Norfolk Southern/Conrail Rail ConnectionâBucyrus, Ohio - Surface ...

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APPENDICES A - Petitioner’s Request for Expedited Consideration B - STB Response to Railroads’ Request C - Agency Correspondence Exhibit 1 Comment Request Letter ......................................C-1 Exhibit 2 Address List for Comment Request Letter.........................C-3 Exhibit 3 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District ...................C-7 Exhibit 4 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service ....................C-8 Exhibit 5 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service ....................................................C-9 Exhibit 6 U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .............................................C-10 Exhibit 7 U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs ...........C-11 Exhibit 8 U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs ...........C-13 Exhibit 9 U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service ..........C-14 Exhibit 10 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration . C-16 Exhibit 11 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration . . C-17 Exhibit 12 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency..........................C-18 Exhibit 13 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency..........................C-19 Exhibit 14 National Park Service .......................................C-20 Exhibit 15 Ohio Department of Natural Resources..........................C-21 Exhibit 16 Ohio Environmental Protection Agency .........................C-22 Exhibit 17 Ohio Historical Society ......................................C-23 Exhibit 18 Ohio State Clearinghouse ....................................C-24 Exhibit 19 Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission .......................C-25 Exhibit 20 City of Bucyrus ............................................C-26 Exhibit 21 Crawford County Commissioners ..............................C-27 Exhibit 22 Crawford County Commissioners ..............................C-28 Exhibit 23 Bucyrus School Board .......................................C-29 D- Methodologies E - References TOC-5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared by the Surface Transportation Board’s (Board) Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) in accordance with the Board’s orders in Decision No. 9, served on June 12, 1997, and Decision No. 12, served on July 23, 1997, in Finance Docket No. 33388. The EA describes the potential environmental impacts of a proposed new rail line connection between the existing Norfolk & Western Railway Company, a subsidiary of Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS), and Conrail (Conrail) rail lines in Bucyrus, Ohio. The proposed construction site is surrounded by the existing NS and Conrail rail lines, businesses, residences, undeveloped properties, electrical utility lines, and a fuel distribution facility. Rail traffic on this connection is anticipated to average eight trains per day. According to NS, this construction would provide a new, more direct and efficient train route from Columbus, Ohio to eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, increase rail traffic capacity, improve service to shippers and reduce rail traffic congestion in Cleveland, Ohio. After providing an overview of the proposed construction plan, this EA describes the different alternatives considered in developing that construction plan. It then addresses various aspects of the existing environment at the site of the proposed connection. Next, the potential environmental impacts of construction of the proposed connection are discussed. Finally, a summary is provided of agency comments which relate to the project, along with NS’ responses to agency comments and explanations of mitigation measures proposed by NS, and SEA’s recommended mitigation measures. As shown in Table ES-1, potential environmental impacts related to the proposed project are insignificant or nonexistent. Based on its independent analysis of all the information available at this time, SEA concludes that the proposed project is not expected to have any significant adverse impact on land use, socioeconomics and environmental justice, transportation, safety, water resources, biological resources, air quality, noise, or energy. The proposed project would require the demolition of a former Toledo and Ohio Central (T&OC) freight depot, a potentially historic site, which is on private property. Coordination with the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will be required to determine if the depot is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Overall transportation and energy efficiency of the NS system will be improved by the construction of the connection. The proposed project would require one new grade crossing and one expanded grade crossing. Warning devices (gates and flashing lights) would be installed at the new crossing. The warning devices (flashing lights) at the existing crossing would be upgraded from flashing lights to include gates. Any increase in noise levels during construction would be limited to normal work hours and would only occur during the expected three to six month construction period. ES-1
Page 1 and 2: STB Decision ID #28335 Service Date
Page 3 and 4: 3.5.3 Floodplain ..................
Page 5: LIST OF TABLES Page ES-1 Summary of
Page 9 and 10: SEA concludes that the construction
Page 11 and 12: The proposed action at Bucyrus, Ohi
Page 13 and 14: Table 1-1 Design Specifications for
Page 15 and 16: As part of NS’ track maintenance
Page 17 and 18: The Board has adopted the former In
Page 19 and 20: esulting in a new at-grade crossing
Page 21 and 22: Table 2-1 Comparison of the “Buil
Page 23 and 24: 3.1.3 Prime Farmlands and Coastal Z
Page 25 and 26: As seen in the table below (Table 3
Page 27 and 28: 3.4.2 Transportation of Hazardous M
Page 29 and 30: Preparedness Preparedness to respon
Page 31 and 32: 3.6.2 Wildlife Wildlife habitat fou
Page 33 and 34: CHAPTER 4 Potential Environmental I
Page 35 and 36: 4.1.2.1 Evaluation Criteria The fol
Page 37 and 38: The Quinn Brothers Construction Com
Page 39 and 40: Floodplain FEMA maps for the area s
Page 41 and 42: 4.1.7.1 Evaluation Criteria The fol
Page 43 and 44: Operation Approximately eight train
Page 45 and 46: 4.1.11 Cumulative Impacts Cumulativ
Page 47 and 48: CHAPTER 5 Agency Comments and Mitig
Page 49 and 50: Comment: The Buffalo District of th
Page 51 and 52: ! Petitioner would comply with all
Page 53 and 54: Water Resources 1. NS shall obtain
Page 55 and 56: APPENDIX A PETITIONER’S REQUEST F
Page 57 and 58:
APPENDIX C AGENCIES AND OTHER PARTI
Page 59 and 60:
APPENDIX E REFERENCES
Page 61 and 62:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 advanc
Page 63 and 64:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 (1) Th
Page 65 and 66:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 The Co
Page 67 and 68:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 over t
Page 69 and 70:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 conser
Page 71 and 72:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 Prime
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STB Finance Docket No. 33388 • Na
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STB Finance Docket No. 33388 Nation
Page 77 and 78:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 Air Qu
Page 79 and 80:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 Operat
Page 81 and 82:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 It was
Page 83 and 84:
STB Finance Docket No. 33388 The SE
Page 85 and 86:
Event Speed Duratio Time (mph) n (s
Page 87:
APPENDIX E REFERENCES Cowardin, Lew
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