[Federal Register: November 14, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 220)]
[Notices]
[Page 64675-64677]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14no03-130]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Environmental Impact Statement for Improved Transit Access Across
the Hudson River to New York City, Referred to as Access to the
Region's Core
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing this
notice to advise other agencies and the public that, in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act and its implementing regulations,
FTA and the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT), in partnership
with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ), intend to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate
alternatives that increase transit capacity across the Hudson River to
meet the growing demand for travel between midtown Manhattan (23rd
Street to 59th Street, Hudson River to East River) and west-of-Hudson
points in New Jersey and New York. NJ TRANSIT is the local sponsoring
agency for this EIS. Among the alternatives to be considered is the
construction of a new trans-Hudson River rail tunnel and additional
infrastructure improvements in New Jersey and proximate to Penn Station
New York (PSNY) to improve train and commuter capacity. The tunnel
alternative was recommended on the basis of a Major Investment Study
(MIS) conducted from 1995 to 2003, which is available for review as
described in ADDRESSES below. FTA, NJ TRANSIT, and PANYNJ seek public
and interagency input on the scope of the EIS for the project,
including the alternatives to be considered and the environmental and
community impacts to be evaluated. The project is called Access to the
Region's Core (ARC).
DATES: Scoping Comments Due Date: Written comments on the scope of the
EIS should be sent to NJ TRANSIT by January 30, 2004. See ADDRESSES
below.
Scoping Meeting: Public scoping meetings to determine the
appropriate scope of the EIS for ARC will be held on December 8, 2003
in Newark and December 10, 2003 in New York City at the locations given
in ADDRESSES below. Registration to speak will begin at 11 am for the
mid-day session and at 5 pm for the evening session and will remain
open for both sessions until all who wish to speak have been heard. The
buildings are accessible to people with disabilities. A sign language
interpreter will be available for the hearing impaired. People with
other special needs should call the study toll-free information line at
1-877-ARC-0999. Oral and written comments may be given at the scoping
meetings; a stenographer will record oral comments. At the meetings,
project staff will be available for informal discussion and questions
on project-related issues. Scoping information is available on the
project Web site at http://www.accesstotheregionscore.com and will be
available at the scoping meetings. Scoping material may also be
obtained by contacting David Widawsky, Project Manager, at the NJ
TRANSIT address given in ADDRESSES below or by calling toll-free 1-877-ARC-0999 or by e-mailing info@accesstotheregionscore.com.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be forwarded to
David Widawsky, Project Manager, NJ TRANSIT, One Penn Plaza East, 4th
Floor, Newark, NJ 07105-2246 or via e-mail to info@accesstotheregionscore.com. The scoping meetings will be held at
Raymond Boulevard, Newark, New Jersey 07102 on December 8, 2003 from 11
am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 8 pm and at the Hotel Pennsylvania, 401
Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10001 on December 10, 2003 from 11
am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 8 pm. If you wish to be placed on the
mailing list to receive further information as the EIS study develops,
call the toll-free information line at 1-877-ARC-0999 or send an e-mail request to info@accesstotheregionscore.com. The Major Investment Study
(MIS) Summary Report can be downloaded from the project Web site at
http://www.accesstotheregionscore.com or a hard copy can be obtained by
contacting the Project Manager, as indicated above. Updated information
on ARC will also be posted on the project Web site given above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James A. Goveia, Community
Planner, Federal Transit Administration, Region II, One Bowling Green,
Room 429, New York, New York, 10004-1415; telephone: (212) 668-2170.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scoping
The FTA, NJ TRANSIT, and the PANYNJ invite all interested
individuals and organizations, and federal, state, and local agencies
to comment on the scope of the EIS. During the scoping process,
comments should focus on identifying specific social, economic, or
environmental issues to be evaluated, or on proposing alternatives that
may be less costly, more cost effective or have fewer environmental
impacts while achieving similar transportation objectives. At this
time, comments should not focus on a preference for a particular
alternative.
Following the public scoping process, public outreach activities
will include
[[Page 64676]]
meetings with a Regional Citizens' Liaison Committee (RCLC) established
for the study, as well as meetings with interested parties or small
groups. Those wishing to participate in the RCLC may do so by
registering on the Web site at http://www.accesstotheregionscore.com or
by calling toll free 1-877-ARC-0999 or by e-mailing info@accesstotheregionscore.com. As part of the public participation
process, the study Web site, http://www.accesstotheregionscore.com,
will be periodically updated to reflect the project's current status.
In addition, newsletters will be circulated to a broad constituency to
ensure people are informed about the project. Additional opportunities
for public participation will be announced through mailings, notices,
advertisements, and press releases.
II. Description of Study Area and Transportation Needs
The primary project study area is defined as the travel corridor
from Newark Liberty International Airport Station, through PSNY, to
Sunnyside Yard in Queens. The market area for the proposed ARC transit
service is a much larger area that encompasses all of the individual
market areas of the existing and planned passenger rail lines that
serve PSNY from west of the Hudson River.
The goal of the ARC EIS is to examine alternatives that provide new
transit capacity to meet the growing demand for travel between midtown
Manhattan and west-of-Hudson points in New Jersey and New York. The
rail and highway networks, as well as commuter bus services and
facilities, in this corridor are at or near capacity. As shown in the
MIS increased trans-Hudson transit capacity would help to meet the
growing demand on existing lines and additional demand that would be
created by other ongoing capital improvements such as the opening of
the Secaucus Junction station and the recent inauguration of Midtown
Direct service via the Montclair Connection. It is anticipated that
these improvements will open new markets, attracting additional riders
on trains between west-of-Hudson markets and PSNY, adding pressures to
capacity and service reliability. The ARC MIS conducted from 1995 to
2003 indicated that a new rail tunnel is needed because: (1) Trans-
Hudson rail lines are already at or near capacity; (2) commuter rail
can best provide the high transit capacity and geographic coverage that
is needed; (3) train capacity constraints exist at PSNY; and (4) long-
term growth trends in population, employment, and regional development
are expected to continue.
III. Alternatives
The alternatives proposed for evaluation in the EIS include:
1. The No Action Alternative, which includes the current
transportation network and the other projects in the long-range
transportation plans of the both metropolitan planning organizations
(North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and New York
Metropolitan Transportation Council) that will be completed by the
design year of the ARC project.
Two long-term build alternatives (Alternatives P and S) to be
developed by 2015:
2. Long-Term Build Alternative P (Penn Station), which includes a
new two track rail line from Secaucus Junction and a new tunnel from a
portal near Tonnelle Avenue in Union City, adjacent to the existing
North River tunnel, continuing under the Palisades and the Hudson River
to Penn Station New York. Alternative P also includes increased station
capacity at Penn Station New York. Alternative P would significantly
increase the transit capacity to midtown Manhattan for west-of-Hudson
commuters and would also achieve the additional goals of meeting the
growing demand generated by commuters on existing transit lines and
highways, providing capacity for expansion of transit service into new
markets, improving service reliability and reducing travel times for
existing riders, and providing improved access to planned activity
centers on Manhattan's far West Side. As initially proposed, key
features of this alternative, from west to east include: (a) A track
connection at Secaucus Junction permitting direct service from the
Main/Bergen, Pascack Valley, and Port Jervis lines via the Northeast
Corridor to PSNY; (b) a storage yard in Secaucus, New Jersey for the
additional NJ TRANSIT trains operating in the new tunnel; (c) a fifth
track at the Secaucus Junction to accommodate the additional trains
from the Main/Bergen, Pascack Valley, and Port Jervis lines; (d) two
additional tracks on the Northeast Corridor High Line east of the
Secaucus Junction to accommodate additional trains operating in a new
tunnel; (e) a new two track tunnel under the Palisades and Hudson
River; (f) a new lower level 8-track, 4-platform station directly
beneath the existing tracks of PSNY; (g) new passenger circulation
corridors, designed to link the new tracks and platforms with the
street and with existing passenger concourses; and (h) A short length
of tunnel designed for future use and concealed behind a breakout wall.
This feature would facilitate a future extension of service north to
the vicinity of Grand Central Terminal or east to Sunnyside Yard in
Queens with minimal disruption to existing train operations.
3. Long-Term Build Alternative S (Sunnyside Yard) is identical to
Alternative P (Penn Station) west of the Hudson River. Alternative S
includes a new two track rail line from Secaucus Junction and a new
tunnel from a portal near Tonnelle Avenue in Union City, adjacent to
the existing North River tunnel, continuing under the Palisades and the
Hudson River to Penn Station New York. Alternative S also includes
increased station capacity at Penn Station New York. Alternative S
would significantly increase the transit capacity to midtown Manhattan
for west-of-Hudson commuters and would also achieve the additional
goals of meeting the growing demand generated by commuters on existing
transit lines and highways, providing capacity for expansion of transit
service into new markets, improving service reliability and reducing
travel times for existing riders, and providing improved access to
planned activity centers on Manhattan's far West Side. As initially
proposed, key features of Alternative S from west to east are: (a) A
track connection at Secaucus Junction permitting direct service from
the Main/Bergen, Pascack Valley, and Port Jervis lines via the
Northeast Corridor to PSNY; (b) a fifth track at the Secaucus Junction
to accommodate the additional trains from the Main/Bergen, Pascack
Valley, and Port Jervis lines; (c) two additional tracks on the
Northeast Corridor High Line east of the Secaucus Junction to
accommodate additional trains operating in a new tunnel; (d)
reconfiguration of Tracks 1-5 and extension of Platforms 1 and 2 in
Penn Station New York; (e) a second new two track tunnel breaking out
of Tracks 1-5 at the east end of Penn Station New York, continuing
under 31st Street in Manhattan and under the East River to Sunnyside
Yard in Queens; (f) a short length of tunnel designed for future use
and concealed behind a breakout wall. This feature would facilitate a
future extension of service north to the vicinity of Grand Central
Terminal with minimal disruption to existing train operations.
Alternative S differs from Alternative P by providing an additional new
tunnel under 31st Street in Manhattan, continuing under the East River
that will enable additional NJ TRANSIT and possibly Amtrak trains to
access the storage yards at Sunnyside in Queens.
[[Page 64677]]
4. Near-Term Improvement Alternatives: In addition, NJ TRANSIT has
developed near-term improvements that could be developed incrementally
in phases to expand trans-Hudson and PSNY capacity by 2010. During this
near-term period, the effects of many new services such as the NJ
TRANSIT Montclair Connection, the NJ TRANSIT Secaucus Junction, Amtrak
High Speed Acela service, and expanded Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
service with dual-power locomotives and bi-level coaches will mature,
and PSNY will not have the room to accommodate the resulting train and
passenger demand. The proposed near-term improvements provide capacity
enhancements at PSNY to meet these demands. The near-term improvements
include: (a) A linear yard east of PSNY Tracks 1-5 under 31st Street to
store up to six trains, which could be the first incremental phase of
through tracks to Sunnyside Yard as in Alternative S; (b) an easterly
extension of PSNY Platforms 1 and 2 to permit the operation of longer
NJ TRANSIT trains; and (c) a new 12th Avenue Yard west of 10th Avenue
between 30th and 31st Streets to store up to an additional 12 trains.
The Near-Term Improvement Alternatives may be implemented as stand-
alone projects, or as an initial phase of the build alternatives.
Any additional reasonable alternatives that emerge from the scoping
process will be considered.
IV. Probable Effects
The FTA, NJ TRANSIT, and PANYNJ will evaluate both project-specific
and cumulative changes to the social, economic, and physical
environment, including land acquisition and displacements; land use,
zoning and economic development; parklands; community disruption;
aesthetics; historic and archeological resources; traffic and parking;
air quality; noise and vibration; water quality; wetlands; ecologically
sensitive areas; endangered species; energy requirements and potential
for conservation; hazardous waste; environmental justice; and safety
and security. Through the MIS process, the following environmental
sensitivities have already been identified for consideration during the
EIS.
In New Jersey these environmental sensitivities include: (a)
Habitat and wetlands encroachment in the New Jersey Meadowlands; (b)
hazardous materials disturbance and disposal associated with facilities
such as the Malanka Landfill; (c) surface waters and floodplains, along
with coastal wildlife habitats; (d) historic architectural (above-
ground) and archaeological (below-ground) resources; (e) electrical
power transmission facilities; and (f) air quality and noise/vibration
due to rail operations and park-ride facilities traffic.
In New York these environmental sensitivities include: (a)
Hazardous materials disturbance and disposal; (b) air quality and
noise/vibration associated with construction; (c) vehicular and
pedestrian flow during construction; (d) utilities and their possible
relocation during construction; (e) underground fuel tanks below
buildings; (e) landmarks and historic buildings/structures; and (f)
parks and recreation areas.
In the Hudson River and East River these environmental
sensitivities include: (a) Regulations and associated permits from
Federal and State jurisdictional agencies; (b) disturbance and disposal
of hazardous materials; (c) marine and benthic (bottom-dwelling)
habitat and wildlife disturbance related to alternative construction
techniques.
Key areas of environmental concern would be in the areas of new
construction (e.g., new structures, new stations, new track). The
impacts will be evaluated both for the construction period and for the
long-term period of operation of each alternative. Measures to mitigate
adverse impacts will be explored.
V. FTA Procedures
The EIS is being prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and implemented by
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts
1500-1508), the FTA/Federal Highway Administration's Environmental
Impact and Related Procedures (23 CFR part 771). This study will also
address the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966, as amended, Section 4(f) of the 1966 U.S. Department of
Transportation Act, the Clean Air Act, as amended, Section 6(f) the
Clean Water Act, the Executive Orders on Environmental Justice,
Floodplain Management, and Protection of Wetlands, and other applicable
environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders.
The MIS that resulted in the recommendation to build a new Hudson
River rail tunnel and related infrastructure on both sides of the
Hudson River was issued in 2003. FTA intends to incorporate the MIS by
reference into the EIS, as well as various supplemental studies
conducted subsequent to the MIS, including an initial evaluation of the
potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of the MIS
alternatives.
Upon completion, the Draft EIS will be available for public and
agency review and comment. Public hearings on the Draft EIS will be
held within the study area. On the basis of the Draft EIS and the
public and agency comments received, a locally preferred alternative
will be selected for further analysis and refinement in the Final EIS.
Issued on: November 7, 2003.
Letitia Thompson,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-28481 Filed 11-13-03; 8:45 am]
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