[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1268-1270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-556]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement(s) on Highway and 
Transit Improvements in the North-Hardy Corridor Extending Along and 
Between Interstate 45 (IH 45) and Hardy Toll Road From SH 242 in 
Southern Montgomery County, Texas to Spur 527 (Louisiana Street Exit 
From US 59 South), Harris County

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway 
Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement(s).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the Metropolitan Transit 
Authority of Harris County (METRO), the Texas Department of 
Transportation (TxDOT), and the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), 
intend to prepare one or more Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to 
evaluate highway and transit improvements in the North-Hardy Corridor 
of the Houston metropolitan area.
    The EIS(s) will be prepared following completion of studies of 
potential transportation improvements in the North-Hardy Corridor of 
the Houston metropolitan area. The planning studies will conclude with 
the selection of a Locally preferred Investment Strategy (LPIS) that 
may identify both transit and highway improvements to be implemented in 
the corridor. Transit and highway improvements selected for 
implementation will be evaluated in the EIS. If the selected 
investments are in proximity to each other (i.e. within the same right-
of-way) it is likely that a single EIS will be prepared. If the 
selected investments are in different locations, two EIS will be 
prepared. If the selected investments are in different locations, two 
EIS documents may be prepared. The decision about the number of EIS 
documents to be prepared will be determined at the conclusion of the 
planning studies. The EIS(s) will evaluate the potential impacts of the 
selected investment strategy (the Build Alternative) and a No Build 
Alternative.
    The sequence of events for the planning and development for this 
project include the following major milestones:
     Scoping Process--early opportunity for public input to the 
study scope and project alternatives. Scoping will be accomplished with 
a series of public meetings and through correspondence with interested 
persons, organizations, and Federal, State and local agencies.
     Planning Studies--evaluation of proposed improvement 
alternatives, early consideration of environmental factors, concluding 
with the selection of a LPIS. A decision on the number of EIS documents 
to be prepared will occur at the conclusion of the planning studies.
     Conceptual Engineering and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS)--conceptual definition of the alternatives to be 
evaluated including their physical features and potential impacts, 
consideration of mitigation measures, preparation and circulation of 
the Draft EIS(s) comment period, and preparation of the Final EIS(s).
     Preliminary Engineering and Final EIS--detailed definition 
of the proposed alternative's physical features, assessment of 
potential impacts,

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development of selected mitigation measures, responses to comments 
offered during the Draft EIS(s) comment period, and preparation of the 
Final EIS(s).

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives 
and impacts considered should be sent to the Metropolitan Transit 
Authority of Harris County by March 15, 2002. See ADDRESSES Below.
    Scoping Meetings: Public Scoping meetings for the North-Hardy 
Corridor will be held on February 5th, February 6th, February 13th, 
February 20th and February 27th, 2002. See ADDRESSES below for meeting 
times and locations.
    All scoping meetings will be held in wheelchair-accessible 
locations. Any person who requires language interpretation or special 
communication accommodations is encouraged to contact the project's 
public participation coordinator at 713-739-6049 at least 72 hours 
prior to the meeting. Every reasonable effort will be made to meet your 
needs. Scoping information material will be available at the meetings 
and may also be obtained in advance of the meetings by contacting the 
public participation coordination or by contacting METRO at the address 
or e-mail identified in ADDRESSES below. Oral and written comments may 
be given at the scoping meetings. A court reporter will record all 
comments.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to METRO Mobility 2025, Rm 
21034, PO Box 61429, Houston, Texas 77208-1429. E-mail: 
[email protected]. Scoping meetings will be held at the 
following locations:

1. February 5, 2002, Wesley Community Center--Social Hall, 1410 Lee 
Road, Houston, Texas 77009, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
2. February 6, 2002, Northline Mall--Community Room (316), Interstate-
45 at Crosstimbers, Houston, Texas 77022, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
3. February 13, 2002, North-Harris Montgomery Community College, 
Student Center--South Dining Room, 2700 W. W. Thorne Blvd., 4:30-7:30 
p.m.
4. February 20, 2002, Houston Community College System, Administration 
Auditorium, 3100 Main Street at Elgin, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
5. February 27, 2002, Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons 
Lane--2nd Floor, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Agency Scoping Meeting, Conference Room 
A, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Open House, Conference Room B.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jesse Balleza, Community Planner, 
FTA, Region VI 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, Telephone 
(817) 978-0550 or Mr. John Mack, District Engineer, FHWA, 300 East 8th 
Street, Suite 826, Austin, TX 78701, Telephone: 512-536-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

    FTA, FHWA, METRO, TxDOT, and the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-
GAC) invite all interested individuals and organizations, and Federal, 
State, regional, and local agencies to participate in defining the 
alternatives to be evaluated and identifying social, economic, or 
environmental issues related to the alternatives. During scoping, 
comments should focus on identifying specific, social, economic, or 
environmental impacts to be evaluated, and suggesting alternatives that 
may be less costly or have less environmental impacts, but achieve 
similar objectives. Comments during scoping should focus on the issues 
and alternatives for analysis, and not on a preference for a particular 
alternative. Individual preference for a particular alternative should 
be communicated through the planning process and during the comment 
period for the Alternatives Analysis Report.
    Prior to initiating the EIS(s), planning studies will identify a 
LPIS that is anticipated to include transit and highway components. 
Interested individuals, organizations, and Federal, State, and local 
agencies are invited to participate in refining the purpose, 
alternatives, schedule, and analysis approach, as well as participate 
in the active public involvement program throughout the planning 
process and project implementation. The public is invited to comment on 
corridor needs and alternatives to be addressed; modes and technologies 
to be evaluated; alignments and station locations; the environmental, 
social, and economic impact to be analyzed; and the evaluation approach 
to be used to select a LPIS. The scoping process will provide input to 
the process to be used for the evaluation of alternatives during the 
planning process and the early identification of environmental issues 
to be considered during the planning studies and in the EIS(s).
    Scoping activities are being initiated at the outset of the 
planning studies, in advance of the EIS(s), to maximize the opportunity 
for public involvement in the consideration of alternatives and 
reaching decisions about the transportation investments that will be 
advanced into the EIS phase of project development.

II. Description of the Project Area and Needed

    Planning studies for the North-Hardy Corridor will be initiated in 
a broadly defined study area in Harris and Montgomery counties, Texas, 
extending along and between IH 45 and the Hardy Toll Road from SH 242 
on the north to Spur 527 (Louisiana Street exit from US 59 South). The 
North Hardy Corridor includes adjacent communities as well as the 
George Bush Intercontinental Airport and connects the rapidly growing 
northern suburbs and the re-developing northside neighborhoods to 
downtown and other significant activity centers in Houston.
    Some areas of IH 45 do not meet accepted modern highway design 
criteria and congestion is a persistent problem throughout the 
corridor. A multi-modal approach to expanding transit and highway 
capacity within the corridor is to be considered.

III. Alternatives

    In accordance with NEPA, a public scoping process will be initiated 
to identify corridor needs and alternatives. The scoping process will 
provide the basis for the evaluation of alternatives as part of the 
planning studies, and the selection of LPIS and implementation program. 
The planning studies will consider a variety of multi-modal highway and 
transit options in the corridor based on input received during the 
scoping process. It is expected that the LPIS will be a combination of 
one or more alternative options identified. Subsequent to the selection 
of the LPIS, the selected alternatives will be refined and documented 
in the EIS(s). It may be necessary to prepare more than one EIS for the 
North Hardy Corridor based on the outcome of the planning studies. At a 
minimum, the alternatives to be considered in the planning studies 
include:
     No Build Alternative;
     Extension of the Light Rail Transit line currently under 
construction in Downtown Houston;
     Commuter Rail along existing railroad facilities in the 
corridor;
     Highway upgrades or expansion; and
     HOV system improvements.
    Additional reasonable Build Alternatives suggested during the 
scoping process, including those involving other modes, may be 
considered.

IV. Probable Effects and Potential Impacts for Analysis

    FTA, FHWA, METRO, TxDOT, and H-GAC will evaluate all social, 
economic and environmental impacts of

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the alternatives analyzed in the EIS(s). Impacts may include: Land use, 
zoning, and economic development; secondary development; cumulative 
impacts; land acquisition, displacements, and relocation of existing 
uses; historic, archaeological, and cultural resources; parklands and 
recreation areas; visual and aesthetic qualities; neighborhoods and 
communities; environmental justice; air quality; noise and vibration; 
hazardous materials; ecosystems (threatened and endangered species); 
water resources; energy; construction impacts; safety and security; 
utilities; finance; and transportation impacts. The impacts will be 
evaluated both for the construction period and for the long-term period 
of operation of each alternative. Measures to mitigate adverse impacts 
will be identified.

V. FTA/FHWA Procedures

    In accordance with FTA/FHWA policy, all federal laws, regulations 
and executive orders affecting project development, including but not 
limited to the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality and 
FTA implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and 23 CFR part 771), the 
1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, section 404 of the Clean Water Act, 
Executive Order 12898 regarding environmental justice, the National 
Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and section 4(f) 
of the Department of Transportation Act, will be addressed to the 
maximum extend practicable during the NEPA process.

    Issued on: January 2, 2002.
Robert C. Patrick,
Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Region VI, Fort 
Worth, Texas.
[FR Doc. 02-556 Filed 1-8-02; 8:45 am]
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