[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 166 (Monday, August 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51041-51042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17125]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7961-5]


Notice of Termination of Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Comprehensive Port Improvement Plan Within the Port of New York and New 
Jersey (PONYNJ)

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE), and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) acting as 
Federal co-lead agencies.

SUMMARY: The Federal co-lead agencies, EPA, USACE, FHWA are canceling 
the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Comprehensive Port Improvement Plan (CPIP-EIS) for the PONYNJ. As 
originally planned, the CPIP and CPIP-EIS would define economically 
viable and environmentally sound Port facilities and associated 
transportation network improvement initiatives to the year 2060; 
consider separate, ongoing, and planned environmental enhancements to 
natural resources of the Port and associated transportation network; 
incorporate Green Port principles to the maximum extent practicable; 
and evaluate, avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse environmental 
effects. EPA, on behalf of all three Federal co-lead agencies, 
published a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the CPIP in the 
Federal Register (68 FR 19207, April 18, 2003). The three federal co-
lead agencies conducted several public scoping meetings in December 
2003 and January 2004.

[[Page 51042]]

    The CPIP presents an array of conceptual long-term port improvement 
scenarios, some of which would involve future federal activities were 
they to be advanced to the status of a real project. Any future port-
improvement projects involving federal actions, as defined under NEPA, 
would be required to undergo the applicable environmental review 
process. Given the considerable time period before the conceptual 
improvements identified in the CPIP Plan would become actual proposed 
projects with sponsors, a detailed environmental review and analysis, 
as conducted in an EIS, is not warranted at this time. As a result, the 
Federal co-lead agencies are canceling the EIS process. In the short-
term, a programmatic analysis in the form of an Environmental 
Assessment will be prepared to identify what type of environmental 
review could be expected of any improvement projects that may be 
proposed. This programmatic Environmental Assessment will be available 
for public review in Fall 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grace Musumeci, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, (212) 637-3738; Bryce Wisemiller, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, (917) 790-8307; Richard E. Backlund, Federal Highway 
Administration, (212) 668-2205.

    Dated: August 4, 2005.
Kathleen C. Callahan,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 2.
[FR Doc. 05-17125 Filed 8-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P