[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 212 (Friday, October 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64927-64928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25987]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental 
Impact Report for the Proposed South Coast Rail Project, Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts, Department of the Army Permit Application Number NAE-
2007-00698

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, New England District (Corps) announces its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate a 
proposed establishment of passenger rail service between Boston and New 
Bedford/Fall River, MA. The Massachusetts Executive Office of 
Transportation and Public Works (EOT) has submitted an application for 
a Department of the Army permit to discharge fill material into waters 
of the United States (U.S.), ranging in area from less than one acre to 
approximately eight acres (depending on the alternative selected), 
including wetlands, incidental to the establishment of the passenger 
rail service. The EOT has stated that the purpose of their proposed 
project is to more fully meet the existing and future demand for public 
transportation between Fall River/New Bedford and Boston, MA, and to 
enhance regional mobility, while supporting smart growth planning and 
development strategies in the affected communities. The cities of 
Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford are the only cities within 50 
miles of Boston that are not currently served by passenger rail.
    The EIS will also be prepared with the intent to serve as a joint 
Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and NEPA document that 
will comply with the procedural requirements of both state and federal 
law and serve as a combined EIS/Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The 
MEPA review will be conducted simultaneously with the NEPA process.
    The EIS/EIR will evaluate a range of alternative transit routes to 
determine the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative 
(``LEDPA''), in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency Guidelines for Specification of Disposal Sites for Dredged or 
Fill Material (40 CFR Part 230). Alternative routes presently 
identified include four principal rail routes: (1) The ``Attleboro 
Alternative'', (2) the ``Stoughton Alternative'', (3) the 
``Middleborough Alternative'', and (4) the ``Attleboro-Middleborough 
Hybrid Alternative''. A fifth alternative is a Rapid Bus Alternative 
using modified highway infrastructure. A No Build/Transportation 
Surface Management alternative will also be evaluated. Public scoping 
may identify other alternatives for evaluation in the EIS/EIR.

DATES: Written comments must be received by: January 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments can be sent to Mr. Alan Anacheka-Nasemann, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division, 
ATTN: CENAE-R-PEA, 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA, or by e-mail to: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alan Anacheka-Nasemann, (978) 318-
8214, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Massachusetts EOT has submitted an 
application under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for a Department 
of the Army permit to discharge fill material into waters of the U.S. 
incidental to establishment of passenger rail service between Boston 
and New Bedford and Fall River, MA, known as the ``South Coast Rail 
Project.'' To date, the proposed South Coast Rail Project has been 
undergoing review and analysis of alternatives in accordance with the 
Corps' New England District's Highway Methodology. EOT completed a 
preliminary analysis of alternatives in April 2008, which consisted of 
investigating, analyzing and screening a number of alternatives. Five 
alternative transit routes, with mode variations and slight route 
variations, resulted from the screening process. The ``Attleboro 
Alternative'' would expand service via the existing AMTRAK Northeast 
Corridor, with added capacity, new track and existing freight lines 
from Attleboro via Norton to Taunton. This route could potentially 
affect two Commonwealth of Massachusetts Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern (ACECs) known as Fowl Meadow/

[[Page 64928]]

Ponkapoag Bog and the Three-Mile River Watershed, and would also 
include construction of new track (``Attleboro bypass''), near or over 
Chartley Pond in the vicinity of an existing National Grid electrical 
line right-of-way. The ``Stoughton Alternative'' would extend the 
existing Stoughton commuter rail line from its current terminus in 
Stoughton along a presently abandoned right-of-way through Easton and 
Raynham to Taunton. This would follow an existing railroad grade that 
crosses Hockomock Swamp, a Massachusetts ACEC. The ``Middleborough 
Alternative'' would extend the existing Old Colony commuter rail line 
through Middleborough to Taunton. Continuation from Taunton to New 
Bedford would be via an existing freight track via Lakeville and 
Berkley. The ``Attleboro-Middleborough Hybrid Alternative'' would 
extend existing Old Colony commuter rail line through Middleborough to 
Taunton and add trains to the existing Amtrak Northeast Corridor via 
Attleboro and along the Attleboro bypass. This alternative could 
potentially affect Three-Mile River Watershed ACEC. The links between 
Taunton and New Bedford/Fall River are common to all four rail 
alternatives. The ``Rapid Bus'' alternative would involve construction 
of new Rapid Bus dedicated lanes along existing Massachusetts Highways 
24 and 128, and Interstate Highway 93. The No Build/Transportation 
Surface Management alternative would involve enhancement to existing 
bus services without infrastructure improvements.
    Elements of all of the alternatives proposed at this time by EOT 
would be located in waters of the U.S. Estimates of surface area 
impacts range from less than one to approximately eight acres, 
depending on the alignment. The proposed alternative routes could 
affect natural resources, including Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
Wildlife Management Areas and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. 
Although there are no Federally listed threatened or endangered species 
known to be found in the proposed alternative route areas, the 
Hockomock Swamp ACEC is known to contain at least sixteen species 
listed as threatened, endangered or species of special concern by the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
    All of the proposed alternative routes would affect historic and 
cultural resources, including properties eligible for listing on the 
National Register of Historic Places and historic districts that have 
cultural importance in the affected communities. Consultation on the 
extent of the impacts on these resources will be undertaken with the 
State Historic Preservation Office under Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    The Corps is seeking participation and input of all interested 
federal, state and local agencies, Native American groups, and other 
concerned private organizations or individuals on the scope of the EIS/
EIR. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS/EIR include: 
Impacts to waters of the U.S., including vernal pools and other 
wetlands; cultural resources, threatened and endangered species; 
transportation; air quality, including greenhouse gas emissions; noise 
and vibration; surface water and groundwater; hydrology and water 
quality; and socioeconomic effects.
    It is anticipated that the Draft EIS/Draft EIR will be made 
available to the public in the late spring of 2009.
    Two scoping meetings will be held. The meeting dates are: 1. 
Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 6:30 p.m., University of Massachusetts (U-
Mass) Dartmouth, Woodland Commons Building, 285 Old Westport Road, 
North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300, Parking is available in lot 7.
    2. Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 6:30 p.m., Taunton High School 
Auditorium, 50 Williams Street, Taunton, MA 02780.
    Pre-registration for each meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the 
dates and locations listed above.

    Dated: October 22, 2008.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen E. Lefebvre,
Deputy District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England.
[FR Doc. E8-25987 Filed 10-30-08; 8:45 am]
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