80 FR 68380 - Environmental Impact Statement for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 213 (November 4, 2015)

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that FRA will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential impacts to the human and natural environment of the Washington Union Station Expansion Project (Project) proposed by the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) in coordination with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). The Project includes expanding and modernizing the multimodal transportation facilities at Washington Union Station, while preserving the historically significant station building. FRA is preparing this EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FRA will evaluate reasonable alternatives for the proposed Project, including a No Action (No Build) Alternative. FRA is issuing this notice to solicit public and agency input into the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by FRA, USRC, and its representatives will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. To ensure all significant issues are identified and considered, the public is invited to comment on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose and need, alternatives to be considered, impacts to be evaluated, and methodologies to be used in the evaluation.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68380-68382]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28079]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Environmental Impact Statement for the Washington Union Station 
Expansion Project

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that FRA will 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the 
potential impacts to the human and natural environment of the 
Washington Union Station Expansion Project (Project) proposed by the 
Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) in coordination with the 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). The Project includes 
expanding and modernizing the multimodal transportation facilities at 
Washington Union Station, while preserving the historically significant 
station building. FRA is preparing this EIS in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FRA will evaluate reasonable 
alternatives for the proposed Project, including a No Action (No Build) 
Alternative. FRA is issuing this notice to solicit public and agency 
input into the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach 
activities conducted by FRA, USRC, and its representatives will be 
considered in the preparation of the EIS. To ensure all significant 
issues are identified and considered, the public is invited to comment 
on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose and need, alternatives 
to be considered, impacts to be evaluated, and methodologies to be used 
in the evaluation.

DATES: FRA invites the public, governmental agencies, and all other 
interested parties to comment on the scope of the EIS. All such 
comments should be provided to FRA, via mail or email, by January 4, 
2016, to the addresses listed below. Comments may also be provided 
orally or in writing at the public scoping meeting for the Project, 
scheduled for December 7, 2015 in the Presidential Room at Union 
Station located at 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20002. 
The meeting will be an open-house format for discussions with the 
project team from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. with two brief identical 
presentations; one at 4:30 p.m. and the second at 7:00 p.m. to provide 
a thorough project description. Information on the project and the 
scoping meeting is available on the FRA Web site at www.fra.dot.gov.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS may be mailed or 
emailed by January 4, 2016 to Michelle Fishburne, Office of Railroad 
Policy and Development, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, or [email protected]. 
The December 7, 2015 Public Scoping Meeting will be held in the 
Presidential Room at Union Station located at 50 Massachusetts Avenue 
NE., Washington, DC 20002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Fishburne, Office of Railroad 
Policy and Development, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, [email protected]. 
Information and documents regarding the EIS process will also be made 
available through the FRA Web site at www.fra.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Washington Union Station Expansion 
Project would expand and modernize Washington Union Station. The 
Project includes reconstructing and relocating tracks, developing new 
concourse facilities, maintaining multi-modal transportation services, 
and improving and expanding infrastructure and other supporting 
facilities. The EIS will evaluate the potential environmental impacts 
of an expanded multi-modal transportation facility at Union Station.

Environmental Review Process

    FRA as the lead federal agency will prepare the EIS in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations 
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts 
(64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999, and 78 FR 2713, Jan. 14, 2013). In addition 
to NEPA, the EIS will address other applicable statutes, regulations 
and executive orders,

[[Page 68381]]

including the 1980 Clean Air Act Amendments, Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Section 4(f) 
of the Department of Transportation Act, the Endangered Species Act, 
and Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice.
    Alternatives considered in the EIS may involve Columbus Circle and 
other properties adjacent to Washington Union Station. The EIS will 
provide the FRA, reviewing and cooperating agencies, and the public 
with information to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of 
Project alternatives, and to identify potential avoidance/mitigation 
measures as appropriate.
    The Project may affect historic properties and will be subject to 
the requirements of Section 106 of the NHPA (54 U.S.C. 306108). In 
accordance with regulations issued by the Advisory Council on Historic 
Preservation (36 CFR part 800), FRA may coordinate compliance with 
Section 106 of the NHPA with the preparation of the EIS, beginning with 
the identification of consulting parties through the scoping process, 
in a manner consistent with the standards set out in 36 CFR 800.8.

Project Background

    In 2012, Amtrak prepared a Union Station Master Plan in 
coordination with USRC and other stakeholders, including regional 
transportation agencies and a real estate development company, Akridge, 
who owns development rights above the rail terminal. Akridge purchased 
the right to develop above the Amtrak property between Union Station 
and K Street NE from the U.S. General Services Administration in 2006. 
In June 2011, the Akridge property was rezoned ``USN'' by the DC Zoning 
Commission, which allows for a three million square foot-plus mixed use 
development, referred to as Burnham Place, to be constructed on a 
concrete deck over the Amtrak rail terminal. The 2012 Master Plan 
addressed future rail capacity needs, including additional tracks, a 
new train shed, and passenger concourses, and it provided a concept 
envisioning improved rail services at Washington Union Station in 
coordination with the Burnham Place development.
    The Amtrak 2012 Master Plan is the starting point and framework for 
the 2nd Century Plan for Washington Union Station being planned by USRC 
and Amtrak, in partnership with Akridge (collectively referred to as 
the Partners). The Partner's 2nd Century Plan will serve to coordinate 
multiple near-term and long-term public and private projects at 
Washington Union Station as those projects are further developed and 
implemented.
    USRC in coordination with Amtrak propose the Project to expand 
Washington Union Station, the main project within the 2nd Century Plan. 
The Project is anticipated to require federal funding and approval. The 
EIS for the Project will address the reconstruction and expansion of 
the rail terminal (track and platforms), construction of new 
concourses, changed and improved access, and associated improvements to 
modernize the multi-modal services and facilities of the station.

Purpose and Need

    Union Station is the second busiest station on the Northeast 
Corridor with its capacity expected to double, while the volume of non-
railroad pedestrians through the station is expected to increase 
threefold, by 2030. The station supports upwards of 100,000 rail and 
transit passenger trips daily utilizing intercity rail, commuter rail 
and Metro rail, commuter, local and tour buses, taxis, private cars, 
rental cars, limousine services, bicycles, foot traffic and, in the 
near future, streetcar. As a rail station, the facilities are 
inadequate for current and future operations and cannot provide the 
rail capacity needed to meet the future demands for Amtrak Acela, 
future High Speed Rail, commuter rail, Metrorail, and other rail 
services. The existing Station does not provide adequate or efficient 
capacity, access, and connections for different transportation modes, 
such as taxi and car services, Metrorail, intercity bus, or rental cars 
and parking facilities. In addition, Washington Union Station is not 
integrated with its surrounding neighbors and land uses. The station 
limits movement and flow among neighborhoods and between neighborhoods 
and destinations. As the demographic profile of station users and 
visitors changes and grows to include diverse local populations and new 
residents in addition to commuters and long distance travelers, the 
transportation infrastructure, amenities, and services at Washington 
Union Station need to be expanded to meet these multimodal demands.
    The purpose of the Project is to expand and modernize Washington 
Union Station as the National Capitol Region's principal intermodal 
transportation hub in order to provide a positive customer experience; 
support current and future rail service and operational needs; 
facilitate intermodal travel; sustain its economic viability and 
continued preservation; and enhance integration with the adjacent 
businesses, neighborhoods, and future development. Specific elements of 
this broad purpose include: Increasing station capacity to accommodate 
growth in passenger traffic and railroad operations; achieving 
compliance with the 2006 U.S. Department of Transportation Americans 
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Standards for Transportation 
Facilities providing connectivity among transportation modes; providing 
access to and among surrounding neighborhoods; and maintaining 
financial self-sufficiency of station maintenance and operations. The 
Project will protect and preserve the main historic station building, 
consistent with USRC's 2015 Historic Preservation Plan.

Scoping and Public Involvement

    FRA encourages broad participation in the EIS process during 
scoping and review of the resulting environmental documents. Comments 
are invited from all interested agencies and the public to ensure the 
full range of issues related to the Project are addressed, reasonable 
alternatives are considered, and significant issues are identified. In 
particular, FRA is interested in identifying areas of environmental 
concern where there might be a potential for significant impacts.
    Public agencies with jurisdiction are requested to advise FRA of 
the applicable permit and environmental review requirements of each 
agency, and the scope and content of the environmental information that 
is germane to the agency's statutory responsibilities in connection 
with the proposed Project. Public agencies are requested to advise FRA 
if they anticipate taking a major action in connection with the 
proposed Project and if they wish to cooperate in the preparation of 
the EIS in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.16.
    The public scoping meeting described above is an important 
component of the scoping process for Federal environmental review. FRA 
seeks participation and input of interested Federal, State, and local 
agencies, Native American groups, and other concerned private 
organizations and individuals on the scope of the EIS. Opportunities 
for public participation in the EIS process will be announced through 
mailings, notices, advertisements, press releases, and the FRA Web site 
at www.fra.dot.gov.
    Comments or questions concerning the Proposed Project and the scope 
of

[[Page 68382]]

the EIS are invited from all interested parties and should be directed 
to the FRA at the address provided above.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 30, 2015.
David Valenstein,
Division Chief, Environment and Corridor Planning.
[FR Doc. 2015-28079 Filed 11-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P