[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 156 (Monday, August 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41818-41819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20515]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Proposed 
Development of the Monorail-Northeast Corridor Connection Project at 
Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision (ROD).

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SUMMARY: The FAA is making available the Record of Decision for the 
proposed Development of the Monorail-Northeast Corridor Connection 
Project at Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Laurence Schaefer, FAA, John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport, AEA-620, 
Jamaica, NY 11430, fax: (718) 995-9219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Any person may obtain a copy of the ROD by 
submitting a request to the FAA contact identified above. The Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) is Lead Agency for purposes of 
implementing the procedures required by the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, on a proposed transportation 
system access improvement project sponsored by the Port Authority of 
New York and New Jersey (Port Authority), operator of the airport. The 
purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the Record of 
Decision (ROD) is available to anyone upon request.
    The FAA considered potential environmental impacts and other 
factors

[[Page 41819]]

resulting from the construction of the Monorail-Northeast Corridor 
Connection Project (the Project) at Newark International Airport (EWR). 
The ROD presents:

--alternatives considered for the project;
--the basis/justification for selecting the Preferred Alternative;
--summary of impacts; and
--mitigation measures for the Preferred Alternative.

    The project proposed by the Port Authority is the development of an 
extension to the Monorail, currently operating at EWR, connecting it to 
a new Rail Station on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) that will then 
provide connection to the other rail services operated by the New 
Jersey Transit. Construction of the Monorail extension requires the 
incorporation of the system right-of-way in the ALP. The FAA 
conditionally approved an amendment to the ALP on November 9, 1995. 
This approval was made subject to an acceptable environmental review.
    The FAA, as the Lead Agency, has determined that the requirements 
of the NEPA have been satisfied for the construction of the proposed 
project in Newark, New Jersey. This decision is based upon the FAA's 
close monitoring of the process and consideration of the effects of the 
project, all of which are documented in the Draft and Final 
Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS and FEIS). The FAA's 
determinations are outlined in the ROD. The FEIS was approved on 
January 23, 1996. The ROD was concurred in on July 18, 1996.
    The Monorail-NEC Connection project is part of the Port Authority's 
overall effort to address land side capacity constraints at EWR. The 
major objective of the project is to provide an alternative means of 
access to EWR. The project will increase overall access capacity to the 
airport and will provide passengers with a fast, reliable and cost 
effective mode of access. The Monorail-NEC Connection project will also 
ease the current and anticipated congestion on the roadways at the 
airport's entrances and exits. Implementation of the Monorail-NEC 
project from the Airport's Parking Lot E Monorail Station to the new 
Rail Station on the NEC will reduce the amount of vehicular traffic 
destined for the airport and will assist the airport in matching its 
airside capacity with its landside capacity.
    By notice in the Federal Register dated July 26, 1996, the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that its previous concerns 
have been addressed and that EPA therefore, has no objection to the 
proposed project.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 7, 1996.
William DeGraaff,
Acting Manager, Airports Division.
[FR Doc. 96-20515 Filed 8-9-96; 8:45 am]
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