[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15763-15764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4548]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Extension of San Francisco Municipal Railway Historic Streetcar 
Service; Golden Gate National Recreation Area and San Francisco 
Maritime National Historical Park; County of San Francisco; Notice of 
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and pursuant to the Council on 
Environmental Quality's regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-08), the 
National Park Service is initiating the conservation planning and 
environmental impact analysis process for the proposed extension of the 
northern waterfront Municipal Railway Historic Streetcar Service. 
Beginning at Fisherman's Wharf, this proposed railway extension would 
serve visitors to two popular units of the National Park System--San 
Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and the Fort Mason area of 
Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This project is being developed 
in close coordination with San Francisco Municipal Railway and other 
City and County of San Francisco planning and transportation agencies.
    Background: A congressionally-mandated Travel Study completed in 
1977 recommended restoring the historic rail link between the Hyde 
Street Pier and Fort Mason to improve access to various National Park 
Service (NPS) sites. The rail line was subsequently abandoned (1980), 
and the area between Hyde Street Pier and the Fort Mason tunnel 
entrance was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987 
(which is now encompassed in the San Francisco Maritime National 
Historical Park created in 1988). Also, in the late 1980s Federal 
highway funds originally intended for extending Interstate 280 were 
reallocated to a number of alternative transportation facilities along 
the Embarcadero including creation of an historic streetcar line along 
Market Street and the Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf. In 2000 this 
service was extended to Fisherman's Wharf, only .85 miles from the 
public-serving facilities at Fort Mason Center. The popularity of the 
historic streetcars, which currently serve more than 20,000 passengers 
a day, has resulted in public and private interest in extending the 
service, with the creation of the E-Line to Fort Mason.
    The Municipal Railway (MUNI) currently operates historic streetcar 
service on Market Street and along the San Francisco waterfront (F-
Line) to the line's existing terminus at Jones Street and Beach (in the 
Fisherman's Wharf area). The E-Line extension would begin at the 
terminus of the F-line and extend west to San Francisco Maritime 
National Historical Park (NHP) and on to Fort Mason. The exact route 
has yet to be determined but would utilize either existing rail right-
of-way routes confined to city streets or pass through NHP's Aquatic 
Park (at the core of the National Historic Landmark District) in order 
to reach the Fort Mason tunnel. It is anticipated that under all 
alternatives the railway line would extend through the tunnel and end 
in the area of lower Fort Mason.
    The NHP is visited by approximately 4 million people annually and 
is currently served by very popular cable cars (often crowded at peak 
tourist times) as well as streetcar and bus lines. Fort Mason, home to 
the Fort Mason Center, houses more than 40 non-profit organizations 
offering more than 15,000 events a year and attracting upwards of 1.6 
million visitors. The Fort Mason area is underserved by mass transit 
access, and as a result automobile-based visitation causes massive 
parking problems that affect surrounding neighborhoods. Furthermore, 
inadequate mass transit access makes it difficult for transit-dependent 
San Franciscans to enjoy the cultural and educational events offered at 
Fort Mason Center.
    Development of Alternatives: At this time a full range of 
alternatives has not been confirmed. However, in order to be 
successful, any project selected would:
     Increase alternative transportation options for visitors 
to the NHP and Fort Mason;
     Serve a new cohesive recreation and cultural corridor 
along the northern waterfront;
     Enhance links for the City's lower-income population with 
all NPS sites and other northern waterfront attractions;
     Improve local and regional transit connectivity and 
decrease the need for automobile use and parking in historic and 
environmentally sensitive areas;
     Facilitate efforts to reduce the need for automobile-based 
trips to the National Historic Landmark District destinations by 
providing park visitors an attractive, non-polluting mass transit 
access;
     Avoid or minimize adverse effects on the National Historic 
Landmark District and related cultural and historic resources and 
waterfront values.
    Scoping: This notice serves to formally open the public scoping 
comment phase for this planning process. The purpose of the scoping 
process is to elicit public comment on the proposed extension in order 
to inform the development of the Draft EIS. The public and interested 
organizations are encouraged to provide comment on issues and concerns, 
feasible alternatives, potential environmental effects and appropriate 
mitigation measures that would reduce project impacts. The public will 
have an initial opportunity to comment on the proposal by attending a 
public scoping meeting or providing written comments electronically via 
the internet or sending letters through the mail. All scoping comments 
must be postmarked or transmitted not later than 60 days after the 
publication of this Notice in the Federal Register--as soon as this 
ending date is confirmed, it will be announced on the project Web site 
(noted below).
    The NPS anticipates hosting a public meeting in late March 2006 
(complete information regarding this meeting will be posted on the 
project Web site). Following a short presentation regarding the 
project, the public will be given the opportunity to ask questions and 
provide comments to the planning team. The project Web site will 
provide the most up-to-date information regarding the project, 
including project description, planning process updates, meeting 
notices, reports and documents, and useful links associated with the 
project (the Web site is: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/goga; once at the 
site, click on project name and follow Web site instructions). Written 
comments should be mailed to the following address: Superintendent--
GGNRA, Attn: Rick Foster, MUNI Railway Extension Project Manager, Fort 
Mason, Bldg. 201, San Francisco, CA 94123. In addition to the project 
Web site, project updates or requests to be included on the Draft EIS 
mailing list

[[Page 15764]]

can be accommodated by contacting the MUNI Railway Extension Project 
Manager at (415) 561-4472.
    It is the practice of the NPS to make all comments, including names 
and addresses of respondents who provide that information, available 
for public review following the conclusion of the NEPA process. 
Individuals may request that the NPS withhold their name and/or address 
from public disclosure. If you wish to do this, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. Commenters using the Web 
site can make such a request by checking the box ``keep my contact 
information private''. NPS will honor such requests to the extent 
allowable by law, but you should be aware that the NPS may still be 
required to disclose your name and address pursuant to the Freedom of 
Information Act.
    Decision Process: At this time it is anticipated that the Draft EIS 
will be available for public review in early 2007. Availability of the 
Draft EIS document will be formally announced through the publication 
of a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, through local and 
regional news media, via the project Web site, and direct mailing to 
the project mailing list. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible 
for the final decision regarding the proposed extension is the Regional 
Director, Pacific West Region. Subsequently the officials responsible 
for implementation will be the Superintendents of Golden Gate National 
Recreation Area and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

    Dated: March 20, 2006.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. E6-4548 Filed 3-28-06; 8:45 am]
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