[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 135 (Thursday, July 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41555-41556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17684]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Tupelo, Mississippi Railroad Relocation Project

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement and public hearing for the Tupelo, Mississippi Railroad 
Relocation Project (Project).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad Administration announces the availability 
of the Tupelo, Mississippi Railroad Relocation Project Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for public review and comment.

DATES: FRA invites interested Members of Congress, state and local 
governments, other Federal agencies, Native American tribal 
governments, organizations, and members of the public to provide 
comments on the DEIS. The public comment period began with EPA's 
publication of the NOA on June 24, 2011. Because of the anticipated 
interest in the Project, the comment period will continue until 
September 12, 2011. Written and oral comments will be given equal 
weight, and FRA and MDOT will consider all comments received or 
postmarked by that date in preparing the Final EIS. Comments received 
or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent 
practicable.
    The public hearing on the DEIS will be held on Thursday, August 11, 
2011, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the BancorpSouth Arena located at 375 East 
Main Street, Tupelo, Mississippi 38804. The hearing will be held in 
meeting rooms 3, 4 and 5 and attendees are encouraged to park on the 
west side of the building as that is more convenient to the meeting 
rooms.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted at the public hearings both 
verbally and in writing. Written comments may be submitted until 
September 12, 2011. Comment sheets are available on the project Web 
site at http://www.gomdot.com/Home/Projects/Studies/Northern/TupeloRailroadRelocation/Home.aspx. The comment sheets may be submitted 
by FAX to 601-359-7355 or mailed to MDOT at Mississippi Department of 
Transportation, Environmental Division (87-01), P.O. Box 1850, Jackson, 
MS 39215-9947. Comments may also be submitted by e-mail at http://www.gomdot.com/Home/AboutMDOT/EmailUs.aspx?Topic=Environmental.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
DEIS or the Project, please contact: Ms. Kim Thurman, Environmental 
Division Manager, Mississippi Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 
1850, Jackson, MS 39215 (telephone 601 359-7920); or by e-mail at 
[email protected] with ``Tupelo Railroad Relocation Project'' 
in the subject heading, or Mr. John Winkle, Transportation Industry 
Analyst, Office of Passenger Programs, Federal Railroad Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Room W38-311, Washington, DC 20590, 
(telephone 202 493-6067), or by e-mail at [email protected] with 
``Tupelo Railroad Relocation Project'' in the subject heading.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS was prepared pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq., the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing 
regulations, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, and the FRA NEPA procedures, 64 FR 
28545 (May 26, 1999). FRA is the lead Federal agency and the 
Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is the lead State 
agency. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) included the DEIS in 
the Notice of Availability (NOA) published on June 24, 2011.
    The DEIS evaluates the environmental impacts of the Tupelo, 
Mississippi Railroad Relocation Project, through which MDOT proposes to 
relocate an existing BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) main line. Currently, 
the BNSF line runs at grade and through several busy intersections in 
the City of Tupelo. The purpose of the Project is to improve mobility 
and safety by reducing roadway congestion caused by the operation of 
BNSF trains through the City, particularly at the intersection of Main 
Street (US 278/MS 6) and Gloster Street (MS 145). The build 
alternatives considered included operational improvements, alternative 
corridors, and in-town options such as railroad and highway grade 
separations. Through the alternatives development process, an elevated 
rail viaduct with a relocated interchange yard was considered to be the 
only reasonable build alternative and, therefore, was brought forward 
for detailed study.
    Potential environmental impacts of the No-Build Alternative include 
noise, safety and mobility impacts, while the primary impacts of the 
Build Alternative include high construction costs, and impacts to 
farmlands, cultural and historic resources, streams, floodplains and 
utilities. Mitigation strategies are described to avoid or minimize 
potential impacts. Such strategies would be further refined in 
subsequent environmental review.

Availability of the DEIS

    MDOT has placed copies of the Draft EIS and appendices at the 
following locations:

Tupelo City Hall, 71 East Troy Street, Tupelo, MS 38804.
Lee County Public Library, 219 N. Madison Street, Tupelo, MS 38801.
Lee County Chancery Clerk, 200 W. Jefferson Street, Tupelo, MS 38804.

[[Page 41556]]

Mississippi Department of Transportation, Environmental Division, 401 
North West Street, Jackson, MS 39201.
Mississippi Department of Transportation, First District Headquarters, 
1901 N. Gloster Street, Tupelo, MS 38803.
Federal Railroad Administration, Region 3, 61 Forsyth Street--Suite 
16T20, Atlanta, GA 30303-3104.

In addition, electronic versions of the Draft EIS and appendices are 
available through FRA's Web site at http://www.fra.dot.gov/rpd/freight/3002.shtml and the MDOT Web site at http://www.gomdot.com/Home/Projects/Studies/Northern/TupeloRailroadRelocation/Home.aspx.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 8, 2011.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Policy & Development.
[FR Doc. 2011-17684 Filed 7-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P