Grand Canyon Railway, Inc., Passenger Railway Service Grand Canyon Airport to Grand Canyon Village; Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Department of the Interior

National Park Service

Grand Canyon Railway, Inc., Passenger Railway Service Grand

Canyon Airport to Grand Canyon Village; Availability of Final

Environmental Impact Statement

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969, Public Law 91-190, the Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, and the Department of the Interior, National Park Service,

joint lead agencies, have prepared a final environmental impact

statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) on the provision of

initiating passenger rail service form Grand Canyon Airport, Tusayan,

Arizona, to the Maswick Transportation Area in Grand Canyon Village,

Grand Canyon National Park.

The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) was circulated for

public review between July 31, 1992 and September 30, 1992 (57 FR

33168) and the comment period extended to November 14, 1992. Both the

DEIS and FEIS describe and analyze a proposal and five alternatives.

The proposal, Alternative A, provides for the construction of 5.4 miles

of new railway line on the national forest, with 1.1 miles on an old

rail line alignment, and use of existing rail line within the national

park. One wash would need to be crossed within the airport property.

Additional features are the construction of two depots, 75 acres of

parking, a road for maintenance, and the addition of storage tanks for

fuel, water and wastewater. A maximum of eight (8) trips per day would

be generated between the airport and Maswick. Interpretive activities

and visitor orientation to the park and national forest would be

integrated into the service. Alternatives B, C and D, all provide for

the proposed passenger service but vary in the track alignment and

length to be constructed, the amount of national forest lands needed

and generally increase the number of washes that would be crossed. In

addition, Alternative D provides for a single depot. Alternative E is a

non-rail alternative, utilizing a shuttle bus system in conjunction

with a parking area outside the park. Alternative F is the no action

alternative. Alternative A, the proposal, is the environmentally

preferred alternative.

The 30 day no action period on the FEIS and ROD will end March 7,

1994. The ROD, as it affects National Forest System Lands, is subject

to appeal in accordance with 36 CFR part 217. A notice of appeal must

be in writing and clearly state that it is a Notice of Appeal being

filed pursuant to 36 CFR part 217. Appeals must be filed with the

Regional Forester, Southwestern Region, 517 Gold Avenue SW.,

Albuquerque, NM 87102-0094 within 45 days of legal notice of this

decision in the Arizona Daily Sun. While The National Park Service has

no formal appeal process, no implementation of the proposal within

Grand Canyon National Park will occur before expiration of the 30 day

no action period and contingent on any appeals received pertaining to

National Forest System lands.

Requests for additional information and/or copies of the FEIS and

ROD should be directed to the Forest Supervisor, Kaibab National

Forest, 800 South State Street, Williams, AZ 86048, telephone number

602-635-2681, or to the Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park,

P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ 86023, telephone number

602-638-7701.

Copies of the FEIS and ROD are available for inspection at the park

headquarters, Forest Supervisor's office, and libraries at Flagstaff,

Williams, Northern Arizona University, and Arizona State University.

Copies are also available at the following addresses: Western Regional

Office, National Park Service, Attn: Division of Planning, Grants and

Environmental Quality, 600 Harrison Street, suite 600, San Francisco,

CA 94107-1372, and at the Regional Office, Southwestern Region, USDA

Forest Service, 517 Gold Ave. SW., Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Dated: December 1, 1993.

Lew Albert,

Deputy Regional Director, Western Region.

Dated: January 18, 1994.

Larry Henson,

Regional Forester, Southwestern Region.

[FR Doc. 94-2360 Filed 2-2-94; 8:45 am]

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