[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40897-40898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16143]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2021-0046]


Notice of Availability of a Final General Conformity 
Determination for the California High-Speed Rail System, Bakersfield to 
Palmdale Section

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is 
issuing a Final General Conformity Determination (FCD) for the 
Bakersfield to Palmdale Section of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) 
System.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andr[eacute]a Martin, Senior 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Railroad Policy and 
Development (RPD), telephone: (202) 493-6201, email:

[[Page 40898]]

Andrea.Martin@dot.gov; or Marlys Osterhues, Chief Environment and 
Project Engineering, RPD, telephone: (202) 493-0413, email: 
Marlys.Osterhues@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 (Section 327), the 
California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA or Authority) has assumed 
FRA's environmental review responsibilities under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). However, under 
Section 327, FRA remains responsible for compliance with the Clean Air 
Act General Conformity requirements. In compliance with NEPA and the 
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Authority published a 
Final Environmental Impact Record/Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIR/EIS) for the Bakersfield to Palmdale Section of the California 
High-Speed Rail (HSR) System on June 25, 2021. The Final EIR/EIS is 
available at https://hsr.ca.gov/programs/environmental-planning/project-section-environmental-documents-tier-2/bakersfield-to-palmdale-draft-environmental-impact-report-environmental-impact- statement/.
    FRA prepared a Draft General Conformity Determination, pursuant to 
40 CFR part 93, subpart B, which establishes the process for complying 
with the General Conformity requirements of the Clean Air Act. FRA 
published a notice in the Federal Register on May 13, 2021 advising the 
public of the availability of the Draft Conformity Determination for a 
30-day review and comment period. The Draft Conformity Determination 
was published at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. FRA-2021-0046. 
The comment period of the Draft Conformity Determination closed on June 
14, 2021. FRA received one comment regarding Coccidioides immitis, or 
more commonly known as the Valley Fever fungus, and a letter of support 
from the San Joaquin Valley Air District. Both letters were responded 
to in the Final EIR/EIS and in the Final General Conformity 
Determination.
    The Final General Conformity Determination was prepared in 
coordination with the Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), California Air Resources Board, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air 
Pollution Control District, and Eastern Kern, and Antelope Valley Air 
Quality Management Districts. The analysis found that construction 
period emissions would exceed the General Conformity de minimis 
threshold for Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) and volatile organic 
compounds (VOC), a precursor for ozone. However, operation of the 
Project would result in an overall reduction of regional emissions of 
all applicable air pollutants and would not cause a localized 
exceedance of an air quality standard. Since the Project will result in 
the exceedance of the de minimis thresholds for the precursor criteria 
pollutants listed above during the construction phase, Project 
conformity with the applicable emission standards will be accomplished 
through offsets of the NOX and VOC emissions, consistent 
with applicable regulatory requirements.
    The Final General Conformity Determination is available at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. FRA-2021-0046, and FRA's website at 
https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/clean-air-act-california-general-conformity-determinations.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Jamie P. Rennert,
Director, Office of Infrastructure Investment.
[FR Doc. 2021-16143 Filed 7-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


