Coast Corridor Improvements 

Draft Program 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/ 

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 

From Salinas, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA 

SCH# 2012081045

Prepared by the 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Railroad Administration 

and the 

San Luis Obispo Council of Governments 

In Cooperation with the 

Transportation Agency for Monterey County 

and the 

California Department of Transportation 

Division of Rail and Mass Transportation 

November 2014 
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
General Information About This Document

What’s in this document?

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), and 

the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) have prepared this Program Environmental 

Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, which examines the potential environmental impacts 

of alternatives being considered for the proposed project located in Monterey and San Luis Obispo 

Counties, California. The document describes why the project is being proposed, the existing 

environment that could be affected by the project, potential impacts, and the avoidance, minimization, 

and/or mitigation strategies. 

What should you do? 

 Please read this Program Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report. Additional 

copies of this document as well as the technical studies are available for review at the following 

locations: 

San Luis Obispo Council of Governments Office

1114 Marsh Street 

San Luis Obispo CA 93401

805-781-4219

Transportation Agency for Monterey County

55-B Plaza Circle

Salinas, CA 93901

831-775-0903

Copies of the document will also be available at several public libraries along the Coast Corridor. 

Refer to Chapter 5.0, Comments and Coordination, for a list of locations.

 Attend public hearings, which will occur as follows: 

Public Hearing #1

Meeting of the Transportation Agency for 

Monterey County 

December 3, 2014

Agricultural Center Conference Room

1428 Abbott Street

Salinas, CA 93901

Time: 9:00 a.m. PST

Public Hearing #3

King City Regular City Council Meeting

December 9, 2014

City Council Chambers, City Hall

212 South Vanderhurst Avenue

King City, CA 93930

Time: 6:00 p.m. PST

Public Hearing #2

Soledad Regular City Council Meeting

December 3, 2014

City Council Chambers, City Hall

248 Main Street

Soledad, CA 93960

Time: 5:30 p.m. PST

Public Hearing #4

Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Council of 

Governments 

January 7, 2015

Atascadero City Council Chambers, City Hall

6500 Palma Avenue

Atascadero, CA 93422

Time: 8:30 a.m. PST
 We welcome your comments. If you have any concerns regarding the proposed project, please attend 

public hearings (listed above) and provide comments, or send your written comments to SLOCOG by 

the deadline. Submit written comments to one of the following addresses: 

Stephanie Perez

Environmental Protection Specialist

Office of Railroad and Policy Development

Federal Railroad Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

202-493-0388

Christina Watson

Principal Transportation Planner

Transportation Agency for Monterey County

55-B Plaza Circle 

Salinas, CA 93901

831-775-4406

Pete Rodgers

Administrative Director

San Luis Obispo Council of Governments

1114 Marsh Street

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

805-781-5712

 Written comments may also be submitted electronically to: prodgers@slocog.org 

 Submit comments by the deadline: January 7, 2015 

What happens next? 

SLOCOG, TAMC, and FRA will review all substantive comments received from the public and reviewing 

agencies. Consistent with state and Federal law, a Final Environmental Impact 

Statement/Environmental Impact Report will be circulated. The final document will include responses 

to substantive comments received on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 

Report and will identify the preferred alternative. 

Following circulation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, if the 

decision is made to approve the preferred alternative, SLOCOG will publish a Notice of 

Determination for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and FRA will publish a 

Record of Decision for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. This is a programmatic, 

“tier 1” environmental review that considers a comprehensive list of potential physical rail 

improvements in addition to increased passenger rail service. The exact physical rail improvements 

necessary to accommodate additional passenger rail service in this corridor will be identified after the 

conclusion of the environmental review process and following discussions and negotiations between 

SLOCOG, TAMC, FRA, other agencies, and the railroad owner (Union Pacific Railroad). FRA, SLOCOG, and 

TAMC anticipate conducting future project-level or “tier 2” environmental reviews under both NEPA and 

CEQA for any physical improvements identified for potential construction. Further design refinements 

will also be necessary to inform any required tier 2 environmental reviews. Only after such further 

design and environmental review work could construction then proceed. 

 For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document can be made available in Braille, large print, on 

audiocassette, or computer disk. To obtain a copy in one of these alternate formats, please call or write to 

Caltrans, Attn: Joe Valdez, Division of Rail and Mass Transportation, P.O. Box 942873, MS 74, Sacramento, CA, 

94273-0001; (916) 654-7188, or use the California Relay Service TTY number, dial 711. 

This Page Intentionally Left Blank