Early Scoping Notice

Michael L. Culotta
Federal Transit Administration
30 September 2019

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 189 (Monday, September 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 51710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21123]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Early Scoping Notice

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Early scoping for the Staten Island North Shore Bus Rapid 
Transit Project in Staten Island, New York.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority-New York City Transit (MTA-NYCT) issue this 
early scoping notice for the Staten Island North Shore Bus Rapid 
Transit (BRT) Project (Project). MTA-NYCT is exploring ways to improve 
transit time and reliability on the North and West Shores of Staten 
Island. The purpose of this early scoping notice is to advise other 
agencies and the public of the intent to further study the Project. The 
Project would improve regional transit service by addressing current 
and projected travel time and reliability issues for trips between the 
West Shore and St. George Terminal. Early scoping for the Project is 
occurring within the context of the Council on Environmental Quality's 
regulations for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA).
    This notice invites public and agency input to ongoing planning 
efforts for the Project through commenting on the draft purpose and 
need, and potential impacts or concerns associated with the Project. 
The Proposed Project is being evaluated in an environmental impact 
statement under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act 
(SEQRA), and public scoping for the SEQRA process is taking place 
concurrently with this NEPA early scoping. Should the Project receive 
FTA funding, FTA intends to use this early scoping process to satisfy 
the formal NEPA scoping.

DATES: Staten Island North Shore BRT Early Scoping Meeting: October 17, 
2019, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical 
Gardens, Lower Great Hall, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, New 
York 10301.
    Additional Opportunity to Comment: The public also may submit 
comments through the Project's website, by mail, and by electronic mail 
at the addresses below. FTA and MTA-NYCT request to receive all 
comments made in response to the Project's early scoping by November 
18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will occur at the Snug Harbor Cultural 
Center & Botanical Gardens, Lower Great Hall, 1000 Richmond Terrace, 
Staten Island, New York 10301. The meeting location is accessible to 
persons with disabilities. If translation, signing services, or other 
special accommodations are needed, please contact Eric Bohn at 646-252-
5165 or via email at eric.bohn@nyct.com.
    The Project's website is https://new.mta.info/northshoreeis. 
Comments may be emailed to NorthShoreEIS@nyct.com. Comments may be 
mailed to MTA New York City Transit, Staten Island North Shore EIS, 2 
Broadway, Room D17.112, New York, NY 10004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cyrenthia Ward, Community Planner, 
FTA, One Bowling Green, Room 428, New York, NY 10004. Email: 
Cyrenthia.ward@dot.gov. Telephone: (212) 668-2183. Eric Bohn, Capital 
Projects Manager, MTA-NYCT, MTA New York City Transit, 2 Broadway, 17th 
Floor, New York, NY 10004. Telephone: (646) 252-5165. Email: 
eric.bohn@nyct.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice invites the public to comment on 
a statement of the Purpose and Need for the Project, the Project study 
area, potential impacts, and potential alternatives. This notice also 
invites the public to review and comment on reports previously 
developed by local planning and transportation agencies that support 
the focus to further study new BRT service for the North and West 
Shores.
    Early scoping is an optional early step in the NEPA process, which 
begins when FTA issues a notice of intent to prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS). Early scoping is intended to generate public 
and agency review and comments on the scope of a planning effort within 
a defined transportation corridor, the project's purpose and need, 
potential alternatives, study area, potential social, economic, and 
environmental impacts, and prior studies before formally preparing an 
EIS. Early scoping can ensure that the public and interested agencies 
are given the opportunity to review and provide comments on the results 
of planning activities that can then be used to inform the NEPA 
process. Early scoping is intended to identify the most reasonable 
alternatives to undergo NEPA environmental review.
    Please see the Project's website (https://new.mta.info/northshoreeis) for more information on the background to the Project, 
the Purpose and Need for the Project, the Project study area, potential 
impacts, and potential alternatives.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

    Issued on: September 24, 2019.
Michael L. Culotta,
Deputy Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-21123 Filed 9-27-19; 8:45 am]
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