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� P <br /> Mo c� ?c <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> 13DARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Dato : November 19 , 2001 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No . � <br /> SUBJECT ; Southeast High peed Rail Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement <br /> DEPARTMENT ; Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING , ( YIN ) No <br /> ATTA HMENT( S ) , INFORMATfON CONTACT . <br /> 1 ) SEH R Tier I Dmft EIS Public Hearne Karen Lincoln , ext . 2594 <br /> Information Package and Comment Sheet rah Benedict , ext . 259 <br /> ( under separate cover) TELEPHONE NUMB EFTS ; <br /> Hillsborough 732m8l 81 <br /> Chapel Hill 9684501 <br /> Durham 668 "7331 <br /> Mebane ( ) 227 -2031 <br /> PURPOSE : To receive a report on the Southeae High Speed Rail ( EH R ) and potential impacts <br /> for Orange County . <br /> BACKGROUND :ND : The North Carolina Department of Transportation ( N DOT ) Rpil Division has <br /> released the Southeast Hrgh Speed Rail ( EH R ) Fier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement <br /> ( EIS ) . N DOT nduch d eleven ( 11 ) public hearin $ in Berth Carolina ( S eptember 11 th = gh <br /> November 8 ) to encourage public comment re4jaixIing the project+ In addition , complete drafts of <br /> the EIS are available for public review and mments at various locations , Nearby Iocatlons where <br /> the draft EIS can be reviewed include the NCDOT Distdct 1 Office in Raleigh , the NCOOT Dwision <br /> ffl its Durham , and the Lee Counter Manager' s Office in anfbrd . N DOT will consider <br /> comments submitted during this process in making the $ turfy Area Recommendation Deport , whlch <br /> I <br /> s to be completed by the end of this year. <br /> The EIS process for this project i5 divided into tiers . Thy: purpose of the Tier I EIS is to <br /> consider regional impacts of the incremental high sped rail project in order to identify a general <br /> ooMdor location : and to gather public input into the prows : . The Tier II phase of the project will <br /> provide details of track rations ( relocations } , station arrangements and other final design <br /> elements . <br /> The Tier l Graft EIS compares potential environmental impacts and engineering concerns for nine <br /> ( 9 ) alternative routes throughout the sturdy area . Six of those alternatives use the ENorth Carolina <br /> Railroad ( NCRR) corridor that traverses Orange County . N DOT wil ) use the comparison of <br /> I ire Tier I Draft EIS , along witty public comments , to determine alternatives to be carried <br /> forward ire a Final Tier I EIS . The Federal Highway Administration ( FHA) and Federal Railroad <br /> Administration ( FI ) will then issue a Record of [decision ( ROD ) for the pr}oaeot . If the ROD selects <br /> build alternative , the pr�aject will begin the Tier 11 phase . <br /> The Tfar I EIS uses secondary data sources and general trends within the study area to compare <br /> environmentaJ impacts of the nine alte matives . The conclusions , therefore : are based on a " big <br /> picture ' perspective and not based on actual surveys qn +d precise impacts , Specific imps. cts , <br />