[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 179 (Monday, September 20, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52290-52291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20192]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2021-0082]


Draft General Conformity Determination for the California High-
Speed Rail System Burbank to Los Angeles Section

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a draft 
General Conformity Determination for the Burbank to Los Angeles Section 
of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) System is available for public 
and agency review and comment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 20, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments related to Docket No. FRA-2021-0082 may be 
submitted by going to http://www.regulations.gov and following the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number (FRA-2021-0082). All comments received will be posted 
without change to https://www.regulations.gov; this includes any 
personal information. Please see the Privacy Act Statement heading in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for Privacy Act 
information related to any submitted comments or materials.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read the draft General 
Conformity Determination, background documents, or comments received, 
go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andr[eacute]a Martin, Senior 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Railroad Policy and 
Development (RPD), telephone: (202) 493-6201, email: 
[email protected]; or Marlys Osterhues, Chief Environment and 
Corridor Planning, RPD, telephone: (202) 493-0413, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Privacy Act Statement: FRA will post comments it receives, without 
edit, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records 
notice, DOT/ALL-14 FDMS, accessible through www.dot.gov/privacy. To 
facilitate comment tracking and response, we encourage commenters to 
provide their name, or the name of their organization; however, 
inclusion of names is completely optional. Whether commenters identify 
themselves or not, all timely comments will be fully considered. If you 
wish to provide comments containing proprietary or confidential 
information, please contact the agency for alternate submission 
instructions.
    Background: The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is 
advancing the environmental review of the Burbank to Los Angeles 
Section (Project) of the California HSR System pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 
327, under which it has assumed FRA's environmental review 
responsibilities. However, under Section 327, FRA remains responsible 
for making General Conformity Determinations under the Clean Air Act. 
This draft General Conformity Determination documents FRA's evaluation 
of the Burbank to Los Angeles Section, consistent with the relevant 
section of the Clean Air Act and its implementing regulations.
    FRA's analysis of the Project's potential emissions, completed in 
close collaboration with CHSRA and informed by CHSRA's coordination 
with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, South Coast Air Quality 
Management District (SCAQMD) and the California Air Resources Board, 
found that Project-generated emissions will either be offset for its 
construction phase, or will be less than zero for its operational 
phase; and therefore, the Action's emissions can be accommodated in the 
Statewide Implementation Plan (SIP) for the South Coast Air Basin. FRA 
concludes that the Project, as designed, will conform to the approved 
SIP, based on a commitment from the CHSRA that construction-phase 
NOX emissions will be offset consistent with the applicable 
federal regulations in the SCAQMD.

Next Steps

    The draft General Conformity Determination for the California High-
Speed Rail System, Burbank to Los Angeles Section is being issued for 
public review and comment for 30-days at Docket No. FRA-2021-0082. 
Comments related to Docket No. FRA-2021-0082 may be submitted by going 
to http://www.regulations.gov and following the online instructions for 
submitting comments. Although CHSRA is assisting FRA by disseminating 
notice of the availability of the draft General Conformity 
Determination through its usual outreach methods, CHSRA is not 
accepting comments on behalf of FRA. FRA cannot ensure consideration of 
any comment that is not submitted via http://www.regulations.gov. FRA 
will consider all relevant comments it

[[Page 52291]]

receives before issuing a final General Conformity Determination.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Jamie P. Rennert,
Director, Office of Infrastructure Investment, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-20192 Filed 9-17-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P