18298 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 63 / Friday, April 1, 2011 / Notices 

Total Estimated Responses: 113,256. 

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 

1,272 hours. 

Status: Regular Review. 

Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 

CFR 1320.5(b), 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA 

informs all interested parties that it may 

not conduct or sponsor, and a 

respondent is not required to respond 

to, a collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520. 

Issued in Washington, DC on March 25, 

2011. 

Kimberly Coronel, 

Director, Office of Financial Management, 

Federal Railroad Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7463 Filed 3–31–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Notice of Availability of a Final 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the DesertXpress High-Speed 

Passenger Train Project 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), United States 

Department of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to 

advise the public that a Final 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

is being published for the DesertXpress 

High-Speed Passenger Train Project 

(DesertXpress project). FRA is the Lead 

Agency for the environmental review 

process and has prepared the Final EIS 

consistent with the provisions of 

Section 102(2)(c) of the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the 

Counsel of Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA 

(40 CFR parts 1500 et seq.), and FRA’s 

Procedures for Considering 

Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545, 

May 26, 1999). The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM), Surface 

Transportation Board (STB), Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA), and 

the National Park Service (NPS) 

coordinated with the FRA as 

Cooperating Agencies for the 

DesertXpress project environmental 

review process. 

DesertXpress Enterprises Inc., the 

DesertXpress project proponent or 

Applicant, proposes to construct and 

operate a fully grade-separated, 

dedicated double-track, passenger-only 

railroad along an approximately 200- 

mile corridor, from Victorville, 

California, to Las Vegas, Nevada. The 

Preferred Alternative rail alignment 

would generally be immediately 

adjacent to the Interstate 15 (I–15) 

freeway travel lanes within the existing 

Interstate 15 (I–15) right-of-way (ROW). 

The Preferred Alternative also includes 

passenger station and maintenance 

facility sites in Victorville and greater 

Las Vegas. 

DATES: Written comments on the Final 

EIS for the DesertXpress project will be 

accepted until April 18, 2011. Written 

comments on the Final EIS may be sent 

to: Ms. Wendy Messenger, Attn: 

DesertXpress EIS, Office of Railroad 

Policy and Development, Federal 

Railroad Administration, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., MS–20, 

Washington, DC 20590 or via e-mail at 

Wendy.Messenger@dot.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Wendy Messenger, Environmental 

Protection Specialist, Office of Railroad 

Policy and Development, Federal 

Railroad Administration, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., MS–20, 

Washington, DC 20590 or via e-mail at 

Wendy.Messenger@dot.gov (telephone 

202–493–6396). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

DesertXpress project would involve the 

construction and operation of an 

interstate high-speed passenger train 

system between Victorville, California 

and Las Vegas, Nevada, along an 

approximately 200-mile corridor. The 

purpose of the DesertXpress project is to 

provide reliable and safe passenger rail 

transportation between southern 

California and Las Vegas using proven 

high-speed rail technology that results 

in a convenient alternative to 

automobile or air travel that also adds 

transportation capacity to the I–15 

freeway corridor. The need for the 

DesertXpress project stems from several 

factors, including but not limited to 

high and increasing travel demand on I– 

15—the only major roadway linking 

southern California to Las Vegas having 

limited opportunities to increase 

capacity. Other factors include 

constraints on the expansion of air 

travel from southern California and an 

above-average automobile accident rate 

on the I–15 freeway. 

In March 2009, FRA, in coordination 

with the Cooperating Agencies, 

published a Draft EIS and circulated the 

document for a 56-day public and 

agency review and comment period. 

The Draft EIS analyzed a No Action 

Alternative and various Action 

Alternatives for the construction and 

operation of the DesertXpress highspeed passenger train. The Action 

Alternatives included multiple options 

for rail alignments, passenger stations, 

maintenance facilities, and locomotive 

technologies. The Draft EIS was 

structured to allow the Lead and 

Cooperating Agencies to compose a 

Preferred Alternative from the various 

options. FRA convened three public 

hearings on the Draft EIS, held in Las 

Vegas, Barstow, and Victorville on April 

28, April 29, and April 30, 2009, 

respectively. 

Following publication of the Draft 

EIS, the Applicant proposed several 

modifications and additions to the 

Action Alternatives presented in the 

Draft EIS, based upon substantive 

comments received during public and 

agency review and to reduce or avoid 

significant potential environmental 

impacts. The project modifications and 

additions included a new Victorville 

passenger station site, a new rail 

alignment through central Barstow 

within the I–15 freeway corridor, a new 

rail alignment through the Clark 

Mountains, new sites for maintenance 

facilities in unincorporated Clark 

County, and minor shifts in the rail 

alignment to avoid or reduce potential 

environmental impacts or improve 

operating characteristics. 

After evaluating the proposed project 

modifications and additions, FRA 

determined, pursuant to 40 CFR 1502.9, 

that it was necessary to prepare a 

Supplemental Draft EIS to analyze the 

potential environmental impacts of the 

project modifications and additions. 

The FRA and the Cooperating Agencies 

published the Supplemental Draft EIS in 

September 2010 and circulated the 

document for a 46-day public and 

agency review and comment period. 

FRA convened two public hearings on 

the Supplemental Draft EIS in the Las 

Vegas and Barstow areas on October 13 

and October 14, 2010, respectively. 

The FRA and the Cooperating 

Agencies considered the entire record 

and compared the potential 

environmental impacts of the action 

alternatives as well as the no action 

alternative to select the Preferred 

Alternative. The Preferred Alternative 

rail alignment would be almost entirely 

located within the existing I–15 

corridor, with tracks running alongside 

freeway travel lanes. The Preferred 

Alternative also identifies station and 

maintenance facility sites and selects 

Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) as the 

preferred locomotive technology. 

In accordance with regulations 

implementing NEPA, the Final EIS 

evaluates the environmental effects 

associated with the Preferred 

Alternative compared to the other 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 63 / Friday, April 1, 2011 / Notices 18299 

Action Alternatives and the No Action 

Alternative and identifies appropriate 

mitigation measure to minimize the 

potential environmental impacts. The 

Final EIS also includes amendments to 

the Draft EIS and Supplemental Draft 

EIS to both reflect updated information 

since publication of the previous 

documents and to address certain 

comments received during the 

respective public and agency comment 

periods (40 CFR 1502.9(b)). 

Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.10, the Final 

EIS will be circulated for a 30-day 

period commencing on the date the 

Environmental Protection Agency’s 

notice of availability is published in the 

Federal Register. The Lead and 

Cooperating Agencies will each issue a 

Record of Decision on the proposed 

action, pursuant to 40 CFR 1505.2 and 

1506.10. Each Record of Decision will 

explain each agency’s decision on the 

proposed action and explain factors 

considered in reaching the decision and 

will describe appropriate mitigation 

measures to minimize potential 

environmental impacts. 

Prior to issuing a Record of Decision 

on the proposed project, FRA and the 

Cooperating Agencies will consider 

written comments on this Final EIS 

provided such comments are received 

by May 2, 2011. Written comments on 

this Final EIS should be sent to the 

Federal Railroad Administration by mail 

addressed to: Attn: DesertXpress, Ms. 

Wendy Messenger, Federal Railroad 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., MS–20, Washington, DC 

20590. 

Copies of the Final EIS are available 

online at FRA’s Web site: http:// 

www.fra.dot.gov; they are also available 

for viewing at the following locations 

near the planned rail system: 

• Victorville City Library, 15011 

Circle Drive, Victorville, CA 92395 

• Barstow Library, 304 East Buena 

Vista, Barstow, CA 92311 

• Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas 

Blvd. N., Las Vegas, NV 80101 

• Clark County Library, 1401 E. 

Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119 

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 23, 

2011. 

Karen J. Rae, 

Deputy Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7665 Filed 3–31–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket Number MARAD 2011–0032] 

Requested Administrative Waiver of 

the Coastwise Trade Laws 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Invitation for public comments 

on a requested administrative waiver of 

the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel 

SARAH BESS. 

SUMMARY: As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 

12121, the Secretary of Transportation, 

as represented by the Maritime 

Administration (MARAD), is authorized 

to grant waivers of the U.S.-build 

requirement of the coastwise laws under 

certain circumstances. A request for 

such a waiver has been received by 

MARAD. The vessel, and a brief 

description of the proposed service, is 

listed below. The complete application 

is given in DOT docket MARAD–2011– 

0032 at http://www.regulations.gov. 

Interested parties may comment on the 

effect this action may have on U.S. 

vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. 

that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD 

determines, in accordance with 46 

U.S.C. 12121 and MARAD’s regulations 

at 46 CFR Part 388 (68 FR 23084, April 

30, 2003), that the issuance of the 

waiver will have an unduly adverse 

effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a 

business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in 

that business, a waiver will not be 

granted. Comments should refer to the 

docket number of this notice and the 

vessel name in order for MARAD to 

properly consider the comments. 

Comments should also state the 

commenter’s interest in the waiver 

application, and address the waiver 

criteria given in § 388.4 of MARAD’s 

regulations at 46 CFR Part 388. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

May 2, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to 

docket number MARAD–2011–0032. 

Written comments may be submitted by 

hand or by mail to the Docket Clerk, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Docket Operations, M–30, West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. You may also 

send comments electronically via the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

All comments will become part of this 

docket and will be available for 

inspection and copying at the above 

address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

E.T., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. An electronic version 

of this document and all documents 

entered into this docket is available on 

the World Wide Web at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joann Spittle, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Maritime 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Room W21–203, 

Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202– 

366–5979, E-mail Joann.Spittle@dot.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As 

described by the applicant the intended 

service of the vessel SARAH BESS is: 

Intended Commercial Use of Vessel: 

‘‘Charter boat to take passengers on 

multi-day excursions.’’ 

Geographic Region: ‘‘New York, New 

Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 

North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 

Florida.’’ 

Privacy Act 

Anyone is able to search the 

electronic form of all comments 

received into any of our dockets by the 

name of the individual submitting the 

comment (or signing the comment, if 

submitted on behalf of an association, 

business, labor union, etc.). You may 

review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register 

published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 

65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78). 

Dated: March 22, 2011. 

By Order of the Maritime Administrator. 

Christine Gurland, 

Secretary, Maritime Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7713 Filed 3–31–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket Number MARAD 2011 0034] 

Requested Administrative Waiver of 

the Coastwise Trade Laws 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Invitation for public comments 

on a requested administrative waiver of 

the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel 

DUTCHESS. 

SUMMARY: As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 

12121, the Secretary of Transportation, 

as represented by the Maritime 

Administration (MARAD), is authorized 

to grant waivers of the U.S.-build 

requirement of the coastwise laws under 

certain circumstances. A request for 

such a waiver has been received by 

MARAD. The vessel, and a brief 

description of the proposed service, is 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES