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s 1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />HOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />- ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 16, 20D1 <br />Action Agentla <br />Item No. X42 <br />SUBJECT' S M t H'gh 5 d R l T' I Orak Env rorimental Impact Statement <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1) SEHSR Tier I Drefl EIS Public Hearing Karen Linwln, ext. 2594 <br />Infornetion Package antl Comment Sheet Craig Henedict ext 2582 <br />(under aeparele cover) HElsbgroO gh NUMBS 2A181 <br />Chapel HIII 9681501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane (338)32]3031 <br />PURPOSE: To revive a report on the Southeast High Speed Rall (SEHSR) antl potential Impacts <br />for Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Department of Trensporta8on (NCDOT) Rail Division hoe <br />releeeetl the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Tier I Drag Environmental Impact Statement <br />(EIS). NCWT la wntluding eleven (11) public hearings in Nodh Carolina (September 11 Mrough <br />November 8) tc enwumge public comment regaNing the protect. In addition, wmple[e tlreits of <br />the EIS are available for public review antl wmments at various locations. Nearby locations where <br />the tlrak EIS can be revlewetl inclutle me NCDOT District 1 ORCe in Raleigh, the NCDOT Division <br />5 Offiw in Durham, antl the Lee Couniy ManageYS Office in Sanfortl. NCDOT will consider <br />wmmente eubmiked during this process in making the Stutly Area Rewmmentlation Reppd, which <br />is to be wmpleletl by the antl of this year. <br />The EIS process for this project Is tlivitled into Mro tiers. The purpose of the Tier I EIS is to <br />consitler regional impacts of the incremental high speed rail project In oMer to identify a general <br />cprritlor bcatan, antl to gather public input into the pmcess_ The Tier II phase of the project will <br />provitle tletails of track lowtlona (relocations), station artangements and other final design <br />elements. <br />The Tier I Drefl EIS wmpares potential environmemal impacts antl engineering wncerns for nine <br />(9) allemative routes throughout [he stutly area. Six of those alternatives use the NoM Carolina <br />Ra'Jroatl (NCRR) condor that traverses Orenga County. NCDOT will use the wmpadaon of <br />impacts in Tier I Dmfl EIS, along wRh public wmmenta, to determine al[emafivee to be wrtietl <br />fonvartl into a Final Tierl EIS. The Federal Highway Atlminiatra[ion (FHA) and Fetlerel Ra'Jroad <br />Atlministre[ion (ERA) will then issue a Recprtl of Oeciaion (R00) for the project. If the ROD selects <br />a burnt alternative, the project will begin the Tier I I phase. <br />The Tier I EIS uses secondary data sources and general trends within the stutly area to compare <br />environmental Impacts of the nine alternatives. The wnclusiona. therefore, are basetl on a 'big <br />picture' perspective and not basetl on actual surveys and pmcise impacts. Specific impacts, <br />benefits antl mitigation measures will be detalletl in the Tiar II environmental documentation <br />