81 FR 14929 - Great Lakes Basin Transportation, Inc: Authority To Construct and Operate a Rail Line in Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 53 (March 18, 2016)

Great Lakes Basin Transportation, Inc. (GLBT) plans to file either a petition for exemption pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502, or an application pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10901, seeking authority from the Surface Transportation Board (Board) to construct and operate an approximately 278-mile rail line. According to GLBT, the proposed rail line would extend generally from near La Porte, Indiana through Illinois to near Milton, Wisconsin and would connect with existing Class I railroads. The construction and operation of the GLBT's proposed rail line has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts; therefore, the Board's Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) has determined that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is appropriate pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to inform stakeholders--including members of the public; Tribes; federal, state, and local agencies; environmental groups; potential shippers and other parties--interested in or potentially affected by the proposed project. OEA will hold public scoping meetings as part of the NEPA process. Comments submitted during scoping will assist OEA in defining the range of alternatives and potential impacts to be considered in the EIS. OEA has developed a Draft Scope of Study for the EIS for stakeholder review and comment. Public meeting dates and locations, along with the Draft Scope of Study, are provided below. This Notice of Intent initiates the EIS process and scoping.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14929-14932]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06151]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[STB Docket No. FD 35952]


Great Lakes Basin Transportation, Inc: Authority To Construct and 
Operate a Rail Line in Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; 
Notice of Availability of the Draft Scope of Study for the 
Environmental Impact Statement; Notice of Scoping Meetings; and Request 
for Comments on Draft Scope of Study.

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SUMMARY: Great Lakes Basin Transportation, Inc. (GLBT) plans to file 
either a petition for exemption pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502, or an 
application pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10901, seeking authority from the 
Surface Transportation Board (Board) to construct and operate an 
approximately 278-mile rail line. According to GLBT, the proposed rail 
line would extend generally from near La Porte, Indiana through 
Illinois to near Milton, Wisconsin and would connect with existing 
Class I railroads.

[[Page 14930]]

    The construction and operation of the GLBT's proposed rail line has 
the potential to result in significant environmental impacts; 
therefore, the Board's Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) has 
determined that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) is appropriate pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The purpose of 
this Notice of Intent is to inform stakeholders--including members of 
the public; Tribes; federal, state, and local agencies; environmental 
groups; potential shippers and other parties--interested in or 
potentially affected by the proposed project. OEA will hold public 
scoping meetings as part of the NEPA process. Comments submitted during 
scoping will assist OEA in defining the range of alternatives and 
potential impacts to be considered in the EIS. OEA has developed a 
Draft Scope of Study for the EIS for stakeholder review and comment. 
Public meeting dates and locations, along with the Draft Scope of 
Study, are provided below. This Notice of Intent initiates the EIS 
process and scoping.

DATES: Dates and Locations: The public scoping meetings will be held at 
the following locations on the dates listed:

     April 11, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Manteno Sportsmen's 
Club Banquet Hall, 851 North Main Street, Manteno, Illinois;
     April 12, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Lowell Town Hall, 501 
East Main Street, Lowell, Indiana;
     April 13, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; American Legion Banquet 
Hall, 203 South Washington Street, Wanatah, Indiana;
     April 14, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Civic Auditorium 
Banquet Room, 1001 Ridge Street, LaPorte, Indiana;
     April 18, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Craig High School 
Cafeteria, 401 South Randall Street, Janesville, Wisconsin;
     April 19, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Cherry Valley Fire 
Station #2 Hall, 4919 Blackhawk Road, Rockford, Illinois;
     April 20, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Rochelle Township High 
School Auditorium, 1401 Flagg Road, Rochelle, Illinois; and
     April 21, 2016; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Seneca High School 
Auditorium, 307 East Scott Street, Seneca, Illinois.

    The scoping meetings will be held in an open house format for the 
first hour followed by a brief presentation by OEA. After the 
presentation, interested parties will be provided an opportunity for 
public comment at an open microphone for the balance of the scoping 
meeting. A court reporter will transcribe these oral public comments.
    The meeting locations comply with the Americans with Disabilities 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). Persons that need special 
accommodations should contact OEA's project manager listed below.
    OEA invites written public comments on all aspects of the Draft 
Scope of Study and is providing a 60-day public comment period which 
begins on March 18, 2016. These written comments may be submitted (1) 
during the scoping meetings, or (2) by mailing or electronic filing the 
comments using the filing instructions below. Comments should be 
submitted by May 16, 2016 to assure full consideration during the 
scoping process. OEA will issue a Final Scope of Study after the close 
of the scoping comment period.
    Summary of the Board's Environmental Review Process: The NEPA 
process is intended to assist the Board and the public in identifying 
and assessing the potential environmental consequences of a proposed 
action before a decision on the proposed action is made. OEA is 
responsible for ensuring that the Board complies with NEPA and related 
environmental statutes. The first stage of the EIS process is scoping. 
Scoping is an open process for determining the scope of environmental 
issues to be addressed in the EIS. As part of the scoping process, OEA 
has developed, and has made available for public comment in this 
notice, a Draft Scope of Study for the EIS. Scoping meetings will be 
held in the project area to provide further opportunities for public 
involvement and input during the scoping process. In addition to 
comments on the Draft Scope of Study, interested parties are also 
encouraged to comment on potential alternative routes for the proposed 
rail line. At the conclusion of the scoping period, OEA will issue a 
Final Scope of Study for the EIS.
    After issuing the Final Scope of Study, OEA will prepare a Draft 
EIS for the project. The Draft EIS will address the environmental 
issues and concerns identified during the scoping process and assess 
and compare potential alternatives including the no-action alternative. 
The Draft EIS will also contain OEA's preliminary recommendations for 
environmental mitigation measures. Upon its completion, the Draft EIS 
will be made available for review and comment by the public, government 
agencies, and other interested parties. OEA will prepare a Final EIS 
that considers comments on the Draft EIS. In reaching its decision in 
this case, the Board will consider the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, all 
environmental comments, and OEA's recommendations regarding the 
environmentally preferred alternative and environmental mitigation 
measures.
    OEA will be inviting several agencies to participate in this EIS 
process as cooperating agencies on the basis of their special expertise 
or jurisdiction by law.
    Filing Environmental Comments: Scoping comments submitted by mail 
should be addressed to: Dave Navecky, Surface Transportation Board, 395 
E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, Docket No. FD 35952.
    Scoping comments may also be submitted electronically on the 
Board's Web site, www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking on the ``E-FILING'' link 
on the home page and then selecting ``Environmental Comments.'' Log-in 
accounts are not needed to file environmental comments electronically, 
and comments may be typed into the text box provided or attached as a 
file. If you have difficulties with the e-filing process, please call 
202-245-0350.
    Please refer to Docket No. FD 35952 in all correspondence, 
including e-filings, addressed to the Board.
    Scoping Comments are due by May 16, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Navecky by mail at Office of 
Environmental Analysis, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20423-0001; by email at [email protected], or by 
phone at 202-245-0294. Assistance for the hearing impaired is available 
through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339. 
Members of the press should contact Dennis Watson in the Board's Office 
of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance by email at 
[email protected], or by phone at 202-245-0234.
    The Web site for the Board is www.stb.dot.gov. Project specific 
information on the Board's Web site may be found by placing your cursor 
on the ``Environmental Matters'' button, then clicking on the ``Key 
Cases'' button in the drop down menu and then selecting ``Great Lakes 
Basin.'' For additional information about the Board's environmental 
review process and this EIS, you may also visit a Board-sponsored 
project Web site at GreatLakesBasinRailEIS.com. The project Web site 
includes a map of the project area including the potential route 
proposed by GLBT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Draft Scope of Study for the EIS

Purpose and Need

    GLBT states that the principal purpose of the proposed rail line is 
to provide Class I railroads and a regional railroad utilizing the 
Chicago

[[Page 14931]]

metropolitan terminal area with more efficient options to route trains 
around the city. The Class I railroads include: BNSF Railway Company, 
Union Pacific Railroad Company, Canadian National Railway Company, 
Norfolk Southern Railway Company, Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and 
CSX Transportation, Inc. The regional railroad is the Wisconsin and 
Southern Railroad LLC. The proposed rail line would (1) allow freight 
traffic not destined for or originating in Chicago to bypass the 
existing congested Chicago terminal area, and (2) add capacity to 
accommodate existing and reasonably anticipated future growth while 
avoiding major population centers.
    GLBT anticipates that the proposed rail line would be utilized by 
unit commodity trains and mixed carload and intermodal trains that do 
not require transport to the Chicago terminal area for sorting or 
delivery. GLBT would construct a terminal for its rail operations near 
Manteno, Illinois to provide switching, servicing, and car and 
locomotive repair to its railroad customers. According to GLBT, transit 
times through the Chicago area, which currently can take up to 30 hours 
to complete, would be reduced to under 8 hours depending on the 
specific interchange points and applicable speed restrictions on the 
proposed rail line. The expected congestion relief would allow the 
railroads to better handle their Chicago proper and suburban traffic 
and make room for potential future growth within the existing terminal 
network.
    The proposed project is not a federal government-proposed or 
sponsored project. Thus, the Board has determined that the project's 
purpose and need should be informed by both the applicant's goals and 
the agency's enabling statute, here, 49 U.S.C. 10901. Section 10901 
provides that the Board must approve a construction request unless it 
finds that the construction is ``inconsistent with the public 
convenience and necessity.''

Proposed Action and Alternatives

    GLBT's proposed rail line would involve a petition for exemption or 
application seeking authority from the Board to construct and operate 
an approximately 278-mile rail line. According to GLBT, the rail line 
would extend generally from near La Porte, Indiana through Illinois to 
near Milton, Wisconsin.
    The proposed rail line would consist mostly of double track. The 
tracks would use Centralized Traffic Control signals and Positive Train 
Control to allow for movements of up to 110 trains per day. Other major 
elements of the proposed project would include a 200-foot-wide right-
of-way, flyovers at railroad crossings, four major river crossings in 
the State of Illinois (the Illinois, Kankakee, Fox, and Rock rivers), 
and grade-separated crossings of interstate highways and many roadways. 
The proposed project could include at-grade road crossings and the 
closure of some small rural roads.
    The EIS will analyze and compare the potential impacts of (1) 
construction and operation of all reasonable and feasible alternative 
routes for the proposed GLBT rail line and (2) the no-action 
alternative (denial of the petition or application).

Environmental Impact Analysis

Proposed Construction and Operation

    Analyses in the EIS will address the proposed activities associated 
with the construction and operation of the rail line and its potential 
environmental impacts, as appropriate.

Impact Categories

    The EIS will analyze potential direct, indirect, and cumulative 
impacts \1\ of GLBT's proposed rail line construction and operation, 
including the range of reasonable and feasible alternatives, on the 
human and natural environment, or in the case of the no-action 
alternative, the lack of these activities.
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    \1\ NEPA requires the Board to consider direct, indirect, and 
cumulative impacts. Direct and indirect impacts are both caused by 
the action. 40 CFR 1508.8(a)-(b). A cumulative impact is the 
``incremental impact of the action when added to other past, 
present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of 
what agency (federal or non-federal) or person undertakes such other 
actions.'' 40 CFR 1508.7.
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    Impact areas addressed will include the categories of 
transportation systems, safety, land use, recreation, biological 
resources, water resources, including wetlands and other waters of the 
U.S., navigation, geology and soils, air quality, noise, energy 
resources, socioeconomics, cultural and historic resources, aesthetics 
and environmental justice. Other categories of potential impacts may 
also be included as a result of comments received during the scoping 
process or on the Draft EIS. The EIS will include a discussion of each 
of these categories as they currently exist in the project area and 
will address the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of 
each reasonable and feasible alternative on each category as described 
below:
1. Transportation Systems
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe existing transportation network in the project area.
    b. Analyze potential impacts resulting from each alternative on the 
existing transportation network in the project area.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts to transportation systems, as appropriate.
2. Safety
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe road/rail grade crossing safety and analyze the 
potential for an increase in accidents related to the proposed rail 
operations, as appropriate.
    b. Describe existing rail operations and analyze the potential for 
increased probability of train accidents, as appropriate.
    c. Analyze the potential for disruption and delays to the movement 
of emergency vehicles from any new at-grade crossings and road closures 
that could accompany the construction and operation of the proposed 
rail line.
    d. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on safety, as appropriate.
3. Land Use
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe existing land use patterns in the project area. Analyze 
potential impacts on existing land use patterns and land uses from each 
alternative including potential impacts on agricultural activities from 
rail line construction and operation.
    b. Evaluate consistency with Coastal Zone Management Program, as 
applicable.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential impacts on land use, as appropriate.
4. Recreation
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe existing conditions and analyze the potential impacts 
of each alternative on recreational areas and opportunities provided in 
the project area.
    b. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on recreational opportunities, as 
appropriate.
5. Biological Resources
    The EIS will:
    a. Evaluate the existing biological resources within the project 
area, including vegetative communities, wildlife, fisheries, wetlands, 
and federal and state threatened or endangered species, and the 
potential impacts to these resources resulting from each alternative.
    b. Describe any relevant wildlife sanctuaries, refuges, national or 
state

[[Page 14932]]

parks, forests, or grasslands, and analyze the potential impacts on 
these resources resulting from each alternative.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts to biological resources, as appropriate.
6. Water Resources
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe the existing surface water and groundwater resources 
within the project area, including the lakes, rivers, streams, 
agricultural drainage tile systems, stock ponds, wetlands, and 
floodplains and analyze the potential impacts on these resources 
resulting from each alternative.
    b. Describe the permitting requirements for the various 
alternatives with regard to wetlands, river crossings, water quality, 
floodplains, and erosion control.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts to water resources, as appropriate.
7. Navigation
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe existing navigable waterways within the project area 
and analyze the potential impacts on navigability resulting from each 
alternative.
    b. Describe the permitting requirements for the various 
alternatives with regard to navigation.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential impacts on navigation, as appropriate.
8. Geology and Soils
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe the geology, soils, and seismic conditions found within 
the project area, including unique or problematic geologic formations 
or soils, prime farmland, and hydric soils, and analyze the potential 
impacts on these resources resulting from each alternative.
    b. Analyze potential measures employed to avoid or construct 
through unique or problematic geologic formations or soils.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on geology and soils, as appropriate.
9. Air Quality and Climate
    The EIS will:
    a. Analyze the potential air emissions from operations on each 
alternative, including potential changes in greenhouse gas emissions, 
as appropriate.
    b. Analyze the potential air quality impacts resulting from rail 
line construction activities.
    c. Analyze the potential impacts of the proposed project on global 
climate change and the potential impacts of global climate change on 
the proposed project.
    d. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on air quality and global climate change, as 
appropriate.
10. Noise and Vibration
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe the potential noise and vibration impacts on noise 
sensitive receptors (e.g., residences, schools, and libraries) of each 
alternative.
    b. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on sensitive noise receptors, as appropriate.
11. Energy Resources
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe and analyze the potential impact of the proposed 
project on the distribution of energy resources in the project area 
resulting from each alternative.
    b. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on energy resources, as appropriate.
12. Socioeconomics
    The EIS will:
    a. Analyze the effects of a potential influx of construction 
workers to the project area and the potential increase in demand for 
local services interrelated with natural or physical environmental 
effects.
    b. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on social and economic resources, as 
appropriate.
13. Cultural and Historic Resources
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, or 
districts eligible for listing on or listed on the National Register of 
Historic Places (built-environment historic properties) within the area 
of potential effects for each alternative and analyze potential project 
impacts on them.
    b. Describe properties of traditional religious and cultural 
importance to Indian Tribes, Traditional Cultural Properties (TCPs), 
and prehistoric or historic archaeological sites evaluated as 
potentially eligible, eligible, or listed on the National Register of 
Historic Places (archaeological and historic properties) within the 
area of potential effects for each alternative, and analyze potential 
project impacts on them.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts to TCPs, and built-environment and 
archaeological historic properties, as appropriate.
14. Aesthetics
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe the potential impacts of the proposed rail line 
construction on any areas identified or determined to be of high visual 
quality.
    b. Describe the potential impacts of the proposed rail line 
construction on any waterways considered for or designated as wild and 
scenic.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on aesthetics, as appropriate.
15. Environmental Justice
    The EIS will:
    a. Describe minority and low-income populations in the project 
area.
    b. Analyze the potential impacts resulting from each alternative on 
those minority and low-income populations.
    c. Propose mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or eliminate 
potential project impacts on environmental justice populations, as 
appropriate.
16. Cumulative Impacts
    The EIS will evaluate the cumulative and incremental impacts of the 
proposed project when added to impacts from other past, present, and 
reasonably foreseeable future actions in the project area, as 
appropriate.

    Decided: March 15, 2016.

    By the Board, Victoria Rutson, Director, Office of Environmental 
Analysis.
Kenyatta Clay,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2016-06151 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P