[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18298-18299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7665]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the DesertXpress High-Speed Passenger Train Project

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being published for the 
DesertXpress High-Speed Passenger Train Project (DesertXpress project). 
FRA is the Lead Agency for the environmental review process and has 
prepared the Final EIS consistent with the provisions of Section 
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Counsel of Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500 et seq.), and FRA's 
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545, May 26, 
1999). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Surface Transportation 
Board (STB), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the National 
Park Service (NPS) coordinated with the FRA as Cooperating Agencies for 
the DesertXpress project environmental review process.
    DesertXpress Enterprises Inc., the DesertXpress project proponent 
or Applicant, proposes to construct and operate a fully grade-
separated, dedicated double-track, passenger-only railroad along an 
approximately 200-mile corridor, from Victorville, California, to Las 
Vegas, Nevada. The Preferred Alternative rail alignment would generally 
be immediately adjacent to the Interstate 15 (I-15) freeway travel 
lanes within the existing Interstate 15 (I-15) right-of-way (ROW). The 
Preferred Alternative also includes passenger station and maintenance 
facility sites in Victorville and greater Las Vegas.

DATES: Written comments on the Final EIS for the DesertXpress project 
will be accepted until April 18, 2011. Written comments on the Final 
EIS may be sent to: Ms. Wendy Messenger, Attn: DesertXpress EIS, Office 
of Railroad Policy and Development, Federal Railroad Administration, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., MS-20, 
Washington, DC 20590 or via e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Wendy Messenger, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Office of Railroad Policy and Development, 
Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., MS-20, Washington, DC 20590 or via e-mail 
at [email protected] (telephone 202-493-6396).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DesertXpress project would involve the 
construction and operation of an interstate high-speed passenger train 
system between Victorville, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, along an 
approximately 200-mile corridor. The purpose of the DesertXpress 
project is to provide reliable and safe passenger rail transportation 
between southern California and Las Vegas using proven high-speed rail 
technology that results in a convenient alternative to automobile or 
air travel that also adds transportation capacity to the I-15 freeway 
corridor. The need for the DesertXpress project stems from several 
factors, including but not limited to high and increasing travel demand 
on I-15--the only major roadway linking southern California to Las 
Vegas having limited opportunities to increase capacity. Other factors 
include constraints on the expansion of air travel from southern 
California and an above-average automobile accident rate on the I-15 
freeway.
    In March 2009, FRA, in coordination with the Cooperating Agencies, 
published a Draft EIS and circulated the document for a 56-day public 
and agency review and comment period. The Draft EIS analyzed a No 
Action Alternative and various Action Alternatives for the construction 
and operation of the DesertXpress high-speed passenger train. The 
Action Alternatives included multiple options for rail alignments, 
passenger stations, maintenance facilities, and locomotive 
technologies. The Draft EIS was structured to allow the Lead and 
Cooperating Agencies to compose a Preferred Alternative from the 
various options. FRA convened three public hearings on the Draft EIS, 
held in Las Vegas, Barstow, and Victorville on April 28, April 29, and 
April 30, 2009, respectively.
    Following publication of the Draft EIS, the Applicant proposed 
several modifications and additions to the Action Alternatives 
presented in the Draft EIS, based upon substantive comments received 
during public and agency review and to reduce or avoid significant 
potential environmental impacts. The project modifications and 
additions included a new Victorville passenger station site, a new rail 
alignment through central Barstow within the I-15 freeway corridor, a 
new rail alignment through the Clark Mountains, new sites for 
maintenance facilities in unincorporated Clark County, and minor shifts 
in the rail alignment to avoid or reduce potential environmental 
impacts or improve operating characteristics.
    After evaluating the proposed project modifications and additions, 
FRA determined, pursuant to 40 CFR 1502.9, that it was necessary to 
prepare a Supplemental Draft EIS to analyze the potential environmental 
impacts of the project modifications and additions. The FRA and the 
Cooperating Agencies published the Supplemental Draft EIS in September 
2010 and circulated the document for a 46-day public and agency review 
and comment period. FRA convened two public hearings on the 
Supplemental Draft EIS in the Las Vegas and Barstow areas on October 13 
and October 14, 2010, respectively.
    The FRA and the Cooperating Agencies considered the entire record 
and compared the potential environmental impacts of the action 
alternatives as well as the no action alternative to select the 
Preferred Alternative. The Preferred Alternative rail alignment would 
be almost entirely located within the existing I-15 corridor, with 
tracks running alongside freeway travel lanes. The Preferred 
Alternative also identifies station and maintenance facility sites and 
selects Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) as the preferred locomotive 
technology.
    In accordance with regulations implementing NEPA, the Final EIS 
evaluates the environmental effects associated with the Preferred 
Alternative compared to the other

[[Page 18299]]

Action Alternatives and the No Action Alternative and identifies 
appropriate mitigation measure to minimize the potential environmental 
impacts. The Final EIS also includes amendments to the Draft EIS and 
Supplemental Draft EIS to both reflect updated information since 
publication of the previous documents and to address certain comments 
received during the respective public and agency comment periods (40 
CFR 1502.9(b)).
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.10, the Final EIS will be circulated for a 
30-day period commencing on the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency's notice of availability is published in the Federal Register. 
The Lead and Cooperating Agencies will each issue a Record of Decision 
on the proposed action, pursuant to 40 CFR 1505.2 and 1506.10. Each 
Record of Decision will explain each agency's decision on the proposed 
action and explain factors considered in reaching the decision and will 
describe appropriate mitigation measures to minimize potential 
environmental impacts.
    Prior to issuing a Record of Decision on the proposed project, FRA 
and the Cooperating Agencies will consider written comments on this 
Final EIS provided such comments are received by May 2, 2011. Written 
comments on this Final EIS should be sent to the Federal Railroad 
Administration by mail addressed to: Attn: DesertXpress, Ms. Wendy 
Messenger, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., MS-20, Washington, DC 20590.
    Copies of the Final EIS are available online at FRA's Web site: 
http://www.fra.dot.gov; they are also available for viewing at the 
following locations near the planned rail system:
     Victorville City Library, 15011 Circle Drive, Victorville, 
CA 92395
     Barstow Library, 304 East Buena Vista, Barstow, CA 92311
     Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. N., Las Vegas, NV 
80101
     Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 
89119

     Issued in Washington, DC, on March 23, 2011.
Karen J. Rae,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-7665 Filed 3-31-11; 8:45 am]
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