[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 93 (Monday, May 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28421-28422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11566]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Central 
Corridor Light Rail Transit Project, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as the federal lead 
agency, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council, is issuing this 
notice of intent (NOI) to advise interested parties that it proposes to 
prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for 
the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project, located in 
Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota (Project). The Project is 10.9 
miles long and consists of 23 Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (LRT) 
stations. The SDEIS will evaluate potential impacts on the loss of 
business revenue during construction of the Central Corridor LRT 
Project and will be prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), its implementing regulations, and 
provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila Clements, Supervisory Community 
Planner, Federal Transit Administration, Region V, 200 West Adams 
Street, Suite 320, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Telephone: (312) 353-1552.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Central Corridor LRT is 10.9-miles in 
length, of which 9.7 miles consists of new alignment and 1.2 miles uses 
the existing Hiawatha LRT alignment in downtown Minneapolis. The 
Project will connect the Minneapolis and Saint Paul downtown areas as 
well as the University of Minnesota and the State Capitol complex. The 
purpose of the Project is to meet the future transit needs of the 
Central Corridor and the Region and to support the economic development 
goals for the Corridor. It allows the opportunity to provide a direct 
connection to the existing 11.6-mile Hiawatha LRT line in Minneapolis 
thereby, increasing mobility options within the Region.
    In June 2009, FTA, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council, 
prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the Project. 
FTA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) on the Project in August 2009. 
Subsequent to FTA's issuance of the ROD, the U.S. District Court for 
the District of Minnesota determined that the FEIS did not adequately 
evaluate potential impacts on the loss of business revenue during 
construction of the Project and that these impacts must be evaluated 
through a supplemental environmental review. Memorandum Opinion and 
Order, Civil No. 10-147, (Jan. 26, 2011). Pursuant to the court's 
order, FTA, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council, prepared a 
Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) pursuant to its NEPA 
implementing regulations, which was issued in February 2011. Subsequent 
to FTA's issuance of the SEA, the court determined that FTA must also 
prepare a supplemental environmental review using the format of an 
Environmental Impact Statement. Memorandum Opinion and Order, Civil No. 
10-147, (Jan. 23, 2012). Thus, the SDEIS that will be prepared pursuant 
to this notice of intent will evaluate potential impacts on the loss of 
business revenue during construction of the Central Corridor LRT 
Project. This notice of intent is being published at this time to 
notify interested parties and invite participation in the study.
    Notice regarding the intent to prepare the SDEIS will be sent to 
the appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies that have expressed 
or are known to have an interest or legal role in this proposed action. 
When complete, the SDEIS will be made available for public and agency 
review and comment prior to any public hearings. Following publication, 
review, and approval of the SDEIS, a FEIS will be prepared and 
circulated.
    The Paperwork Reduction Act seeks, in part, to minimize the cost to 
the taxpayer of the creation, collection, maintenance, use, 
dissemination, and disposition of information. Consistent with this 
goal and with principles of economy and efficiency in government, it is 
FTA policy to limit insofar as

[[Page 28422]]

possible distribution of complete printed sets of NEPA documents. 
Accordingly, unless a specific request for a complete printed set of 
the NEPA document is received before the document is printed, FTA and 
its grant applicants will distribute only electronic copies of the NEPA 
document. A complete printed set of the environmental document will be 
available for review at the Metropolitan Council's offices and 
elsewhere; an electronic copy of the complete environmental document 
will be available on the Metropolitan Council's Central Corridor 
Project Web site (http://www.centralcorridor.org).

    Issued on: May 8, 2012.
Marisol Simon,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region V.
[FR Doc. 2012-11566 Filed 5-11-12; 8:45 am]
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