[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 67350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31904]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Orange County, California

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a series of 
proposed grade separations within the Orangethorpe Rail Corridor (a 
section of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line) located within 
the Cities of Placentia and Anaheim in Orange County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tay Dam, Senior Transportation 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration--Los Angeles Metro Office, 201 
N. Figueroa Street, Suite 1460, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Telephone: (213) 
202-3954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail 
line through Orange County is one of three main rail freight routes out 
of the Los Angeles area. International cargo comes into and out of the 
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The BNSF rail line serves those 
ports via the Alameda Corridor, a joint use line serving both the Union 
Pacific and BNSF railway companies, connects to the Hobart Yard outside 
downtown Los Angeles, and proceeds southeast through Pico Rivera and 
Santa Fe Springs. The line then continues through northern Orange 
County, the City of Corona, San Bernardino County, and, ultimately, the 
Gulf States and eastern United States. This proposed project is a part 
of the regional traffic congestion relief project called the Orange 
County Gateway (OCG) which is located within the limits of the Cities 
of Placentia, Fullerton, Anaheim, Yorba Linda, and the County of 
Orange.
    The FHWA, as a federal lead agency, in cooperation with the Federal 
Railroad Administration, the California Department of Transportation, 
and the City of Placentia/Orange North American Trade Rail Access 
Corridor Authority (On Trac), will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) on a proposal to (1) Reduce traffic congestion; (2) 
eliminate or reduce the current and potential hazards posed by the 
existing at-grade crossings; (3) accommodate currently planned railroad 
expansion; (4) and implement transportation strategies to increase the 
efficiency of moving people and goods throughout the Orangethorpe Rail 
Corridor area.
    Alternatives under consideration include (1) A no build option; (2) 
a series of grade separations option; and (3) a railroad trench option 
within the Orangethorpe Rail Corridor between Placentia Avenue and 
Imperial Highway in northern Orange County, California.
    These basic alternatives will have additional design variations and 
other engineering details. A final selection of study alternatives and 
their subset variations will not be made until all public and agency 
comments are reviewed following the Scoping process.

    Note: As required by the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, all other reasonable alternatives will be 
considered. These alternatives may be refined, combined with various 
different alternative elements, or be removed from further 
consideration, as more analysis is conducted on the project 
alternatives.

    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposal. Public scoping meetings will 
be held on January 22 and 24, 2002 in the City of Placentia prior to 
preparation of the draft EIS. Public notice will be given of the time 
and place of these meetings.
    Public hearing(s) will be held after the draft EIS is completed. 
Public notice will be given of the time and place of the hearing(s). 
The draft EIS will be available for public and agency review and 
comment prior to the formal public hearing(s).
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to the proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to the FHWA at the addresses provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program)

    Issued on: December 19, 2001.
Jeffrey W. Kolb,
Chief, District Operations-South, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 01-31904 Filed 12-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M