Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 107 /Thursday, June 4, 1998 / Notices 30559

document will be mailed to affected

federal, state, and local agencies, and

will be provided upon request to

interested parties on record. The draft

Scoping Document may also be obtained

from John D. Dean, Project Manager,

Metropolitan Transportation Authority,

347 Madison Avenue, New York, New

York 10017 or downloaded from the

project website

[www.lowermanhattan.com]. Scoping

comments may be made verbally at the

public scoping meetings, or in writing.

See the DATES section above for

locations and times. During the scoping

phase of the project, comments should

focus on identifying specific social,

economic, or environmental impacts to

be evaluated, and suggesting

alternatives that are less costly or less

environmentally damaging while

achieving similar transit objectives.

Scoping is not the appropriate forum in

which to indicate a preference for a

particular alternative. Anyone wishing

to be placed on the mailing list to

receive further information should

contact John D. Dean of the MTA as

previously described.

II. Description of Study Area and

Project Need

The core study area is Lower

Manhattan south of the following

streets: beginning at the Hudson River,

east along Chambers Street, north along

West Broadway, east along Worth Street,

south along St. James Place, and east

along Dover Street (Brooklyn Bridge) to

the East River. These study area

boundaries provide a rough guide, and

are to be considered flexible and

dependent on the outcome of the

scoping process. The study area

includes key business locations such as

the World Trade Center and World

Financial Center; Wall Street and Water

Street corridor; civic sites such as City

Hall, Federal Plaza, and Foley Square;

historic and recreational areas such as

South Street Seaport, Federal Hall, and

the Battery; and growing residential

areas such as Southbridge Towers,

Battery Park City, and new residential

conversions of former commercial space

east of Broad Street.

This study will examine three

primary access corridors that link New

York’s northern and eastern suburbs to

the Lower Manhattan ‘‘core area.’’ These

corridors can be summarized as being

(1) on the eastside of Manhattan, largely

from the Grand Central Terminal area;

(2) on the west side of Manhattan, from

the Penn Station/Port Authority Bus

Terminal area, and (3) across the East

River, from the Atlantic Terminal

Complex in downtown Brooklyn. Other

reasonable access corridors identified in

the scoping process will also be

considered.

The purpose of the MIS/DEIS process

is, in coordination with a regional

framework of transportation studies, to

thoroughly examine the short and long

term needs and available options for

improving transportation access to

Lower Manhattan, and to identify a

preferred investment strategy that will

address the study area’s transportation

needs in a cost-effective, equitable, and

publicly acceptable manner. This study

will consider the findings, conclusions,

and recommendations of other recent

and contemporary regional

transportation studies and data

gathering efforts, and closely coordinate

with these ongoing studies.

III. Alternatives

Current Alternatives proposed for

evaluation include: (1) No-Build, which

involves no change to transportation

services or facilities in the study area

beyond already committed projects; (2)

The Transportation System Management

(TSM) alternative, which consists of

low-to-medium cost improvements that

address both short and long term needs;

(3) High Quality Shuttle Service from

Grand Central Terminal and/or Jamaica

Station to Lower Manhattan using

newly constructed and/or existing rights

of way, such as the BMT Broadway Line

or the LIRR Atlantic Branch; (4) New

Subway Service including potential

construction of the Second Avenue

Subway to Lower Manhattan; and (5)

Extended Commuter Rail from Grand

Central Terminal and/or Jamaica to

Lower Manhattan using newly

constructed and/or existing rights of

way. Other reasonable alternatives

proposed during the scoping process

would also be considered.

IV. Probable Effects/Potential Impacts

for Analysis

The MIS/DEIS will evaluate all

significant social, economic and

environmental impacts of the proposed

alternatives. Among the issues to be

investigated in the study area and its

access corridors are the potential

increase in transit ridership on the

current system, the expected increase in

mobility, the capital outlays needed to

construct the project improvements, and

the cost of operating and maintaining

the facilities created by the project.

Social and environmental impacts

proposed for analysis include land use

and urban development impacts, visual

impacts, impacts on cultural and open

space resources, health and safety

impacts, and noise and vibration

impacts. Impacts on natural areas,

geologic forms, air quality, groundwater,

and hazardous materials will also be

analyzed. The impacts will be evaluated

both for the construction period and for

the long-term period of operation.

Impacts to the markets outside the core

study area and the access corridors will

also be examined where it is appropriate

(i.e. traffic and parking near suburban

rail stations). Measures to mitigate

significant adverse impacts will be

considered.

IV. FTA Procedures

In accordance with Federal Transit

Laws and FTA regulations and policies,

the MIS/DEIS will include an evaluation

of the social, economic, and

environmental impacts of the

alternatives. After its publication, the

MIS/DEIS will be available for public

and agency review and comment, and a

public hearing will be held. On the basis

of the MIS/DEIS and the public and

agency comments received, the MTA

will select a locally preferred alternative

for a major investment strategy. The

locally preferred alternative will then be

presented to the Metropolitan Planning

Organization (MPO) for affirmation and

inclusion into the Regional

Transportation Plan (RTP) and

Transportation Improvement Program

(TIP).

Issued on: May 29, 1998.

Letitia Thompson,

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit

Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–14768 Filed 6–3–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33601]

Grand Trunk Western Railroad

Incorporated—Petition for Declaratory

Order—Spur, Industrial, Team,

Switching or Side Tracks, in Detroit, MI

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Request for comments.

SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation

Board (Board) is instituting a

declaratory order proceeding and is

requesting comments on the petition of

Grand Trunk Western Railroad, Inc.

(GTW), for an order declaring that

certain tracks located near the

Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI, are

‘‘spur, industrial, team, switching, or

side tracks’’ under the regulatory

exemption at 49 U.S.C. 10906.

DATES: Any interested person may file

with the Board written comments

concerning GTW’s petition by July 2,

1998. GTW may reply by July 16, 1998.
30560 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 107 /Thursday, June 4, 1998 / Notices

1Union Pacific Corporation, Union Pacific

Railroad Company, and Missouri Pacific Railroad

Company—Control and Merger—Southern Pacific

Rail Corporation, Southern Pacific Transportation

Company, St. Louis Southwestern Railway

Company, SCPSL Corp., and The Denver and Rio

Grande Western Railroad Company, Finance Docket

No. 32760 (UP/SP Merger), Decision No. 44 (STB

served Aug. 12, 1996).

2The Board instituted this proceeding in Finance

Docket No. 32760 (Sub-No. 21), Decision No. 12

(published in the Federal Register on April 3, 1998

(63 FR 16628)), pursuant to the 5-year oversight

condition that it imposed upon its approval of the

UP/SP Merger. By decision served May 19, 1998,

the Board corrected the March 31 decision by

designating the docket number for the Houston/Gulf

Coast Oversight proceeding as Finance Docket No.

32760 (Sub-No. 26) rather than (Sub-No. 21), and

designating Decision No. 12 in Sub-No. 21 as

Decision No. 1 in Sub-No. 26.

ADDRESSES: Send an original plus 10

copies of all pleadings, referring to STB

Finance Docket No. 33601, to: Surface

Transportation Board, Office of the

Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K

Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20423–

0001, ATTN: STB Finance Docket No.

33601. In addition, pleadings must

certify that a copy has been served on

GTW’s representatives: Robert P. vom

Eigen and Jamie Palter Rennert, Hopkins

& Sutter, 888 Sixteenth Street, N.W.,

Washington, DC 20006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 565–1600.

[TDD for the hearing impaired: (202)

565–1695.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By

petition filed on May 20, 1998, GTW

requests that we issue an order under 5

U.S.C. 554(e) and 49 U.S.C. 721(a)

declaring that certain tracks located near

the Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI,

are ‘‘spur, industrial, team, switching, or

side tracks’’ that are, under 49 U.S.C.

10906, exempt from Board authority

over the abandonment and purchase of

lines of railroad. The tracks at issue

extend from GTW’s Dequindre Line at

mileposts 0.57, 0.71, and 0.81,

respectively, near the Detroit riverfront.

GTW has requested expedited

consideration of its petition so that

plans for the sale and development of

the parcels of land underlying these

tracks may proceed promptly.

According to GTW, this land is to be

developed to support (a) relocation of

General Motors Corporation’s global

headquarters to the Renaissance Center

on the Detroit riverfront and (b) a casino

district designated by the City of Detroit.

By this notice, the Board is requesting

comments on GTW’s petition.

Board decisions and notices are

available on our website at

‘‘WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.’’

Decided: May 28, 1998.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–14730 Filed 6–3–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[STB Finance Docket No. 32760 (Sub-No.

26)]

Union Pacific Corporation, Union

Pacific Railroad Company, and

Missouri Pacific Railroad Company;

Control and Merger; Southern Pacific

Rail Corporation, Southern Pacific

Transportation Company, St. Louis

Southwestern Railway Company,

SPCSL Corp., and The Denver and Rio

Grande Western Railroad Company;

(Houston/Gulf Coast Oversight)

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Decision No. 5; Notice of

extension to file requests for additional

conditions to the UP/SP merger for the

Houston, Texas/Gulf Coast area, and

revisions to procedural schedule.

SUMMARY: The Board is granting a

motion filed May 20, 1998, by the Texas

Mexican Railway Company, the Kansas

City Southern Railway Company, the

Chemical Manufacturers Association,

the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.,

the Texas Chemical Council, and the

Railroad Commission of Texas,

collectively requesting an extension

until July 8, 1998, to file requests and

supporting evidence for additional

remedial conditions to the UP/SP

merger 1 as they pertain to rail service in

the Houston, Texas/Gulf Coast region.

As a result, the Board is issuing the

revised procedural schedule set forth at

the end of this decision.

DATES: Under the revised schedule, the

proceeding will now commence on July

8, 1998. On that date, all interested

parties must file requests for new

remedial conditions to the UP/SP

merger regarding the Houston/Gulf

Coast area, along with all supporting

evidence. The Board will publish a

notice of acceptance of requests for new

conditions in the Federal Register by

August 7, 1998. Notices of intent to

participate in the oversight proceeding

are due August 28, 1998. All comments,

evidence, and argument opposing the

requested new conditions are due

September 18, 1998. Rebuttal in support

of the requested conditions is due

October 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: An original plus 25 copies

of all documents, referring to STB

Finance Docket No. 32760 (Sub-No. 26),

must be sent to the Office of the

Secretary, Case Control Unit, ATTN:

STB Finance Docket No. 32760 (Sub-No.

26), Surface Transportation Board, 1925

K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20423–

0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 565–1600.

[TDD for the hearing impaired: (202)

565–1695.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March

31, 1998, the Board instituted an

oversight proceeding to consider

requests for additional conditions to the

UP/SP Merger for the Houston/Gulf

Coast area, including those that seek

divestiture of certain of the merged

carriers’ property.2 All interested

persons were directed to file their

requests, along with all supporting

evidence, by June 8, 1998.

On May 20, 1998, the above-named

parties moved for a 30-day extension of

that date to July 8, 1998. They state that

they are working toward a consensus

with respect to conditions that they may

request, and that additional time is

needed to coordinate their proposal and

prepare all supporting evidence. The

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe

Railway Company (BNSF) and the

National Industrial Transportation

League filed letters stating that they do

not oppose the extension. If the Board

grants the motion, however, BNSF urges

that the revised due date for filing

requests for conditions, and other

adjustments to the procedural schedule,

be made applicable for all interested

persons. UP has asked the Board to

adhere to the present schedule.

We do not believe that a 30-day

extension for filing requested conditions

will unduly burden UP or delay our

disposition of these matters.

Accordingly, we will extend the

deadline for filing requested conditions,

make other related adjustments to the

procedural schedule, and make them

applicable for all other interested

persons.

As set forth in the revised procedural

schedule, parties that wish to request

new remedial conditions to the UP/SP

merger as they pertain to the Houston/

Gulf Coast region must file them, along

with their supporting evidence, by July

8, 1998; the remainder of the procedural