environmental impact report/ environmental impact ... · pdf fileenvironmental review status...
TRANSCRIPT
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Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement:
Merced to Fresno Section
1
May 2, 2012
Staff Presentation on the Final EIR
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Agenda
• Merced to Fresno Section
• Environmental Review Status
• Preferred Alternative
• Design Refinements
• Key Issues Raised by Public Comments and Final EIR/EIS Responsiveness
• Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Program
• Significant and Unavoidable Impacts
• Findings of Fact and Overriding Considerations
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Merced to Fresno Section
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Merced to Fresno Section
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Alternatives Evaluated
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Environmental Review Status • Public Draft EIR/EIS
– Public comment period: 60-day review period that ended October 13, 2011.
• Board identified the Preferred Alternative on December 13, 2011 – Considered the comments and technical EIR/EIS findings in identifying
the Preferred Alternative.
• Administrative draft Final EIR/EIS reviewed by EPA, Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation.
• Final EIR/EIS – Published on April 20, 2012
• Board meeting to consider EIR Certification under CEQA – Opportunity for public comment – May 2, 2012, Fresno
– Consideration of certification – May 3, 2012, Fresno
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Selection of Preferred Alternative • Preferred Alternative
– Hybrid Alternative – Downtown Merced Station – Mariposa Station Alternative in Fresno
• Hybrid Alternative Highlights – Fewer community impacts than UPRR/SR 99 and BNSF
alternatives. – Fewer biological impacts than BNSF Alternative, similar to
UPRR/SR 99 Alternative. – Impacts on Prime Agricultural lands similar to UPRR/SR 99
Alternative (less than the BNSF Alternative) but greater impacts on Important Farmlands than the UPRR/SR 99.
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Selection of Preferred Alternative • Status:
– FRA supports the Hybrid Alternative as Preferred Alternative.
– USACE and EPA have provided preliminary concurrence of the Hybrid Alternative as the least environmentally damaging, practicable alternative (Section 404(b)(1), Clean Water Act).
– FRA determined that the Hybrid Alternative would result in the least harm (Section 4(f), Department of Transportation Act).
– State Historic Preservation Officer has provided preliminary concurrence with Findings of Effect (Section 106, National Historic Preservation Act).
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Preferred Alternative
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Design Refinements
• Advanced design to 30% in Fresno
• Slab track versus ballasted track
• Refined design, consistent with design criteria, to reduce impacts on:
– Businesses
– Circulation
– Biological resources
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Comments on Draft EIR/EIS
• Approximately 700 comment submittals from:
– California legislators
– Local governments
– Federal agencies and tribes
– State and regional agencies
– Businesses
– Organizations
– Residents and other interested members of the public
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Primary Issues Identified in Public and Agency Comments • Transportation
• Air Quality
• Noise
• Biological Resources
• Safety
• Socioeconomics
• Agricultural Lands
• Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
• Visual Resources
• Cultural Resources
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Locations that Exemplify the Resource Issues
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Downtown Merced Station
Arboleda Drive to Sandy Mush
Road (Plainsburg Road)
Madera Acres
San Joaquin River
Roeding Park
Downtown Fresno Station
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Downtown Merced Station Area Transportation/Safety
• Fire lane safety
• Traffic circulation and overcrossing
• Safe pedestrian/bike overcrossing on G Street
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Downtown Merced Station Area Transportation/Safety
• Fire lane safety
• Traffic circulation and overcrossing
• Safe pedestrian/bike overcrossing on G Street
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Downtown Merced Station Area Transportation/Safety
• Fire lane safety
• Traffic circulation and overcrossing
• Safe pedestrian/bike overcrossing on G Street
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15
G Street
Overcrossing
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Arboleda Drive to Sandy Mush Road Transportation, Agricultural Lands, Biological Resources
• Minimize agricultural impact
• Accommodate planned SR 99 modification
• Maintain habitat connectivity
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to Merced to Merced
to
Chowchilla
HST track
adjacent to
existing
railroad and
highway
to
San Jose
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Arboleda Drive to Sandy Mush Road Transportation, Agricultural Lands, Biological Resources
• Minimize agricultural impact
• Accommodate planned SR 99 modification
• Maintain habitat connectivity
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to Merced
to
Chowchilla
to Merced
to
Chowchilla
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Arboleda Drive to Sandy Mush Road Transportation, Agricultural Lands, Biological Resources
• Minimize agricultural impact
• Accommodate planned SR 99 modification
• Maintain habitat connectivity
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to Merced
to
Chowchilla
Essential habitat
connectivity area
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Madera Acres Area Transportation, Safety, and Noise Improvements
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SR145
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Fresno River Biological Resources
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Crossing of the Fresno River
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Fresno River – Elevate HST Tracks Socioeconomics and Biological Resources
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Draft EIR/EIS footprint shows:
Road modifications needed with
span over Fresno River.
Final EIR/EIS footprint shows:
Elevated span eliminates the need
for road modifications.
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School Districts Safety/Children’s Health/District Revenue
• Safe bus and walk to school routes
• School revenues
• Effects during construction
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Maintain or improve existing system
Available housing within districts for relocations
Air quality mitigation and regulated construction methods
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San Joaquin River Biological Resources
23 5/9/2012
SR 99 UPRR
N
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Roeding Park Transportation, Parks, Cultural and Visual Resources, Noise
• Balance circulation with park and cultural resources
• Olive Avenue overcrossing, improve safety, and eliminate railroad horns
• Consider visual and noise effects
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Roeding Park
Golden State Blvd,
existing UPRR tracks,
Weber Avenue
Olive Avenue
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Roeding Park Transportation, Parks, Cultural and Visual Resources, Noise
• Balance circulation with park and cultural resources
• Olive Avenue overcrossing, improve safety, and eliminate railroad horns
• Consider visual and noise effects
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Roeding Park – Northeast Corner
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Existing Conditions
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Roeding Park – Northeast Corner
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Olive Avenue Overcrossing and High-Speed Train
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Roeding Park – Northeast Corner
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Olive Avenue Overcrossing and Sound Barrier
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Roeding Park – Northeast Corner
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Olive Avenue Overcrossing and Sound Barrier
Partially Hidden by Additional Vegetation
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Downtown Fresno Station – Mariposa Street Alternative
• Consistent with Downtown Revitalization Plan
• Sensitive to traffic circulation needs
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Southern Pacific Railroad Depot
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Southern Pacific Railroad Depot
Downtown Fresno Station – Mariposa Street Alternative
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Downtown Fresno Station
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Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
• The Project minimizes impacts by
– Including design features
– Complying with applicable regulations
• For each mitigation measure, the MMRP identifies:
– The party responsible for implementation
– The timing of implementation
– The implementation mechanism
• Construction would adhere to the MMRP
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Significant and Unavoidable Impacts
• Noise
• Agricultural Lands
• Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
• Aesthetics and Visual Resources
• Cultural Resources
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Findings of Fact and Overriding Considerations
• Presents a project’s significant unavoidable impacts
• Describes the economic, social, and other benefits of a project that balance these significant unavoidable impacts
Both will be presented to the Board tomorrow
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Next Steps Following Project Approval
• Ongoing permitting
• Advance right-of-way acquisition process
• Progress design from preliminary to final design
– Continue to explore opportunities to further reduce impacts below those evaluated in the EIR/EIS
– Refine mitigation through coordination with stakeholders
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Environmental Review Status • Public Draft EIR/EIS
– Public comment period: 60-day review period that ended on October 13, 2011.
• Board identified the Preferred Alternative on December 13, 2011 – Considered the comments and technical EIR/EIS findings in the
identification of the Preferred Alternative.
• Administrative Draft Final EIR/EIS reviewed by EPA, Corps, and Bureau of Reclamation.
• Final EIR/EIS – Published on April 20, 2012
• Board meeting to consider EIR Certification under CEQA – Opportunity for public comment – May 2, 2012, Fresno
– Consideration of certification – May 3, 2012, Fresno
• Questions?
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Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement:
Merced to Fresno Section
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May 2, 2012
Staff Presentation on the Final EIR