HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-16-2001-10bs 1
ORANGE COUNTY
HOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
- ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 16, 20D1
Action Agentla
Item No. X42
SUBJECT' S M t H'gh 5 d R l T' I Orak Env rorimental Impact Statement
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
1) SEHSR Tier I Drefl EIS Public Hearing Karen Linwln, ext. 2594
Infornetion Package antl Comment Sheet Craig Henedict ext 2582
(under aeparele cover) HElsbgroO gh NUMBS 2A181
Chapel HIII 9681501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane (338)32]3031
PURPOSE: To revive a report on the Southeast High Speed Rall (SEHSR) antl potential Impacts
for Orange County.
BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Department of Trensporta8on (NCDOT) Rail Division hoe
releeeetl the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Tier I Drag Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS). NCWT la wntluding eleven (11) public hearings in Nodh Carolina (September 11 Mrough
November 8) tc enwumge public comment regaNing the protect. In addition, wmple[e tlreits of
the EIS are available for public review antl wmments at various locations. Nearby locations where
the tlrak EIS can be revlewetl inclutle me NCDOT District 1 ORCe in Raleigh, the NCDOT Division
5 Offiw in Durham, antl the Lee Couniy ManageYS Office in Sanfortl. NCDOT will consider
wmmente eubmiked during this process in making the Stutly Area Rewmmentlation Reppd, which
is to be wmpleletl by the antl of this year.
The EIS process for this project Is tlivitled into Mro tiers. The purpose of the Tier I EIS is to
consitler regional impacts of the incremental high speed rail project In oMer to identify a general
cprritlor bcatan, antl to gather public input into the pmcess_ The Tier II phase of the project will
provitle tletails of track lowtlona (relocations), station artangements and other final design
elements.
The Tier I Drefl EIS wmpares potential environmemal impacts antl engineering wncerns for nine
(9) allemative routes throughout [he stutly area. Six of those alternatives use the NoM Carolina
Ra'Jroatl (NCRR) condor that traverses Orenga County. NCDOT will use the wmpadaon of
impacts in Tier I Dmfl EIS, along wRh public wmmenta, to determine al[emafivee to be wrtietl
fonvartl into a Final Tierl EIS. The Federal Highway Atlminiatra[ion (FHA) and Fetlerel Ra'Jroad
Atlministre[ion (ERA) will then issue a Recprtl of Oeciaion (R00) for the project. If the ROD selects
a burnt alternative, the project will begin the Tier I I phase.
The Tier I EIS uses secondary data sources and general trends within the stutly area to compare
environmental Impacts of the nine alternatives. The wnclusiona. therefore, are basetl on a 'big
picture' perspective and not basetl on actual surveys and pmcise impacts. Specific impacts,
benefits antl mitigation measures will be detalletl in the Tiar II environmental documentation
process.
Impacts of the SEHSR project in Orange County wnnvt be fully tleterminetl until the RecoN of
Decision has been made and details to be determinetl In the Tier II EIS have been worked out.
The Tier it sWtly process Is schetluletl to begin in January, 2083.
The aflached information package from the public hearing held in Durham on September 18, 2801
contains pertinent pages tram the Executive Summary of the Tier I Dmfl EIS.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at Nis time.
RECOMMENDATION: The Atlminietratlon recommends Nat the BOerd receive the report antl
atltlress eny comments tc sYaf(to be forwarded to NCDOT Rail Diviapn.