Notice2021-14549
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Highway Project, Bronx County, NY
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 12, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Highway Administration
Abstract
FHWA is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit comments and advise the public, agencies, and stakeholders that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed replacement or rehabilitation of the Shore Road Bridge over the Hutchinson River in Bronx County, New York (the Project). This NOI contains a summary of the information required in the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. This NOI should be reviewed together with the NOI Report, which contains important details about the proposed project and supplements the information in this NOI. Persons and agencies who may be interested in or affected by the proposed project are encouraged to comment on the information in this NOI and the NOI Report.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 130 (Monday, July 12, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 130 (Monday, July 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36591-36593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14549]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2021-0006]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
a Proposed Highway Project, Bronx County, NY
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: FHWA is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit
comments and advise the public, agencies, and stakeholders that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed
replacement or rehabilitation of the Shore Road Bridge over the
Hutchinson River in Bronx County, New York (the Project). This NOI
contains a summary of the information required in the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. This NOI should be reviewed
together with the NOI Report, which contains important details about
the proposed project and supplements the information in this NOI.
Persons and agencies who may be interested in or affected by the
proposed project are encouraged to comment on the information in this
NOI and the NOI Report.
DATES: Comments on the NOI or the NOI Report are to be received by FHWA
at the address below by August 11, 2021.
ADDRESSES: This NOI and the NOI Report are also available in the docket
referenced above at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. and on the project
website located at <a href="https://shoreroadbridgebx.com/">https://shoreroadbridgebx.com/</a>. The NOI Report will
be mailed upon request.
To submit comments on the NOI or the NOI Report, please submit them
by only one of the following means to ensure you do not duplicate your
submissions:
<bullet> Mail: Federal Highway Administration, New York Division,
Attention: Shore Road Bridge Project (PIN X773.63), Leo W. O'Brien
Federal Building, 11A Clinton Avenue, Suite 719, Albany, New York
12207.
<bullet> Mail: New York City Department of Transportation, Division
of Bridges, Shore Road Bridge Project Team, Attention: Joannene Kidder,
55 Water Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10041.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ccff4f3eef9cef3fdf8deeef5f8fbf9dec4dcf8f3e8b2f2e5ffb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="47142f2835221528262305352e232022051f0723283369293e2469202831">[email protected]</span></a>.
The comments received during this 30-day comment period will be
published in the Draft EIS without change, including any personal
information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard J. Marquis, Division
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New York Division, Leo
W. O'Brien Federal Building, 11A Clinton Avenue, Suite 719, Albany, New
York 12207, Telephone: (518) 431-4127, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e5b78c868ecba8849794908c96a5818a91cb828a93"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e5b78c868ecba8849794908c96a5818a91cb828a93">[email protected]</span></a> or
Naim Rasheed, Assistant Commissioner, New York City Department of
Transportation, Traffic Engineering & Planning, 55 Water Street, 6th
floor, New York, NY 10004, Telephone: (212) 839-7710, Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0d5e65627f685f626c694f7f64696a684f554d6962792363746e236a627b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f3a09b9c8196a19c9297b1819a979496b1abb3979c87dd9d8a90dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>.
Interested persons can also use the Shore Road Bridge email address
referenced above to request to be added to the project mailing list to
receive notices of future project information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FHWA, as Federal lead agency, the New York
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), as joint lead agency, and
the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), as project
sponsor and joint lead agency, are preparing an EIS for the Shore Road
Bridge over Hutchinson River Project located in the Bronx, New York, in
accordance with the requirements of the
[[Page 36592]]
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C.
4321, et seq.), 23 U.S.C. 139, CEQ regulations implementing NEPA (40
CFR 1500-1508), FHWA regulations implementing NEPA (23 CFR 771.101-
771.139) and applicable Federal, State, and local governmental laws and
regulations. The Project is classified as a NEPA Class I action under
23 CFR part 771 and a City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) Type 1
action under 6 NYCRR 617 and 43 RCNY Sec. 6. To ensure that a full
range of issues are addressed in the EIS and potential issues are
identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested
parties. FHWA requests comments and suggestions on potential project
alternatives and impacts, and the identification of any relevant
information, studies, or analyses of any kind concerning impacts
affecting the quality of the human environment. The purpose of this
request is to bring relevant comments, information, and analyses to
FHWA's attention, as early in the process as possible, to enable the
agency to make maximum use of this information in decision making.
An NOI was previously published in the Federal Register in 1999 to
advise the public that an EIS would be prepared for rehabilitation,
reconstruction, or replacement of the Shore Road Bridge over the
Hutchinson River in Bronx County, New York. FHWA rescinded the 1999 NOI
by a Notice published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2021, because a
substantial amount of time had passed since the original NOI was
published.
The Shore Road Bridge, also known as the Pelham Bridge, is an 865-
foot-long bridge with seven spans. The main span over the navigation
channel is a double-leaf movable bascule span, which is flanked by
three concrete arch spans on either side. The bridge and its associated
roadway provide access to major interchanges with the Hutchinson River
Parkway and Bruckner Expressway west of the bridge and City Island Road
east of the bridge.
1. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the Project is to address the structural
deficiencies, geometric deficiencies, and operational reliability for
multi-modal users, including marine vessels, of the Shore Road Bridge
over the Hutchinson River. The objectives of the Project are to address
the identified structural, geometric and operational deficiencies of
the crossing, address operational constraints associated with the
passage of marine vessels under the bridge, and improve bicycle/
pedestrian facilities on the Shore Road Bridge. The Project is needed
to address structural deficiencies; improve vehicular and marine
traffic operations and the operational reliability of the bridge;
address geometric deficiencies; and improve pedestrian and bicycle
accommodations. The complete current draft project purpose and need
statement may be reviewed in the NOI Report available in the docket
established for this project and on the project website as noted in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments on the Purpose and Need for the Proposed
Action are welcomed during the NOI comment period.
2. Preliminary Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives
A reasonable range of alternatives for detailed study in the EIS is
currently being considered and will be refined in consideration of
agency and public comments received during the NOI comment period. In
addition to the No Action Alternative, potential project alternatives
include bridge replacement and bridge rehabilitation. A preliminary
description of these potential alternatives is provided below.
Additional information on the proposed alternatives is included in the
NOI Report available for review in the docket established for this
project and on the project website as noted in the ADDRESSES section.
Comments on the proposed alternatives to be included in the draft EIS
are welcomed during the NOI comment period.
The No Action Alternative assumes no improvements other than those
planned by others or implemented as part of routine maintenance. The
Bridge Rehabilitation Alternative would require major work to extend
the useful life of the existing Shore Road Bridge. The operability of
the bridge would need to be maintained while addressing structural
deficiencies, geometric deficiencies, and operational reliability of
the bridge.
The Bridge Replacement Alternative would replace the existing Shore
Road Bridge with a new bridge. Various bridge replacement concepts will
be considered during the scoping process, including both on-line and
off-line horizontal alignments and several different vertical profile/
clearances (heights) over the navigation channel in the closed or fixed
positions.
Additional information on the potential alternatives, as well as
maps and figures illustrating the project location, are provided in the
NOI Report available for review in the docket established for this
project and on the project website as noted in the ADDRESSES section.
3. Summary of Expected Impacts
The EIS will include an evaluation of the potential social,
economic, and environmental effects resulting from the implementation
of the Project. Based on preliminary review of existing conditions
within and in proximity to the Project location, the implementation of
the Project could result in effects to cultural and historic resources;
social conditions; parks and recreational areas; threatened and
endangered species; tidal wetlands; coastal resources; navigable
waters; hazardous waste and contaminated materials; floodplains;
traffic noise; air quality; local and regional economies; and visual
resources. The analyses and evaluations conducted for the EIS will
identify the potential for effects; whether the anticipated effects
would be adverse; and mitigation measures for adverse effects.
Evaluations under Section 4(f) of the USDOT Act of 1966, 23 CFR part
774, and Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of
1965, 54 U.S.C. 200302, will be prepared, and consultation under
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 54
U.S.C. 300101-307108, will be undertaken concurrently with the NEPA/
CEQR environmental review processes. Additional information on the
expected impacts is provided in the NOI Report available for review in
the docket established for this project and on the project website as
noted in the ADDRESSES section. Comments on the expected impacts to be
analyzed in the draft EIS are welcomed during the NOI comment period.
4. Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations
Potential permits and approvals for the Project include: U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE) permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act, 33 U.S.C. 1344, and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, 33
U.S.C. 403, for construction in the Hutchinson River and potential
tidal wetland impacts; U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Bridge Permit, which
establishes allowable clearances for bridges over navigable waterways
such as the Hutchinson River; National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Section 7 Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1536, consultation for
potential impacts on threatened and/or endangered species in the
Hutchinson River; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Section 7
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1536, consultation for potential
impacts to federally-listed threatened species; NMFS Essential Fish
[[Page 36593]]
Habitat Consultation for potential impacts to species due to
construction in the Hutchinson River; as well as any other relevant New
York State and City permits. Field verification meetings with USACE for
the wetlands delineation were held on June 12, 2018 and September 10,
2019. USACE issued a jurisdictional determination (JD) on June 15,
2020.
The first Cooperating Agency meeting for the Project was held on
March 3, 2021. Cooperating Agencies include USACE, NMFS, United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC), and New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) at New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
(NYSOPRHP).
The first Participating Agency meeting for the Project was held on
March 5, 2021. Participating Agencies include USCG, United States
Department of Interior (USDOI)/National Park Service (NPS), USFWS,
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA), Village of Pelham Manor, New York City
Department of Parks and Recreation (NYCDPR), New York City Department
of City Planning (NYCDCP), New York City Landmarks Preservation
Commission (LPC), New York City Department of Environmental Protection
(NYCDEP), New York City Mayor's Office of Resiliency (NYCMOR), New York
City Office of Emergency Management (NYCEM), New York City Mayor's
Office of Environmental Coordination, New York City Mayor's Office of
Sustainability (NYCMOS), New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY),
Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), City of New York Police
Department (NYPD), New York City Public Design Commission, New York
Office of General Services (OGS), Delaware Tribe, Shinnecock Indian
Nation Tribal Office, and Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
Meetings with Cooperating and Participating Agencies will continue
to be held throughout the environmental review process. In addition, a
meeting with USCG was held on April 21, 2021.
5. Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
The Project schedule will be established as part of the
requirements of the environmental review process under 23 U.S.C. 139
and will comply with 40 CFR 1501.10(b)(2), which requires that
environmental reviews and authorization decisions for major
infrastructure projects occur within two years (from the date of
publication of the NOI to the date of issuance of the Record of
Decision [ROD]), and all necessary authorizations be issued efficiently
and in a timely manner, in cooperation with the FHWA. A current draft
of the coordination plan, public involvement plan, and project schedule
are included in the NOI Report, which is available for review in the
docket established for this project and on the project website as noted
in the ADDRESSES section.
The anticipated project schedule is outlined below:
<bullet> Public Scoping Meetings (August 2021)
<bullet> Scoping Report Publication (November 2021)
<bullet> Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS (DEIS) (October 2022)
<bullet> Public Hearing (October 2022)
<bullet> End of DEIS Comment Period (November 2022)
<bullet> Publish Single Final EIS (FEIS)/ROD (April 2023)
<bullet> Issue all Project Permits and Authorization Decisions (July
2023)
6. A Description of the Public Scoping Process
Public and agency outreach will include a formal Public Scoping
Meeting scheduled on August 3, 2021. A Public Hearing on the DEIS will
also be scheduled. The first Cooperating Agency meeting for the Project
was held on March 3, 2021 and the first Participating Agency meeting
for the Project was held on March 5, 2021. During these meetings, the
agencies were presented with a general overview of the Project,
including the project needs, purpose, and objectives and project
schedule, a discussion of the anticipated roles and responsibilities of
the agencies, a summary of key environmental topics, and planned public
outreach activities. Monthly meetings with Cooperating Agencies and
periodic meetings with Participating Agencies will continue to be held
throughout the environmental review process. Concurrence Point #1, the
adoption of the Project Purpose, Objectives, and Need, was distributed
to the Cooperating Agencies on March 8, 2021. Attachment A to the
Agency Coordination Plan is the Permitting Timetable and it was
distributed to the Cooperating Agencies on March 16, 2021 and April 9,
2021. The Permitting Timetable will be posted by FHWA to the Federal
Permitting Dashboard within 30 days of the publication of this Notice
of Intent. The Agency Coordination Plan and Public Involvement Plan
were distributed to the Cooperating Agencies on April 7, 2021 and will
be posted on the project website.
As described in the ADDRESSES section, an NOI Report is located in
the docket established for this project and on the project website. The
NOI Report includes the Draft Statement of Purpose, Needs and
Objectives; Agency Coordination Plan; Public Involvement Plan;
Schedule/NEPA Process/Project Timeline; and Project Maps/Figures.
Public notice will be given of the date, time, and location of the
Public Scoping Meeting consistent with the Public Involvement Plan. To
assist in determining the scope of issues to be addressed and
identifying the potential for significant issues related to the
proposed action, the public will have the opportunity to submit written
comments at the Public Scoping Meeting and during the 30-day scoping
comment period beginning on the date of this NOI publication. A DEIS
will be available for public and agency review and comment prior to the
DEIS Public Hearing.
7. Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information,
and Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action
With this Notice, FHWA, NYSDOT, and NYCDOT request and encourage
State, Tribal, and local government agencies, and the public, to review
the NOI and NOI Report, and submit comments on any aspect of the
Project. Specifically, agencies and the public are asked to identify
and submit potential alternatives for consideration and information
such as anticipated significant issues or environmental impacts and
analyses relevant to the proposed action for consideration by the Lead
and Cooperating Agencies in developing the DEIS. Comments must be
received by August 11, 2021. Comments or questions concerning this
proposed action, including comments relative to potential alternatives,
information and analyses, should be directed to the FHWA and NYCDOT at
the addresses provided in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section
of this notice.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 23 U.S.C. 139; 23 CFR part
771.
Issued on: June 30, 2021.
Richard J. Marquis,
Division Administrator, Albany, NY.
[FR Doc. 2021-14549 Filed 7-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P
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