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Environmental Impact Statement: Kelso-Martin's Bluff Rail Project, Washington

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: April 2, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 63)]
[Notices]
[Page 17596-17597]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02ap01-102]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Railroad Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Kelso-Martin's Bluff Rail
Project, Washington

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA and the FRA are issuing this notice to advise the
public that as joint lead federal agencies and in cooperation with the
Washington State Department of Transportation, they will prepare an
environmental impact statement for a proposed rail corridor improvement
project on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad mainline

[[Page 17597]]

between Kelso and Martin's Bluff (south of Kalama, Washington).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gary S. Hughes, Federal Highway
Administration, Evergreen Plaza Building, 711 South Capitol Way, Suite
501, Olympia, Washington 98501, Telephone: (360) 753-9025; Mr. David
Valenstein, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW.,
MS-20, Washington, DC 20590, Telephone: (202) 493-6368; or Mr. James
Slakey, Washington State Department of Transportation, 310 Maple Park
Southeast, Olympia, Washington 98504, Telephone: (360) 705-7920.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 22, 1992, the U.S. Department of
Transportation designated the existing rail corridor from Eugene,
Oregon through Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington to Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada as a high-speed rail corridor pursuant to
section 1010 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of
1991 (ISTEA). As part of phase one of the long-term plan to develop
high-speed intercity passenger service on the corridor, the Washington
State Department of Transportation proposes to improve the Burlington
Northern Santa Fe mainline between the City of Kelso and Martin's Bluff
(south of Kalama, Washington). Proposed improvements include:
additional tracks and associated roadbed, drainage structures, signal
systems, and other related facilities. FHWA and FRA, as joint lead
federal agencies, in cooperation with the Washington State Department
of Transportation (WSDOT), will prepare an environmental impact
statement on WSDOT's proposal. The purpose of this corridor improvement
project is to increase capacity for passenger rail service along the
Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor. This increased capacity will result in
faster, safer, more reliable and more frequent service. The added
capacity along the main line is also expected to have secondary
benefits for freight rail movement.
    The three agencies intend to implement agency and public
involvement programs that will describe the proposed action and solicit
comment from citizens, organizations, and federal, state, and local
agencies on the proposed improvements and possible environmental
considerations. The agencies will solicit comments and questions, which
may be provided by telephone, internet, public meetings, and the mail.
In addition, targeted direct mail, advertisements, and media relations
efforts may be used to reach the public and agencies.
    Public scoping meetings are being held on March 28, 2001 in Kalama
and on March 29, 2001 in Kelso as announced by the Washington State
Department of Transportation. The scoping meetings are to include
presentations by the agencies about the scope of the project and an
opportunity for the public and agency representatives to ask questions
and provide comments and suggestions regarding the project and relevant
environmental considerations. The comments made at these scooping
meetings will be considered in preparation of the scope of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement along with subsequent comments submitted
by April 30, 2001. Comments submitted after that date will be
considered to the greatest extent possible.
    Following completion of the scoping process, the agencies will
initiate appropriate environmental and related studies. Following
completion of the environmental analysis, the agencies will issue a
draft environmental impact statement which will be circulated for
public and agency comment. Advertisements offering interested persons
the opportunity to attend and offer comments at a public hearing will
be published contemporaneously with the circulation of the draft
environmental impact statement. Public notice of actions related to the
proposal that identify the date, time, place of meetings, and the
length of review periods will be published at the appropriate time.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
improvement program and its reasonable alternatives are addressed and
all significant issues are identified, comments and suggestions are
invited from all interested parties. Comments or questions concerning
this proposed action, the scoping process, and the environmental impact
statement should be directed to the FHWA or FRA at the address provided
above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental
consultation of federal programs and activities apply to this
program.)
Gary S. Hughes,
Operations Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration, Washington
Division.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Development, Federal Railroad
Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-8014 Filed 3-30-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-M; 4910-22-M

 
 

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