Notice2024-12646
Notice of Availability of a Final General Conformity Determination for the California High-Speed Rail System, Palmdale to Burbank Project Section
Primary source
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Published
June 10, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is making a Final General Conformity Determination for the Palmdale to Burbank Project Section of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) System.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 112 (Monday, June 10, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 112 (Monday, June 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48952-48953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12646]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2024-0045]
Notice of Availability of a Final General Conformity
Determination for the California High-Speed Rail System, Palmdale to
Burbank Project Section
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is
making a Final General Conformity Determination for the Palmdale to
Burbank Project Section of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) System.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lana Lau, Supervisory Environmental
Protection Specialist, Environmental Policy, Office of Environmental
Program Management, telephone: (202) 923-5314, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eda18c838cc3a18c98ad898299c38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cd81aca3ace381acb88da9a2b9e3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 (section 327), the
California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA or Authority) has assumed
FRA's environmental review responsibilities under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). However, under
section 327, FRA remains responsible for compliance with the Clean Air
Act General Conformity requirements. In compliance with NEPA and the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Authority published a
Final Environmental Impact Record/Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIR/EIS) for the Palmdale to Burbank Project Section of the California
High-Speed Rail (HSR) System on May 24, 2024.
FRA prepared a Draft General Conformity Determination, pursuant to
40 CFR part 93, subpart B, which establishes the process for complying
with the General Conformity requirements of the Clean Air Act. FRA
published a notice in the Federal Register on April 2, 2024 at 89 FR
22766, advising the public of the availability of the Draft Conformity
Determination for a 30-day review and comment period. The Draft
Conformity Determination was published at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>,
Docket No. FRA-2024-0045. The comment period of the Draft Conformity
Determination closed on May 2, 2024. FRA received one non-substantive
comment on the Draft General Conformity Determination that was not
germane to FRA's air quality analysis or determination.
FRA prepared the Final General Conformity Determination pursuant to
40 CFR part 93 subpart B and based on the Authority's coordination with
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and South Coast Air
Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The Authority has also consulted
with the USEPA on the overall approach to General Conformity. FRA's
analysis of the Project's potential emissions, completed in close
collaboration with CHSRA, found that construction period emissions
would exceed the General Conformity de minimis threshold for nitrogen
oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) and carbon monoxide (CO) in certain calendar
years. However, operation of the Project would result in an overall
reduction of regional emissions of all applicable air pollutants and
would not cause a localized exceedance of an air quality standard
(during operations). Consistent with the General Conformity Rule, the
Authority will ensure all remaining emissions that exceed de minimis
thresholds, after implementation of impact avoidance and minimization
features and onsite mitigation measures will be completely mitigated to
zero through agreements with the applicable air districts. In addition,
FRA concluded the Project would conform to the approved state
implementation plan (SIP), based on localized CO modeling that shows
that construction emissions exceeding the CO de minimis thresholds
[[Page 48953]]
will not result in a violation of the National Ambient Air Quality
Standards. Based on this commitment and the localized CO modeling, FRA
determined the Project will conform to the requirements in the approved
SIP.
The Final General Conformity Determination is available at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, Docket No. FRA-2024-0045, and FRA's website at
<a href="https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/clean-air-act-california-general-conformity-determinations">https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/clean-air-act-california-general-conformity-determinations</a>.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Marlys Ann Osterhues,
Director, Office of Environmental Program Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-12646 Filed 6-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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