Environmental Impact Statement on the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Dover Plains Branch Improvement Program Between Dover Plains and Wassaic, Dutchess County, NY

FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

Environmental Impact Statement on the Metro-North Commuter

Railroad Dover Plains Branch Improvement Program Between Dover Plains

and Wassaic, Dutchess County, NY

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Metro-North

Commuter Railroad (Metro-North) intend to prepare an environmental

impact statement (EIS), in accordance with the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969, on a proposal by Metro-North to extend commuter

railroad service for approximately 5 miles on the Dover Plains Branch

of the Harlem Line from the Village of Dover Plains to the Hamlet of

Wassaic in the Town of Amenia, Dutchess County, New

York. [[Page 30088]]

The Proposed Action, also known as the Wassaic Extension Project,

will extend north on the former Penn Central owned right-of-way from

the existing Dover Plains Station, pass immediately to the west of the

Wassaic Developmental Center (WDC) paralleling NYS Route 22/343, pass

through the hamlet of Wassaic, and terminate approximately 3,200 feet

(0.6 mile) north of the hamlet adjacent to NYS Route 22/343. The action

also includes the construction of a rail yard, station, and 250 parking

spaces (150 paved, 100 unpaved) to be located on a site along the

alignment just north of Wassaic at the terminus of the proposed

extension. A smaller passenger station will be constructed at the WDC

with a parking lot of 50 spaces. The total length of the extension

project is 5 miles.

The proposed project is intended to help relieve an existing

congested parking situation at Dover Plains station, increase the

operating efficiency of Metro-North and expand Metro-North's market.

In addition to the Proposed Action, the EIS will evaluate a No-

Build alternative and two (2) Build alternatives, as well as any

additional alternative(s) generated through the scoping process.

Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested

persons and organizations, as well as with federal, state, and local

agencies. One (1) public scoping meeting will be conducted.

COMMENT DUE DATE: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and

impacts should be submitted by July 20 to Ms. Janet Mainiero, Metro-

North Commuter Railroad, 347 Madison Avenue, New York City, New York

10017. Verbal comments should be made at the scoping meeting scheduled

below. Verbal comments made at the scoping meeting will be transcribed.

Assistance will be provided for the hearing impaired.

SCOPING MEETING: The public scoping meeting concerning the proposed

Wassaic Extension Project will be held on: June 20, 1995, 7:00 p.m.,

Town Hall, Amenia, New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Letitia A. Thompson, Deputy

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, 26 Federal

Plaza, New York, New York 10278 at 212-264-8162 or Janet Mainiero,

Project Director, Metro-North Railroad, 347 Madison Avenue, New York,

New York 10017 at 212-340-4834.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FTA and Metro-North Commuter Railroad invite

all interested individuals and organizations, as well as federal,

state, and local agencies, to participate in identifying the

alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS and identifying any significant

social, economic, and environmental issues related to the Proposed

Action and Alternatives described below. During the scoping process,

comments should focus on identifying specific social, economic, and/or

environmental issues to be evaluated and suggesting alternatives which

may be less costly or less environmentally damaging, while achieving

similar transportation objectives. Scoping is not the appropriate forum

in which to indicate preference for a particular alternative. Comments

on preferences should be communicated after the draft EIS has been

completed and issued for review and comment. If you wish to be placed

on the mailing list to receive further information as the project

develops, contact Ms. Mainiero as described above. Following the public

scoping meeting a scoping document will be prepared that will contain

the transcript from the public scoping meeting, any written comments

received, an outline of the decisions that have been made during the

scoping process, and a summary of the issues to be evaluated in a draft

EIS.

Description of the Study Area and Project Need

The corridor is approximately 5 miles long, stretching between the

village of Dover Plains and the Hamlet of Wassaic, in the Town of

Amenia, Dutchess County, New York. It is oriented on a north-south

axis. The proposed project is intended to provide service to people

residing beyond the current Dover Plains terminus, expand Metro-North's

market, help relieve an existing congested parking situation at the

Dover Plains station, provide more frequent service to the area, and

improve the quality of life in the region by implementing a transit

project which conforms to the intent of the Clean Air Act Amendments

(CAAA) of 1990. In addition, the proposed rail yard will allow Metro-

North to increase the efficiency of its operation.

Previous Activity

Metro-North has performed some preliminary analysis on the

feasibility of extending the Dover Plains Branch service. Meetings were

held with locally elected officials regarding this work. Furthermore,

the project has been discussed at public meetings conducted by the

Poughkeepsie-Dutchess County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

in 1993 and 1994.

Alternatives

The alternatives proposed for evaluation include:

(1) No Build--This alternative involves no change to transportation

services or facilities in the corridor.

(2) The Proposed Action--The Proposed Action involves a 5-mile

extension of the Dover Plains Branch on the Harlem Line to a point

3,200 feet (0.6 mile) north of the hamlet of Wassaic where a rail yard,

passenger station, and a parking lot consisting of approximately 250

spaces will be constructed. In addition, a small passenger station will

also be constructed at the WDC with a parking lot of 50 spaces.

(3) Alternative 1--Alternative 1 includes all the elements of the

Proposed Action, except for one passenger station and parking lot. The

passenger station and approximately 250-space parking lot will be

constructed within the hamlet of Wassaic.

(4) Alternative 2--Alternative 2 involves the extension of the

Dover Plains Branch on the Harlem Line to a point approximately 2,000

feet (0.4 mile) north of the existing terminus of Dover Plains. A rail

yard and a 250-space parking lot will be constructed in an agricultural

parcel immediately north of the Tenmile River. The parking lot will

serve the existing station at Dover Plains.

In addition to the construction discussed above, the Build

Alternatives will also require track replacement, bridge

rehabilitation, and other improvements to bring the existing rail line

up to operational standards. The extent of this work is dependent upon

the distance of track required for each alternative.

The proposed project and alternatives are based upon the initial

technical work performed to date and consultations with local and state

officials.

Since the proposed action is preliminary, consideration will be

given to modifications to it and the existing alternatives, as well as

additional reasonable alternatives. Regard also would be provided to

any relevant concerns.

Probable Effects

In the EIS, FTA/Metro-North will evaluate all significant social,

economic, and environmental effects, or impacts, of the alternatives.

Environmental and social impacts proposed for analysis include water

quality, wetlands, cultural resources, community facilities, and

traffic and parking impacts near [[Page 30089]] stations. Impacts on

land use, aesthetics, hazardous waste sites, and noise and vibration

will also be addressed. The impacts will be evaluated for the

construction period and for the long-term period of operation. Measures

to mitigate any significant adverse impacts will be considered.

FTA Procedures

The EIS process will be performed in accordance with Federal

Transit Laws and FTA's regulations and guidelines for preparing an

Environmental Impact Statement. The impacts of the project will be

assessed and, if necessary, the scope of the project will be revised or

refined to minimize and mitigate any adverse impacts. After its

publication, the draft EIS will be available for public and private

agency review and comment. One public hearing will be held. On the

basis of the draft EIS and comments received, the project will be

revised or further refined as necessary and the final EIS completed.

Issued on June 5, 1995.

Letitia A. Thompson,

Deputy Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 95-14069 Filed 6-5-95; 2:20 pm]

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