[Federal Register: December 20, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 245)]
[Notices]
[Page 78039-78040]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20de02-125]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[Finance Docket No. 34079]
San Jacinto Rail Limited--Construction Exemption--And The
Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company--Operation Exemption--
Build-Out to the Bayport Loop Near Houston, Harris County, TX
AGENCIES: Lead: Surface Transportation Board. Cooperating: U.S. Coast
Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
ACTION: Extension of comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement.
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SUMMARY: Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft
EIS) issued by the Surface Transportation Board's Section of
Environmental Analysis (SEA) and the three cooperating agencies on
December 6, 2002 in this proceeding were to be submitted by January 27,
2003. In response to a number of written requests for an extension of
the comment period, SEA is advising all interested persons that the
comment period will be
[[Page 78040]]
extended for an additional twenty-five days. The comment period will
now end February 21, 2003.
Most of the extension requests sought an additional forty-five days
to submit comments on the Draft EIS. To balance these requests for an
extension with the need to move the environmental review process
forward without undue delay, SEA believes that a twenty-five day
extension to and including February 21, 2003 is appropriate. In order
to issue the Final EIS in a timely manner, no further extensions will
be granted absent compelling, unforeseen circumstances.
Written comments on the Draft EIS must be postmarked or faxed by
the February 21, 2003 due date. SEA encourages written comments by all
interested parties and agencies and members of the general public on
all aspects of this Draft EIS. SEA will consider all timely comments in
preparing the Final EIS, and the Final EIS will respond to all timely
substantive comments. When submitting comments on the Draft EIS, please
be as specific as possible and substantiate your concerns and
recommendations. Please mail written comments to: Surface
Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001.
To ensure proper handling of your comments, please mark your
submission: Attention: Dana White, Section of Environmental Analysis,
Environmental Filing FD No. 34079.
Due to delays in the delivery of mail currently being experienced
by Federal agencies in Washington, DC, SEA encourages that comments be
faxed to 1-866-293-4979. Faxed comments will be given the same weight
as mailed comments; therefore, persons submitting comments by fax do
not have to also send comments by mail. Further information about the
project can be obtained by calling SEA's toll-free number at 1-888-229-
7857 (TDD for the hearing impaired 1-800-877-8339).
As stated in our December 6, 2002 Notice of Availability, and in
the Draft EIS, SEA will host two public meetings on the Draft EIS in
January 2003. At each meeting, SEA will give a brief presentation and
interested parties will be invited to make oral comments. SEA will have
a transcriber present to record the oral comments in either English or
Spanish. Written comments may also be submitted at the meetings.
Meetings will be held at the following locations, dates, and times:
Pasadena Convention Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, TX,
January 14, 2003, 7-9 pm, Cesar E. Chavez High School, 8501 Howard
Drive, Houston, TX, January 15, 2003, 7-9 pm. Both meetings will follow
the same format and agenda; it is not necessary to attend both
meetings.
Persons wanting to speak at a public meeting are strongly urged to
pre-register by calling the toll-free number at 1-888-229-7857 (TDD for
the hearing impaired 1-800-877-8339) and leaving their name, telephone
number, the name of any group, business, or agency affiliation, if
applicable, and the date of the meeting at which they wish to speak.
The deadline for pre-registration for all meetings is January 7, 2003.
Persons will be called to speak at each meeting in the order in
which they pre-registered. Those wishing to speak who did not pre-
register will be accommodated at each meeting as time allows. Those
wishing to speak at more than one meeting will also be accommodated as
time allows and after all others have had an opportunity to
participate. As SEA would like as many persons as possible to
participate and given that there will be a limited amount of time at
each meeting, all speakers are strongly encouraged to prepare summary
oral comments, and submit detailed comments in writing. SEA also
encourages groups of individuals with similar comments to designate a
representative to speak for them. A translator will be available at
both meetings for Spanish-speakers wishing to speak.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dana White, Section of
Environmental Analysis, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, or SEA's toll-free number for this
project at 1-888-229-7857 (TDD for the hearing impaired 1-800-877-
8339). The website for the Surface Transportation Board is http://www.stb.dot.gov
.
By the Board, Victoria J. Rutson, Chief, Section of
Environmental Analysis.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-32078 Filed 12-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P