Major Investment Study/Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Metro-North Hudson Line Extension Project, Dutchess County, NY

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Major Investment Study/Draft Environmental Impact Statement on

the Metro-North Hudson Line Extension Project, Dutchess County, NY

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a major investment study/draft

environmental impact statement (MIS/DEIS).

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

Commuter Railroad Company (Metro-North) intend to prepare a Major

Investment Study/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (MIS/DEIS) for

the Metro-North Hudson Line Extension Project in Dutchess County, New

York. The MIS/DEIS is being prepared in accordance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as amended, and as implemented

by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-

1508), and the Federal Transit Administration/Federal Highway

Administration Environmental Impact regulations (23 CFR Parts 771), and

the FTA/FHWA Statewide Planning/Metropolitan Planning regulations (23

CFR Part 450, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as

amended, Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966,

as amended (49 U.S.C. 303, 23 U.S.C. 138), the requirements of the 1990

Clean Air Act Amendments, the Executive Order 12898 on Environmental

Justice, and other applicable rules, regulations,

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Executive Orders and guidance documents.

Metro-North is preparing this MIS/DEIS to address the potential

social, economic and environmental impacts of extending its Hudson Line

from the existing northern terminus at Poughkeepsie to either

Rhinecliff or Tivoli (approximately 15 and 25 miles respectively) and

constructing three or four stations and parking facilities at Hyde

Park, Staatsburg, Rhinecliff and Tivoli, as well as a rail yard and

employee base facility. This project would expand regional mobility and

accommodate the growing demand for commuter rail service to Northern

Dutchess County.

The MIS/DEIS will evaluate the following transportation

alternatives: No-Build, Transportation System Management (TSM) and

several Build Alternatives. Scoping will be accomplished through

correspondence with interested persons and organizations, as well as

with federal, state and local agencies, and through a public meeting.

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below for details.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives

and impacts to be considered should be sent to Metro-North by Monday,

July 12, 1999. See ADDRESSES below.

Scoping Meeting

The public scoping meetings will be held on Tuesday, June 29th at 7

p.m. and Wednesday, June 30th at 7 p.m. Registration to speak at these

meetings will commence at 6:30 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. on the date of

the meeting. See ADDRESSES below. People with special needs should

contact Ms. Robyn Hollander at Metro-North at the address below or by

calling (212) 672-1242. The building is accessible to people with

disabilities. A sign language interpreter will be available upon

request in advance of the meeting.

The scoping meeting will begin with an ``open house'' where

attendees will be able to view graphics and discuss the project with

project representatives. A presentation on the project will be given,

followed by an opportunity for comments. Scoping material will be

available at the meeting and in advance of the meeting by contacting

Ms. Robyn Hollander at the address and phone number below. In addition

to oral and written comments, which may be made at the meeting or as

described below, a stenographer will be available at the meeting to

record comments.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Ms.

Robyn M. Hollander, Project Manager, Metro-North Railroad, 420

Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, (212) 672-1242. The scoping

meetings will be held on Tuesday June 29, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. at

Roosevelt High School Auditorium, Hyde Park Central School District,

South Cross Road, Hyde Park, New York and on Wednesday, June 30, 1999

at 7:00 p.m. at Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market Street, Rhinebeck,

New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nancy Danzig, Community Planner,

Federal Transit Administration, Region II, One Bowling Green, Room 429,

New York, NY 10004-1415, (212) 668-2170. If you wish to be placed on

the mailing list to receive further information as the project

develops, contact Ms. Hollander at the above address or phone number as

described above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

The FTA and Metro-North invite interested individuals,

organizations, and federal, state and local agencies to participate in

developing the alternatives to be evaluated in the MIS/DEIS, and

identifying any potential significant social, economic, or

environmental issues related to the alternatives. Scoping comments may

be made at the public scoping meeting or in writing. See DATES and

ADDRESSES sections above. During scoping, comments should focus on

identifying specific social, economic, or environmental impacts to be

evaluated and suggesting alternatives which are more cost effective or

have less environmental impacts while achieving similar transit

objectives. Scoping materials will be available at the meeting or in

advance of the meeting by contacting Robyn Hollander at Metro-North as

indicated above.

II. Description of Study and Project Need

The proposed project consists of an extension of the Metro-North

Hudson Line from the existing northern terminus at Poughkeepsie,

Dutchess County, NY to a new station and terminus to be located at

either Rhinecliff in the Town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, NY or

Tivoli in the Village of Tivoli, Dutchess County, NY, a distance of 15

and 25 miles, respectively, using the existing double-track line (which

is owned by CSX and is currently being used by Amtrak to provide inter-

city rail service). The project includes the construction of three or

four stations with parking facilities and a rail yard and employee base

facility.

Historically, the Upper Hudson line segment, including stations at

Cortlandt, Peekskill, Garrison, Cold Spring, Beacon, New Hamburg and

Poughkeepsie, has been one of Metro-North's fastest growing line

segments. From 1984-1997, ridership on this line segment increased from

1.4 million to 3.2 million annual trips, a growth rate of 131% (about

7% annually). This increase in ridership is the result of several

factors, including vastly improved service, more trains, new coaches

and locomotives, decreased travel times, improved stations and expanded

parking. These improvements have attracted commuters to the system who

live beyond the current terminus of Poughkeepsie and west of the Hudson

River.

Extending the Hudson Line north from its current terminus in

Poughkeepsie, and the construction of appropriate facilities, are

intended to expand service to residents of northern Dutchess County,

benefit those living in the Mid-Hudson Region, and improve regional air

quality goals by providing an alternative to the single occupant

vehicle.

III. Alternatives

The transportation alternatives proposed for consideration in this

project area include: (1) A No-Build Alternative which involves the

current infrastructure of highways, parking facilities, train and bus

service, and maintenance facilities in addition to all ongoing,

committed and funded roadway and transit projects outlined in the State

Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Transit projects include

modifications of current train and bus service but propose a minimum

level of service expansion. (2) Transportation System Management, which

includes all elements of the No-Build Alternative in addition to

roadway and traffic improvements and improved transit services

reflecting a number of local route modifications in addition to new and

express routes. The TSM Alternative provides the baseline against which

the cost-effectiveness of major capital transit investments can be

evaluated. (3) Build Alternatives which include an extension of the

existing Metro-North line from Poughkeepsie northward to either

Rhinecliff, in the Town of Rhinebeck or Tivoli, in the Village of

Tivoli (including station locations and support facilities), following

the existing rail line. The Build Alternatives may be comprised of more

than one ``Build Alternative'' which would differ in the number of

stations and terminus location.

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IV. Probable Effects

The FTA and Metro-North will evaluate all potential significant

environmental, social, and economic impacts of the alternatives

analyzed in the MIS/DEIS. Environmental and social impacts proposed for

analysis include: land use, secondary development, community

disruption, displacements and relocations, traffic and parking, visual,

noise and vibration, safety, aesthetics, stormwater management,

archaeological, historic, cultural and ecological resources and

wildlife corridors. Impacts on natural areas, rare and endangered

species, air and water quality, groundwater, and potentially

contaminated sites will also be studied. The impacts will be evaluated

both for the construction period and for the long-term period of

operation of each alternative. Measures to mitigate adverse impacts

will be identified.

V. FTA Procedures

The DEIS will be prepared in conjunction with a major

transportation investment study and document the results of that study,

including an evaluation of the potential social, economic and

environmental impacts of the alternatives. Upon completion of the MIS/

DEIS, and on the basis of the comments received, Metro-North, in

concert with other affected agencies, will select a locally preferred

alternative. The MIS/DEIS will be made available for public review and

comment and a public hearing will be held during the MIS/DEIS comment

period.

On the basis of the MIS/DEIS and comments received, Metro-North and

FTA will continue with the preparation of the Final MIS/DEIS.

Opportunity for additional public comment will be provided throughout

all phases of project development.

Issued on: June 3, 1999.

Letitia Thompson,

Regional Administrator, TRO-II, Federal Transit Administration.

[FR Doc. 99-14483 Filed 6-7-99; 8:45 am]

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