Federal Railroad Administration May 9, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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).

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 (C\3\RS), Amtrak 160 mph waiver requests, split rail derails on track leading to the NEC, and a general discussion of safety issues.