
Financial Project Number: 421997–1–
28–01. Project type: The PJ Adams
Parkway, on existing and new
alignment, will provide system linkage,
needed capacity, and safety
improvements from SR 85 to US 90 as
a western route around the City of
Crestview, FL. The actions by the
FHWA and the laws under which such
actions were taken are described in the
Environmental Assessment (EA) and in
the Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) issued on August 28, 2013, and
are available by contacting Peggy Kelley,
with the FDOT Environmental
Management Office at (850) 330–1517,
or peggy.kelley@dot.state.fl.us.
4. Project Location: Martin and Palm
Beach Counties, SR 710. Financial
Project Number: 419348–2–22–01 and
419348–1–22–01. Project type: The SR
710 project proposes to add capacity to
SR 710 in Martin and Palm Beach
Counties, and provide a new urban
interchange at Northlake Boulevard. The
actions by the FHWA and the laws
under which such actions were taken
are described in the Environmental
Assessment (EA) and in the Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued
on January 6, 2014, and are available at
https://etdmpub.fla-etat.org/est/, ETDM
#7151.
5. Project Location: Miami, MiamiDade County, SR 968/SW 1st Street.
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Federal-Aid Project Number: 6158011U.
Project type: The SR 968/SW 1st Street
Bridge project proposes bridge
replacement with improved clearance
from underlying roads, improved travel
lines for boat traffic, improved bumper
widths at boat travel lane, improved
height over mean high water level, and
updated bascule mechanisms. The
actions by the FHWA and the laws
under which such actions were taken
are described in the Environmental
Assessment (EA) and in the Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued
on December 9, 2013, and are available
at https://etdmpub.fla-etat.org/est/,
ETDM #11240.
6. Project Location: Starke, Bradford
County, US 301. Federal-Aid Project
Number: 3114–018–P. Project type: The
Starke Bypass US 301 project proposes
to provide a 4 lane limited-access
highway facility that will provide a 7.3
mile bypass around the City of Starke in
Bradford County. The actions by the
FHWA and the laws under which such
actions were taken are described in the
EIS and Record of Decision (ROD)
issued on February 12, 2014, and
available at https://
www.us301northflorida.com/Pages/
Home.aspx.
7. Project Location: Port St. Lucie, St.
Lucie County, Crosstown Parkway.
Federal-Aid Project Number: 7777–087–
A. Project type: The Crosstown Parkway
project proposes to provide a New
Bridge Crossing of the North Fork of the
St. Lucie River on the Crosstown
Parkway from Manth Lane to US 1. The
actions by the FHWA and the laws
under which such actions were taken
are described in the EIS and Record of
Decision (ROD) issued on February 24,
2014, and are available at https://
etdmpub.fla-etat.org/est/, ETDM #8247.
8. Project Location: Clay and St. Johns
Counties, new road—St. Johns River
Crossing. Federal-Aid Project Number:
SFTL 264 R. Project Type: The first
segment starts as a four-lane facility at
the intersection of Brannan FieldChaffee Road and SR 21 in Clay County,
crosses Black Creek, and continues
southeast to US 17, where it becomes as
a 6-lane facility crossing the St. Johns
River with a replacement of the Shands
Bridge. The project continues east to
16A where it transitions back to a 4-lane
facility in St. Johns County to its
terminus at I–95. The actions by the
FHWA and the laws under which such
actions were taken are described in the
EIS and Record of Decision (ROD)
issued on April 7, 2014, and are
available at https://
firstcoastexpressway.com/SJRBridge/
documents-and-publications.shtml.
PO 00000
Frm 00130
Fmt 4703
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(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning
and Construction. The regulations
implementing Executive Order 12372
regarding intergovernmental consultation on
Federal programs and activities apply to this
program.)
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1).
Issued on: May 28, 2014.
James C. Christian,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014–13321 Filed 6–6–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–RY–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel
Project Along the Northeast Corridor
(NEC) in Baltimore, MD
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
AGENCY:
FRA is issuing this notice to
advise the public that an EIS for the B&P
Tunnel Project (Project) is being
prepared pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA). The Project is intended to
address transportation deficiencies
associated with the existing rail tunnel
and is located on the NEC in the area
of Baltimore that surrounds the existing
B&P Tunnel. The EIS will evaluate the
potential environmental impacts of
alternatives that address transportation
deficiencies.
To ensure significant issues are
identified and considered, the public
and all interested parties are invited to
comment on the proposed scope of
environmental review, the project
purpose and need, alternatives to be
considered, environmental effects to be
considered and evaluated, and
methodologies to be used for evaluating
effects.
DATES: An open house for the public
will be held on Thursday, June 19, 2014,
between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Written comments should be provided
to FRA by July 30, 2014 using the email
address or physical mailing address
listed below. Comments may also be
provided orally or in writing at the June
19, 2014 public meeting.
ADDRESSES: The public and other
interested parties are encouraged to
comment on-line at the B&P Tunnel
Project’s Web site (www.bptunnel.com),
via email at info@bptunnel.com, in
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\09JNN1.SGM
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ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 110 / Monday, June 9, 2014 / Notices
person or by hard copy during the June
19, 2014 public meeting at Coppin State
University, Talon Center, 2nd floor
Atrium, 2500 West North Avenue,
Baltimore, MD 21216 or by mailing hard
copy comments to the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT noted below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle W. Fishburne, Environmental
Protection Specialist, USDOT Federal
Railroad Administration, Office of
Program Delivery, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., MS–20, Washington, DC
20590; (202) 294–0398.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Maryland Department of Transportation
(MDOT) in cooperation with the
National Railroad Passenger Corporation
(Amtrak) was awarded a grant from FRA
to complete an engineering and
environmental study (Study) for the
B&P Tunnel as part of the High-Speed
Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR)
Program. The B&P Tunnel opened in
1873 and is approaching the end of its
useful life. The tunnel currently serves
Amtrak passenger rail and Maryland
Commuter Rail (MARC) trains, as well
as Norfolk Southern freight trains. The
purpose of the Study is to develop and
evaluate alternatives that would
improve the deficient tunnel and related
rail infrastructure, which significantly
hampers train movement and creates a
low-speed bottleneck on this high traffic
section of the NEC. The area for the
Study includes the existing B&P Tunnel
in Central Baltimore and will
encompass an area needed to identify
potential alternatives and the evaluation
of potential environmental effects.
FRA as the lead federal agency will be
responsible for the environmental
review of alternatives and the EIS
process in coordination with MDOT as
the grantee, Amtrak as the owner of the
B&P Tunnel, and other stakeholders.
The EIS will evaluate alternatives based
on project needs, potential
environmental impacts, and input
received from the public and all
interested parties. The EIS will be
developed in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.),
the Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–
1508), FRA Procedures for Considering
Environmental Impacts (64 Federal
Register [FR] 28545, [May 26, 1999]),
and FRA’s Update to NEPA
Implementing Procedures (78 FR 2713,
[January 14, 2013]).
Purpose and Need
The B&P Tunnel is important not only
for Baltimore, but also the NEC, which
connects the five major metropolitan
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15:08 Jun 06, 2014
Jkt 232001
areas of Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington, DC. The NEC is the most
active passenger rail corridor in the
nation and carries intercity passenger,
commuter, and freight trains. FRA is
preparing NEC FUTURE: A Rail
Investment Plan for the Northeast
Corridor, which is a comprehensive
planning effort to define, evaluate and
prioritize future investments in the NEC
and is available at www.necfuture.com.
Amtrak and MARC operate
approximately 140 daily passenger
trains through the B&P Tunnel,
including Acela Express and Northeast
Regional service. As intercity travel
demand increases within the region,
there will be additional need for
passenger service on the NEC. The
potential for future high speed rail on
the NEC is also an important
consideration for improvements to the
B&P Tunnel, as well as support of
freight service. The B&P Tunnel hosts
approximately 5 to 10 through-freight
trains daily, serving ports in Baltimore.
The B&P Tunnel is comprised of a
series of three sequential, two-track
tunnels: The John Street Tunnel, the
Wilson Street Tunnel, and the Gilmor
Street Tunnel. According to the NEC
Infrastructure and Operations Advisory
Commission’s report, Critical
Infrastructure Needs on the Northeast
Corridor (2013), the B&P Tunnel’s tight
curvature and aged structural conditions
limit train speeds to 30 mph (down from
60 mph or higher on its approach
tracks).
Previous studies and plans examined
the broader railroad network and
identified the B&P Tunnel as a primary
chokepoint in Baltimore. In November
2001, Congress requested that FRA
conduct a comprehensive study to
assess problems in the freight and
passenger rail infrastructure in the
vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland. The
study comprised two reports:
Baltimore’s Railroad Network:
Challenges and Alternatives (2005) and
Baltimore’s Railway Network: Analysis
and Recommendations (2011). The 2005
and 2011 reports assessed Baltimore’s
railroad network, identified the need to
improve deficient track geometry and
tunnel conditions, and reviewed
multiple alternatives associated with the
B&P Tunnel. The Northeast Corridor
Infrastructure Master Plan (2010),
prepared by the NEC Master Plan
Working Group, states that the B&P
Tunnel has exceeded its useful life and
is a major chokepoint for intercity,
commuter, and freight operations in the
northeast. The 2005 and 2011 reports
and the 2010 Master Plan are available
on the project Web site at
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
33037
www.bptunnel.com. Additional need
elements for the project will be
documented and evaluated as part of the
NEPA process.
Alternatives To Be Considered
Alternatives will be developed based
on the purpose of and need for the
project, information obtained through
the scoping process, and previous
reports. The EIS will consider a range of
reasonable alternatives based on the
need to improve capacity and travel
time through the corridor, improve
reliability, and maintain safety for
commuter, freight and intercity
passenger rail services on the NEC.
Alternatives will include the No Action
Alternative as well as Build Alternatives
such as rehabilitation of the existing
tunnel and a new tunnel at a different
location.
Possible Effects
FRA in coordination with MDOT will
evaluate direct, indirect, and cumulative
changes to the human and natural
environment resulting from the
alternatives, including: Land use and
socioeconomics, Environmental Justice,
public safety, cultural resources,
recreational resources, ecological
resources (including terrestrial and
aquatic habitat and species), wetland
areas, water quality, flood hazards and
floodplain management, hazardous
contamination, transportation,
construction issues, air quality, noise
and vibration, and aesthetics. The
analysis and environmental review will
be documented in the EIS consistent
with NEPA, CEQ regulations, Section
106 of the NHPA, the Endangered
Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the
Clean Water Act, FRA Environmental
Procedures, Executive Order 12898 and
USDOT Order 5610.2(a) on
Environmental Justice, and Section 4(f)
of the USDOT Act of 1966, along with
other applicable Federal and State
regulations.
Scoping Process
The FRA and MDOT are inviting
comments and suggestions from the
public and all interested parties
regarding the scope of the EIS to ensure
that all relevant issues, applicable
planning efforts, constraints, and
reasonable alternatives are addressed in
the EIS. FRA and MDOT will directly
contact appropriate Federal, State, and
local agencies, Native American tribes
and private organizations that have
previously expressed or that are known
to have an interest in this Project.
Public meetings, open houses, and
other public involvement initiatives,
including newsletters and outreach, will
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33038
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 110 / Monday, June 9, 2014 / Notices
be held and used throughout the course
of this Study. Dates, times and locations
for the scoping meetings and other
opportunities for public participation
will be announced on the B&P Tunnel
Project’s Web site (www.bptunnel.com)
and through mailings, public notices,
advertisements and press releases.
Comments will be accepted on the
scope of the EIS at the public meeting,
through the project Web site
(www.bptunnel.com) and by submitting
written comments to Michelle
Fishburne according to FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above. The formal
comment period for scoping will be as
described in DATES above.
Authority: National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.)
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 4, 2014.
Corey W. Hill,
Director, Office of Program Delivery.
[FR Doc. 2014–13318 Filed 6–6–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[Docket No. EP 682 (Sub-No. 5)]
2013 Tax Information for use in the
Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method
Surface Transportation Board.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
state tax rates for each Class I railroad,
as calculated by the Association of
American Railroads (AAR), for use in
the Revenue Shortfall Allocation
Method (RSAM).
DATES: Comments are due by July 9,
2014. If any comment opposing AAR’s
calculation is filed, AAR’s reply will be
due by July 29, 2014. If no comments
are filed by the due date, AAR’s
calculation of the 2013 weighted
average state tax rates will be
automatically adopted by the Board,
effective July 10, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be
submitted either via the Board’s e-filing
format or in traditional paper format.
Any person using e-filing should attach
a document and otherwise comply with
the instructions at the E-FILING link on
the Board’s Web site at https://
www.stb.dot.gov. Any person submitting
a filing in the traditional paper format
should send an original and 10 copies
referring to Docket No. EP 682 (Sub-No.
5) to: Surface Transportation Board, 395
E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423–
0001.
The Board is publishing, and
providing the public an opportunity to
comment on, the 2013 weighted average
SUMMARY:
Marc Lerner, (202) 245–0390. Assistance
for the hearing impaired is available
through the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at (800) 877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
RSAM figure is one of three benchmarks
that together are used to determine the
reasonableness of a challenged rate
under the Board’s Simplified Standards
for Rail Rate Cases, EP 646 (Sub-No. 1)
(STB served Sept. 5, 2007),1 as further
revised in Simplified Standards for Rail
Rate Cases–Taxes in Revenue Shortfall
Allocation Method, EP 646 (Sub-No. 2)
(STB served Nov. 21, 2008). RSAM is
intended to measure the average markup
that the railroad would need to collect
from all of its ‘‘potentially captive
traffic’’ (traffic with a revenue-tovariable-cost ratio above 180%) to earn
adequate revenues as measured by the
Board under 49 U.S.C. 10704(a)(2) (i.e.,
earn a return on investment equal to the
railroad industry cost of capital).
Simplified Standards–Taxes in RSAM,
slip op. at 1. In Simplified Standards–
Taxes in RSAM, slip op. at 3, 5, the
Board modified its RSAM formula to
account for taxes, as the prior formula
mistakenly compared pre-tax and aftertax revenues. In that decision, the Board
stated that it would institute a separate
proceeding in which Class I railroads
would be required to submit the annual
tax information necessary for the
Board’s annual RSAM calculation. Id. at
5–6.
In Annual Submission of Tax
Information for Use in the Revenue
Shortfall Allocation Method, EP 682
(STB served Feb. 26, 2010), the Board
adopted rules to require AAR—a
national trade association—to annually
calculate and submit to the Board the
weighted average state tax rate for each
Class I railroad. See 49 CFR 1135.2(a).
On May 30, 2014, AAR filed its
calculation of the weighted average state
tax rates for 2013, listed below for each
Class I railroad:
WEIGHTED AVERAGE STATE TAX RATES
[In percent]
2013
(percent)
Railroad
ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
BNSF Railway Company .............................................................................................................
CSX Transportation, Inc ..............................................................................................................
Grand Trunk Corporation .............................................................................................................
The Kansas City Southern Railway .............................................................................................
Norfolk Southern Combined ........................................................................................................
Soo Line Corporation ...................................................................................................................
Union Pacific Railroad Company .................................................................................................
Any party wishing to comment on
AAR’s calculation of the 2013 weighted
average state tax rates should file a
comment by July 9, 2014. See 49 CFR
1135.2(c). If any comments opposing
AAR’s calculations are filed, AAR’s
reply will be due by July 29, 2014. Id.
If any comments are filed, the Board
will review AAR’s submission, together
with the comments, and serve a
decision within 60 days of the close of
the record that either accepts, rejects, or
modifies AAR’s railroad-specific tax
information. Id. If no comments are filed
by July 9, 2014, AAR’s submitted
weighted average state tax rates will be
automatically adopted by the Board,
effective July 10, 2014. Id.
This action will not significantly
affect either the quality of the human
1 Aff’d sub nom. CSX Transp., Inc. v. STB, 568
F.3d 236 (D.C. Cir. 2009), and vacated in part on
5.510
5.486
8.066
5.762
5.821
7.289
5.929
15:08 Jun 06, 2014
Jkt 232001
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
% Change
5.567
5.588
8.078
5.877
5.891
7.351
5.970
¥0.057
¥0.102
¥0.012
¥0.115
¥0.070
0.062
¥0.041
environment or the conservation of
energy resources.
reh’g, CSX Transp., Inc. v. STB, 584 F.3d 1076 (D.C.
Cir. 2009).
VerDate Mar<15>2010
2012
(percent)
Decided: June 4, 2014.
By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell,
Director, Office of Proceedings.
Derrick A. Gardner,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2014–13381 Filed 6–6–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 110 (Monday, June 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33036-33038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13318]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for the Baltimore & Potomac (B&P)
Tunnel Project Along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Baltimore, MD
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an EIS
for the B&P Tunnel Project (Project) is being prepared pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Project is
intended to address transportation deficiencies associated with the
existing rail tunnel and is located on the NEC in the area of Baltimore
that surrounds the existing B&P Tunnel. The EIS will evaluate the
potential environmental impacts of alternatives that address
transportation deficiencies.
To ensure significant issues are identified and considered, the
public and all interested parties are invited to comment on the
proposed scope of environmental review, the project purpose and need,
alternatives to be considered, environmental effects to be considered
and evaluated, and methodologies to be used for evaluating effects.
DATES: An open house for the public will be held on Thursday, June 19,
2014, between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Written comments should be
provided to FRA by July 30, 2014 using the email address or physical
mailing address listed below. Comments may also be provided orally or
in writing at the June 19, 2014 public meeting.
ADDRESSES: The public and other interested parties are encouraged to
comment on-line at the B&P Tunnel Project's Web site
(www.bptunnel.com), via email at info@bptunnel.com, in
[[Page 33037]]
person or by hard copy during the June 19, 2014 public meeting at
Coppin State University, Talon Center, 2nd floor Atrium, 2500 West
North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21216 or by mailing hard copy comments to
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT noted below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle W. Fishburne, Environmental
Protection Specialist, USDOT Federal Railroad Administration, Office of
Program Delivery, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., MS-20, Washington, DC
20590; (202) 294-0398.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Maryland Department of Transportation
(MDOT) in cooperation with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation
(Amtrak) was awarded a grant from FRA to complete an engineering and
environmental study (Study) for the B&P Tunnel as part of the High-
Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program. The B&P Tunnel opened
in 1873 and is approaching the end of its useful life. The tunnel
currently serves Amtrak passenger rail and Maryland Commuter Rail
(MARC) trains, as well as Norfolk Southern freight trains. The purpose
of the Study is to develop and evaluate alternatives that would improve
the deficient tunnel and related rail infrastructure, which
significantly hampers train movement and creates a low-speed bottleneck
on this high traffic section of the NEC. The area for the Study
includes the existing B&P Tunnel in Central Baltimore and will
encompass an area needed to identify potential alternatives and the
evaluation of potential environmental effects.
FRA as the lead federal agency will be responsible for the
environmental review of alternatives and the EIS process in
coordination with MDOT as the grantee, Amtrak as the owner of the B&P
Tunnel, and other stakeholders. The EIS will evaluate alternatives
based on project needs, potential environmental impacts, and input
received from the public and all interested parties. The EIS will be
developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.), the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), FRA Procedures for
Considering Environmental Impacts (64 Federal Register [FR] 28545, [May
26, 1999]), and FRA's Update to NEPA Implementing Procedures (78 FR
2713, [January 14, 2013]).
Purpose and Need
The B&P Tunnel is important not only for Baltimore, but also the
NEC, which connects the five major metropolitan areas of Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC. The NEC is the most
active passenger rail corridor in the nation and carries intercity
passenger, commuter, and freight trains. FRA is preparing NEC FUTURE: A
Rail Investment Plan for the Northeast Corridor, which is a
comprehensive planning effort to define, evaluate and prioritize future
investments in the NEC and is available at www.necfuture.com.
Amtrak and MARC operate approximately 140 daily passenger trains
through the B&P Tunnel, including Acela Express and Northeast Regional
service. As intercity travel demand increases within the region, there
will be additional need for passenger service on the NEC. The potential
for future high speed rail on the NEC is also an important
consideration for improvements to the B&P Tunnel, as well as support of
freight service. The B&P Tunnel hosts approximately 5 to 10 through-
freight trains daily, serving ports in Baltimore.
The B&P Tunnel is comprised of a series of three sequential, two-
track tunnels: The John Street Tunnel, the Wilson Street Tunnel, and
the Gilmor Street Tunnel. According to the NEC Infrastructure and
Operations Advisory Commission's report, Critical Infrastructure Needs
on the Northeast Corridor (2013), the B&P Tunnel's tight curvature and
aged structural conditions limit train speeds to 30 mph (down from 60
mph or higher on its approach tracks).
Previous studies and plans examined the broader railroad network
and identified the B&P Tunnel as a primary chokepoint in Baltimore. In
November 2001, Congress requested that FRA conduct a comprehensive
study to assess problems in the freight and passenger rail
infrastructure in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland. The study
comprised two reports: Baltimore's Railroad Network: Challenges and
Alternatives (2005) and Baltimore's Railway Network: Analysis and
Recommendations (2011). The 2005 and 2011 reports assessed Baltimore's
railroad network, identified the need to improve deficient track
geometry and tunnel conditions, and reviewed multiple alternatives
associated with the B&P Tunnel. The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure
Master Plan (2010), prepared by the NEC Master Plan Working Group,
states that the B&P Tunnel has exceeded its useful life and is a major
chokepoint for intercity, commuter, and freight operations in the
northeast. The 2005 and 2011 reports and the 2010 Master Plan are
available on the project Web site at www.bptunnel.com. Additional need
elements for the project will be documented and evaluated as part of
the NEPA process.
Alternatives To Be Considered
Alternatives will be developed based on the purpose of and need for
the project, information obtained through the scoping process, and
previous reports. The EIS will consider a range of reasonable
alternatives based on the need to improve capacity and travel time
through the corridor, improve reliability, and maintain safety for
commuter, freight and intercity passenger rail services on the NEC.
Alternatives will include the No Action Alternative as well as Build
Alternatives such as rehabilitation of the existing tunnel and a new
tunnel at a different location.
Possible Effects
FRA in coordination with MDOT will evaluate direct, indirect, and
cumulative changes to the human and natural environment resulting from
the alternatives, including: Land use and socioeconomics, Environmental
Justice, public safety, cultural resources, recreational resources,
ecological resources (including terrestrial and aquatic habitat and
species), wetland areas, water quality, flood hazards and floodplain
management, hazardous contamination, transportation, construction
issues, air quality, noise and vibration, and aesthetics. The analysis
and environmental review will be documented in the EIS consistent with
NEPA, CEQ regulations, Section 106 of the NHPA, the Endangered Species
Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, FRA Environmental
Procedures, Executive Order 12898 and USDOT Order 5610.2(a) on
Environmental Justice, and Section 4(f) of the USDOT Act of 1966, along
with other applicable Federal and State regulations.
Scoping Process
The FRA and MDOT are inviting comments and suggestions from the
public and all interested parties regarding the scope of the EIS to
ensure that all relevant issues, applicable planning efforts,
constraints, and reasonable alternatives are addressed in the EIS. FRA
and MDOT will directly contact appropriate Federal, State, and local
agencies, Native American tribes and private organizations that have
previously expressed or that are known to have an interest in this
Project.
Public meetings, open houses, and other public involvement
initiatives, including newsletters and outreach, will
[[Page 33038]]
be held and used throughout the course of this Study. Dates, times and
locations for the scoping meetings and other opportunities for public
participation will be announced on the B&P Tunnel Project's Web site
(www.bptunnel.com) and through mailings, public notices, advertisements
and press releases.
Comments will be accepted on the scope of the EIS at the public
meeting, through the project Web site (www.bptunnel.com) and by
submitting written comments to Michelle Fishburne according to FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above. The formal comment period for
scoping will be as described in DATES above.
Authority: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42
U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.)
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 4, 2014.
Corey W. Hill,
Director, Office of Program Delivery.
[FR Doc. 2014-13318 Filed 6-6-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
