23802 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Notice of Availability of a Final 

Environmental Impact Report/ 

Environmental Impact Statement, a 

Final Section 4(f) Evaluation, and a 

Draft General Conformity 

Determination for the California HighSpeed Train System Merced to Fresno 

Section 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), United States 

Department of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to 

advise the public that FRA is issuing a 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) and Final 4(f) Evaluation for the 

California High-Speed Train (HST) 

System Merced to Fresno Section 

(Project). FRA is also making a Draft 

General Conformity Determination for 

the Project available for public review 

and comment. FRA is the lead Federal 

agency and the California High-Speed 

Rail Authority (Authority) is the lead 

state agency for the environmental 

review process. The agencies have 

prepared the Final EIS consistent with 

federal law and also to serve as an 

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in 

compliance with the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and 

CEQA Guidelines. The U.S. Army Corps 

of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of 

Reclamation (BOR) served as 

Cooperating Agencies for the 

preparation of the EIS. 

DATES: The Final EIS and Final Section 

4(f) Evaluation are being made available 

to the public for a 30-day waiting period 

according to 40 CFR 1506.10 prior to 

final FRA action. The waiting period 

commences on the date the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s 

notice of availability is published in the 

Federal Register. Written comments on 

the Draft Conformity Determination for 

the California HST Project Merced to 

Fresno Section may be sent by May 29, 

2012, to Mr. David Valenstein at the 

contact address below. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS, 

Final Section 4(f) Evaluation, and Draft 

General Conformity Determination are 

available online at the FRA’s Web site: 

http://www.fra.dot.gov and the 

Authority’s Web site: http:// 

www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov and the 

Authority’s offices at 770 L Street, Suite 

800, Sacramento, CA; they are also 

available for viewing at the following 

locations in or near the Project area: 

• Fresno County Public Library, Central 

Branch, 2420 Mariposa Street, Fresno, 

CA 93721 

• Madera County Library, 121 North G 

Street, Madera, CA 93637 

• Chowchilla Branch Library (Merced 

County Library), 300 Kings Avenue, 

Chowchilla, CA 93610 

• Merced Community Senior Center, 

755 West 15th Street, Merced, CA 

95340 

• Merced County Library, 2100 O 

Street, Merced, CA 95340 

• Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, 

22941 Fairmead Boulevard, 

Chowchilla, CA 93610 

• Le Grand Branch Library, 12949 Le 

Grand Road, Le Grand, CA 95333 

• Lao Family Community (Executive 

Summary in Hmong), 855 W 15th 

Street, Merced, CA 95340–5801 

• Madera Ranchos Branch Library, 

37167 Avenue 12, Suite 4C, Madera, 

CA 95636 

• Merced County Los Manos Branch 

Library, 1312 South Seventh Street, 

Los Banos, CA 93635 

• Atwater Branch Library, 1600 Third 

Street, Atwater, CA 95301–3607 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

David Valenstein, Chief, Environment 

and Systems Planning Division, Office 

of Railroad Policy and Development, 

Federal Railroad Administration, U.S., 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., MS–20, 

Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 202– 

493–6368). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Once 

completed, the California HST system 

will provide intercity, high-speed 

passenger rail service on more than 800 

miles of tracks throughout California, 

connecting the major population centers 

of Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay 

Area, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, 

the Inland Empire, Orange County, and 

San Diego. It will use state-of-the-art, 

electrically powered, high-speed, steelwheel-on-steel-rail technology, 

including contemporary safety, 

signaling, and automated train-control 

systems, with trains capable of 

operating up to 220 miles per hour 

(mph) over a fully graded-separated, 

dedicated double track alignment. The 

HST System is comprised of multiple 

sections, one of which is the Merced to 

Fresno section analyzed in the Final 

EIS. 

The Final EIS describes the potential 

environmental impacts, both adverse 

and beneficial, of the Project, identifies 

appropriate measures to mitigate 

adverse impacts, and identifies the 

agencies’ preferred alternative. The 

approximately 65-mile-long Merced to 

Fresno Section is an essential part of the 

statewide HST System. The Merced to 

Fresno Section is the location of the 

connection between the Bay Area and 

Sacramento branches of the HST 

System; it will provide Merced and 

Fresno access to a new transportation 

mode and will contribute to increased 

mobility throughout California. This 

project-level EIS tiers off of the 

Statewide Program EIS published in 

2005 and the Bay area to Central Valley 

Program EIS published in 2008 and 

builds on the earlier decisions and 

Program EISs. 

In August 2011, FRA issued a Draft 

EIS and circulated the document for a 

60-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 California HST 

Project Merced to Fresno Section 

including alignment alternatives and 

station locations. FRA and the Authority 

convened three public hearings on the 

Draft EIS, held in Merced, Madera, and 

Fresno on September 14, September 15, 

and September 20, 2011, respectively. 

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 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA 

(40 CFR parts 1500 et seq.), FRA’s 

Procedures for Considering 

Environmental Impacts (Environmental 

Procedures) (64 FR 28545, May 26, 

1999), the Final EIS evaluates the 

potential environmental effects 

associated with Action Alternatives and 

the No Action Alternative, identifies 

appropriate mitigation measures to 

minimize the potential environmental 

impacts, and identifies a preferred 

alternative. The FRA, the Authority, and 

Cooperating Agencies considered the 

entire record and the potential for 

environmental impact in selecting the 

Preferred Alternative. Additionally, the 

Final EIS includes FRA’s Final Section 

4(f) Evaluation which provides the 

supporting analysis to comply with 49 

U.S.C. 303 and FRA’s Environmental 

Procedures. 

FRA is also issuing a Draft General 

Conformity Determination for public 

and agency comment. The Draft General 

Conformity Determination has been 

prepared pursuant to 40 CFR part 93, 

subpart B, which establishes the process 

for complying with the general 

conformity requirements of the Clean 

Air Act. Consistent with those 

regulations, FRA is making the Draft 

Conformity Determination available for 

public review and comment. Analysis of 

the Project’s potential emissions found 

that construction period emissions 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices 23803 

would exceed the General Conformity 

de minimis threshold for Nitrogen 

Dioxide (NOx) and volatile organic 

compounds (VOC), a precursor for 

ozone. However, operation of the Project 

would result in an overall reduction of 

regional emissions of all applicable air 

pollutants and would not cause a 

localized exceedance of an air quality 

standard. Conformance of the Project 

will be accomplished through a 

Voluntary Emissions Reduction 

Agreement which will offset the NOx 

and VOC emissions consistent with 

applicable regulatory requirements. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on April 12, 

2012. 

Joseph C. Szabo, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9491 Filed 4–19–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

Office of Hazardous Materials Safety; 

Actions on Special Permit Applications 

AGENCY: Pipeline And Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of actions on Special 

Permit Applications. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

procedures governing the application 

for, and the processing of, special 

permits from the Department of 

Transportation’s Hazardous Material 

Regulations (49 CFR part 107, Subpart 

B), notice is hereby given of the actions 

on special permits applications in 

(February to March 2012). The mode of 

transportation involved are identified by 

a number in the ‘‘Nature of 

Application’’ portion of the table below 

as follows: 1—Motor vehicle, 2—Rail 

freight, 3—Cargo vessel, 4—Cargo 

aircraft only, 5—Passenger-carrying 

aircraft. Application numbers prefixed 

by the letters EE represent applications 

for Emergency Special Permits. It 

should be noted that some of the 

sections cited were those in effect at the 

time certain special permits were 

issued. 

Dated: Issued in Washington, DC, on April 

13, 2012. 

Donald Burger, 

Chief, Special Permits and Approvals Branch. 

S.P No. Applicant Regulation(s) Nature of special permit thereof 

MODIFICATION SPECIAL PERMIT GRANTED 

8826–M ........ Phoenix Air Group, Inc. 

Cartersville, GA.

49 CFR 172.101; 

172.204(c)(3); 173.27; 

175.30(a)(1); 175.320(b).

To modify the special to reflect the current statutes and regulations changes. 

14909–M ...... Lake Clark Air, Inc. Port 

Alsworth, AK.

49 CFR 173.304(f) .................. To reissue the special permit originally issued on an emergency basis authorizing the transportation in commerce of 

compressed oxygen without rigid outer packaging when no 

other means of transportation exist. 

10656–M ...... Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. 

Frankfort, KY.

49 CFR 172.203(d); Part 172, 

Subparts C, D, E, F, G.

To modify the special permit add 49 CFR Part 172 Subpart I 

as it pertains to security plans to the list of regulations exempted in paragraph 4. 

11406–M ...... Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. 

Frankfort, KY.

49 CFR Part 172, Subparts, C, 

D, E, F, G, H; Part 173, 

Subparts B, I; 173.22(a)(1); 

Part 174, Subpart K; 

177.842.

To modify the special permit add 49 CFR Part 172 Subpart I 

as it pertains to security plans to the list of regulations exempted in paragraph 4. 

11670–M ...... Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc 

Dyce, Aberdeen Scotland, 

Ab.

49 CFR 178.36 ........................ To modify the exemption to authorize the use of a newly designed non-DOT specification oil well sampling cylinder for 

the transportation of Division 2.1 materials. 

14193–M ...... Honeywell International, Inc. 

Morristown, NJ.

49 CFR 173.313 ...................... To reissue the exemption originally issued on an emergency 

basis for the transportation of non-DOT specification IMO 

Type 5 portable tanks, mounted in an ISO frame, containing certain Division 2.2 and 2.3 materials. 

10646–M ...... Schlumberger Technologies 

Corporation Sugar Land, TX.

49 CFR 173.302 ...................... To modify the special permit to authorize an additional material in the construction of non-DOT specification cylinders. 

14457–M ...... Amtrol Alfa Metalomecanica 

SA Portugal.

49 CFR 173.304a(a)(1) ........... To modify the special permit to extend the external visual inspection to every five (5) years. 

14808–M ...... Amtrol, Inc. West Warwick, RI 49 CFR 178.51(b), (f)(1) and 

(2) and (g).

To modify the special permit to authorize a longer time between requalification testing. 

15036–M ...... UTLX Manufacturing, Incorporated Alexandria, LA.49 CFR 173.31(e)(2)(ii), 

173.244(a)(2), 173.314, 

179.100, 179.101, 179.102– 

3, 179.15(b) and 179.16.

To modify the special permit to authorize the manufacture, 

marking, sale and use of three additional non-DOT specification tank cars for transportation of chlorine and certain 

other materials toxic by inhalation. 

14940–M ...... Crown Aerosol Packaging 

Philadelphia, PA.

49 CFR 173.306 ...................... To modify the special permit to authorize rail freight and 

cargo vessel as additional modes of transportation 

13381–M ...... Carleton Technologies, Pressure Technology Division 

Westminster, MD.

49 CFR 173.302(a)(1), 

173.304(a), 175.3 and 

180.205.

To modify the special permit to authorize an extended testing 

time period for cylinders which are past their retest date but 

are not empty. 

14616–M ...... Chlorine Service Company 

Kingwood, TX.

49 CFR 178.245–1(a) ............. To modify the special permit to correct pressure ranges to 

bring it in line with other special permits issued. 

11215–M ...... Orbital Sciences Corporation 

Mojave, CA.

49 CFR Part 172, Subparts C, 

D; 172.101, Special Provision 109.

To modify the special permit to add a Class 9 material. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES