[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 99 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28044-28045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12812]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Rail Corridor--Petersburg, 
Virginia (Collier Yard) to Raleigh, North Carolina (Boylan Wye)

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

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

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SUMMARY: The FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a 
138-mile portion of the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor from 
Petersburg, Virginia (Collier Yard) to Raleigh, North Carolina (Boylan 
Wye).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Foster, Rail Environmental 
Programs Manager, North Carolina Department of Transportation Rail 
Division, 1553 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-1553, telephone 
(919) 508-1917; or Mr. David Valenstein, Environmental Program Manager, 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 400 Seventh Street, SW., MS 20, 
Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 493-6368.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FRA, in cooperation with the Federal 
Highway Administration (FHWA), the North Carolina Department of 
Transportation (NCDOT), and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public 
Transportation (VDRPT), will prepare a Tier II Environmental Impact 
Statement for a 138-mile portion of the SEHSR Corridor from Petersburg, 
Virginia at Collier Yard to Raleigh, North Carolina at the Boylan Wye. 
This study will evaluate alternatives and environmental impacts within 
the preferred corridor (Alternative A) described in the Tier I Record 
of Decision for the SEHSR Corridor from Washington, DC to Charlotte, 
North Carolina. The study corridor generally follows the Burgess 
Connector rail line from Collier Yard to Burgess, Virginia and the 
former Seaboard Air Line (S-line) from Burgess to Raleigh, North 
Carolina.
    Multiple options within the preferred corridor exist to connect the 
S-line from Burgess to Main Street Station in Richmond, Virginia, which 
is the destination for intercity rail service in this segment of the 
SEHSR Corridor. VDRPT and the FRA propose to address options in this 
area in separate environmental documentation to be prepared prior to 
construction of the SEHSR between Richmond, Virginia and Raleigh, North 
Carolina. Different routings are possible through Petersburg and 
capacity issues exist on the A-line particularly crossing the 
Appomattox River would be considered in the separate documentation.
    This environmental process has four basic goals: (1) Reiterate the 
purpose and need as established in the Tier I EIS for the Washington DC 
to Charlotte NC portion of the SEHSR corridor; (2) develop alternatives 
within the study corridor; (3) conduct a detailed evaluation of 
environmental impacts for the alternatives; and (4) select a preferred 
alternative.
    Scoping and Comments: FRA encourages broad participation in the EIS 
process during scoping and

[[Page 28045]]

subsequent review of the resulting environmental documents. Comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested agencies and the public 
at large to insure the full range of issues related to the proposed 
action and all reasonable alternatives are addressed and all 
significant issues are identified. Public agencies with jurisdiction 
are requested to advise the FRA and NCDOT of the applicable permit and 
environmental review requirements of each agency, and the scope and 
content of the environmental information that is germane to the 
agency's statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed 
improvements. Agency scoping meetings have been scheduled for June 17 
and 18, 2003 at the following locations:
    [sbull] June 17, 10:30 am, VDRPT Executive Conference Room, 1313 
East Main Street, Suite 300, Richmond, VA.
    [sbull] June 18, 10:00 am, NCDOT Photogrammetry Conference Room, 
Room 322-A, 1020 Birch Ridge Drive, Building B, Raleigh, NC.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies in North 
Carolina and Virginia. An iterative public involvement/information 
program will support the process. The program will involve newsletters, 
a project hotline, informational workshops, small group meetings, and 
other methods to solicit and incorporate public input throughout the 
planning process.
    Comments and questions concerning the proposed action should be 
directed to NCDOT or to the FRA at the addresses provided above. 
Additional information can be obtained by visiting the project Web site 
at http://www.sehsr.org or calling the toll-free project number 1-877-
749-RAIL (7245).

    Issued in Washington DC on May 15, 2003.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Development.
[FR Doc. 03-12812 Filed 5-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P