[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 183 (Friday, September 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54099-54101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4666]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Intent To Prepare a Revised Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Project in Milpitas, San Jose, and 
Santa Clara, CA

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.

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

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Santa Clara 
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will prepare a Revised 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Silicon Valley 
Rapid Transit Project (SVRT Project), a 16.1-mile extension of the San 
Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) system from the 
planned BART Warm Springs Station in Fremont through Milpitas and San 
Jose to Santa Clara, California. The Revised EIS will be prepared in 
accordance with regulations implementing the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), as well as the provisions of the Safe, Accountable, 
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. The 
purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to inform interested parties 
of the plan to prepare a Revised EIS, to invite agency and public 
participation in the EIS process, and to announce public scoping 
meetings.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the Revised EIS, including the 
Project's purpose and need statement, Project alternatives, 
environmental and community impacts to be evaluated, and evaluation 
methodologies should be sent to Tom Fitzwater, Environmental Resources 
Planning Manager, by October 29, 2007. Public scoping meetings will be 
held on October 9, 11, and 18, 2007 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the 
locations indicated under ADDRESSES below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by postal mail, e-mail, or 
fax, to: Tom Fitzwater, Environmental Resources Planning Manager, Santa 
Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Environmental Programs and 
Resources Management, 3331 North First Street, Building B-2, San Jose, 
CA 95134-1927. E-mail: [email protected]. Fax: (408) 321-
5787. Project Web site: http://www.vtabart-vta.org.
    Comments may also be submitted at the public scoping meetings. The 
dates and locations of the public scoping meetings are:

October 9, 2007, Milpitas City Hall, Committee Meeting Room, 455 East 
Calaveras Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035.
October 11, 2007, San Jose City Hall, Wing 118-120, 200 East Santa 
Clara Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
October 18, 2007, City of Santa Clara, Santa Clara Senior Center, 1303 
Fremont Street, Room 232, Santa Clara, CA 95050.
The scoping meeting facilities will be accessible to persons with 
disabilities. If special translation or signing services or other 
special accommodations are needed, please contact VTA Customer Service 
five days prior to the meeting at (408) 321-2300, or e-mail 
[email protected]. To be placed on the Project mailing list,

[[Page 54100]]

contact Tom Fitzwater, VTA Environmental Planning Resources Manager, as 
indicated above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerome Wiggins, Transportation Program 
Specialist, Federal Transit Administration, San Francisco Regional 
Office, 201 Mission Street, Room 2210, San Francisco, CA 94105-1926, 
(415) 744-3115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of the Revised EIS. The original 
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Silicon Valley Rapid 
Transit Project was issued on February 6, 2002. The original Draft EIS/
EIR was released to the public on March 16, 2004. However, no action 
was taken to finalize the original Draft EIS. Due to the passage of 
time, changes in the Project and environmental setting, availability of 
new information, and funding considerations, a Revised EIS will be 
prepared. The Revised EIS will explore the environmental and community 
impacts of the Project and Project alternatives and will discuss 
actions to reduce or eliminate such impacts. Environmental issues to be 
examined include: Changes to the physical environment (air quality and 
global warming, biological resources, noise and vibration, water 
quality, floodplains, geology and seismicity, visual and aesthetics, 
hazardous materials, energy, utilities, and electromagnetic fields); 
changes to the social environment (land use, business displacements, 
community facilities, and neighborhood disruptions); changes to traffic 
and pedestrian circulation; changes to transit service and patronage; 
associated changes to traffic congestion; and changes to parklands and 
cultural resources. Impacts will be identified for both the 
construction phase and the long-term operation of the Project or 
Project alternatives.
    Proposed Project Description: The SVRT Project Alternative would 
begin at the planned BART Warm Springs Station (to be implemented by 
2013) in Fremont and proceed on the former Union Pacific Railroad 
right-of-way through Milpitas to south of Mabury Road in San Jose. The 
alignment would then descend into a subway tunnel, continue through 
downtown San Jose, and terminate at grade in Santa Clara near the 
Caltrain Station. The total length of the alignment would be 16.1 
miles. Six stations are proposed with an additional future station in 
Milpitas. Passenger service would start in 2016, assuming funding is 
available. A Berryessa Extension Project (BEP) Alternative will also be 
included in the EIS to address the New Starts Candidate Project for 
federal funding purposes. The BEP Alternative would begin at the 
planned BART Warm Springs Station in Fremont and proceed on the former 
Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way through Milpitas to south of Mabury 
Road in San Jose. The total length of the alignment would be 9.3 miles. 
One station is proposed in Milpitas and one in San Jose. Passenger 
service for the BE Project would start in 2016, assuming funding is 
available.
    Draft Project Purpose and Need: The purpose of the Project is to 
improve transit services and increase intermodal connectivity among 
transit routes and stations serving origins and destinations in Alameda 
County, Contra Costa County, Santa Clara County, and portions of the 
Central Valley. Meeting this overall Project purpose would address a 
variety of related needs in the SVRTC, including the following goals:
     Improve public transit service in this severely congested 
corridor by providing increased transit capacity and faster, convenient 
access throughout the San Francisco Bay Area Region, including southern 
Alameda County, central Contra Costa County, Tri-Valley, San Joaquin 
Valley, and Silicon Valley;
     Enhance regional connectivity through expanded, 
interconnected rapid transit services between BART in Alameda County 
and light rail and commuter rail in Silicon Valley;
     Accommodate future travel demand in the corridor by 
expanding modal options;
     Alleviate severe and increasing traffic congestion on the 
I-880 and I-680 freeways between Alameda County and Silicon Valley;
     Improve regional air quality by reducing auto emissions;
     Improve mobility options to employment, education, 
medical, retail, and entertainment centers for corridor residents, (in 
particular, low income, youth, elderly, disabled, and ethnic minority 
populations);
     Maximize transit usage and ridership; and
     Support local economic and land use plans and goals.
    The Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor (study area) is one of 
the most congested corridors in Northern California. Over the past 
several years, it has experienced very high and increasing levels of 
traffic congestion due to the growth of jobs throughout the Silicon 
Valley area, including downtown San Jose, and the cities of Fremont, 
Milpitas, and Santa Clara. Congestion is also spreading from the peak 
hours to off peak hours. Population and employment growth within the 
entire study area from 2000 to 2030, as forecast by the Association of 
Bay Area Governments, is expected to increase dramatically. Current 
levels of service (LOS) on highways in the corridor, I-680 and I-880, 
are ``F'' in the peak hour, with future level of service anticipated to 
continue to be LOS F. LOS F describes failure conditions with 
unacceptable delays to most vehicles, long queues, and stop-and-go 
flow. Planned improvements to highway and transit service in the study 
area are not expected to keep up with the demand for quality transit, 
given the increased highway congestion expected.
    Proposed Project Alternatives: The 2004 Draft EIS evaluated three 
alternatives: the Future No-Build, a Transportation Systems Management 
alternative with enhanced bus service, and the proposed BART extension. 
On the basis of the Draft EIS, FTA and VTA have decided that the TSM 
alternative is not a reasonable alternative because it does not meet 
the Project's purpose and need. The buses, which operate on highways, 
are subject to the same congestion as automobiles. Therefore, the 
Revised EIS will evaluate the following alternatives, plus any 
additional alternatives that emerge from the scooping process.
     Future No-Build Alternative. This alternative consists of 
the existing transit and roadway networks and planned and programmed 
improvements in the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor that are 
identified in the Bay Area's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), 
Mobility for the Next Generation--Transportation 2030 Plan for the San 
Francisco Bay Area (Transportation 2030 Plan), adopted by MTC in 
February 2005, and the Valley Transportation Plan 2030 (VTP 2030), 
adopted by VTA in February 2005.
     SVRT Project Alternative--BART Extension to Milpitas, San 
Jose, and Santa Clara. This alternative consists of a 16.1-mile 
extension of the BART system. The Project would begin at the planned 
BART Warm Springs Station in Fremont (to be implemented by 2013) and 
proceed on the former Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way through the 
City of Milpitas to south of Mabury Road in the City of San Jose. The 
extension would then descend into a subway tunnel, continue through 
downtown San Jose, and terminate at grade in the City of Santa Clara 
near the Caltrain Station. Six stations are proposed: Milpitas, 
Berryessa, Alum Rock, Downtown San Jose, Diridon/Arena, and Santa 
Clara. An additional

[[Page 54101]]

future station in Milpitas is also proposed.
     Berryessa Extension Project Alternative. This alternative 
would begin at the planned BART Warm Springs Station in Fremont and 
proceed on the former Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way through 
Milpitas to south of Mabury Road in San Jose. The total length of the 
alignment would be 9.3 miles. Two stations are proposed: Milpitas and 
Berryessa.
    Analytical Methodologies: FTA and VTA will collaborate with 
agencies and the public, as appropriate, on the methodologies to be 
used and the level of detail required in the analysis of proposed 
alternatives. Information on the methodologies for analysis will be 
sent to the appropriate agencies directly. Information will also be 
presented at the scoping meetings for public distribution. Both 
agencies and the public may comment, as described under DATES above.
    The EIS Process and the Role of Agencies and the Public: The 
purpose of the EIS process is to explore in a public setting, 
potentially significant effects of implementing the proposed Project 
and Project alternatives on the physical, human, and natural 
environment. The major areas of investigation include, but are not 
limited to, the effect on historic resources in downtown San Jose, the 
noise impacts of the BART trains outside of the planned tunnel, and the 
vibration impacts of the BART trains both inside and outside of tunnel.
    Regulations implementing NEPA, as well as provisions of the Safe, 
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy 
for Users (SAFETEA-LU), call for agency and public involvement in the 
EIS process. Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU requires that FTA and VTA 
extend an invitation to other Federal and non-Federal agencies and 
Indian tribes that may have an interest in the proposed Project to 
become a participating agency, and establish a plan for coordinating 
public and agency participation in and comment on the environmental 
review. A cooperating agency is defined as ``any Federal agency which 
has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any 
environmental impact involved in a proposal. Accordingly, an invitation 
to become a cooperating or participating agency, as appropriate, will 
be extended to agencies and Indian tribes known to have an interest in 
the proposed Project. It is possible that we may not be able to 
identify all Federal and non-Federal agencies and Indian tribes that 
may have such an interest. Any Federal or non-Federal agency or Indian 
tribe interested in the proposed Project that does not receive an 
invitation to become a participating agency should notify, at the 
earliest opportunity, the Environmental Planning Resource Manager 
identified above under ADDRESSES above.
    Agency and Public Involvement: A comprehensive agency and public 
involvement program has been developed. The Policy Advisory Board 
consisting of county, city, BART, and VTA officials; City Partnership 
Teams consisting of VTA and city staff representatives; and the 
External Technical Advisory Committee consisting of staff 
representatives from state, regional, county, city, and transit 
agencies; were established in 2002 and continue to meet regularly to 
provide guidance, discuss the proposed Project, and for coordination 
and technical input. Community Working Groups consisting of the leaders 
of neighborhood and business associations, community organizations, 
advocacy groups, major property owners, and planning commissioners were 
also established in 2002 for cities and specific geographical areas to 
communicate Project information to key members of the community and 
facilitate community input and participation. These mechanisms will be 
developed into a formal coordination plan that covers both agency and 
public involvement. The coordination plan will be posted on the Project 
Web site at http://www.vtabart-vta.org.
    FTA Procedures: In accordance with 23 CFR 771.105(a) and 771.133, 
FTA will comply with all Federal environmental laws, regulations, and 
executive orders applicable to the proposed Project during the 
environmental review process to the maximum extent practical. These 
requirements include, but are not limited to, the regulations of the 
Council on Environmental Quality implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508 and 23 CFR part 771), the project-level air quality conformity 
regulation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR 
part 93), section 404(b)(1) guidelines of EPA (40 CFR part 230), 
Executive Orders 11988, 11990, and 12898 regarding floodplains, 
wetlands, and environmental justice, respectively, Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR part 800), Section 7 of the 
Endangered Species Act (50 CFR part 402), and Section 4(f) of the 
Department of Transportation Act (23 CFR 771.135).
    Related Documents: The Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor, Major 
Investment Study Final Report (November 2001), the 2004 Draft EIS, the 
Final Environmental Impact Report (November 2004), and the Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (June 2007) are available for 
public review at the following public libraries:
     Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Main Library, 150 East San 
Fernando Street, San Jose, CA 95112.
     Fremont Main Library, 2400 Stevenson Boulevard, Fremont, 
CA 94538.
     Milpitas Library, 40 N. Milpitas Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 
95035.
     Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA 
95051.
    The reports are also available by contacting Tom Fitzwater at the 
address and phone number given above.

    Issued on: September 14, 2007.
Leslie Rogers,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 07-4666 Filed 9-20-07; 8:45 am]
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