[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3706-3708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00963]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the Austin 
Light Rail Project in Austin, Texas

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as lead Federal 
agency, and the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), as local project 
sponsor and joint lead agency (collectively, the Agencies), issue this 
notice to advise the public that they intend to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for Phase 1 of the Austin Light 
Rail Project (the Project) in Austin, Texas (City) pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Project is a proposed 
9.8-mile light rail transit (LRT) branched line, including 15 stations, 
from points north, south, and east of downtown Austin, as well as an 
operations and maintenance facility (OMF), maintenance of way (MOW) 
shops, and associated LRT equipment storage functions. FTA has 
determined that the Project is sufficiently developed to allow for 
meaningful public comment and requires an EIS.

DATES: Comments related to the NEPA review of the Project must be 
received on or before March 4, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to: Austin 
Transit Partnership, 203 Colorado St., Austin, TX 78701 or via email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For FTA: Mr. Terence Plaskon, Federal 
Transit Administration, Region VI, 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX 
76102, at (817) 978-0573 or [email protected]. For ATP: Mr. Deron 
Lozano, Austin Transit Partnership, 203 Colorado Street, Austin, TX 
78701, at (512) 923-3257 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agencies will prepare the EIS in 
accordance with NEPA and its implementing regulations. The EIS will 
evaluate two alternatives: a No Build Alternative and a Build 
Alternative. After circulation of the draft EIS (DEIS) and 
consideration of comments received, FTA intends to issue a combined 
final EIS (FEIS)/Record of Decision (ROD) document pursuant to 23 
U.S.C. 139(n)(2), unless statutory criteria preclude issuance of a 
combined document (i.e., the FEIS makes substantial changes to the 
proposed action that are relevant to environmental or safety concerns 
or there is a significant new circumstance or information relevant to 
environmental concerns that affect the proposed action or its impacts). 
FTA is currently evaluating the Project's eligibility for discretionary 
Federal funding under FTA's Capital Investment Grants program.

I. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    The Project is part of the Project Connect Long-Term Vision Plan 
(Project Connect). Project Connect includes high-capacity transit (HCT) 
corridors and is an integral part of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan 
that was approved by the Austin City Council in 2019. In 2020, the 
Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization adopted its 2045 
Regional Transportation Plan which included

[[Page 3707]]

HCT corridors as priority transit capital investments. On November 3, 
2020, City of Austin voters approved a ballot measure (Proposition A) 
to increase the City's property tax rate to provide a dedicated local 
funding source for Project Connect, including LRT. ATP, an independent 
local government corporation, is responsible for the financing, design, 
and construction of the Project. Respective obligations and roles 
related to operation and maintenance of the Project, including future 
funding obligations of ATP, will be detailed in a binding 
implementation agreement between ATP, the City, and the Capital 
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro), the local 
transportation authority.
    In 2020, FTA and CapMetro completed two Planning and Environmental 
Linkages (PEL) studies following Federal guidance that documented the 
alternatives analysis, the purpose and needs, and public outreach which 
led to the selection of a locally preferred alternative for an LRT 
system. The PEL process resulted in broad public support of the purpose 
and needs and the alternatives analysis. However, as the initial 
environmental review process unfolded and design work for LRT advanced, 
the estimated project construction costs increased. The primary cost 
drivers were increasing real estate costs, inflation, supply chain cost 
escalations, and desired scope refinements. Due to this material change 
in circumstances, it became clear the LRT alignment and design 
warranted adjustment to ensure ATP could deliver a project that was 
fiscally feasible and responsive to the needs of the public. In July 
2022, taking the original PEL studies and cost escalation factors into 
account, ATP commenced community-driven planning efforts to develop a 
viable and affordable alternative LRT implementation plan that 
addresses the purpose and need of providing quality and reliable HCT to 
the Austin metropolitan area. On June 6, 2023, the City, ATP, and 
CapMetro unanimously approved the advancement of the Project into the 
next phase of implementation.
    The purpose of the Project is to meet growing corridor travel 
demand with a reliable, safe, cost-effective, time competitive, 
sustainable, and equitable LRT system. The lack of transportation 
options and limited roadway capacity to accommodate growth in central 
Texas may hinder the continued vitality and economic health of the City 
and surrounding areas in the future. Inadequate transit access coupled 
with rising travel demand have resulted in longer travel times, 
decreased mobility, and additional travel costs for residents and 
businesses. The Project is needed to:
     increase transportation network capacity to meet existing 
travel demand;
     sustainably support the Austin area's population and 
employment growth;
     improve transit access between affordable housing and 
jobs; and
     support growth of and connectivity to regional activity 
centers designated in local land use plans.

II. Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives

    The EIS will evaluate two alternatives: a No Build Alternative and 
a Build Alternative. The No Build, or No Action, Alternative includes 
existing and committed improvements to the regional transportation 
network, not including the Project, that are expected to be operational 
by 2045. The No Build Alternative is included as a benchmark against 
which the impacts of the Build Alternative can be compared. The Build 
Alternative is a 9.8-mile LRT branched line (see the project website at 
https://www.atptx.org/about/light-rail/). Beginning at the intersection 
of Guadalupe Street and 38th Street, the in-street, LRT-dedicated, 
double-tracked alignment would extend south past the University of 
Texas and the Texas State Capitol. At the intersection of Guadalupe and 
3rd Streets, the alignment would extend east on 3rd Street, cross 
Congress Avenue, and connect to Trinity Street. The alignment would 
continue south on Trinity Street and cross Lady Bird Lake on a new LRT-
dedicated bridge. On the south shore of Lady Bird Lake, the alignment 
would connect to and split on East Riverside Drive, where it would 
split into two branches. The western branch of the split would cross 
East Bouldin Creek and extend south on South Congress Avenue with a 
terminus at the intersection of South Congress Avenue and Oltorf 
Street. The eastern branch of the split would continue southeast along 
East Riverside Drive with a terminus just west of SH-71 at the Yellow 
Jacket station.
    An OMF would be located in the vicinity of the US-183/SH-71 
interchange near Airport Commerce Drive in a light-industrial use area. 
The proposed site would include space for administration, operations 
and maintenance staff, an LRT control center, and light rail vehicle 
(LRV) maintenance. The OMF would also serve as an LRV storage yard with 
the capacity to support both LRV operations and fleet storage. The OMF 
would include MOW shops and associated LRT equipment storage functions.

III. Summary of Expected Impacts

    The Agencies will evaluate the No Build and Build Alternatives for 
potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts (including benefits) 
to the natural, built, and social environments. Resources to be 
evaluated and potential impact areas include, but are not limited to, 
transportation, land use, socioeconomics and economic development, 
parklands and recreational facilities, neighborhoods and community 
facilities, environmental justice, noise and vibration, hazardous 
materials, ecosystems, water resources, residential and commercial 
displacements and relocations, historic and archaeological resources, 
visual quality, vegetation, air quality (including greenhouse gas 
emissions), and energy. The potential effects of the construction and 
operation of the Project on these resources will be evaluated for the 
short-term construction period and long-term operation of each 
alternative. Measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate potential adverse 
impacts will be evaluated and proposed.

IV. Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations

    The Agencies anticipate that required permits and other 
authorizations may include:
     U.S. Department of Transportation section 4(f) 
determination;
     U.S. Department of Interior approval under section 6(f) of 
the Land and Water Conservation Act;
     U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval under section 404 of 
the Clean Water Act and/or section 10 of the River and Harbors Act.
     Memorandum of Agreement with the State Historic 
Preservation Officer under section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act; and

V. Schedule for Decision-Making Process

    Below is a tentative schedule of major milestones for the EIS:
     Scoping Period: January 19, 2024 to March 4, 2024.
     DEIS Release, Public Hearing, and DEIS Public Comment 
Period: Fall 2024.
     FEIS/ROD: Fall 2025.
    As noted in the tentative schedule, the Agencies intend to complete 
the EIS for the Project within two years, measured from the date of the 
publication of this notice to the date the ROD is signed. The Agencies 
will accept public comments on the scope of the

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EIS at https://www.atptx.org/ until March 4, 2024. The Environmental 
Protection Agency will publish a notice of availability of the DEIS in 
the Federal Register and via local media outlets. ATP expects the DEIS 
will be available for a minimum of 45 days for the public comment 
period by Fall 2024. The DEIS will be distributed electronically and 
made available for public and agency review and comment prior to a 
public hearing. The Agencies will consider substantive comments timely 
submitted during the public comment period and then anticipate 
preparing a combined FEIS/ROD by Fall 2025. The FEIS/ROD will identify 
the NEPA preferred alternative and any necessary mitigation 
commitments. The Agencies expect that all Federal environmental 
authorization decisions for the construction of the Project will be 
completed within a reasonable period following issuance of the FEIS/
ROD.
    Notices of public meetings, including hearings, have been, and will 
continue to be, given through a variety of media providing the time and 
place of the meeting along with other relevant information. Meeting 
date, time, and location information can be found on the Project 
website, Meetings and Events page, at https://www.atptx.org/. Public 
meeting locations will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
Persons needing special accommodations should contact Ms. Sophie Petkus 
at [email protected] or (512) 917-2492.

VI. Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, 
and Analysis

    The Agencies invite all State, Tribal, local governments, and the 
public to comment on potential alternatives, information, impacts, and 
analyses to be considered in the EIS, as well as any other relevant 
information, studies, or analyses with respect to the proposed agency 
action.

Gail Lyssy,
Regional Administrator, FTA Region VI.
[FR Doc. 2024-00963 Filed 1-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P