Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 205 / Monday, October 26, 2009 / Notices 55085 

1 In an amendment filed on September 8, 2009, 

the City of Davenport clarified that it also seeks 

operation authority. 

All communications concerning these 

proceedings should identify the 

appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver 

Petition Docket Number FRA–2009– 

0082) and may be submitted by any of 

the following methods: 

• Web site: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Operations Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

Communications received within 45 

days of the date of this notice will be 

considered by FRA before final action is 

taken. Comments received after that 

date will be considered as far as 

practicable. All written communications 

concerning these proceedings are 

available for examination during regular 

business hours (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) at the 

above facility. All documents in the 

public docket are also available for 

inspection and copying on the Internet 

at the docket facility’s Web site at 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

Anyone is able to search the 

electronic form of any written 

communications and comments 

received into any of our dockets by the 

name of the individual submitting the 

document (or signing the document, 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 (65 FR 

19477) or at http://www.dot.gov/ 

privacy.html. 

Issued in Washington, DC on October 19, 

2009. 

Grady C. Cothen, Jr., 

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety 

Standards and Program Development. 

[FR Doc. E9–25605 Filed 10–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Surface Transportation Board 

[STB Finance Docket No. 35237] 

Eastern Iowa Industrial Center Rail 

Project—Construction and Operation 

Exemption—City of Davenport, IA 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of 

Environmental Assessment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with Surface 

Transportation Board (Board) 

procedures for complying with the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) and consistent with the 

regulations of the Council on 

Environmental Quality for 

implementing NEPA at 40 CFR 1506.3, 

the Board’s Section of Environmental 

Analysis (SEA) is preliminarily 

recommending that the Board adopt an 

Environmental Assessment (EA) issued 

by the U.S. Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) and the City of 

Davenport. This EA is titled ‘‘Eastern 

Iowa Industrial Center Railroad 

Extension in Davenport, Eldridge, and 

Scott County, Iowa.’’ 

The EA concludes that the 

construction of an approximately 2.8- 

mile rail line would not significantly 

affect the quality of the human 

environment. SEA has independently 

reviewed the EA and agrees with its 

analysis and conclusions. Therefore, 

SEA has determined that the EA meets 

the standards for an adequate 

environmental analysis under NEPA 

and can be adopted, should the Board 

so decide. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By 

petition filed with the Board on July 21, 

2009, the City of Davenport seeks an 

exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502 from 

the prior approval requirements of 49 

U.S.C. 10901 to construct an 

approximately 2.8-mile rail line in 

southern Eldridge, northern Davenport, 

and an unincorporated area of Scott 

County, Iowa.1 The proposed project, 

known as the Eastern Iowa Industrial 

Center Rail Project, would provide 

freight rail service to the Eastern Iowa 

Industrial Center (EIIC), an industrial 

park located along Interstate 80. The 

purpose of the proposed project is to 

provide a rail connection between the 

EIIC and the Eldridge Line of the Iowa 

Chicago & Eastern Railroad and to 

promote economic development in the 

area. 

The City of Davenport anticipates that 

traffic on the proposed route would 

consist of two trains (one round trip) per 

week, and each train would have two to 

three rail cars. As industrial 

development in the area continues, train 

traffic would be expected to increase to 

a maximum of two trains (one round 

trip) per day for the foreseeable future. 

Goods to be shipped over the rail line 

would vary depending on the specific 

industries that may locate along the 

route but would likely consist of 

agricultural equipment, manufactured 

parts, and corn. 

The U.S. Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) and the City of 

Davenport conducted a streamlined 

environmental review of the proposed 

project, and on March 17, 2008, released 

an Environmental Assessment (EA) 

titled ‘‘Eastern Iowa Industrial Center 

Railroad Extension in Davenport, 

Eldridge, and Scott County, Iowa.’’ The 

EA addressed the environmental 

impacts that may result from the 

proposed Eastern Iowa Industrial Center 

Rail Project and concluded that the 

proposed project will have no 

significant adverse social, economic or 

environmental impacts. Following a 

public comment period and a public 

hearing, which was held in Davenport, 

Iowa, on April 28, 2008, FHWA 

determined that the project will not 

have any significant impact on the 

human and natural environment in a 

‘‘Finding of No Significant Impacts’’ 

(FONSI) dated July 8, 2008. 

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10901, the 

Board is the Federal agency responsible 

for granting authority for the 

construction and operation of new rail 

line facilities. In accordance with NEPA, 

the Board must take into account in its 

decision-making the environmental 

impacts of its actions. In its regulations 

implementing NEPA, the Council on 

Environmental Quality (CEQ) strongly 

encourages agencies to reduce 

paperwork and duplication of efforts. 

One of the methods identified by CEQ 

to accomplish these goals is adopting 

the environmental documents prepared 

by other agencies. Accordingly, 

pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.3, the Board 

may adopt the FHWA’s EA as its own 

since the action analyzed by the FHWA 

is substantially the same as that being 

proposed by the City of Davenport. 

SEA carefully reviewed the EA and 

conducted an independent assessment 

of the proposed rail project. Based on 

this review and assessment, SEA 

concludes that the EA adequately 

assesses the environmental impacts of 

the proposed action and can be adopted. 

SEA further concludes that the 

information in the record is adequate 

and no supplemental or additional 

environmental review is required. 

Consequently, SEA preliminarily is 

recommending that the Board adopt the 

EA. 

Copies of the EA and the subsequent 

FONSI have been distributed to 

appropriate Federal, state and local 

agencies; tribes; and the public and will 

be made available to additional parties 

upon request. The EA and FONSI are 

also available for review on the Board’s 

Web site (http://www.stb.dot.gov) by 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES

55086 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 205 / Monday, October 26, 2009 / Notices 

going to ‘‘ENVIRONMENTAL 

MATTERS,’’ clicking on the ‘‘Key 

Cases’’ link, and then clicking on 

‘‘Eastern Iowa Industrial Center Rail 

Project.’’ In addition, the EA is available 

for inspection at the Main Street 

Library, which is located at 321 Main 

Street, Davenport, Iowa 52801–1490. 

SEA will consider all comments 

received in making its final 

recommendations to the Board. The 

Board will then consider SEA’s final 

recommendations and the complete 

environmental record in making its final 

decision in this proceeding. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christa Dean, Attorney and Project 

Manager, at (202) 245–0299; e-mail: 

christa.dean@stb.dot.gov. Federal 

Information Relay Service for the 

hearing impaired: 1–800–877–8339. 

DATES: The EA is available for public 

review and comment. All comments 

must be submitted or post-marked by 

November 30, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: 

Christa Dean, Surface Transportation 

Board, 395 E Street, SW., Room 1108, 

Washington, DC 20423. 

Please reference STB Docket No. 

35237 in all correspondence. 

Comments on the EA may also be 

filed electronically on the Board’s Web 

site, http://www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking 

on the ‘‘E–FILING’’ link. 

Decided: October 26, 2009. 

By the Board, Victoria Rutson, Chief, 

Section of Environmental Analysis. 

Kulunie L. Cannon, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. E9–25435 Filed 10–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

[Project Number GAI–0067–01 (004)] 

Environmental Impact Statement: 

Hancock and Pearl River Counties, MS 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this 

notice to advise the public that an 

environmental impact statement will be 

prepared for a proposed highway project 

in Hancock and Pearl River Counties, 

Mississippi. The project study area will 

extend a distance of approximately 30 

miles from Interstate 10 south of Kiln, 

MS to Interstate 59 in the vicinity of 

Picayune, Mississippi. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Claiborne Barnwell, Project 

Development Team Leader, Federal 

Highway Administration, 666 North 

Street, Suite 105, Jackson, MS 39202– 

3199, Telephone: (601) 965–4217. 

Contact at the State level is Ms. Kim 

Thurman, Environmental/Location 

Division Administrator, Mississippi 

Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 

1850, Jackson, MS 39215–1850, 

telephone: (601) 359–7920. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

FHWA, in cooperation with the 

Mississippi Department of 

Transportation (MDOT), will prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

for the proposed widening and/or 

realignment of State Route 603/43 in 

Hancock and Pearl River Counties, 

Mississippi. The proposed 

improvements are intended to provide a 

safe and effective hurricane evacuation 

route while alleviating high levels of 

congestion and travel delays presently 

being experienced on the southern 

terminus of State Route 603/43. This 

project was initially started in 2008 as 

an Environmental Assessment. 

However, due to the complexity of the 

project and a high number of sensitive 

wetland and water issues, it has been 

determined that it is appropriate to 

convert this project to an EIS. 

A Coordination Plan for Agency and 

Public Involvement will be developed 

in accordance with Public Law 109–59, 

SAFETEA–LU, Title VI, Section 6002, 

Efficient Environmental Reviews for 

Project Decision Making, August 10, 

2005, and will outline the process by 

which project information will be 

communicated to the lead, cooperating, 

participating, other agencies and 

organizations, and the public. This plan 

will also identify how input from 

agencies and the public will be solicited 

and considered. The coordination Plan 

is intended to be a flexible and fluid 

document and will be available at 

public and agency meetings for review. 

The purpose of the EIS is to address the 

transportation, environmental, and 

safety issues of such a transportation 

corridor. The proposed transportation 

project will be studied both for 

widening of the existing roadway and 

for the potential for new alignment in 

some areas and will provide a safer 

roadway and improve mobility for those 

traveling from Interstate 10 to Interstate 

59. The proposed project will also 

specifically address traffic concerns in 

Kiln, Mississippi and how the existing 

congestion through the town can be best 

alleviated while preserving sensitive 

wetland resources. Alternatives under 

consideration include (1) taking no 

action and (2) build alternatives. 

The FHWA and MDOT are seeking 

input as a part of the scoping process to 

assist in determining and clarifying 

issues relative to this project. Letters 

describing the proposed action and 

soliciting comments will be sent to 

appropriate federal, state, and local 

agencies, Native American tribes, 

private organizations and citizens who 

have previously expressed or are known 

to have interest in this proposal. A 

formal scoping meeting with federal, 

state, and local agencies, and other 

interested parties will be held in the 

near future. Public involvement 

meetings will be held during the EIS 

process. The draft EIS will be available 

for public and agency review and 

comment prior to the official public 

hearing. 

To ensure that the full range of issues 

related to this proposed action are 

addressed and all significant issues 

identified, comments and suggestions 

are invited from all interested parties. 

Comments or questions concerning this 

proposed action and the EIS should be 

directed to the FHWA at the address 

provided above. 

Dated: October 19, 2009 

E. Claiborne Barnwell, 

Project Development Team Leader, Federal 

Highway Administration, Mississippi 

Division, Jackson, Mississippi. 

[FR Doc. E9–25654 Filed 10–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Surface Transportation Board 

[STB Ex Parte No. 552 (Sub-No. 13)] 

Railroad Revenue Adequacy—2008 

Determination 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, 

DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of decision. 

SUMMARY: On October 26, 2009, the 

Board served a decision announcing the 

2008 revenue adequacy determinations 

for the Nation’s Class I railroads. One 

carrier, Norfolk Southern Railway 

Company, is found to be revenue 

adequate. 

DATES: Effective Date: This decision is 

effective on October 26, 2009. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: 

Paul Aguiar, (202) 245–0323. Assistance 

for the hearing impaired is available 

through the Federal Information Relay 

Service (FIRS) at: (800) 877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board 

is required to make an annual 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES