[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 181 (Thursday, September 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58108-58110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20520]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Revised Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Link Union Station Project, Los Angeles, CA

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), on behalf of the 
California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority), as the federal lead 
agency under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Assignment is 
issuing this notice to advise other Federal, state, local, and tribal 
agencies and the public that the Authority intends to revise the scope 
of the analysis of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Link Union Station Project (Link US Project) in the cities of Los 
Angeles and Vernon, California, compliance with relevant state and 
federal laws, in particular NEPA.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the Link US Project EIS should 
be provided to the Authority or Metro starting on September 18, 2020, 
and must be received by the Authority or Metro on or before October 19, 
2020, as noted below. In response to COVID-19, a virtual public scoping 
meeting is scheduled to occur on October 8, 2020, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 
p.m., Pacific Time. Prior to the scoping meeting date and time noted 
above, information regarding how to participate in the virtual meeting 
will be provided at the following location: https://www.metro.net/projects/link-us/. Additionally, further information can be obtained by 
calling 213-922-2524. Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), and Japanese 
translation will be provided. You may call 213-922-2499 at least 72 
hours in advance of the meeting to request ADA accommodations or other 
translation services. The scoping presentation and all materials 
presented during the virtual scoping meeting will be made available on 
Metro's website referenced above.

ADDRESSES: Questions or written comments on the scope of the Link US 
Project EIS should be sent to Mark A. McLoughlin, Director, 
Environmental Services Branch, ATTN: Link US Project, California High-
Speed Rail Authority, 770 L Street, Suite 620, Sacramento, CA 95814 or 
via email with the subject line ``Link US Project'' to 
Mark.McLoughlin@hsr.ca.gov or to Vincent Chio, Metro, Director of 
Program Management, Regional Rail, Los Angeles County Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority, One Gateway Plaza (Mail Stop 99-17-2, Los 
Angeles, CA 90012 or via email with the subject line ``Link US 
Project'' to: linkunionstation@metro.net). Comments may also be 
provided during the virtual public scoping meeting described above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Authority: Mark A. McLoughlin, 
Director of Environmental Services, California High-Speed Rail 
Authority, (telephone: 916-403-6934; email: 
[email protected]). For the FRA: Stephanie B. Perez-Arrieta, 
Regional Lead, Environmental Protection Specialist, Federal Railroad 
Administration (telephone: 202-493-0388; email: s.perez-arrieta@dot.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Los Angeles County Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority (Metro) is a joint-lead agency under NEPA and 
the local project sponsor for the Link US

[[Page 58109]]

Project. Since the publication of the notice of intent (NOI), the 
Authority and Metro have identified the proposed off-site improvements 
to BNSF's Malabar Yard in the City of Vernon as a necessary component 
of the Link US Project. These improvements are located primarily on 
46th Street and 49th Street, south of Vernon Avenue, in the 
northwestern portion of the City of Vernon. This Revised NOI is being 
issued to solicit additional public and agency input into the 
development of the scope of the EIS for the Link US Project with 
respect to the proposed off-site improvements. Public input received 
during outreach activities conducted by the Authority, Metro, and its 
representatives will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. FRA 
and Metro previously conducted scoping for the Link US Project joint 
EIS/environmental impact report (EIR) in the spring of 2016. FRA 
published an NOI in the Federal Register on May 31, 2016 (81 FR 34429). 
FRA and Metro held a scoping meeting on June 2, 2016, at Metro's 
headquarters (One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, California 90012) to 
receive agency and public input on the Link US Project. In addition to 
formal scoping meetings, Metro has maintained ongoing outreach to 
public agencies and consistently engaged the public throughout project 
development to provide input since spring of 2016.
    At the time of project scoping, FRA and Metro intended to prepare a 
joint EIS/EIR pursuant to NEPA and the California Environmental Quality 
Act (CEQA). In 2018, Metro proceeded with the preparation of a stand-
alone EIR to comply with CEQA and released a Draft EIR for public 
comment on January 17, 2019. Following consideration of the comments 
received on the Draft EIR, Metro certified a Final EIR for the Link US 
Project on June 27, 2019.
    FRA and the State of California executed a MOU, pursuant to 23 
U.S.C. 327, dated July 23, 2019 through which the State of California, 
acting through the California State Transportation Agency and the 
Authority, has assumed FRA's responsibilities under NEPA and other 
federal environmental laws for projects necessary for the design, 
construction, and operation of the California HSR System, and for other 
railroad projects directly connected to stations on the California HSR 
System, including the Link US Project. Accordingly, the Authority is 
the lead federal agency for complying with NEPA and other federal 
environmental laws for the Link US Project. Metro is the local project 
sponsor for the Link US project.
    As described in the 2016 NOI, the Link US Project is centered at 
Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS). Implementation of common 
infrastructure designed to accommodate both regional/intercity trains 
and future HSR trains would result in the permanent loss of storage 
track capacity at the BNSF West Bank Yard, south of US-101, in the 
vicinity of First Street. Since FRA published the 2016 NOI, the 
Authority and Metro have identified off-site improvements to the BNSF 
Malabar Yard in the City of Vernon that are needed to restore and 
offset the loss of storage track capacity at the BNSF West Bank Yard. 
The Authority is issuing this Revised NOI to solicit additional public 
and agency input into the development of the scope of the Link US 
Project EIS with respect to the off-site improvements to the BNSF 
Malabar Yard proposed in the City of Vernon.
    The Link US Project EIS will be used by the Authority to address 
the requirements of NEPA, as well as other applicable statutes, 
regulations, and executive orders, including (but not limited to) the 
Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), Section 4(f) of the Department of 
Transportation Act of 1966, the Endangered Species Act, and Executive 
Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in 
Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations).
    Implementation of the Link US Project is a Federal undertaking with 
the potential to affect historic properties. As such, it is subject to 
the requirements of Section 106 of the NHPA. In accordance with 
regulations issued by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, 36 
CFR part 800, the Authority intends to coordinate compliance with 
Section 106 of the NHPA with the preparation of the Link US Project 
EIS, beginning with the identification of consulting parties in a 
manner consistent with the standards set out in 36 CFR 800.8. Public 
comment is sought with respect to the evaluation of potential effects 
on historic properties.
    The EIS will describe site-specific environmental effects and will 
identify measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate for potential adverse 
environmental effects. The Authority will assess the site 
characteristics, size, nature, and timing of proposed site-specific 
improvements to determine whether the effects are potentially adverse 
and whether impacts can be avoided or mitigated. Information and 
documents regarding this environmental review process will be made 
available through Metro's internet site: https://www.metro.net/projects/link-us/.

Purpose and Need

    Consistent with the 2016 NOI, the purpose of the proposed action is 
to increase the regional and intercity rail service capacity of LAUS 
and to improve schedule reliability at LAUS through the implementation 
of a run-through tracks configuration and elimination of the current 
stub-end tracks configuration while preserving current levels of 
freight rail operations, accommodating the planned HSR system in 
Southern California, increasing the passenger/pedestrian capacity and 
enhancing the safety of LAUS through the implementation of a new 
passenger concourse, meeting the multi-modal transportation demands at 
LAUS.
    Consistent with the 2016 NOI, the need for the proposed action is 
generated by the forecasted increase in regional population and 
employment; implementation of federal, state, and regional 
transportation plans that provide for increased operational frequency 
for regional and intercity trains and introduction of the planned HSR 
system in Southern California. Localized operational, safety, and 
accessibility upgrades in and around LAUS will be required to meet 
existing demand and future growth.

Alternatives

    As described in the 2016 NOI, the Link US Project EIS will include 
an evaluation of one or more Build Alternatives (Proposed Action), as 
well as a No Action Alternative.

No Action Alternative

    The No Action Alternative is defined to serve as the baseline for 
assessment of the proposed action. The No Action Alternative represents 
the region's transportation system (highway, air, and conventional 
rail) as it currently exists, and as it would exist after completion of 
programs or projects currently planned for funding and implementation 
by 2040.

Proposed Action (Link US Project Build Alternatives)

    The Proposed Action consists of two build alternatives that address 
proposed infrastructure in the vicinity of LAUS, in conjunction with 
off-site improvements into the BNSF Malabar Yard in the City of Vernon. 
The build alternatives would result in enhanced operational capacity 
from control point (CP) Chavez in the north (near North Main Street) to 
CP Olympic in the south (near the Interstate 10/State Route 60/

[[Page 58110]]

U.S.-101 interchange), which serve as the northern and southern project 
termini. Major components of the build alternatives are described 
below.
     Throat and Elevated Rail Yard--The build alternatives 
would include subgrade, signal, and structural improvements in the 
throat segment to increase the elevation of the tracks leading to the 
rail yard in the concourse segment at LAUS. The throat would be 
reconstructed with up to seven lead tracks north of LAUS. The build 
alternatives would also include new passenger platforms with canopies 
above the elevated rail yard.
     Passenger Concourse--The build alternatives would include: 
(1) An expanded passageway; or (2) an at-grade passenger concourse. The 
expanded passageway or at-grade passenger concourse would be 
constructed below the elevated rail yard.
     Run-Through Tracks--The build alternatives would include 
up to 10 new run-through tracks (including the possibility of a loop 
track) south of LAUS to facilitate connections for regional/intercity 
rail trains and future HSR trains to the main line tracks on the west 
bank of the Los Angeles River.
     BNSF Malabar Yard Off-Site Improvements--The build 
alternatives also require off-site improvements to BNSF's Malabar Yard 
in the City of Vernon, California, primarily on 46th Street and 49th 
Street. The off-site improvements are proposed to restore and offset 
the permanent loss of storage track capacity at the BNSF West Bank 
Yard.
    The proposed action would also require modifications to US-101 and 
local streets (including potential street closures and geometric 
modifications); railroad signal, positive train control, and 
communications-related improvements; modifications to the Gold Line 
light rail platform and tracks; modifications to the main line tracks 
on the west bank of the Los Angeles River; modifications to Keller Yard 
and the Amtrak lead track; permanent removal of storage tracks and 
partial relocation of the BNSF West Bank Yard; new access roadways to 
the railroad right-of-way; additional right-of-way; new utilities; 
utility relocations, replacements, and abandonments; and new drainage 
facilities/water quality improvements.

Probable Effects

    The EIS will include an evaluation of all environmental, social, 
and economic impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed 
action in detail. Impact areas to be addressed in the EIS include: 
Transportation; air quality and greenhouse gases; noise and vibration; 
public utilities and energy; biological and wetland resources; 
floodplains, hydrology and water quality; geology, soils, seismicity; 
hazardous waste and materials; safety and security; socioeconomics and 
communities; land use and planning; visual quality and aesthetics; 
historic, cultural and paleontological resources; regional growth; and 
environmental justice. Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate 
adverse effects will be identified and evaluated.

Scoping and Comments

    FRA and Metro have previously carried out scoping for the Link US 
Project EIS. Since publication of the 2016 NOI, the Authority and Metro 
have identified the BNSF Malabar Yard off-site improvements as a 
necessary component of the Link US Project. FRA, on behalf of the 
Authority, is issuing this Revised NOI to solicit additional public and 
agency input into the development of the scope of the EIS for the Link 
US Project with respect to the BNSF Malabar Yard off-site improvements 
and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by the 
Authority and Metro and its representatives will be considered in the 
preparation of the EIS. Comments and suggestions on the additional 
project elements described in this Revised NOI are invited from all 
interested agencies, Native American Tribes, and the public to ensure 
the full range of issues related to the proposed action and all 
reasonable build alternatives are addressed and all significant issues 
are identified. In particular, the Authority and Metro are interested 
in determining whether there are areas of environmental concern where 
there might be a potential for adverse effects.
    In response to this Revised NOI, public agencies with jurisdiction 
are requested to advise the Authority and Metro of the applicable 
permit and environmental review requirements of each agency, and the 
scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to 
the agency's statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed 
action. Public agencies are requested to advise the Authority and Metro 
if they anticipate taking a major action in connection with the 
proposed project and if they wish to cooperate in the preparation of 
the EIS. To date, Caltrans, District 7 has expressed its intention to 
participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. The 
virtual public scoping meeting has been scheduled as an important 
component of the scoping process for the Federal environmental review. 
The virtual public scoping meeting described above in this Revised NOI 
will also be advertised locally and included in additional public 
notification.
    The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required 
by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being or 
have been carried out by the State of California pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 
327 and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated July 23, 2019, and 
executed by the FRA and the State of California.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Jamie P. Rennert,
Director, Office of Infrastructure Investment.
[FR Doc. 2020-20520 Filed 9-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


