[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40877-40878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20007]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of a Written Reevaluation/Technical Report 
on Changes to the Proposed JFK Airport Access Program, New York, NY

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of written reevaluation/technical report 
and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is making available and invites public comment on 
changes to the proposed JFK Airport Access Program in New York, New 
York.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 20, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Requests to obtain a copy of the Technical Report, and 
written comments on the project changes should be made to:

Mr. Laurence Schaefer, Federal Aviation Administration, AEA-620, John 
F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, NY 11430, Telephone: 718-
553-3340; Fax: 718-995-9219
Mr. Charles Andreski, New York State Department of Transportation, 
Region II, Hunters Point Plaza, 47-40 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 
11101, Telephone: 718-482-4631; Fax: 718-482-4660

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Messrs. Schaefer and Andreski as listed herein.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) are Joint 
Lead Agencies for purposes of implementing the procedures required by 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, on a 
proposed transportation system access improvement project sponsored by 
the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Project Sponsor) to John 
F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport located in Queens, New York. The 
purpose of this notice is to inform the public that there are changes 
in the proposed project since publication of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS-Notice of Availability published Volume 59, No. 
121 of the Federal Register, dated June 24, 1994) which are described 
in the FAA Written Reevaluation/Technical Report. This document is now 
available for public comment.
    In response to issues raised during the NEPA review process for the 
originally proposed project and in light of the anticipated level of 
available funding for construction of the project, the Project Sponsor 
has concluded that an 8.4-mile long portion of the original 22 mile 
system in Queens using the same general alignment between Jamaica 
Station and JFK, an on-airport link to Howard Beach Station, and within 
the JFK Central Terminal Area, together comprise the proposed action. 
Each of the three segments has already been evaluated in the DEIS. The 
project sponsor has also focused its consideration of guideway 
technologies to light rail and refers to the revised project as the 
JFK-Light Rail System (LRS) Project.
    The primary purpose of the proposed Project remains to improve 
ground access for air passengers and airport employees by providing a 
safe, quick, reliable and efficient means of travel to, from and on the 
Airport. Providing connecting links to the regional transit system will 
help the Airport realize its effective capacity and continue operating 
successfully.
    Projected system ridership has changed as a result of the 
modification to the originally proposed project. In light of these 
changes, the FAA has analyzed the currently proposed project with 
respect to the following transportation system operational and related 
impacts: (1) Vehicular and pedestrian traffic at access locations; (2) 
system operational characteristics; (3) enplanements; (4) highway 
travel; and (5) air quality and noise including both airside and 
groundside impacts. The effects of the changes in system scope and 
ridership will not result in environmental impacts that differ 
substantially from those disclosed in the DEIS.
    The FAA's Written Reevaluation/Technical Report contains the 
following information: Revised project description; review of the 
project purpose and need; revised alternatives analysis; revised 
ridership data; and identification and assessment of the environmental 
consequences of the project changes.
    The FAA and NYSDOT will respond to comments received on the Written

[[Page 40878]]

Reevaluation/Technical Report on changes to the proposed JFK Airport 
Access Program, in addition to pertinent comments previously received 
on the DEIS, in the final EIS which it intends to issue on the proposed 
project. For information purposes, copies of the DEIS and the Written 
Reevaluation/Technical Reports are available for public review at the 
following locations:

Queens

Office of the Queens Borough President, Office of Planning & 
Environment, Room 226, Second Floor, 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew 
Gardens, NY 11424, 9 am-5 pm
Community Board #1, 36-01 35th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106, 9:30 pm-3 pm
Community Board #3, 34-33 Junction Boulevard, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Community Board #8, 8126 150th Street, Jamaica, NY 11435
Community Board #9, Queens Borough Hall, Rm 312, 120-55 Queens 
Boulevard, Kew Gardens, NY 11424
Community Board #10, 115-01 161st Street, South Ozone Park, NY 11420
Community Board #12, 90-28 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432
Community Board #13, Queens Reform Church, 219-41 Jamaica Avenue, 
Queens Village, NY 11428
Community Board #14, 1931 Mott Avenue, Rm 311, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Sunnyside Library, 43-06 Greenpoint Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11104, 
(718) 784-3033
Forest Hills Library, 108-19 7th Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375, (718) 
268-7934
North Forest Park Library, 98-27 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, NY 
11375, (718) 261-5512
Ozone Park Library, 92-24 Rockaway Blvd., Ozone Park, NY 11417, (718) 
845-3127
Woodside Library, 54-22 Skillman Ave., Woodside, NY 11377

Long Island

Long Island Association, Inc., 80 Hauppauge Road, Commack, NY 11725, 9 
am-5 pm
Nassau County Planning Commissioner, 400 County Seat Drive, Mineola, NY 
11501, 9 am-4:45 pm
Village of Valley Stream, Department of Planning, Village Hall, 123 S. 
Central Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580, 9 am-5 pm

    Issued in Jamaica, New York, July 31, 1996.
William J. DeGraaff,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Eastern Region.
[FR Doc. 96-20007 Filed 8-5-96; 8:45 am]
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