May 29, 2020 - TRA Newswire -
Final HSR Environmental Study released today by FRA
30 Day review period starts
Record of Decision expected this summer
Today, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail project that will be built by Texas Central Railway. The Final EIS will lead to a Record of Decision from the federal agency.
The Final EIS is available for public review beginning today on the FRA project website, https://railroads.dot.gov/current-environmental-reviews/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail and at locations throughout the project area. A preferred alternative has been identified in the Final EIS, which includes terminal station locations in Dallas and Houston, and an intermediate station west of Roans Prairie in Grimes County.
The Final EIS evaluates and documents the reasonably foreseeable potential beneficial and adverse environmental impacts of implementing TCR’s HSR system, including a No Build Alternative and six Build Alternatives between Dallas and Houston. The study area for the Project traverses 10 counties between Dallas and Houston over a 240 long mile for-profit high speed rail line. The system is based on the Japanese N700-Series Tokaido Shinkansen. That technology is described in a Rule of Particular Applicability (RPA) submitted by Texas Central Railroad, LLC (TCRR).
In reviewing the EIS, Rail Passengers Association reported that the FRA found no red flags that could stop the project, although it uncovered a small number of homes and businesses that Texas Central will have to compensate for relocation or disruption -- 12 businesses and 49 homes across the entire 240-mile route. The study also found that having the train would shift 26% of travelers off the roads and 2% out of airplanes, while generating billions of dollars in economic benefit for the communities along the route. Property values would also likely increase, and greenhouse gas emissions will ultimately be reduced. The improvements constructed under the Project would generate tax revenue for the jurisdictions in which they would be located. The property premium around station areas would also generate property tax revenue, providing an additional benefit to the taxing jurisdictions.
Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 the FRA is providing the public a 30-day review period for the Programmatic Agreement that FRA has developed for the Project in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, United States Army Corps of Engineers, TCRR, and other Consulting Parties. The public can submit comments on the Programmatic Agreement through June 29, 2020 on FRA’s Project website at https://railroads.dot.gov/current-environmental-reviews/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail. The FRA has provided Consulting Parties with an opportunity to review and comment on the draft Programmatic Agreement prior to the release of the Final EIS.
The documents will be available to view at the following locations:
Dallas County
Erik Jonsson Central Library: 1515 Young Street, Dallas, Texas 75201
Martin Luther King Branch Library: 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75215
Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library: 2008 E Kiest Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75216
Pleasant Grove Branch Library: 7310 Lake June Road, Dallas, Texas 75217
Ellis County
Ellis County Courts and Administration: 109 S. Jackson, Waxahachie, Texas 75165
Ennis Public Library Central Library: 501 W Ennis Avenue, Ennis, Texas 75119
Navarro County
Corsicana Library: 100 N 12th Street, Corsicana, Texas 75110
Navarro County Courthouse: 300 W. 3rd Avenue, Corsicana, Texas 75110
Freestone County
Freestone County Courthouse: 118 East Commerce Street, Room 205, Fairfield, Texas 75840
Teague Public Library Central Library: 400 Main Street, Teague, Texas 75860
Limestone County
Gibbs Memorial Library Central Library: 318 E. Main, Mexia, Texas 76667
Limestone County Courthouse: 200 W State Street, Suite 101, Groesbeck, Texas 76642
Leon County
Buffalo Public Library: 1005 Hill Street, Buffalo, Texas 75831
Leon County Clerk’s Office: 155 N Cass Street, First Floor, Centerville TX 75833
Madison County
Madison County Courthouse: 103 West Trinity, Suite 104, Madisonville, Texas 77864
Madison County Library: 605 S May Street, Madisonville, Texas 77864
Grimes County
Grimes County Courthouse: 100 Main Street, Anderson, Texas 77830
Navasota Public Library Central Library: 1411 E Washington Avenue, Navasota, Texas 77868
Waller County
Waller County Courthouse: 836 Austin Street, Hempstead, Texas 77445
Waller County Library Central Library: 2331 11th Street, Hempstead, Texas 77445
Harris County
Fairbanks Library: 7122 Gessner Road, Houston, Texas 77040
Houston Public Library: 500 McKinney Street, Houston, Texas 77002
Northwest Branch Library: 11355 Regency Green Drive, Cypress, Texas 77429
Spring Branch Memorial Library: 930 Corbindale Road, Houston, Texas 77024
The list of repositories also can be found in Appendix B, Distribution List of the Final EIS and posted on the FRA project website. FRA suggests that the public call the repositories before going there to confirm the availability of, and access to, the Final EIS documents. Additionally, a limited supply of copies of the Final EIS is available to the public in print or electronically (USB flash drive), upon request.
Requests for additional information or for a copy of the Final EIS (as supplies last) may be submitted to Kevin Wright, Environmental Protection Specialist, FRA, at 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, MS-20, Washington, D.C. 20590; or via email at kevin.wright@dot.gov.
Final HSR Environmental Study released today by FRA
30 Day review period starts
Record of Decision expected this summer
Today, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail project that will be built by Texas Central Railway. The Final EIS will lead to a Record of Decision from the federal agency.
The Final EIS is available for public review beginning today on the FRA project website, https://railroads.dot.gov/current-environmental-reviews/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail and at locations throughout the project area. A preferred alternative has been identified in the Final EIS, which includes terminal station locations in Dallas and Houston, and an intermediate station west of Roans Prairie in Grimes County.
The Final EIS evaluates and documents the reasonably foreseeable potential beneficial and adverse environmental impacts of implementing TCR’s HSR system, including a No Build Alternative and six Build Alternatives between Dallas and Houston. The study area for the Project traverses 10 counties between Dallas and Houston over a 240 long mile for-profit high speed rail line. The system is based on the Japanese N700-Series Tokaido Shinkansen. That technology is described in a Rule of Particular Applicability (RPA) submitted by Texas Central Railroad, LLC (TCRR).
In reviewing the EIS, Rail Passengers Association reported that the FRA found no red flags that could stop the project, although it uncovered a small number of homes and businesses that Texas Central will have to compensate for relocation or disruption -- 12 businesses and 49 homes across the entire 240-mile route. The study also found that having the train would shift 26% of travelers off the roads and 2% out of airplanes, while generating billions of dollars in economic benefit for the communities along the route. Property values would also likely increase, and greenhouse gas emissions will ultimately be reduced. The improvements constructed under the Project would generate tax revenue for the jurisdictions in which they would be located. The property premium around station areas would also generate property tax revenue, providing an additional benefit to the taxing jurisdictions.
Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 the FRA is providing the public a 30-day review period for the Programmatic Agreement that FRA has developed for the Project in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, United States Army Corps of Engineers, TCRR, and other Consulting Parties. The public can submit comments on the Programmatic Agreement through June 29, 2020 on FRA’s Project website at https://railroads.dot.gov/current-environmental-reviews/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail/dallas-houston-high-speed-rail. The FRA has provided Consulting Parties with an opportunity to review and comment on the draft Programmatic Agreement prior to the release of the Final EIS.
The documents will be available to view at the following locations:
Dallas County
Erik Jonsson Central Library: 1515 Young Street, Dallas, Texas 75201
Martin Luther King Branch Library: 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75215
Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library: 2008 E Kiest Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75216
Pleasant Grove Branch Library: 7310 Lake June Road, Dallas, Texas 75217
Ellis County
Ellis County Courts and Administration: 109 S. Jackson, Waxahachie, Texas 75165
Ennis Public Library Central Library: 501 W Ennis Avenue, Ennis, Texas 75119
Navarro County
Corsicana Library: 100 N 12th Street, Corsicana, Texas 75110
Navarro County Courthouse: 300 W. 3rd Avenue, Corsicana, Texas 75110
Freestone County
Freestone County Courthouse: 118 East Commerce Street, Room 205, Fairfield, Texas 75840
Teague Public Library Central Library: 400 Main Street, Teague, Texas 75860
Limestone County
Gibbs Memorial Library Central Library: 318 E. Main, Mexia, Texas 76667
Limestone County Courthouse: 200 W State Street, Suite 101, Groesbeck, Texas 76642
Leon County
Buffalo Public Library: 1005 Hill Street, Buffalo, Texas 75831
Leon County Clerk’s Office: 155 N Cass Street, First Floor, Centerville TX 75833
Madison County
Madison County Courthouse: 103 West Trinity, Suite 104, Madisonville, Texas 77864
Madison County Library: 605 S May Street, Madisonville, Texas 77864
Grimes County
Grimes County Courthouse: 100 Main Street, Anderson, Texas 77830
Navasota Public Library Central Library: 1411 E Washington Avenue, Navasota, Texas 77868
Waller County
Waller County Courthouse: 836 Austin Street, Hempstead, Texas 77445
Waller County Library Central Library: 2331 11th Street, Hempstead, Texas 77445
Harris County
Fairbanks Library: 7122 Gessner Road, Houston, Texas 77040
Houston Public Library: 500 McKinney Street, Houston, Texas 77002
Northwest Branch Library: 11355 Regency Green Drive, Cypress, Texas 77429
Spring Branch Memorial Library: 930 Corbindale Road, Houston, Texas 77024
The list of repositories also can be found in Appendix B, Distribution List of the Final EIS and posted on the FRA project website. FRA suggests that the public call the repositories before going there to confirm the availability of, and access to, the Final EIS documents. Additionally, a limited supply of copies of the Final EIS is available to the public in print or electronically (USB flash drive), upon request.
Requests for additional information or for a copy of the Final EIS (as supplies last) may be submitted to Kevin Wright, Environmental Protection Specialist, FRA, at 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, MS-20, Washington, D.C. 20590; or via email at kevin.wright@dot.gov.