82 FR 26566 - Limitation on Claims Against Proposed Public Transportation Projects

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 108 (June 7, 2017)

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for projects in Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville, Massachusetts; King County, Washington; and Elgin, Illinois. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decisions by FTA on the subject projects and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26566-26567]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11830]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Limitation on Claims Against Proposed Public Transportation 
Projects

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the 
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for projects in Cambridge, 
Medford, and Somerville, Massachusetts; King County, Washington; and 
Elgin, Illinois. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the 
environmental decisions by FTA on the subject projects and to activate 
the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final 
environmental actions.

DATES: By this notice, FTA is advising the public of final agency 
actions subject to Section 139(l) of Title 23, United States Code 
(U.S.C.). A claim seeking judicial review of FTA actions announced 
herein for the listed public transportation projects will be barred 
unless the claim is filed on or before November 6, 2017.

[[Page 26567]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy-Ellen Zusman, Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, (312) 353-2577 or Alan Tabachnick, 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Environmental Programs, 
(202) 366-8541. FTA is located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that FTA has taken 
final agency actions by issuing certain approvals for the public 
transportation projects listed below. The actions on the projects, as 
well as the laws under which such actions were taken, are described in 
the documentation issued in connection with the projects to comply with 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and in other documents in 
the FTA administrative record for the projects. Interested parties may 
contact either the project sponsor or the relevant FTA Regional Office 
for more information. Contact information for FTA's Regional Offices 
may be found at https://www.fta.dot.gov.
    This notice applies to all FTA decisions on the listed projects as 
of the issuance date of this notice and all laws under which such 
actions were taken, including, but not limited to, NEPA [42 U.S.C. 
4321-4375], Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 
1966 [49 U.S.C. 303], Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act [16 U.S.C. 470f], and the Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q]. 
This notice does not, however, alter or extend the limitation period 
for challenges of project decisions subject to previous notices 
published in the Federal Register. The projects and actions that are 
the subject of this notice are:

    1. Project name and location: Green Line Extension Project, 
Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville, Massachusetts. Project sponsor: 
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and 
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Project 
description: The project would use a two-branch operation to extend 
light rail service to College Avenue in Medford and to Union Square 
in Somerville from the re-located Lechmere Station. The project 
would also include a maintenance facility and the Somerville 
Community Path. A re-evaluation was issued because of the following 
modifications: A re-design of stations from enclosed stations to 
open air platforms, a smaller maintenance facility, reduced 
reconstruction of some bridges, an alternative Lechmere Viaduct 
structure, a modification to retaining walls, a substitution of 
noise mitigation from noise walls to sound proofing, and a redesign 
of the Somerville Community Path. Final agency actions: FTA 
determination that neither a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement nor a Supplemental Environmental Assessment is necessary. 
Supporting documentation: Letter by MBTA, dated March 28, 2017, and 
the Certificate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Secretary of 
Energy and Environmental Affairs on the Notice of Project Change, 
dated March 10, 2017.
    2. Project name and location: East Link Extension Light Rail 
Project, King County, WA. Project sponsor: Central Puget Sound 
Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit). Project description: The 
project would extend the current light rail system an additional 18 
miles from Downtown Seattle to Mercer Island and Bellevue along 
Interstate 90 (I-90) and then through Bellevue to Overlake and 
Redmond. The project would include 12 stations, four park-and-ride 
lots, and supporting facilities. A re-evaluation was issued to 
assess operational changes to the I-90 high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) 
lanes between Seattle and Mercer Island and project refinements 
associated with integrating transit on Mercer Island. These changes 
altered mitigation measures in five locations, including installing 
traffic signals, adjusting signal timing, and minor widening and 
restriping at certain intersections and I-90 ramps. Final agency 
actions: FTA determination that neither a Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement nor a Supplemental Environmental Assessment is 
necessary. Supporting documentation: State Environmental Policy Act 
Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Statement, dated April 
2017.
    3. Project name and location: Milwaukee West Line Fox River 
Bridge Improvement Project, Elgin, IL. Project sponsor: Metra. 
Project description: The project would create a new Fox River 
railroad bridge for Metra's Milwaukee West Line. A new single-track 
bridge would be constructed immediately west of the existing, 
deteriorating bridge. Once the existing bridge is removed, the 
project would construct three piers extending east from the new 
bridge to support a second track. The project would also replace 
signal components near the bridge, install a new interlocking, and 
add underground cable for the signal system. Final agency actions: 
No use determination of Section 4(f) resources; Section 106 finding 
of no historic properties affected; project-level air quality 
conformity; and a Finding of No Significant Impact, dated May 19, 
2017. Supporting documentation: Environmental Assessment, dated 
February 2017.

Lucy Garliauskas,
Associate Administrator Planning and Environment.
[FR Doc. 2017-11830 Filed 6-6-17; 8:45 am]
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