[Federal Register: August 10, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 153)]
[Notices]
[Page 48514]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10au04-106]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[CDG01-04-108]
Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Goethals Bridge
Modernization Program
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard, as the Federal lead agency, and in
cooperation with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
(PANY&NJ), intends to prepare and circulate a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed new bridge to replace the
existing Goethals Bridge which crosses the Arthur Kill between Staten
Island, New York and Elizabeth, New Jersey and is part of the Goethals
Bridge Modernization Program. This Notice of Intent is a necessary part
of the Environmental Impact Statement process as required by the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Coast Guard issues this
Notice of Intent to provide notice of the prospective project and to
seek comments to ensure that all significant issues are identified and
the full range of alternatives and impacts of the proposed project are
addressed.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 9, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Commander (obr), First Coast Guard
District, Battery Park Building, One South Street, New York, New York,
10004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gary Kassof, Bridge Program
Manager, at the address above or by telephone at (212) 668-7165.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice of intent is published as
required by regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality at 40
CFR 1501.7.
The proposed project constitutes the PANY&NJ's Goethals Bridge
Modernization Program (the ``Program''). The Program proposes to
replace the existing Goethals Bridge, which has substandard geometrics
and is experiencing escalating deterioration, thereby causing safety
and reliability concerns.
The design of a proposed new facility would reflect current traffic
design standards, modern structural and seismic codes, national-
security safeguards and technology enhancements. It would also add the
operational flexibility to facilitate future transit-service
opportunities.
A Coast Guard bridge permit authorizing the location and plans for
the bridge project, which crosses navigable waters of the United
States, is required before construction may begin. Based on available
information, the Coast Guard has determined that an EIS would be the
appropriate level of environmental documentation for assessing the
potential impacts of the proposed project under Section 102(2)(C) of
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended.
In addition to the no-build alternative (no-action), the selection
of alternatives to be evaluated in the DEIS may include: alternative
alignments within the existing bridge corridor; alternative bridge
designs; provision of high-occupancy vehicle or express bus lanes;
intelligent vehicular highway system options; congestion pricing
options; consideration of transit alternatives such as potential light
rail, commuter rail, bus and/or ferry routes and services; as well as
all other reasonable alternatives identified by the public.
Potentially significant issues to be evaluated include:
displacement of residential, commercial and industrial properties;
disruption of contaminated properties located within the proposed
project right-of-way; existing and future land use and traffic
patterns; threatened and endangered species, and critical habitat;
historic and archeological resources, including the existing historic
Goethals Bridge; wetlands; water quality; noise; air quality;
navigation; construction impacts; and cumulative impacts.
A formal interagency scoping meeting with federal, state, and local
agencies with environmental expertise is planned for early September
2004. In addition, public scoping meetings in both Staten Island and
Elizabeth are planned for October 2004. The dates for the public
scoping meetings will be announced locally as well as in the Federal
Register.
All interested parties are invited to submit written comments to
ensure that all significant issues are identified and the full range of
alternatives and impacts of the proposed projects are addressed.
Dated: July 30, 2004.
John L. Greiner,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Commander, First Coast Guard
District.
[FR Doc. 04-18205 Filed 8-9-04; 8:45 am]
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