[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74131-74132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30021]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact for the Washington 
State Portion of the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Upgrades Tier-1 
Environmental Assessment

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA) and the FRA's Procedures for Considering Environmental 
Impacts (FRA Environmental Procedures) (64 FR 28545 (May 26, 1999)), 
the FRA and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) 
prepared a Tier-1 Environmental Assessment (Tier-1 EA) that evaluates 
the impacts of a corridor improvements program to the Washington State 
portion of the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (PNWRC Program). This 
notice advises the public that FRA finds that the corridor improvement 
program will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human 
or natural environment and has issued a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) supporting that determination. Copies of both the Tier-1 
EA and FONSI are available on FRA's Web site at http://www.fra.dot.gov/rpd/freight/3011.shtml.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
either the Tier-1 EA or FONSI please contact Melissa DuMond, 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Federal Railroad Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Stop 20, Washington, DC 20590, telephone: 
(202) 493-6366.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the PNWRC Program in 
Washington State is to improve intercity passenger rail service by 
reducing travel times, achieving greater schedule reliability, and 
creating capacity for additional trip frequencies in order to 
accommodate growing intercity travel

[[Page 74132]]

demand. To achieve these goals WSDOT applied for Federal funding 
through the High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program (HSIPR Program) 
administered by the FRA and funded by the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). WSDOT's application under the Recovery 
Act was split into three Service Blocks, and identified incremental 
service benefits including increased service levels, improved on-time 
performance and schedule reliability, and reduced travel times. The FRA 
intends to provide funding under the HSIPR Program for projects 
contained in two of the three service blocks.
    In order to comply with the requirements of the HSIPR Program 
Guidance (Interim Guidance) that described the eligibility requirements 
and procedures for obtaining funding under the HSIPR Program (74 FR 
29901 (June 23, 2009)), WSDOT prepared a Tier-1 or ``service'' NEPA 
document that included the analysis of two alternatives; the ``No 
Build'' and the ``Corridor Service Expansion Alternative.'' The Tier-1 
EA was completed in September 2009 and was made available for comment 
between October 2, 2009 and October 23, 2009 on the WSDOT Web site. 
Thirteen agencies submitted written comments. No individual written 
comments were received.
    Based on the analysis in the Tier-1 EA, FRA released a draft FONSI 
for public comment on July 8, 2010 for a period of 30 calendar days (75 
FR 39325 (July 8, 2010)). FRA received six comments on the draft FONSI, 
including comments from one federal agency, two state agencies, and 
three local governments. In compliance with NEPA and the FRA's 
Environmental Procedures, FRA has addressed all comments on the FONSI 
and has determined that the PNWRC corridor improvements will not have a 
significant impact on the quality of the human or natural environment. 
Prior to release of construction funding for individual projects, WSDOT 
will successfully complete applicable mitigation measures detailed in 
the FONSI and complete appropriate project-level NEPA evaluations, 
documentation, and required determinations for the individual project.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2010.
Joseph C. Szabo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-30021 Filed 11-29-10; 8:45 am]
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