[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78039-78040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32078]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Finance Docket No. 34079]


San Jacinto Rail Limited--Construction Exemption--And The 
Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company--Operation Exemption--
Build-Out to the Bayport Loop Near Houston, Harris County, TX

AGENCIES: Lead: Surface Transportation Board. Cooperating: U.S. Coast 
Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.

ACTION: Extension of comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft 
EIS) issued by the Surface Transportation Board's Section of 
Environmental Analysis (SEA) and the three cooperating agencies on 
December 6, 2002 in this proceeding were to be submitted by January 27, 
2003. In response to a number of written requests for an extension of 
the comment period, SEA is advising all interested persons that the 
comment period will be

[[Page 78040]]

extended for an additional twenty-five days. The comment period will 
now end February 21, 2003.
    Most of the extension requests sought an additional forty-five days 
to submit comments on the Draft EIS. To balance these requests for an 
extension with the need to move the environmental review process 
forward without undue delay, SEA believes that a twenty-five day 
extension to and including February 21, 2003 is appropriate. In order 
to issue the Final EIS in a timely manner, no further extensions will 
be granted absent compelling, unforeseen circumstances.
    Written comments on the Draft EIS must be postmarked or faxed by 
the February 21, 2003 due date. SEA encourages written comments by all 
interested parties and agencies and members of the general public on 
all aspects of this Draft EIS. SEA will consider all timely comments in 
preparing the Final EIS, and the Final EIS will respond to all timely 
substantive comments. When submitting comments on the Draft EIS, please 
be as specific as possible and substantiate your concerns and 
recommendations. Please mail written comments to: Surface 
Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001.
    To ensure proper handling of your comments, please mark your 
submission: Attention: Dana White, Section of Environmental Analysis, 
Environmental Filing FD No. 34079.
    Due to delays in the delivery of mail currently being experienced 
by Federal agencies in Washington, DC, SEA encourages that comments be 
faxed to 1-866-293-4979. Faxed comments will be given the same weight 
as mailed comments; therefore, persons submitting comments by fax do 
not have to also send comments by mail. Further information about the 
project can be obtained by calling SEA's toll-free number at 1-888-229-
7857 (TDD for the hearing impaired 1-800-877-8339).
    As stated in our December 6, 2002 Notice of Availability, and in 
the Draft EIS, SEA will host two public meetings on the Draft EIS in 
January 2003. At each meeting, SEA will give a brief presentation and 
interested parties will be invited to make oral comments. SEA will have 
a transcriber present to record the oral comments in either English or 
Spanish. Written comments may also be submitted at the meetings. 
Meetings will be held at the following locations, dates, and times: 
Pasadena Convention Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, TX, 
January 14, 2003, 7-9 pm, Cesar E. Chavez High School, 8501 Howard 
Drive, Houston, TX, January 15, 2003, 7-9 pm. Both meetings will follow 
the same format and agenda; it is not necessary to attend both 
meetings.
    Persons wanting to speak at a public meeting are strongly urged to 
pre-register by calling the toll-free number at 1-888-229-7857 (TDD for 
the hearing impaired 1-800-877-8339) and leaving their name, telephone 
number, the name of any group, business, or agency affiliation, if 
applicable, and the date of the meeting at which they wish to speak. 
The deadline for pre-registration for all meetings is January 7, 2003.
    Persons will be called to speak at each meeting in the order in 
which they pre-registered. Those wishing to speak who did not pre-
register will be accommodated at each meeting as time allows. Those 
wishing to speak at more than one meeting will also be accommodated as 
time allows and after all others have had an opportunity to 
participate. As SEA would like as many persons as possible to 
participate and given that there will be a limited amount of time at 
each meeting, all speakers are strongly encouraged to prepare summary 
oral comments, and submit detailed comments in writing. SEA also 
encourages groups of individuals with similar comments to designate a 
representative to speak for them. A translator will be available at 
both meetings for Spanish-speakers wishing to speak.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dana White, Section of 
Environmental Analysis, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, or SEA's toll-free number for this 
project at 1-888-229-7857 (TDD for the hearing impaired 1-800-877-
8339). The website for the Surface Transportation Board is http://www.stb.dot.gov.

    By the Board, Victoria J. Rutson, Chief, Section of 
Environmental Analysis.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-32078 Filed 12-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P