[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 170 (Friday, August 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53252-53254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21587]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement for the Chicago, IL, to 
Detroit-Pontiac, MI, Regional Passenger Rail System

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice of intent (Notice) to advise the 
public that FRA, with the Michigan Department of Transportation 
(Michigan DOT), will jointly prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to evaluate passenger rail service improvements along 
the Chicago, Illinois to Detroit-Pontiac, Michigan regional passenger 
rail corridor (the Corridor), in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Partnering state agencies in 
the development of the EIS are Illinois and Indiana Departments of 
Transportation (IDOT and IN DOT).
    The objectives of the Tier 1 EIS are to evaluate a reasonable range 
of alternatives, select a rail corridor, and make decisions regarding 
future improvements to intercity passenger rail service provided in the 
corridor, including increased train frequency, reduced trip time, and 
improved on-time performance. Alternatives under consideration will 
include a no-action (no-build) alternative, as well as multiple build 
alternatives between Chicago, Illinois and Porter, Indiana, near Battle 
Creek, Michigan, and in the Detroit, Michigan region. The build 
alternatives may include infrastructure improvements to the existing 
rail corridor, the development of a new rail corridor, or a combination 
of both.
    FRA is issuing this Notice to solicit public and agency input in 
the development of the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that 
FRA and Michigan DOT will conduct outreach activities for the 
preparation of the EIS. To ensure that all significant issues are 
identified and considered, all interested parties are invited to 
comment on the proposed scope of the environmental review. Comments on 
the scope of the EIS, including the proposed Project's purpose and 
need, alternatives to be considered, the impacts to be evaluated, and 
the methodologies to be used in the evaluation are encouraged.

DATES: Written comment on the scope of the Tier 1 EIS should be 
provided to Michigan DOT by October 15, 2012. A series of four (4) 
scoping meetings on September 12, 13, 26, and 27, 2012 will be hosted 
by Michigan DOT along the Corridor at the times and locations 
identified in the ADDRESSES section below. In addition, for those who 
cannot make these meetings, Michigan DOT will host an online, self-
directed public scoping meeting. The online public scoping meeting will 
be available following the publication of this Notice at 
www.GreatLakesRail.org until October 15, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments may also be mailed or emailed until October 15, 
2012 to Mr. Mohammed Alghurabi, Project Manager, Michigan DOT, 425 West 
Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909 and email: 
[email protected]. If a member of the public wishes to 
participate in the scoping process and cannot attend one of the in-
person scoping meetings, and does not have access to the Internet, they 
can request an informational scoping package and comment form by 
contacting Mr. Mohammed Alghurabi at the above address, or directly at 
(517) 373-7674 and toll free at (877) 351-0853.
    Scoping meetings will be held on: Wednesday, September 12, 4 to 7 
p.m. at Chicago Union Station in the Union Gallery Room (off the Great 
Hall), 500 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois; Thursday, 
September 13, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Michigan City-City Hall, 100 East 
Michigan Boulevard, Michigan City, Indiana; Wednesday, September 26, 4 
to 7 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, 5801 Southfield Expressway, 
Dearborn, Michigan; and Thursday, September 27, 4 to 7 p.m. at the 
Radisson Hotel, 100 West Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, Michigan (parking 
validation will be available for attendees parking in the structure 
across the street from the Radisson Hotel).
    With advanced notice of seven (7) days, Michigan DOT can make 
additional accommodations for persons with disabilities, and/or limited 
English speaking ability, and persons needing auxiliary aids or 
services of interpreters, signers, readers, or large print. Please 
contact Mr. Bob Parsons, Michigan DOT Planning directly at (517) 373-
9534 and toll free at (877) 351-0853 to request accommodations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Andrea Martin, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., (Mail Stop 20), 
Washington, DC 20590 at (202) 493-6201, email: [email protected]; 
or Mr. Mohammed Alghurabi, Project Manager, Michigan DOT, 425 West 
Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909 at (517) 373-7674 and 
toll free at (877) 351-0853, email: [email protected].
    Information and documents regarding the Tier 1 EIS and 
environmental process will be made available for the duration of the 
environmental process at www.GreatLakesRail.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chicago to Detroit-Pontiac Passenger 
Rail Corridor Program EIS is being developed to be consistent with the 
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI), a cooperative, multi-agency 
effort that began in 1996 and originally involved nine Midwest states 
(Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, 
Ohio, and Wisconsin), as well as FRA and Amtrak. The MWRRI elements 
include: use of 3,000 miles of existing rail right of way to connect 
rural and urban areas; operation of a Chicago hub and spoke passenger 
rail system; introduction of modern, high-speed trains operating at 
speeds up to 110 miles per hour (mph); and multi-modal connections to 
improve system access. The MWRRI envisions developing a passenger rail 
system that offers business and leisure travelers shorter travel times, 
additional train frequencies, improved reliability and connections 
between urban centers and smaller communities. The Tier 1 EIS will 
evaluate alternatives for the Corridor considering the MWRRI objective 
``to meet current and future regional travel needs through significant 
improvements to the level and quality of passenger rail service'' 
(MWRRI Executive Report, September 2004).
    Study Area: The Corridor extends 304 miles from Chicago Union 
Station, in downtown Chicago, Illinois on the west to a terminal in 
Pontiac, Michigan to the east. The Corridor is a federally designated 
high speed rail (HSR) corridor with passenger service currently 
provided by Amtrak's Wolverine line. The Corridor is also one of the 
heaviest freight railroad routes in the country. The study area 
identified for the Tier 1 EIS includes portions of Cook County, 
Illinois; Lake, Porter, and La Porte Counties in Indiana; and Berrien, 
Cass, Kalamazoo, Calhoun,

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Jackson, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Oakland Counties in Michigan.
    Service Today: Intercity passenger rail service on the Corridor 
currently includes three daily round trips between Chicago and Detroit-
Pontiac (Amtrak Wolverine Service), with an additional daily round trip 
between Chicago and Battle Creek, Michigan (Amtrak Blue Water Service), 
which continues beyond the Corridor to Port Huron, Michigan. In 2011, 
over 503,290 passenger trips were made between Chicago and Detroit 
using Amtrak's Wolverine line. Currently, passenger trains take 
approximately 6.5 hours to travel from Chicago's Union Station to 
Pontiac, Michigan. Existing passenger trains serve stations in Chicago, 
Illinois; Hammond-Whiting, Indiana; Michigan City, Indiana; and New 
Buffalo, Niles, Dowagiac, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Albion, Jackson, Ann 
Arbor, Dearborn, Detroit, Royal Oak, Birmingham and Pontiac, Michigan.
    When operating on the Corridor, the existing Amtrak Wolverine 
Service travels over tracks that are owned by several different 
railroads. In Illinois, the Amtrak Wolverine Service travels over 
Amtrak-owned track near Union Station and then transitions to track 
owned by Norfolk Southern until Porter, Indiana. Between Porter, 
Indiana and Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Amtrak Wolverine Service travels 
over Amtrak-owned track, which is the only section of track on the 
Corridor (and outside the Northeast Corridor) that allows trains to 
travel up to 110 mph (80 of the 97 miles of this Amtrak-owned track 
allow this maximum speed). In 2011, Michigan DOT entered into a 
purchase and sale agreement with Norfolk Southern, with financial 
assistance from FRA, pursuant to which Michigan DOT will acquire the 
135 mile Norfolk Southern right-of-way between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, 
Michigan (with certain limited exceptions). At the time of publication 
of this Notice, that transaction had not yet closed. Once the 
transaction has been completed, Michigan DOT will own the right-of-way 
between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, Michigan (with certain limited 
exceptions), and Norfolk Southern will operate freight trains over that 
track pursuant to an easement. From Dearborn to West Detroit Junction, 
Michigan, the Amtrak Wolverine Service travels primarily on track owned 
and operated by Conrail Shared Assets Operations, which is jointly 
owned by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern. In addition, Canadian 
National Railroad owns the Corridor track between West Detroit Junction 
and Pontiac, Michigan, as well as a two-mile section of track within 
Battle Creek, Michigan.
    Travel Demand: Over the last decade, there has been a demonstrated 
increase in demand for passenger rail within the Corridor. This growth 
in passenger rail travel will be diminished if existing issues 
affecting reliability and comfort are not addressed. Population growth 
in the Midwest is expected to result in increased congestion on area 
roadways, especially in the metropolitan areas. Michigan as a whole and 
Detroit in particular have seen population shrink, which emphasizes the 
need to implement actions to increase the attractiveness and 
competitiveness of the area for new business growth and reinvestment. 
Other pertinent demographics are projected to change that are likely to 
impact future ridership as well. In the near future, the number of 
people over age 65 will steadily increase as the baby boom generation 
ages. This population will begin to seek alternatives to driving 
automobiles as this age group's ability to safely operate motor 
vehicles decreases. Passenger rail can provide a needed alternative to 
driving the long distances between Chicago and Detroit-Pontiac. MWRRI 
studies report that long-term population, employment and income across 
the MWRRI states are all projected to grow consistently through year 
2040. This growth is expected to result in a 13 percent increase in 
intercity travel throughout the Midwest between 2010 and 2020 and a 
further 28 percent increase by 2040.
    Trip Time: The current passenger rail service is not competitive 
with other modes of travel. In 2011, Michigan's Amtrak corridor had the 
worst on-time performance of the Amtrak system, being on time only 
33.1% of the time due to infrastructure and facility deficiencies. 
Amtrak's shortest existing service between Detroit and Chicago is 
estimated at 5 hours and 36 minutes. If infrastructure improvements are 
made to alleviate the congested conditions within the corridor and 
conditions are improved to allow train speeds to increase to 110 mph 
along the Corridor, end-to-end Chicago to Detroit-Pontiac travel time 
could be reduced by approximately 2 hours. This travel time savings 
would make passenger rail service more likely to succeed in attracting 
ridership, increasing mobility and providing greater environmental 
benefits within the Corridor.
    Travel Options: The lack of existing capacity and the sharing of 
track between freight and passenger trains currently create operational 
problems that restrict both mobility and economic development. These 
restrictions are demonstrated by the lengthy delays for existing 
passenger rail service operating within the study area, especially 
between Chicago, Illinois and Porter, Indiana, near Battle Creek, 
Michigan, as well as in the Detroit, Michigan region. In addition, 
infrastructure improvements have been identified by the MWRRI as 
necessary for enhanced passenger rail service within the Corridor. This 
includes operational improvements at Chicago Union Station and upgraded 
track and signaling between Kalamazoo and Detroit-Pontiac. Station 
facilities along the Corridor are also not ideal for providing easy 
access to passenger rail. A good indicator of the track condition is 
demonstrated by the issuance of a number of slow orders by Norfolk 
Southern including those most recently issued in March 2012. These slow 
orders are issued to decrease the maximum speed on sections of track 
where there are safety concerns. This affects passenger rail service 
performance. The latest slow order decreased speeds to 25-30 mph in the 
affected sections of track between Kalamazoo and Detroit.
    Infrastructure investment needed to increase train speed will also 
allow an increase in the frequency of service. Enhanced capacity of 
Corridor infrastructure would make the service more reliable and more 
likely to succeed in attracting ridership, increasing mobility and 
enhancing transit oriented economic development opportunities near 
proposed stations. Improved intercity passenger rail service in the 
Corridor would provide a reliable alternative travel mode to avoid 
increasingly congested Midwest highways and airports and substantial 
travel delays resulting from existing conditions, including peak hour 
highway delays, security, and related delays associated with air 
travel, and adverse weather conditions. The need to reduce highway 
congestion and delays at airports, and to ease the transportation-
related effects of further population growth over the long term, is 
becoming increasingly imperative within the Corridor.
    Environmental Review Process: FRA and Michigan DOT will use a 
tiered process, as provided for in 40 CFR 1508.28, in the completion of 
the environmental review of the Chicago to Detroit-Pontiac Passenger 
Rail Corridor Program. Tiering is a staged environmental review process 
applied to environmental reviews for complex projects. This process 
will address broad corridor-level issues and alternatives. Subsequent 
phases or tiers will analyze, at a greater level of detail,

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narrower site-specific proposals based on the decisions made in the 
Tier 1 EIS.
    Tier 1: The Tier 1 EIS and any subsequent environmental documents 
will be developed in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality 
(CEQ) regulations (40 CFR part 1500 et seq.) implementing NEPA and 
FRA's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545; 
May 26, 1999). The Tier 1 assessment will result in an EIS with the 
appropriate level of detail for corridor-level decisions and will 
address broad overall issues of concern, including but not limited to:
     Confirming the purpose and need for the proposed action.
     Confirming the study area appropriate to assess reasonable 
alternatives.
     Identifying a comprehensive set of goals and objectives 
for the corridor in conjunction with Program stakeholders. These goals 
and objectives will be crafted to allow comprehensive evaluation of all 
aspects of the Corridor necessary to achieve the goals, including train 
operations, vehicles, and infrastructure.
     Identifying the range of reasonable alternatives to be 
considered, consistent with the current and planned use of the corridor 
and the existing services within and adjacent to the study area, as 
well as considering a no-action (no-build) alternative.
     Developing alternative evaluation criteria to identify 
alternatives that meet the purpose and need of the proposed action and 
those that do not.
     Identifying the general alignment(s) of the reasonable 
build alternatives.
     Identifying general right-of-way requirements for the 
reasonable build alternatives.
     Identifying, at a corridor planning level, the 
infrastructure and equipment investment requirements for the reasonable 
build alternatives.
     Including the consideration of the no-build alternative 
which will be studied as the baseline for comparison with the build 
alternatives. The no-build alternative represents other transportation 
modes such as auto, air travel, intercity bus, and existing rail and 
the physical characteristics and capacities as they exist at the time 
of the Tier 1 EIS, with planned and funded improvements that will be in 
place at the time the Project becomes operational.
     Evaluating and describing, at a corridor planning level, 
the potential environmental consequences (benefits and impacts to the 
built and natural environment) associated with the reasonable 
alternative alignments and proposed changes in passenger rail train 
frequency, speed, and on-time performance.
     Establishing the timing and sequencing of independent 
actions to maintain a state of good repair and to implement the 
proposed action.
     Selecting a corridor route alignment for further study at 
Tier 2.
     Addressing subsequent component actions for Tier 2 NEPA 
documentation as described below.
    Tier 2: The second tier assessment(s) will address component 
projects to be implemented within the general corridor identified in 
the Tier 1 EIS, and will incorporate by reference the data and 
evaluations included in the Tier 1 EIS. Subsequent evaluations will 
concentrate on the issues specific to the component of the selected 
alternative identified in the Tier 1 EIS, identify the site-specific 
alternatives that meet the purpose and need for each component project, 
and analyze the specific environmental consequences and measures 
necessary to mitigate environmental impacts at a site-specific level of 
detail.
    Scoping and Public Involvement: FRA encourages broad participation 
in the EIS process during scoping and subsequent review of the 
resulting environmental documents. FRA and Michigan DOT are inviting 
comments and suggestions regarding the scope of the Tier 1 EIS from all 
interested parties, to ensure that all issues are addressed related to 
this proposal and that any significant impacts are identified. Comments 
or questions concerning the proposed Program and/or the Tier 1 EIS 
should be directed to Mr. Mohammed Alghurabi, Michigan DOT at the above 
address. Letters that include this Notice and related study area will 
be sent to the appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, Native 
American tribes and to private organizations who might have previously 
expressed or who are known to have an interest in this proposal.
    Michigan DOT will lead the outreach activities, beginning with the 
four (4) scoping meetings and the online scoping meeting described 
above. Public involvement initiatives, including public meetings, 
newsletters, and outreach will be held throughout the course of this 
study. Opportunities for public participation will be announced through 
mailings, notices, advertisements, press releases and at 
www.GreatLakesRail.org.

Corey Hill,
Director, Rail Project Development and Delivery, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-21587 Filed 8-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P