Environmental Impact Statement for the California High Speed Rail System San Francisco to San Jose Section, CA, 28154-28157 [2016-10959]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2016 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2000–7257, Notice
Number 8]
Issued in Washington, DC on May 3, 2016.
Patrick T. Warren,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety
Compliance and Program Implementation.
Northeast Corridor Safety Advisory
Committee; Notice of Meeting
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Announcement of Northeast
Corridor Safety Advisory Committee
(NECSC) meeting.
AGENCY:
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[FR Doc. 2016–10774 Filed 5–6–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
FRA announces the sixth
meeting of the NECSC, a Federal
Advisory Committee mandated by
section 212 of the Passenger Rail
Investment and Improvement Act of
2008 (PRIIA). The NECSC is composed
of stakeholders operating on the
Northeast Corridor (NEC), and its
purpose is to provide annual
recommendations to the U.S. Secretary
of Transportation. NECSC meeting
topics will include the following:
Maintenance-of-way fatigue,
presentations on the NEC’s future and
NEC construction projects, Tier III
passenger equipment rulemaking, the
Confidential Close Call Reporting
System (C3RS), Amtrak 160 mph waiver
requests, split rail derails on track
leading to the NEC, and a general
discussion of safety issues.
DATES: The NECSC meeting is
scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on
Wednesday, May 25, 2016, and will
adjourn by 4:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The NECSC meeting will be
held at the National Housing Center
located at 1201 15th Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20005. The meeting is
open to the public on a first-come, firstserved basis and is accessible to
individuals with disabilities. Sign and
oral interpretation can be made
available if requested 10 calendar days
before the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Larry Woolverton, RSAC Administrative
Officer/Coordinator, FRA, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Mailstop 25,
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493–6212;
or Mr. Robert C. Lauby, Associate
Administrator for Railroad Safety and
Chief Safety Officer, FRA, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Mailstop 25,
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493–6474.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
NECSC is mandated by a statutory
provision in section 212 of the PRIIA
(codified at 49 U.S.C. 24905(f)). The
NECSC is chartered by the U.S.
Secretary of Transportation, and is an
official Federal Advisory Committee
SUMMARY:
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established in accordance with the
provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C.
title 5—Appendix.
Environmental Impact Statement for
the California High Speed Rail System
San Francisco to San Jose Section, CA
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
AGENCY:
Through this NOI, FRA
announces its intent to jointly prepare
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
and Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) with the California High-Speed
Rail Authority (Authority) for the San
Francisco to San Jose Section of the
California High-Speed Rail (HSR)
System, Blended System Project
(Blended System Project or Project).
FRA invites the public and all interested
parties to provide comments on the
scope of the EIR/EIS, including the
proposed purpose and need, the
alternatives to consider, potential
environmental impacts of concern, and
methodologies for analysis of impacts.
Through this NOI, FRA also rescinds its
December 2008 NOI for the San
Francisco to San Jose Section.
FRA and the Authority will develop
the EIR/EIS in compliance with the
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) and the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). FRA and the
Authority will hold scoping meetings
and outreach activities as part of the
NEPA/CEQA process. Federal
cooperating agencies for the EIR/EIS are
the Surface Transportation Board (STB)
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE).
DATES: Written comments on the scope
of the San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS must be provided to the
Authority by June 8, 2016.
Public scoping meetings are
scheduled in May 2016: FRA and the
Authority will hold the scoping
meetings between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00
p.m. at the following dates:
SUMMARY:
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• San Francisco: Monday, May 23,
2016.
• San Mateo: Tuesday, May 24, 2016.
• Mountain View: Wednesday, May
25, 2016.
The Authority will make scoping
materials and information concerning
the scoping meetings available on the
Authority’s Web site: https://hsr.ca.gov/
Programs/Statewide_Rail_
Modernization/project_sections/
sanfrancisco_sanjose.html.
ADDRESSES: You can send written
comments on the scope to Mr. Mark
McLoughlin, Director of Environmental
Services, Attention: San Francisco to
San Jose Section EIR/EIS, California
High-Speed Rail Authority, 770 L Street,
Suite 1160, Sacramento, CA 95814, or
via email with subject line ‘‘San
Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS’’
to: comments@hsr.ca.gov.
You may provide comments orally or
in writing at scoping meetings. FRA and
the Authority will hold the scoping
meetings between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00
p.m. at the following locations:
• San Francisco: University of
California, San Francisco Mission Bay,
11500 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA
94158.
• San Mateo: San Mateo Marriott,
1770 South Amphlett Boulevard, San
Mateo, CA 94402.
• Mountain View: SFV Lodge, 361
Villa Street, Mountain View, CA 94041.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Stephanie Perez, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Office of Program
Delivery, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., (Mail Stop 20),
Washington, DC 20590; Telephone:
(202) 493–0388, email:
stephanie.perez@dot.gov, or Mr. Guy
Preston, Regional Delivery Manager,
California High Speed Rail Authority,
100 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA
95113, Telephone: (408) 277–1091 or
sanfrancisco_sanjose@hsr.ca.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA is an
operating administration of the U.S.
Department of Transportation and is
responsible for overseeing the safety of
railroad operations, including the safety
of any proposed high-speed ground
transportation system. FRA is also
authorized to provide, subject to
appropriations, funding for high-speed
and intercity passenger rail projects and
is also authorized to provide loans and
other financial support for railroad
investments. FRA is conducting this
review under NEPA because it may
provide funding or financing for this
project in the future. STB and USACE
are Federal cooperating agencies on the
EIS. STB has approval authority under
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2016 / Notices
49 U.S.C. 10901 over the construction
and operation of the proposed California
HSR System. USACE has jurisdiction
under Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act.
The Authority was established in
1996 and is authorized and directed by
statute to undertake the planning and
development of a proposed statewide
HSR network fully coordinated with
other public transportation services. In
2005, the Authority and FRA completed
a Final Program EIR/EIS for the
Proposed California HSR System
(Statewide Program EIR/EIS), as the first
phase of a tiered environmental review
process. The Statewide Program EIR/EIS
analyzed a No Project/No Action
Alternative; a Modal Alternative
involving expanding freeways, airports,
and conventional rail systems; and a
HSR alternative using electric
propulsion and steel-wheel-on-steel-rail
vehicles capable of operating speeds of
220 mph on fully grade separated rail
alignments with state-of-the-art safety,
signaling, and communication systems.
The Authority certified the Statewide
Program EIR under CEQA and approved
the proposed HSR System, and FRA
issued a Record of Decision under
NEPA on the Statewide Program EIS.
In approving the Statewide Program
EIR/EIS, FRA and the Authority selected
the HSR Alternative for intercity travel
in California between the major
metropolitan centers of Sacramento and
the San Francisco Bay Area in the north,
through the Central Valley, to Los
Angeles and San Diego in the south. The
Authority and FRA also selected certain
corridors/general alignments and
general station locations for further
study; committed to mitigation
strategies and design practices; and
specified further measures to guide the
development of the HSR system at the
site-specific project level of
environmental review to avoid and
minimize potential adverse
environmental impacts. FRA and the
Authority did not select corridors or
station locations between the Central
Valley and the Bay Area in 2005. Rather,
they decided to prepare a second
program EIR/EIS for that area.
In 2008, the Authority and FRA
further evaluated alignments and station
locations within the broad corridor
between and including the Altamont
Pass and the Pacheco Pass to connect
the Bay Area and Central Valley
portions of the HSR system in the Bay
Area to the Central Valley High-Speed
Train Program EIR/EIS. Based on that
EIR/EIS, the Authority and FRA selected
the Pacheco Pass—San Francisco and
San Jose termini network alternative,
including corridor alignments and
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station location options. The selected
corridor alignment uses the Caltrain rail
right-of-way, between San Francisco
and San Jose along the San Francisco
Peninsula, and the Pacheco Pass via
Henry Miller Road, between San Jose
and the Central Valley.
In December 2008, the Authority and
FRA respectively issued a notice of
preparation and notice of intent to
prepare an EIR/EIS for the project-level
San Francisco to San Jose Section of the
proposed California HSR System. In
2009, the Authority and FRA completed
project scoping and provided the public
with alternatives screening documents.
These alternatives screening documents
were for a rail corridor based on an
entirely grade separated a four-track
system between San Francisco and San
Jose where HSR would share tracks with
Caltrain express commuter trains.
Communities along the Caltrain corridor
expressed concerns with this proposal
because of the perceived magnitude of
impacts to environmental and
community resources. In response to
these concerns, the Authority
suspended further work on the EIR/EIS
in mid-2011 to consider blending the
HSR and Caltrain operations within a
smaller project footprint. In November
2011, the Authority proposed blended
operations for the HSR section between
San Francisco and San Jose, which
would still provide HSR and Caltrain
service between the two cities without
requiring a four-track system for the
Project.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS will describe the Blended
System Project in detail, identify sitespecific environmental impacts from
construction, operation, and
maintenance of the Blended System
Project; identify specific mitigation
measures to address those impacts; and
incorporate appropriate design practices
to avoid and minimize potential adverse
environmental impacts. The EIR/EIS
will describe the site characteristics,
size, nature, and timing of the proposed
action as a basis for determining
whether the impacts are potentially
significant and whether impacts can be
avoided, minimized, or mitigated. The
Authority will provide information and
documents regarding this EIR/EIS on the
Authority’s Web site: https://
www.hsr.ca.gov.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS will tier from, and build upon,
the Statewide Program EIR/EIS and the
Bay Area to Central Valley HSR Program
EIR/EIS consistent with Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations, (40 CFR 1508.28) and State
CEQA Guidelines (14 California Code of
Regulations 15168(b)).
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In addition to the NEPA and CEQA
process, the Authority is required by
law to publish a Business Plan, updated
every two years, which includes a
description of service type, chronology
of statewide construction, estimate of
capital costs per segment, operating and
maintenance costs, environmental
review schedule, and discussion of
public and private funding availability.
The Draft 2016 Business Plan, which the
Authority released in February,
describes a phased implementation of
the statewide HSR system. The Draft
2016 Plan prioritizes construction
between San Jose and the Central
Valley, but also emphasizes the
importance of extending HSR service
from San Francisco to San Jose as soon
as possible.
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the proposed HSR
system is to provide a new mode of
high-speed intercity travel that would
link major metropolitan areas of the
state; interface with international
airports, mass transit, and highways;
and provide added capacity to meet
increases in intercity travel demand in
California in a manner sensitive to and
protective of California’s unique natural
resources. The need for a HSR system is
directly related to the expected growth
in population, and increases in intercity
travel demand in California over the
next twenty years and beyond. With the
growth in travel demand, there will be
an increase in travel delays arising from
the growing congestion on California’s
highways and at airports. In addition,
there will be negative effects on the
economy, quality of life, and air quality
in and around California’s metropolitan
areas from a transportation system that
will become less reliable as travel
demand increases. The intercity
highway system, commercial airports,
and conventional passenger rail serving
the intercity travel market are currently
operating at or near capacity, and will
require large public investments for
maintenance and expansion to meet
existing demand and future growth. The
proposed HSR System is designed to
address some of the social, economic,
and environmental problems associated
with transportation congestion in
California.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section
meets this purpose and need by:
• Connecting the San Francisco Bay
Area to the rest of the statewide HSR
system, including the Central Valley
and Southern California;
• Incorporating HSR into the
intermodal hubs at San Francisco,
Millbrae and San Jose, thereby
providing interfaces with airports (San
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Francisco International Airport and
Norman J. Mineta San Jose International
Airport), mass transit (BART, Caltrain,
Capitol Corridor, Amtrak, and light-rail
and bus services), and highways,
resulting in local and regional
transportation hubs;
• Serving a large base of riders in the
densely populated San Francisco and
San Jose metropolitan areas; and
• Reaching station locations with
existing and planned transit oriented
development potential.
Alternatives
The San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS will consider a No Action or No
Project Alternative and one or more
HSR Alternatives for the San Francisco
to San Jose corridor. The San Francisco
to San Jose Section of the HSR system
would connect to the San Jose to
Merced Section at Diridon Station,
which would extend HSR service from
the San Francisco Bay Area to the
Central Valley and Southern California.
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No Action Alternative
The No Action Alternative (No Project
or No Build) represents conditions in
the San Francisco to San Jose corridor
as they exist in 2016, and as they would
exist in future years based on projected
growth, programmed and funded
improvements to the intercity
transportation system, and other
reasonably foreseeable projects through
the implementation of Phase 1
operations in 2029, and a future year of
operation in 2040. The No Action
alternative takes into account the
following sources of information: State
Transportation Improvement Program;
Regional Transportation Plans for all
modes of travel; airport plans; intercity
passenger rail plans; and city and
county plans.
HSR Blended System Alternative(s)
The Blended System Project would
follow the Caltrain right-of-way from
San Francisco to San Jose. It would
utilize existing and in-progress
infrastructure Caltrain developed for its
electrification project, but require
construction in addition to
electrification. The Blended System
Project is anticipated to include the
following, subject to continued planning
and engineering following the scoping/
outreach process:
New and/or Upgraded Infrastructure
• Track improvements to support
higher speeds, including upgrades of
tracks, trackbeds, ties, interlockings, and
possible curve straightening;
• At least one passing track, with
potential alternative locations for the
passing track;
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• One terminal storage maintenance
facility, with potential alternative
locations;
• Improvements to existing bridges
necessary to accommodate mixed traffic;
• Potential grade separations
necessary to support blended
operations; and
• Installation of quad gates at
remaining grade crossings.
Proposed Operations
• High-speed rail vehicles operating
over mostly the same tracks between
San Francisco and San Jose;
• Speeds of up to 110 miles per hour;
and
• Operations plan that would allow
for up to 4 HSR vehicles per hour/per
direction in the peak period.
Upgrades to Existing Stations
• Raised and straightened platforms,
platform screens (or other safety
features) and passenger facilities at 4th
& King, Millbrae and Diridon stations.
Transbay Transit Center (TTC) and
Downtown Extension DTX projects
• The Authority proposes its Blended
System Project will reach the TTC in
San Francisco via the planned 1.3-mile
extension of passenger rail track from
the current terminus at the Caltrain 4th
and King station.
• The Transbay Joint Powers
Authority is the state lead agency for
both projects, which have been the
subject of separate environmental
review.
• The TTC is currently under
construction. The DTX is not yet under
construction.
• Both projects will be addressed in
the San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS.
During the Programmatic review phase,
FRA and the Authority selected the
Transbay Transit Center as the station
location in the city of San Francisco.
However, the Authority anticipates that
the 4th and King Station would operate
as an interim station until completion of
the Transbay Transit Center which the
Transbay Joint Powers Authority is
constructing and funding. Other HSR
stations would be located in the city of
Millbrae at the existing Millbrae BART/
Caltrain Station, and in the city of San
Jose at the existing Diridon Station. FRA
and Authority selected these locations
through the Bay Area to Central Valley
HSR Final Program EIR/EIS.
Probable Effects
The EIR/EIS will evaluate and
document the effects of the proposed
project on the physical, human, and
natural environment. FRA and the
Authority will continue the tiered
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evaluation of all potentially significant
environmental, social, and economic
impacts of the construction and
operation of the HSR system. The San
Francisco to San Jose EIR/EIS will
address appropriate resource areas
including: Transportation, including
impacts on existing passenger and
freight rail tenants; safety and security;
land use and zoning; land acquisition,
displacements, and relocations;
cumulative and secondary impacts;
cultural resource impacts, including
impacts on historical and archaeological
resources; parklands/recreation areas;
neighborhood compatibility and
environmental justice; geology and
paleontology impacts; natural resource
impacts including air quality, wetlands,
water resources, noise and vibration,
energy, wildlife and ecosystems,
including endangered species, energy
and hazardous materials. The EIR/EIS
will also identify and evaluate measures
to avoid, minimize, and mitigate
adverse impacts.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS will be prepared consistent
with FRA’s Procedures for Considering
Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545,
May 26, 1999) and the CEQ’s regulations
implementing NEPA at 40 CFR parts
1500–1508. The San Francisco to San
Jose Section EIR/EIS also will address,
as necessary, other applicable statutes,
regulations, and executive orders,
including the Clean Air Act, Section 106
of the National Historic Preservation Act
(Section 106) of 1966, Section 4(f) of the
Department of Transportation Act, the
Endangered Species Act, and Executive
Order 12898 on Environmental Justice.
FRA funding or approval of the San
Francisco to San Jose Section would be
a Federal undertaking with the potential
to affect historic properties. As such, it
is subject to the requirements of Section
106. Consistent with the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation’s
(ACHP) regulations implementing
Section 106, FRA intends to coordinate
compliance with Section 106 of this Act
with the preparation of the San
Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS,
beginning with the identification of
consulting parties in a manner
consistent with the standards set out in
36 CFR 800.8. Under the Programmatic
Agreement among FRA, ACHP, the
California State Historic Preservation
Officer, and the Authority, FRA and the
Authority will conduct a phased review
of effects on historic properties
consistent with 36 CFR 800.4(b)(2). FRA
invites the public and interested parties
to provide comments on the potential
effects of the proposed alternatives on
historic properties within the San
Francisco to San Jose Section. In
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response to this NOI, a member of the
public or other interested party may also
request to participate in the Section 106
process as a consulting party under 36
CFR part 800.
Scoping and Comments
FRA encourages broad participation
in the EIS process during scoping and
review of the resulting environmental
documents. FRA invites Native
American Tribes, interested agencies,
and the public at large to participate in
the scoping process to ensure the EIR/
EIS addresses the full range of issues
related to the proposed action and
reasonable alternatives, and that all
significant issues are identified. FRA
requests that any public agency having
jurisdiction over an aspect of the Project
identify the applicable permit and
environmental review requirements of
the agency and the scope and content of
the environmental information germane
to the agency’s jurisdiction over the
Project. Public agencies are requested to
advise FRA if they anticipate taking a
major action in connection with the
proposed project and if they wish to
participate as a cooperating agency for
the San Francisco to San Jose Section
EIR/EIS.
FRA and the Authority have
scheduled public scoping meetings
which are an important component of
the scoping process for both the State
and Federal environmental review. The
Authority will advertise the scoping
meetings described in this NOI locally
and be included with any additional
public notification.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 4, 2016.
Jamie Rennert,
Director, Office of Program Delivery.
[FR Doc. 2016–10959 Filed 5–6–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. 2016–0021]
Notice of Request for the Extension of
a Currently Approved Information
Collection
AGENCY:
Federal Transit Administration,
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DOT.
ACTION:
Notice of request for comments.
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the intention of the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to
request the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) to renew the following
information collection:
SUMMARY:
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49 U.S.C. Section 5337 State of Good
Repair Program
OMB Control No.: 2132–0577.
49 U.S.C. Section 5337, the State of
Good Repair Grants Program was
authorized by Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21st Century (MAP–21).
It was reauthorized under the Fixing
America’s Surface Transportation
(FAST) Act Section 3015. This program
authorizes the Secretary of
Transportation to make grants to
designated recipients to maintain,
replace, and rehabilitate high intensity
fixed guideway systems and high
intensity motorbus systems. Eligible
recipients include state and local
government authorities in urbanized
areas with high intensity fixed
guideway systems and/or high intensity
motorbus systems operating for at least
seven years. Projects are funded at 80
percent federal with a 20 percent local
match requirement by statute. FTA will
apportion funds to designated
recipients. The designated recipients
will then allocate funds as appropriate
to recipients that are public entities in
the urbanized areas. FTA can make
grants to direct recipients after suballocation of funds. Recipients apply for
grants electronically, and FTA collects
milestone and financial status reports
from designated recipients on a
quarterly basis. The information
submitted ensures FTA’s compliance
with applicable federal laws.
DATES: Comments must be submitted
before July 8, 2016.
ADDRESSES: To ensure that your
comments are not entered more than
once into the docket, submit comments
identified by the docket number by only
one of the following methods:
1. Web site: www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments on the U.S. Government
electronic docket site. (Note: The U.S.
Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s)
electronic docket is no longer accepting
electronic comments.) All electronic
submissions must be made to the U.S.
Government electronic docket site at
www.regulations.gov. Commenters
should follow the directions below for
mailed and hand-delivered comments.
2. Fax: 202–493–2251.
3. Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Docket Operations, M–30,
West Building, Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Docket Operations, M–30,
West Building, Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001
between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.,
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28157
Monday through Friday, except federal
holidays.
Instructions: You must include the
agency name and docket number for this
notice at the beginning of your
comments. Submit two copies of your
comments if you submit them by mail.
For confirmation that FTA has received
your comments, include a selfaddressed stamped postcard. Note that
all comments received, including any
personal information, will be posted
and will be available to Internet users,
without change, to www.regulations.gov.
You may review DOT’s complete
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published April 11, 2000, (65
FR 19477), or you may visit
www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access
to the docket to read background
documents and comments received, go
to www.regulations.gov at any time.
Background documents and comments
received may also be viewed at the U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Docket
Operations, M–30, West Building,
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590–0001 between
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except federal holidays.
Mr.
Eric Hu, Office of Program Management
(202) 366–0870, or email: Eric.Hu@
dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Interested
parties are invited to send comments
regarding any aspect of this information
collection, including: (1) The necessity
and utility of the information collection
for the proper performance of the
functions of the FTA; (2) the accuracy
of the estimated burden; (3) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the collected information; and (4)
ways to minimize the collection burden
without reducing the quality of the
collected information. Comments
submitted in response to this notice will
be summarized and/or included in the
request for OMB approval of this
information collection.
Respondents: State and local
governments.
Estimated Annual Burden on
Respondents: 58 hours per submission.
Estimated Total Annual Burden:
9,120 hours.
Frequency: Annual.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
William Hyre,
Deputy Associate Administrator for
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016–10837 Filed 5–6–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 89 (Monday, May 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28154-28157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10959]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for the California High Speed Rail
System San Francisco to San Jose Section, CA
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: Through this NOI, FRA announces its intent to jointly prepare
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) with the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) for the
San Francisco to San Jose Section of the California High-Speed Rail
(HSR) System, Blended System Project (Blended System Project or
Project). FRA invites the public and all interested parties to provide
comments on the scope of the EIR/EIS, including the proposed purpose
and need, the alternatives to consider, potential environmental impacts
of concern, and methodologies for analysis of impacts. Through this
NOI, FRA also rescinds its December 2008 NOI for the San Francisco to
San Jose Section.
FRA and the Authority will develop the EIR/EIS in compliance with
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). FRA and the Authority will
hold scoping meetings and outreach activities as part of the NEPA/CEQA
process. Federal cooperating agencies for the EIR/EIS are the Surface
Transportation Board (STB) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE).
DATES: Written comments on the scope of the San Francisco to San Jose
Section EIR/EIS must be provided to the Authority by June 8, 2016.
Public scoping meetings are scheduled in May 2016: FRA and the
Authority will hold the scoping meetings between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00
p.m. at the following dates:
San Francisco: Monday, May 23, 2016.
San Mateo: Tuesday, May 24, 2016.
Mountain View: Wednesday, May 25, 2016.
The Authority will make scoping materials and information
concerning the scoping meetings available on the Authority's Web site:
https://hsr.ca.gov/Programs/Statewide_Rail_Modernization/project_sections/sanfrancisco_sanjose.html.
ADDRESSES: You can send written comments on the scope to Mr. Mark
McLoughlin, Director of Environmental Services, Attention: San
Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS, California High-Speed Rail
Authority, 770 L Street, Suite 1160, Sacramento, CA 95814, or via email
with subject line ``San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS'' to:
comments@hsr.ca.gov.
You may provide comments orally or in writing at scoping meetings.
FRA and the Authority will hold the scoping meetings between 5:00 p.m.
and 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:
San Francisco: University of California, San Francisco
Mission Bay, 11500 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158.
San Mateo: San Mateo Marriott, 1770 South Amphlett
Boulevard, San Mateo, CA 94402.
Mountain View: SFV Lodge, 361 Villa Street, Mountain View,
CA 94041.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Stephanie Perez, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Office of Program Delivery, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., (Mail Stop 20), Washington,
DC 20590; Telephone: (202) 493-0388, email: stephanie.perez@dot.gov, or
Mr. Guy Preston, Regional Delivery Manager, California High Speed Rail
Authority, 100 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113, Telephone:
(408) 277-1091 or sanfrancisco_sanjose@hsr.ca.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA is an operating administration of the
U.S. Department of Transportation and is responsible for overseeing the
safety of railroad operations, including the safety of any proposed
high-speed ground transportation system. FRA is also authorized to
provide, subject to appropriations, funding for high-speed and
intercity passenger rail projects and is also authorized to provide
loans and other financial support for railroad investments. FRA is
conducting this review under NEPA because it may provide funding or
financing for this project in the future. STB and USACE are Federal
cooperating agencies on the EIS. STB has approval authority under
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49 U.S.C. 10901 over the construction and operation of the proposed
California HSR System. USACE has jurisdiction under Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act.
The Authority was established in 1996 and is authorized and
directed by statute to undertake the planning and development of a
proposed statewide HSR network fully coordinated with other public
transportation services. In 2005, the Authority and FRA completed a
Final Program EIR/EIS for the Proposed California HSR System (Statewide
Program EIR/EIS), as the first phase of a tiered environmental review
process. The Statewide Program EIR/EIS analyzed a No Project/No Action
Alternative; a Modal Alternative involving expanding freeways,
airports, and conventional rail systems; and a HSR alternative using
electric propulsion and steel-wheel-on-steel-rail vehicles capable of
operating speeds of 220 mph on fully grade separated rail alignments
with state-of-the-art safety, signaling, and communication systems. The
Authority certified the Statewide Program EIR under CEQA and approved
the proposed HSR System, and FRA issued a Record of Decision under NEPA
on the Statewide Program EIS.
In approving the Statewide Program EIR/EIS, FRA and the Authority
selected the HSR Alternative for intercity travel in California between
the major metropolitan centers of Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay
Area in the north, through the Central Valley, to Los Angeles and San
Diego in the south. The Authority and FRA also selected certain
corridors/general alignments and general station locations for further
study; committed to mitigation strategies and design practices; and
specified further measures to guide the development of the HSR system
at the site-specific project level of environmental review to avoid and
minimize potential adverse environmental impacts. FRA and the Authority
did not select corridors or station locations between the Central
Valley and the Bay Area in 2005. Rather, they decided to prepare a
second program EIR/EIS for that area.
In 2008, the Authority and FRA further evaluated alignments and
station locations within the broad corridor between and including the
Altamont Pass and the Pacheco Pass to connect the Bay Area and Central
Valley portions of the HSR system in the Bay Area to the Central Valley
High-Speed Train Program EIR/EIS. Based on that EIR/EIS, the Authority
and FRA selected the Pacheco Pass--San Francisco and San Jose termini
network alternative, including corridor alignments and station location
options. The selected corridor alignment uses the Caltrain rail right-
of-way, between San Francisco and San Jose along the San Francisco
Peninsula, and the Pacheco Pass via Henry Miller Road, between San Jose
and the Central Valley.
In December 2008, the Authority and FRA respectively issued a
notice of preparation and notice of intent to prepare an EIR/EIS for
the project-level San Francisco to San Jose Section of the proposed
California HSR System. In 2009, the Authority and FRA completed project
scoping and provided the public with alternatives screening documents.
These alternatives screening documents were for a rail corridor based
on an entirely grade separated a four-track system between San
Francisco and San Jose where HSR would share tracks with Caltrain
express commuter trains. Communities along the Caltrain corridor
expressed concerns with this proposal because of the perceived
magnitude of impacts to environmental and community resources. In
response to these concerns, the Authority suspended further work on the
EIR/EIS in mid-2011 to consider blending the HSR and Caltrain
operations within a smaller project footprint. In November 2011, the
Authority proposed blended operations for the HSR section between San
Francisco and San Jose, which would still provide HSR and Caltrain
service between the two cities without requiring a four-track system
for the Project.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS will describe the
Blended System Project in detail, identify site-specific environmental
impacts from construction, operation, and maintenance of the Blended
System Project; identify specific mitigation measures to address those
impacts; and incorporate appropriate design practices to avoid and
minimize potential adverse environmental impacts. The EIR/EIS will
describe the site characteristics, size, nature, and timing of the
proposed action as a basis for determining whether the impacts are
potentially significant and whether impacts can be avoided, minimized,
or mitigated. The Authority will provide information and documents
regarding this EIR/EIS on the Authority's Web site: https://www.hsr.ca.gov.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS will tier from, and
build upon, the Statewide Program EIR/EIS and the Bay Area to Central
Valley HSR Program EIR/EIS consistent with Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) regulations, (40 CFR 1508.28) and State CEQA Guidelines
(14 California Code of Regulations 15168(b)).
In addition to the NEPA and CEQA process, the Authority is required
by law to publish a Business Plan, updated every two years, which
includes a description of service type, chronology of statewide
construction, estimate of capital costs per segment, operating and
maintenance costs, environmental review schedule, and discussion of
public and private funding availability. The Draft 2016 Business Plan,
which the Authority released in February, describes a phased
implementation of the statewide HSR system. The Draft 2016 Plan
prioritizes construction between San Jose and the Central Valley, but
also emphasizes the importance of extending HSR service from San
Francisco to San Jose as soon as possible.
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the proposed HSR system is to provide a new mode of
high-speed intercity travel that would link major metropolitan areas of
the state; interface with international airports, mass transit, and
highways; and provide added capacity to meet increases in intercity
travel demand in California in a manner sensitive to and protective of
California's unique natural resources. The need for a HSR system is
directly related to the expected growth in population, and increases in
intercity travel demand in California over the next twenty years and
beyond. With the growth in travel demand, there will be an increase in
travel delays arising from the growing congestion on California's
highways and at airports. In addition, there will be negative effects
on the economy, quality of life, and air quality in and around
California's metropolitan areas from a transportation system that will
become less reliable as travel demand increases. The intercity highway
system, commercial airports, and conventional passenger rail serving
the intercity travel market are currently operating at or near
capacity, and will require large public investments for maintenance and
expansion to meet existing demand and future growth. The proposed HSR
System is designed to address some of the social, economic, and
environmental problems associated with transportation congestion in
California.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section meets this purpose and need
by:
Connecting the San Francisco Bay Area to the rest of the
statewide HSR system, including the Central Valley and Southern
California;
Incorporating HSR into the intermodal hubs at San
Francisco, Millbrae and San Jose, thereby providing interfaces with
airports (San
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Francisco International Airport and Norman J. Mineta San Jose
International Airport), mass transit (BART, Caltrain, Capitol Corridor,
Amtrak, and light-rail and bus services), and highways, resulting in
local and regional transportation hubs;
Serving a large base of riders in the densely populated
San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan areas; and
Reaching station locations with existing and planned
transit oriented development potential.
Alternatives
The San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS will consider a No
Action or No Project Alternative and one or more HSR Alternatives for
the San Francisco to San Jose corridor. The San Francisco to San Jose
Section of the HSR system would connect to the San Jose to Merced
Section at Diridon Station, which would extend HSR service from the San
Francisco Bay Area to the Central Valley and Southern California.
No Action Alternative
The No Action Alternative (No Project or No Build) represents
conditions in the San Francisco to San Jose corridor as they exist in
2016, and as they would exist in future years based on projected
growth, programmed and funded improvements to the intercity
transportation system, and other reasonably foreseeable projects
through the implementation of Phase 1 operations in 2029, and a future
year of operation in 2040. The No Action alternative takes into account
the following sources of information: State Transportation Improvement
Program; Regional Transportation Plans for all modes of travel; airport
plans; intercity passenger rail plans; and city and county plans.
HSR Blended System Alternative(s)
The Blended System Project would follow the Caltrain right-of-way
from San Francisco to San Jose. It would utilize existing and in-
progress infrastructure Caltrain developed for its electrification
project, but require construction in addition to electrification. The
Blended System Project is anticipated to include the following, subject
to continued planning and engineering following the scoping/outreach
process:
New and/or Upgraded Infrastructure
Track improvements to support higher speeds, including
upgrades of tracks, trackbeds, ties, interlockings, and possible curve
straightening;
At least one passing track, with potential alternative
locations for the passing track;
One terminal storage maintenance facility, with potential
alternative locations;
Improvements to existing bridges necessary to accommodate
mixed traffic;
Potential grade separations necessary to support blended
operations; and
Installation of quad gates at remaining grade crossings.
Proposed Operations
High-speed rail vehicles operating over mostly the same
tracks between San Francisco and San Jose;
Speeds of up to 110 miles per hour; and
Operations plan that would allow for up to 4 HSR vehicles
per hour/per direction in the peak period.
Upgrades to Existing Stations
Raised and straightened platforms, platform screens (or
other safety features) and passenger facilities at 4th & King, Millbrae
and Diridon stations.
Transbay Transit Center (TTC) and Downtown Extension DTX projects
The Authority proposes its Blended System Project will
reach the TTC in San Francisco via the planned 1.3-mile extension of
passenger rail track from the current terminus at the Caltrain 4th and
King station.
The Transbay Joint Powers Authority is the state lead
agency for both projects, which have been the subject of separate
environmental review.
The TTC is currently under construction. The DTX is not
yet under construction.
Both projects will be addressed in the San Francisco to
San Jose Section EIR/EIS.
During the Programmatic review phase, FRA and the Authority selected
the Transbay Transit Center as the station location in the city of San
Francisco. However, the Authority anticipates that the 4th and King
Station would operate as an interim station until completion of the
Transbay Transit Center which the Transbay Joint Powers Authority is
constructing and funding. Other HSR stations would be located in the
city of Millbrae at the existing Millbrae BART/Caltrain Station, and in
the city of San Jose at the existing Diridon Station. FRA and Authority
selected these locations through the Bay Area to Central Valley HSR
Final Program EIR/EIS.
Probable Effects
The EIR/EIS will evaluate and document the effects of the proposed
project on the physical, human, and natural environment. FRA and the
Authority will continue the tiered evaluation of all potentially
significant environmental, social, and economic impacts of the
construction and operation of the HSR system. The San Francisco to San
Jose EIR/EIS will address appropriate resource areas including:
Transportation, including impacts on existing passenger and freight
rail tenants; safety and security; land use and zoning; land
acquisition, displacements, and relocations; cumulative and secondary
impacts; cultural resource impacts, including impacts on historical and
archaeological resources; parklands/recreation areas; neighborhood
compatibility and environmental justice; geology and paleontology
impacts; natural resource impacts including air quality, wetlands,
water resources, noise and vibration, energy, wildlife and ecosystems,
including endangered species, energy and hazardous materials. The EIR/
EIS will also identify and evaluate measures to avoid, minimize, and
mitigate adverse impacts.
The San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS will be prepared
consistent with FRA's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts
(64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999) and the CEQ's regulations implementing NEPA
at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. The San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/
EIS also will address, as necessary, other applicable statutes,
regulations, and executive orders, including the Clean Air Act, Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) of 1966,
Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, the Endangered
Species Act, and Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice.
FRA funding or approval of the San Francisco to San Jose Section
would be a Federal undertaking with the potential to affect historic
properties. As such, it is subject to the requirements of Section 106.
Consistent with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's (ACHP)
regulations implementing Section 106, FRA intends to coordinate
compliance with Section 106 of this Act with the preparation of the San
Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS, beginning with the
identification of consulting parties in a manner consistent with the
standards set out in 36 CFR 800.8. Under the Programmatic Agreement
among FRA, ACHP, the California State Historic Preservation Officer,
and the Authority, FRA and the Authority will conduct a phased review
of effects on historic properties consistent with 36 CFR 800.4(b)(2).
FRA invites the public and interested parties to provide comments on
the potential effects of the proposed alternatives on historic
properties within the San Francisco to San Jose Section. In
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response to this NOI, a member of the public or other interested party
may also request to participate in the Section 106 process as a
consulting party under 36 CFR part 800.
Scoping and Comments
FRA encourages broad participation in the EIS process during
scoping and review of the resulting environmental documents. FRA
invites Native American Tribes, interested agencies, and the public at
large to participate in the scoping process to ensure the EIR/EIS
addresses the full range of issues related to the proposed action and
reasonable alternatives, and that all significant issues are
identified. FRA requests that any public agency having jurisdiction
over an aspect of the Project identify the applicable permit and
environmental review requirements of the agency and the scope and
content of the environmental information germane to the agency's
jurisdiction over the Project. Public agencies are requested to advise
FRA if they anticipate taking a major action in connection with the
proposed project and if they wish to participate as a cooperating
agency for the San Francisco to San Jose Section EIR/EIS.
FRA and the Authority have scheduled public scoping meetings which
are an important component of the scoping process for both the State
and Federal environmental review. The Authority will advertise the
scoping meetings described in this NOI locally and be included with any
additional public notification.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 4, 2016.
Jamie Rennert,
Director, Office of Program Delivery.
[FR Doc. 2016-10959 Filed 5-6-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
