[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 26872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11484]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Notice of Availability and Public Hearing of the Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the Buffalo Inner Harbor 
Project, New York

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearing of the draft 
supplemental environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public and interested agencies that a Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEIS) will be 
available on the Buffalo Inner Harbor Project. This Draft SEIS is in 
response to a court order and is limited in scope to the issue of 
historic preservation. The Draft SEIS will address events and 
information that became available subsequent to the Final EIS (FEIS), 
which was issued February 12, 1999.
    The Draft SEIS was prepared pursuant to an order filed in a civil 
action filed by Preservation Coalition on October 6, 1999, in the 
United States District Court for the Western District of New York under 
civil action number 99-CV-745S against FTA, NFTA, the New York State 
Thruway Authority, Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), and the 
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. 
The Preservation Coalition challenged the Buffalo Inner Harbor Project 
on environmental and historic preservation grounds. On March 31, 2000, 
District Court Judge William M. Skretny ordered that a SEIS be prepared 
to consider the information learned during archaeological 
investigations conducted after the FEIS.
    The court established a compressed timetable for the public comment 
period on the Draft SEIS. In accordance with the order, the Draft SEIS 
will be available for public comment between May 10, 2000, and May 31, 
2000. Written comments must be received by 5:00 PM on May 31, 2000. A 
public hearing on the project will be held on May 24, 2000, from 7 to 
9:00 p.m.

DATES: Comment due date/time: May 31, 2000, 5:00 PM. Public hearing 
date/time: May 24, 2000, 7-9 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments are to be sent to Ruta Dzenis, AICP, 
Project Director, Empire State Development Corporation, 420 Main 
Street, Suite 717 Liberty Building, Buffalo, NY 14202. The address of 
the public hearing is Erie County Community College, Downtown Campus, 
Main Auditorium, Buffalo, NY 14203. The Auditorium entrance is along 
the Clinton Street side of the building and is accessible to the 
disabled. If there is a need for a translator for the hearing impaired 
or other special accommodations please notify Ms. Mary Coleman, Empire 
State Development Corporation, at (716) 856-8111 by Tuesday, May 16, 
2000. Copies of the Draft SEIS are available by contacting Ms. Coleman. 
Copies of the draft SEIS are also available for review at the Buffalo 
and Erie County Public Library, Central Branch, Lafayette Square, 
Buffalo, NY 14202; the Niagara Falls Public Library, 1425 Main Street, 
Niagara Falls, NY 14305; and the University of Buffalo School of 
Architecture and Planning Library, Hayes Hall, South Campus, Buffalo NY 
14216.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony G. Carr, FTA Region II, One 
Bowling Green, Room 429; New York, NY 10004. Telephone (212) 668-2170.
    Following the public comment period, a Final SEIS that responds to 
the comments will be prepared and made available to the public.

    Issued on: May 3, 2000.
Letitia Thompson,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Region II.
[FR Doc. 00-11484 Filed 5-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P