Early Scoping Notice
| Published date | 30 September 2019 |
| Citation | 84 FR 51710 |
| Record Number | 2019-21123 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Federal Transit Administration,Transportation Department |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 189 (Monday, September 30, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 189 (Monday, September 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 51710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21123]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Early Scoping Notice
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Early scoping for the Staten Island North Shore Bus Rapid
Transit Project in Staten Island, New York.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority-New York City Transit (MTA-NYCT) issue this
early scoping notice for the Staten Island North Shore Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT) Project (Project). MTA-NYCT is exploring ways to improve
transit time and reliability on the North and West Shores of Staten
Island. The purpose of this early scoping notice is to advise other
agencies and the public of the intent to further study the Project. The
Project would improve regional transit service by addressing current
and projected travel time and reliability issues for trips between the
West Shore and St. George Terminal. Early scoping for the Project is
occurring within the context of the Council on Environmental Quality's
regulations for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA).
This notice invites public and agency input to ongoing planning
efforts for the Project through commenting on the draft purpose and
need, and potential impacts or concerns associated with the Project.
The Proposed Project is being evaluated in an environmental impact
statement under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act
(SEQRA), and public scoping for the SEQRA process is taking place
concurrently with this NEPA early scoping. Should the Project receive
FTA funding, FTA intends to use this early scoping process to satisfy
the formal NEPA scoping.
DATES: Staten Island North Shore BRT Early Scoping Meeting: October 17,
2019, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical
Gardens, Lower Great Hall, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, New
York 10301.
Additional Opportunity to Comment: The public also may submit
comments through the Project's website, by mail, and by electronic mail
at the addresses below. FTA and MTA-NYCT request to receive all
comments made in response to the Project's early scoping by November
18, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will occur at the Snug Harbor Cultural
Center & Botanical Gardens, Lower Great Hall, 1000 Richmond Terrace,
Staten Island, New York 10301. The meeting location is accessible to
persons with disabilities. If translation, signing services, or other
special accommodations are needed, please contact Eric Bohn at 646-252-
5165 or via email at [email protected].
The Project's website is https://new.mta.info/northshoreeis.
Comments may be emailed to [email protected]. Comments may be
mailed to MTA New York City Transit, Staten Island North Shore EIS, 2
Broadway, Room D17.112, New York, NY 10004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cyrenthia Ward, Community Planner,
FTA, One Bowling Green, Room 428, New York, NY 10004. Email:
[email protected]. Telephone: (212) 668-2183. Eric Bohn, Capital
Projects Manager, MTA-NYCT, MTA New York City Transit, 2 Broadway, 17th
Floor, New York, NY 10004. Telephone: (646) 252-5165. Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice invites the public to comment on
a statement of the Purpose and Need for the Project, the Project study
area, potential impacts, and potential alternatives. This notice also
invites the public to review and comment on reports previously
developed by local planning and transportation agencies that support
the focus to further study new BRT service for the North and West
Shores.
Early scoping is an optional early step in the NEPA process, which
begins when FTA issues a notice of intent to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS). Early scoping is intended to generate public
and agency review and comments on the scope of a planning effort within
a defined transportation corridor, the project's purpose and need,
potential alternatives, study area, potential social, economic, and
environmental impacts, and prior studies before formally preparing an
EIS. Early scoping can ensure that the public and interested agencies
are given the opportunity to review and provide comments on the results
of planning activities that can then be used to inform the NEPA
process. Early scoping is intended to identify the most reasonable
alternatives to undergo NEPA environmental review.
Please see the Project's website (https://new.mta.info/northshoreeis) for more information on the background to the Project,
the Purpose and Need for the Project, the Project study area, potential
impacts, and potential alternatives.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Issued on: September 24, 2019.
Michael L. Culotta,
Deputy Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-21123 Filed 9-27-19; 8:45 am]
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