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4 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND AGENCY COORDINATION

This chapter summarizes the public involvement and agency coordination that occurred for the ChicagoDetroit/Pontiac Passenger Rail Program (Program). More details about the outreach efforts and a list of all 

public and agency comments are provided in Appendix K, which includes a Scoping Summary Report 

and a Level 1 Alternatives Analysis Outreach Summary Report.

4.1 Outreach Overview

A Public Involvement Plan was developed for the Program. The overall goal of the plan was to provide 

interested persons, tribes, agencies and organizations with an opportunity to be informed and involved 

throughout the Program’s planning phase and development of the Tier 1 EIS. To achieve this goal, the 

Public Involvement Plan was based the following principles:

• Be the first and best source of information about the Program

• Establish trust and credibility with agencies, tribes, stakeholders, communities and the public

• Seek agency and public input at project milestones

• Provide a transparent decision-making process

The plan’s principles help ensure that the Program follows the FRA Procedures’ for citizen involvement 

(Section 9) and that this EIS is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and 

actions are taken as required by NEPA.

The Public Involvement Plan sought to combine traditional outreach activities such as public information 

meetings with Web-based applications to reach the greatest number of interested persons and agencies. 

Also, the plan coordinates public involvement activities and public hearings with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. 

The Public Involvement Plan has two primary functions. First, it encourages early and continuing public

participation and educational opportunities to provide transparency throughout the process. This allows 

the public and agencies to be involved in the identification of social, economic, and environmental 

impacts of the Program. Secondly, it provides outreach activities to engage the general public and federal, 

state and local agencies, including, but not limited to public meetings and hearings held at convenient 

times and places. 

Consistent with the Public Involvement Plan, public and agency outreach were conducted and will 

continue at the following NEPA milestones:

• Program scoping process (outreach phase completed)

• Level 1 route alternatives analysis (outreach phase completed)

• Release of the Tier 1 Draft EIS (current outreach phase)
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• Release of the Tier 1 Final EIS (future outreach phase)

• Publication of the Record of Decision (future outreach phase)

With a corridor spanning approximately 300 miles that crosses three states and bisects numerous urban 

and rural communities, public issues and concerns were wide-ranging. In order to best serve these 

communities, public involvement staff that are familiar with issues and stakeholders in the respective 

communities, were assigned to each state. See Section 4.2.4 (Third Party Outreach) for more information.

In addition, the public were able to provide feedback to the Program Sponsors at all times via the 

following mechanisms:

• Submitting an online comment form at www.GreatLakesRail.org

• Calling the Program’s toll free number at 877-351-0853

• Mailing a letter to the MDOT Public Involvement & Hearings Officer

• Contacting the MDOT project manager directly

4.2 Public Involvement Resources and Communication Tools

4.2.1 Program Identity

A Program identity was created to provide the public with an easily recognizable source for official 

Program information. As part of this process, a project logo and templates for public information 

materials, including newsletters, presentations and factsheets were developed. This identity was carried 

through to the Program website to make sure all elements of the Program had a consistent look.

4.2.2 Program Website

A dedicated website was set up and maintained throughout the planning phase of the Program at 

www.GreatLakesRail.org. The website was used to provide information about the Program and to seek 

feedback at key Program milestones. Key features of the website included:

• Program overview information

• Public meeting announcements

• Online comment form

• Sign up form to receive Program updates

• Depository for technical documents and public meeting materials

• Media resources page
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4.2.3 Program Master Contact List

A master contact list was set up and maintained for the Program. The list was used for emailing and 

mailing Program updates and public meeting notifications. The list contains nearly 1,850122 contacts that 

include:

• Citizens who signed up on the website to receive Program communications

• Federal and state agencies

• Local units of governments

• State and federal elected officials

• Various advocacy and civic organizations 

• Organizations that represent environmental justice and Title VI populations

• Transportation and regional planning related organizations

• Railroad, transit, airport and other transportation related organizations (private and public)

• Chambers of commerce, tourism and economic development organizations

• Tribal governments

The contact list will continue to be updated throughout the EIS process as additional interested parties are 

identified or sign up on the website. Additional contacts are expected to include any agency contacts or 

Section 106 consulting parties that are identified in the public involvement process, see Section 4.2.8

regarding Section 106.

4.2.4 Third Party Outreach

The Program Sponsors identified stakeholder organizations for each state that could act as third-party 

communicators. Third-party communicators were personally contacted by a Program Sponsor member 

and asked to distribute Program updates and meeting notices to their already established membership lists 

and networks. Third party communicators include stakeholder organizations such as:

• Chambers of commerce and other economic development organizations

• Organizations that represent environmental justice and Title VI populations

• Local governments

• Rail advocacy groups

• Farm Bureaus

• Regional planning commissions

 

122 Comment Tracker, retrieved October 14, 2013.
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• Environmental advocacy organizations

• County and township associations

Third-party communicators were an effective way to disseminate Program information and direct the 

public to the Program website. Third party communicators posted Program information on their social 

media sites (Facebook and Twitter), in newsletters, on their websites and blogs, and in other electronic 

communications.

4.2.5 Cooperating Agency Coordination

On January 10, 2013, FRA invited 14 federal agencies to become “cooperating agencies”. According to 

CEQ Regulations Section 1508.5, a "cooperating agency" means any Federal agency other than the lead 

agency that has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved 

in the Program, or in the Build Alternatives. States and Native American Tribes may also become 

cooperating agencies.

Cooperating agencies are able to help develop information and do analyses for the Tier 1 EIS concerning 

items under their special expertise. A cooperating agency may also adopt this Tier 1 EIS without 

recirculating it. For example when the Program applies to USACE for permits under their jurisdiction, 

USACE may use this document to meet their NEPA environmental review requirements, rather than 

preparing and circulating their own document.

Agencies that have agreed to become cooperating agencies for the Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Passenger 

Rail Corridor Tier 1 EIS include the following:

• Federal Aviation Administration

• Federal Highways Administration

• Federal Transit Administration

• US Army Corps of Engineers

• US Environmental Protection Agency

• US Fish & Wildlife Service

• US Coast Guard

• National Park Service

4.2.6 Public Information Materials

The Program Sponsors created public information materials that communicate and explain the Program to 

the public. The materials were posted on the Program website and used at public meetings. Information 

materials included a Program overview factsheet, a newsletter and a frequently asked questions 

document. These materials were posted to the Program website in September 2012 during the Program’s 

scoping process. 
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4.2.7 Title VI and Environmental Justice Outreach

Non-discriminatory outreach efforts were provided for all Title VI and environmental justice populations 

including:

• Minority and ethnic groups

• Low-income persons

• Elderly persons

• Persons with disabilities

• Non-English speaking individuals

• Persons with limited English proficiency

Chapter 3, Section 3.6, describes Title VI and environmental justice populations in more detail and it 

identifies potential impacts to these populations. The main vehicle of communication with Title VI and 

environmental justice populations was through third party outreach. Organizations that represent Title VI 

and environmental justice populations were asked to distribute information to their members.

A wider range of organizations that represent Title VI and environmental justice populations were also 

included in the master contact list to make sure these organizations received all meeting notices and 

updates. In addition, all meeting notices were translated into Spanish and Arabic, which are common nonEnglish languages spoken in the Corridor. Translators were also available at the public meetings in 

Michigan. Furthermore, the Program website and all meeting notices contained the following statement: 

“With an advance notice of 7 days, MDOT can make accommodations for persons with disabilities and/or 

limited English-speaking ability, and persons needing auxiliary aids or services of interpreters, signers, 

readers, or large print.”

Title VI and environmental justice populations were also considered in the selection of public meeting 

and public hearing locations. (See Chapter 3, Section 3.6 for a discussion of impacts to low income and/or 

high minority populations in the Corridor.) All meeting locations were ADA accessible and most meeting 

sites were transit accessible. Also, meetings were held in Gary, Indiana, where large low income and 

minority environmental justice populations have been identified as living in close proximity to the Build 

Alternatives.

4.2.8 Section 106 Consulting Party Coordination

Chapter 3, Section 3.11 discusses the “Section 106” process for reviewing and protecting historic and 

archaeological resources. The process requires the identification of “consulting parties.” MDOT is 

required to reach out to and involve these consulting parties in the Program development process. 

Consulting parties can include State historic preservation officers (SHPOs), Tribal historic preservation 

officers (THPOs), Native American Tribes, representatives of local governments, and individuals and 

organizations with a demonstrated interest in the Program’s effects on historic properties.

SHPOs and THPOs, Tribal governments, and local governments were all invited to the Program Scoping 

meetings. Coordination will continue during future cooperating agency/stakeholder meetings on the 

Tier 1 Draft EIS and as needed to address any identified potential historic and archaeological impacts. 
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Outreach to consulting parties will also be completed for each Tier 2 level environmental review when 

project-level plans are refined and potential impacts can be accurately identified.

4.3 Outreach for Public and Agency Scoping Process

During the scoping process, four public meetings, three agency meetings and two stakeholder meetings 

were held in September 2012 to launch the Tier 1 EIS for the Program. A self-guided public scoping 

meeting was also available throughout the scoping process on the Program’s website. See Appendix K for 

the Scoping Summary Report.

The purpose of the outreach that occurred during the scoping process was to: 

• Introduce the public, stakeholders and agencies to the Program.

• Discuss the purpose and need for the rail project.

• Present a range of possible route alternatives.

• Identify potential issues that should be considered in the EIS.

4.3.1 Public Scoping Meetings

Four public scoping meetings were held in September 2012 as shown in Table 4-1. The meetings were 

open to the public from 4 to 7 p.m. and a presentation was given at 4:30 p.m. and repeated at 6 p.m. as 

needed. In total, 277 people signed in at the public meetings.

The meeting locations were selected for their proximity to highway access and/or bus and rail routes. All 

facilities were ADA accessible. Spanish and Arabic interpreters were provided at the Dearborn, Michigan, 

meeting and a Spanish interpreter was provided at the Kalamazoo, Michigan, meeting. Interpreters were 

chosen for these sites based on area demographics and the need for interpreters at previous MDOT 

meetings in these communities. 
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Table 4-1: Public Scoping Meeting Locations and Dates

Date Location Attendance

September 12, 2012

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Chicago Union Station

Union Gallery Room

500 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, IL 60661

88

September 13, 2012

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Michigan City/City Hall

100 East Michigan Boulevard

Michigan City, IN 46360

78

September 26, 2012

4:00 - 7:00 p.m. 

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel

5801 Southfield Expressway

Dearborn, MI 48228

67

September 27, 2012

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Radisson Plaza Hotel

100 West Michigan Avenue

Kalamazoo, MI 49007

44

Total All locations 277

Everyone in attendance was encouraged to sign in at the welcome table. Display boards and take-home 

materials were provided that summarized the Program and the EIS scoping process. Program Sponsor

members were on hand to answer questions. A question and answer session followed each presentation 

and attendees were encouraged to share their comments and concerns at that time or through the written 

comment forms. Participants were informed about Program materials, additional opportunities to provide 

comments online or via mail, and ways to stay informed. 

Various types of meeting notices were used to communicate the dates, times and locations of the public 

meetings. Notices included:

• Third party communications – The Program Sponsors coordinated with third party communicators 

who subsequently distributed the information to their membership via social media outlets, electronic 

newsletters, and postings on their websites and blogs.

• Flyers – Meeting flyers were distributed in three languages – English, Spanish and Arabic. The flyers 

were posted on the Program website, displayed at train stations, emailed to the master contact list and 

provided to third party communicators.

• E-blasts – Several notices were emailed to the program’s master contact list including: a save the 

date invitation (Aug. 16, 2012), an official meeting notice (Aug. 31, 2012), a meeting reminder (Sept. 

11, 2012 and Sept. 24, 2012), and a comment due date reminder (Oct. 4, 2012). These e-blasts 

provided meeting dates and locations, a link to the online scoping meeting and information on how to 

submit comments. 
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• Press releases – Press releases were sent to media outlets in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

• Community calendars – Meeting notices were posted on community calendars in towns and cities 

where the meetings were held.

• Social media – MDOT, INDOT and IDOT posted notices on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

4.3.2 Online Scoping Meeting

The Program’s website hosted a self-guided online scoping meeting. The online meeting summarized all 

the information that was displayed at the public meetings. An electronic copy of the online meeting 

presentation was available for download and printing. At the close of the comment period, the online 

meeting page had been viewed 283 times. The online scoping meeting presentation can be found at the 

Program website under Documents and Resources. 

The public was notified about the availability of the online scoping meeting from the notifications that 

were sent out for the public scoping meetings as discussed in Subsection 4.3.1 above. 

4.3.3 Agency Scoping Meetings

Three agency scoping meetings were held in September 2012 as shown on Table 4-2. The intent of these 

agency meetings was to identify issues early on in the process. One meeting was held in each Program 

state near or at the same location as the public scoping meetings. All potential participating and 

cooperating agencies were invited to attend. Meeting attendees included representatives from local, 

regional, state and federal government agencies. In total, 17 agencies were represented at the meetings. 

Most agencies participated in person, while some agencies participated via teleconference.

At the meetings, a presentation was given that provided an overview of the Program; discussed the 

Program’s proposed purpose and need statement; showed the proposed area of analysis for the 

preliminary alternatives; described the proposed alternatives screening process; and discussed proposed 

resource analysis methodologies. After the presentation, a roundtable discussion was held to give 

agencies an opportunity to ask questions and identify their interests and issues of concern. Several 

handouts were provided at the meetings including an agency scoping document, a handout that 

summarized the methodology for analyzing the socioeconomic and environmental resources, as well as 

the Program’s summer 2012 newsletter that is available on the Program’s website.

Invitations to the agency scoping meetings were sent to potentially affected resource agencies in 

Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. An initial invite was a ‘Save the Date’ email that was sent on August 15, 

2012. This invitation announced the start of the Program and provided the dates of the upcoming agency 

scoping meetings.

A second invitation was sent on September 5, 2012. This invitation included an agency scoping document 

that included information about the Program, its Purpose and Need statement and maps showing the Area 

of Analysis that would be used to develop Preliminary Route Alternatives for the Corridor. MDOT also 

made follow-up phone calls to encourage agency attendance at the meetings.
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Table 4-2: Agency Scoping Meeting Locations and Dates

Date Location Agencies Represented

September 12, 2012

1 - 3 p.m.

HNTB Corporation

(project consultant)

111 N Canal St, Suite 1250

Chicago, IL 60606

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Safety Unit

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Highway Administration

Michigan Dept. of Transportation

Illinois Dept. of Transportation

Forest Preserve District of Cook County

September 13, 2012

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Northwestern Indiana 

Regional Planning 

Commission

6100 Southport Road

Portage, IN 46369

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. National Park Service, Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Indiana Dept. of Transportation

Michigan Dept. of Transportation

Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources

Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission

September 26, 2012

1 - 3 p.m.

Double Tree Hotel

5801 Southfield Expressway

Dearborn, MI 48228

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Michigan Dept. of Transportation

Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality

Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office

Wayne County Airport Authority

4.3.4 Stakeholder Scoping Meetings

The Program Sponsors held two meetings with stakeholder groups during the scoping process. 

Stakeholders were able to attend the meetings in-person or they were able to attend via webinar. Table 4-3

lists the stakeholder meetings and the stakeholder groups that attended the meetings.

Invitations to the stakeholder meetings were sent to groups in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan that may 

have an interest in or concern about the Program. The meeting notices were sent as an Outlook 

appointment. The invitation announced the start of the Program and provided details for participating inperson, via webinar or by telephone.
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Table 4-3: Stakeholder Group Meetings

Date Location Stakeholders Represented

August 29, 2012

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

MDOT – Van Wagoner Bldg., 3rd Floor

425 W. Ottawa St.

Lansing, MI 48909

or

Webinar/Conference call

Host railroads:

• Adrian-Blissfield

• CSX

• Norfolk Southern

• South Shore Freight

September 6, 2012

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

MDOT – Horatio S. Earle Learning Center

Lake Michigan Meeting Room

7575 Crowner Dr.

Dimondale, MI 48821

Railroad advocacy groups:

• Albion Economic Development Corp.

• Battle Creek Unlimited

• City of Battle Creek

• Environmental Law and Policy Center

• Metropolitan Planning Council

• Michigan Environmental Council

• Michigan Assoc. of Railroad Passengers

• MI Washtenaw Area Transportation Study

• Midwest High Speed Rail Assoc.

• Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail 

Commission

• National Assoc. of Railroad Passengers

• Northwest Indiana Passenger Rail Assoc.

• Transportation Riders United

4.3.5 Scoping Comment Summary

This section summarizes the public comments that were received by the October 15, 2012 closing of the 

scoping comment period. A total of 705 comments were received. See the Scoping Summary Report in 

Appendix K for a listing of public and agency comments. 

Table 4-4 shows the source of the 705 comments that were submitted. The Program’s online comment 

form generated 96 of the comments. Eighteen individuals submitted a hand-written comment form at the 

public meetings. Many of the participants who attended the public scoping meetings also asked questions 

after the presentation or spoke with Program Sponsor members directly at the meetings. Sixteen 

individuals commented by letter sent via U.S. mail or emailed directly to MDOT.
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Table 4-4: Number of Comments by Source

Comment Source Number

Online comment form 96

Meeting comment form 18

Letter by mail or email 16

Midwest High Speed Rail Assoc. members 575

Total 705

The Midwest High Speed Rail Association collected comments from their membership and then 

forwarded the comments to the Program Sponsors. They generated 575 of the 705 comments. The vast 

majority of the comments utilized a standard comment that was suggested by the association. 

MDOT assembled comments into a database to document and analyze all public, stakeholder and agency 

feedback. (See the Scoping Summary Report in Appendix K for a more detailed summary and listing of 

comments.) Almost all of the comments were supportive of the Program and the possibility of improved 

intercity passenger rail along the Corridor. Many of the public comments focused on the need for 

improved passenger rail service and the types of benefits that it would bring. A large number of 

comments expressed a desire for the Program to consider plans for future 220 mph service, especially 

within the SOTL (Chicago-Porter, Indiana) section. The agencies focused on NEPA requirements and 

potential environmental effects of the Program. Only two comments did not support the Program. 

4.4 Outreach for Level 1 Alternatives Analysis

Public involvement during the Level 1 alternatives analysis phase focused in on the Chicago to Porter, 

Indiana, segment of the Corridor, including the area known as the South of the Lake (SOTL). The purpose 

of this outreach phase was to gather input that would help to narrow the range of alternatives in the SOTL 

area and to identify the alternatives that would be evaluated in the Tier 1 EIS. See Chapter 2 

(Alternatives) for detailed information about the Program’s various alternatives and the alternatives 

analysis process. 

Outreach efforts during the Level 1 alternatives analysis phase included an online self-guided presentation 

to present the results of the Level 1A screening analysis (April 2013) and a second round of public 

meetings to present the results of the Level 1B screening analysis (September 2013). Public involvement 

activities for both efforts are described in the following subsections. See Appendix K for the Level 1 

Alternatives Analysis Outreach Summary Report.

4.4.1 Level 1A Outreach

This section summarizes the outreach that was conducted for the Level 1A analysis. The Level 1A 

analysis included identifying current and former railroad routes used by passenger and freight trains to 
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assemble a “SOTL project area network” and dividing the network into 68 subsections that were screened 

by the Program’s criteria. (See Chapter 2of the EIS for more information about Level 1A alternatives.) An 

online self-guided presentation and a stakeholder meeting were utilized to present information and receive 

feedback.

4.4.1.1 Self-Guided Presentation

An online self-guided presentation was created and posted on the Program website for the Level 1A 

screening analysis. The purpose of the presentation was to keep the public informed about the progress of 

the alternatives analysis and to present the results of the Level 1A screening analysis.

The public was originally notified about the presentation’s availability on the Program website on April 

24, 2013. The public comment period ran through May 29, 2013 and was extended to June 12, 2013. 

The following forms of communication were used to advertise the availability of the self-guided 

presentation to the public, stakeholders and government agencies:

• Third party outreach – Third party communicators were sent an Advance Notice of the self-guided 

presentation (4/30/13) and asked to send the notice to their contact lists informing them about the 

self-guided presentation and the comment due date. 

• Flyer – A flyer was created with information about how to access the presentation and how to submit 

comments. It was posted on the Program website and provided to third party communicators. 

• E-blasts – Two e-blast notices were sent to the Program’s master contact list including the original 

notification (4/11/2013) and a comment due date reminder (4/30/2013). Each e-blast contained a link 

to the self-guided presentation and had information for how to comment.

4.4.1.2 Group Stakeholder Meeting

A group stakeholder meeting was conducted on April 29, 2013 as shown in Table 4-5. The purpose of the 

meeting was to present the results of the Level 1A analysis and seek feedback from key stakeholders such 

as railroad companies and rail advocacy groups. 

Participants at the stakeholder meeting were able to attend in-person or via webinar. In total, 35 people 

participated in the meeting. At the meeting, the Program Sponsors presented the self-guided presentation 

and provided an opportunity for participant questions. Invitations to the meeting were sent as an outlook 

appointment by the Michigan Department of Transportation.
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Table 4-5: Level 1A Stakeholder Meeting

Date/Time Location Stakeholders Represented

April 29, 2013

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

MDOT – Horatio S. 

Earle Learning Center

Lake Michigan 

Meeting Room

7575 Crowner Dr.

Dimondale, MI 48821

Or 

Webinar

Battle Creek Unlimited – Battle Creek, Michigan

Council of State Governments Midwest

CSX Railroad

Amtrak Representatives

Environmental Law and Policy Center –Chicago

Michigan Environmental Council

Michigan Assoc. of Railroad Passengers

Midwest High Speed Rail Association – Chicago

National Association of Railroad Passengers

Norfolk Southern Railway 

Right Place – Grand Rapids, Michigan

4.4.2 Level 1B Outreach

This section summarizes the outreach that was conducted for the Level 1B analysis. The Level 1B 

analysis identified complete SOTL route segments between Chicago and Porter, Indiana, and screened the 

routes with Program criteria. (See Chapter 2 of the EIS for more information about alternatives.) Four 

public meetings and a series of stakeholder meetings were utilized to present information and receive 

feedback.

4.4.2.1 Alternatives Public Meetings

Four public meetings were held for the Level 1B analysis as shown in Table 4-6. The meetings were open 

to the public from 4 to 7 p.m. A presentation was given at 4:30 p.m. In total, 164 people signed in at the 

public meetings.

The meeting locations were selected for their proximity to the proposed route alternatives being 

evaluated. All facilities were ADA accessible. Spanish and Arabic interpreters were provided at the 

Dearborn, Michigan, meeting. Interpreters were chosen based on area demographics and the need for 

interpreters at previous MDOT meetings in this community.

Everyone in attendance was encouraged to sign in at the welcome table. Display boards summarized the 

program and the results of the Level 1A and Level 1B alternatives analysis process. Participants were able 

to view the route alternatives overlaid on a large aerial image and leave comments by applying post-it 

notes. A take home handout was provided to participants that explained the purpose of the meeting and 

how to provide comments. 
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Program staff was on hand to answer questions. A question and answer session followed the presentation 

and attendees were encouraged to share their comments and concerns at that time or through the written 

comment forms. Participants were informed about program materials, additional opportunities to provide 

comments online or via mail, and other ways to stay informed. The public comment period ran from the 

start of the original meeting notice that was sent on September 4, 2013 through October 28, 2013.

Table 4-6: Level 1B Public Information Meeting Locations and Dates

Date Location Attendance

September 17, 2013

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Chicago Union Station

Union Gallery Room

500 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, IL 60661

92

September 18, 2013

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Genesis Convention Center

1 Genesis Center Plaza

Gary, IN 46402

19

September 19, 2013

4:00 - 7:00 p.m. 

Porter Town Hall

303 Franklin St.

Porter, IN 46304

23

September 24, 2013

4:00 - 7:00 p.m. 

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel

5801 Southfield Expressway

Dearborn, MI 48228

30

Total All locations 164

The Program website was utilized to post public meeting materials online. This allowed meeting 

participants to review materials after the meetings and it allowed those who were unable to attend a 

meeting to participate in the process. All the exhibits that were on display at the meetings were posted to 

the Program website along with the PowerPoint presentation and meeting summaries. Also, a voicerecorded presentation was posted to the website to assist visually impaired individuals and to allow 

individuals who were not able to attend the meeting to learn about the alternatives analysis process. 

Various types of meeting notices were used to communicate the dates, times and locations of the public 

meetings. Notices included:

• Third party outreach – Third party communicators were contacted and asked to send a notice to 

their contact lists informing them about the public meetings and the comment period. 

• Flyers – A meeting flyer was prepared and posted on the Program website and utilized for third party 

outreach.
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• E-blasts - Three separate e-blast notices were sent to the program’s master contact list including: an 

original meeting notice (9/4/2013), a meeting reminder (9/16/2013) and a comment due date reminder 

(10/17/2013). 

• Press releases - Media sources in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan were notified of the meetings. Press 

releases were provided in three languages - English, Spanish and Arabic.

• Social media – MDOT, INDOT and IDOT posted notices on their Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

4.4.2.2 Stakeholder Meetings

Three stakeholder meetings were conducted as part of the Level 1B public outreach efforts as shown in

Table 4-7. 

The first stakeholder meeting was held on September 19, 2013 with attendance from railroads and rail 

advocacy groups. Participants were able to attend the meeting in-person or via webinar. At the meeting, 

the Program Sponsors made a presentation and provided an opportunity for participant questions. 

Invitations for the railroad advocacy meeting were sent by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Table 4-7: Level 1B Alternatives Analysis Stakeholder Meetings

Date/Time Location Stakeholders Represented

September 19, 2013 Porter, IN 

and webinar

CSX Railroad

Environmental Law and Policy Center –

Chicago

Midwest High Speed Rail Association –

Chicago

November 8, 2013

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

City of Gary

401 Broadway, Suite 203

Gary, IN, 46402

Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor of Gary, 

Indiana

November 8, 2013

10:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

City of Gary

401 Broadway, Suite 203

Gary, IN 46402

City of Gary neighborhood/civic leaders
Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement

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284 | TIER 1 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

On November 8, 2013 the Program Sponsors conducted two stakeholder meetings with the City of Gary, 

Indiana. The first meeting was held with the Honorable Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor of Gary. The 

purpose of the meeting was to increase understanding within the City of Gary leadership of the Program’s 

activities and to understand more about the City of Gary and how economic development opportunities 

planned for the Gary area could be recognized and potentially incorporated into future decision making. 

After the meeting with the mayor, the Program Sponsors met with neighborhood and civic leaders from 

Gary to develop a grass roots foundation for outreach to the larger Gary community. The discussion 

helped to build an understanding of the Program’s purpose and development to date and allowed the 

Program Sponsors to obtain input regarding priorities and considerations of importance to Gary 

neighborhoods. Participants took a bus tour of the local area to get a better understanding of the economic 

development projects currently underway in Gary.

Both meetings in the City of Gary were arranged through phone calls and emails sent by a Program 

Sponsor member.

4.4.3 Level 1 Comment Summary

See Appendix K for a summary and listing of public and agency comments that is included in the Level 1 

Alternatives analysis Outreach Summary Report. As shown in Table 4-8 a total of 1,357 comments were 

received. The public submitted 109 comments through the online comment form, 7 comments were 

received at public meetings and 22 letters and emails were sent directly to the Program Sponsors. The 

Midwest High Speed Rail Association collected comments from their membership and then forwarded the 

comments to the Program Sponsors. They generated 600 comments during the Level 1A comment period 

and they generated 612 comments during the Level 1B comment period for a total of 1,212 comments. 

The vast majority of the comments utilized a standard comment that was suggested by the association. 

See Appendix K for a summary and listing of public and agency comments that is included in the Level 1 

Alternatives Analysis Outreach Summary Report.

Table 4-8: Level 1 – Number of Comments by Source

Source Level 1A 

Comments

Level 1B 

Comments

Total

Online comment form 49 60 109

Public meeting comment form N/A 7 7

1-800 phone line 3 4 7

Letter or email 14 8 22

Midwest High Speed Rail Association 600 612 1,212

Total 666 691 1,357
Chapter 4 Public Involvement and Agency Coordination

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4.5 Outreach for the Release of the Tier 1 Draft EIS

4.5.1 Public Hearing Overview

FRA Procedures require the Tier 1 Draft EIS to be circulated to interested parties and to depositories, 

such as public libraries, along with an invitation to comment on the Tier 1 Draft EIS. The availability of 

the Tier 1 Draft EIS will be publicized by press release, on the Program website 

(www.GreatLakesRail.org) and through distribution of electronic and hard copies as required.

Public hearings will be held in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan to present the findings of the Tier 1 Draft 

EIS at locations within the Area of Analysis. As required, the Tier 1 Draft EIS will be available for at 

least 30 days prior to the scheduled hearings. The EIS will be available to the public for a 45-day review 

and comment period. Comments from the public will be accepted on this document as directed on the 

cover page of this Tier 1 Draft EIS. FRA will respond to all responsible comments in the Tier 1 Final EIS 

in accordance with FRA Procedures Section 13(c)(11).

4.5.2 Agency Meetings

To help streamline the agency commenting process, FRA and the partnering states seek to efficiently 

communicate and collaborate with federal, state, and local agencies. To this end, early in the review 

period for the Tier 1 Draft EIS, a special agency meeting will be held. This meeting will give agencies the 

opportunity to ask specific questions they may have in regards to resources under their jurisdiction. In this 

way agencies will be able to learn more about the Program, its effects, and proposed avoidance or 

mitigation measures, in advance of submitting their formal Tier 1 Draft EIS review comments.

4.6 Outreach for the Release of the Tier 1 Final EIS

The FRA will consider all comments received on the Tier 1 Draft EIS, whether in writing or made at a 

public hearing, and new information, and will revise the text into a Tier 1 Final EIS accordingly (pursuant 

to CEQ 1503.4). See Appendix K for a list of comments and responses that were received during the 

development of the Tier 1 Draft EIS. Appendix K in the FEIS will contain the review comments and 

responses on the Draft EIS. The formal review and comment period on the Draft EIS will start on the date 

the Draft EIS is issued.

The Tier 1 Final EIS will identify a Preferred Alternative as described in Chapter 2. This Preferred 

Alternative will be communicated to stakeholders and the public using various methods such as third 

party communicators, stakeholder meetings, e-blast messages to the master contact list, and media 

outreach. Mitigation measures developed in the EIS will be monitored by FRA who will enforce the 

implementation of such measures. The Tier 1 Final EIS will be distributed as required by NEPA and a 

notice will be placed in the Federal Register.
Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement

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4.7 Outreach for the Publication of the Record of Decision

The Record of Decision (ROD) is the final step in the EIS process. The ROD will state what the federal 

decision on the Program is, considers the alternatives, identifies the Selected Program Alternative and 

discusses mitigation plans, including any enforcement and monitoring commitments. The ROD will be 

presented by FRA staff and signed by the FRA Administrator. It will be a publicly available document 

that will be published on www.fra.dot.gov, and the on the project website, www.GreatLakesRail.org. The 

Program Sponsors also intend to send out an e-blast notice to the Program’s master contact list.