[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 63 (Monday, April 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17596-17597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8014]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Railroad Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Kelso-Martin's Bluff Rail 
Project, Washington

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA and the FRA are issuing this notice to advise the 
public that as joint lead federal agencies and in cooperation with the 
Washington State Department of Transportation, they will prepare an 
environmental impact statement for a proposed rail corridor improvement 
project on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad mainline

[[Page 17597]]

between Kelso and Martin's Bluff (south of Kalama, Washington).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gary S. Hughes, Federal Highway 
Administration, Evergreen Plaza Building, 711 South Capitol Way, Suite 
501, Olympia, Washington 98501, Telephone: (360) 753-9025; Mr. David 
Valenstein, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., 
MS-20, Washington, DC 20590, Telephone: (202) 493-6368; or Mr. James 
Slakey, Washington State Department of Transportation, 310 Maple Park 
Southeast, Olympia, Washington 98504, Telephone: (360) 705-7920.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 22, 1992, the U.S. Department of 
Transportation designated the existing rail corridor from Eugene, 
Oregon through Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington to Vancouver, 
British Columbia, Canada as a high-speed rail corridor pursuant to 
section 1010 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 
1991 (ISTEA). As part of phase one of the long-term plan to develop 
high-speed intercity passenger service on the corridor, the Washington 
State Department of Transportation proposes to improve the Burlington 
Northern Santa Fe mainline between the City of Kelso and Martin's Bluff 
(south of Kalama, Washington). Proposed improvements include: 
additional tracks and associated roadbed, drainage structures, signal 
systems, and other related facilities. FHWA and FRA, as joint lead 
federal agencies, in cooperation with the Washington State Department 
of Transportation (WSDOT), will prepare an environmental impact 
statement on WSDOT's proposal. The purpose of this corridor improvement 
project is to increase capacity for passenger rail service along the 
Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor. This increased capacity will result in 
faster, safer, more reliable and more frequent service. The added 
capacity along the main line is also expected to have secondary 
benefits for freight rail movement.
    The three agencies intend to implement agency and public 
involvement programs that will describe the proposed action and solicit 
comment from citizens, organizations, and federal, state, and local 
agencies on the proposed improvements and possible environmental 
considerations. The agencies will solicit comments and questions, which 
may be provided by telephone, internet, public meetings, and the mail. 
In addition, targeted direct mail, advertisements, and media relations 
efforts may be used to reach the public and agencies.
    Public scoping meetings are being held on March 28, 2001 in Kalama 
and on March 29, 2001 in Kelso as announced by the Washington State 
Department of Transportation. The scoping meetings are to include 
presentations by the agencies about the scope of the project and an 
opportunity for the public and agency representatives to ask questions 
and provide comments and suggestions regarding the project and relevant 
environmental considerations. The comments made at these scooping 
meetings will be considered in preparation of the scope of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement along with subsequent comments submitted 
by April 30, 2001. Comments submitted after that date will be 
considered to the greatest extent possible.
    Following completion of the scoping process, the agencies will 
initiate appropriate environmental and related studies. Following 
completion of the environmental analysis, the agencies will issue a 
draft environmental impact statement which will be circulated for 
public and agency comment. Advertisements offering interested persons 
the opportunity to attend and offer comments at a public hearing will 
be published contemporaneously with the circulation of the draft 
environmental impact statement. Public notice of actions related to the 
proposal that identify the date, time, place of meetings, and the 
length of review periods will be published at the appropriate time.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
improvement program and its reasonable alternatives are addressed and 
all significant issues are identified, comments and suggestions are 
invited from all interested parties. Comments or questions concerning 
this proposed action, the scoping process, and the environmental impact 
statement should be directed to the FHWA or FRA at the address provided 
above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations 
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
consultation of federal programs and activities apply to this 
program.)
Gary S. Hughes,
Operations Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration, Washington 
Division.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Development, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-8014 Filed 3-30-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-M; 4910-22-M