project scoping report - b&p tunnel€¦ · participation information was made available via...

September 2014

Federal Railroad AdministrationU.S. Department of Transportation Maryland Department

of Transportation AMTRAK

B&P Tunnel ProjectBaltimore, Maryland

PROJECT SCOPINGREPORT

B&P Tunnel Project Scoping Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1

A. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1 B. NEPA and the Scoping Process .......................................................................................................... 3

II. Public Scoping Process and Comments................................................................................................. 4 A. Notice of Intent ................................................................................................................................. 5 B. Outreach and Notification ................................................................................................................ 5

1. Website ......................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Other Materials and Media ........................................................................................................... 5

C. Public Open House .......................................................................................................................... 10 D. Summary of Public Comments ........................................................................................................ 10 E. Elected Official Comments .............................................................................................................. 11 F. Key Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................. 11

III. Agency Scoping Process and Comments............................................................................................. 12 A. Interagency Review Meetings ......................................................................................................... 13 B. Additional Agency Comments ......................................................................................................... 14

IV. Conclusion and Next Steps .................................................................................................................. 14 V. References .......................................................................................................................................... 16

List of Tables Table 1: Public Outreach and Notification .................................................................................................... 5 Table 2: Elected Official Mailing List ............................................................................................................. 6 Table 3: Key Stakeholder Mailing List ........................................................................................................... 6 Table 4: Flier Posting Locations ..................................................................................................................... 9 Table 5: Summary of Public Comments ...................................................................................................... 10 Table 6: Federal and State/Regional Agencies Mailing List ........................................................................ 12

List of Appendices Appendix A: Notice of Intent Appendix B: Sample Elected Official and Key Stakeholder Correspondence Appendix C: Public Open House Materials Appendix D: Public Comments Submitted and Project Team Response Appendix E: Agency Involvement


I. INTRODUCTION

This Project Scoping Report summarizes the public and agency involvement efforts conducted and range of comments submitted during the Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel Project scoping process. The appendices at the conclusion of the report provide examples of public and agency involvement material used during the scoping process.

The scoping process included efforts to engage both members of the public (e.g. citizens, elected officials, and key stakeholders) as well as state and federal agencies during the early stages of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) development. The B&P Tunnel Project scoping process, including outreach efforts and comments submitted, is discussed in Section II. Section III describes coordination with state and federal/regional agencies. Note that there is an overlap in involvement efforts: for instance, agency representatives were invited along with members of the public to the Public Open House.

A. Background

The B&P Tunnel is a two-track railroad tunnel underneath central Baltimore City. It spans 1.4 miles and comprises three tunnel sections: the John Street Tunnel, the Wilson Street Tunnel, and the Gilmor Street Tunnel. The tunnel opened in 1873 and is located between the West Baltimore MARC Station and Pennsylvania Station along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). This section of the NEC is used by Amtrak, Maryland's MARC Commuter Rail passenger trains, and Norfolk Southern Railway freight trains.

In order to improve rail service and reliability, and address a longstanding bottleneck along the busy NEC, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and Amtrak are advancing the B&P Tunnel Project. The project includes engineering and environmental studies to examine various improvements to the 141-year-old tunnel.

The B&P Tunnel Project is funded through the federal High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program. The Project Team for the B&P Tunnel Project is led by FRA, MDOT, and Amtrak. FRA is working in close coordination with MDOT, the public, agencies, and other stakeholders to complete the project, which includes creating an inventory of the existing environmental resources surrounding the current B&P Tunnel alignment; developing a range of improvement alternatives; documenting the impacts caused by each alternative; and, ultimately, aiding in the selection of an alternative that could advance the project to design.

Previous Studies

The B&P Tunnel Project is an independent project with roots in several previous Amtrak and FRA studies that focus on railway network issues at the regional (Baltimore) and corridor (NEC) levels. These studies form an important basis for scoping the B&P Tunnel Project EIS.

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Several of these studies describe the infrastructure gap between the existing NEC rail line (including the B&P Tunnel) and the development objectives for the NEC, thereby supporting the need for the B&P Tunnel Project. These studies include The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan (2010), which identifies infrastructure investments necessary to maintain the current NEC in a state of good repair; A Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor (2010), which identifies general alignment constraints that need to be addressed in order to implement next-generation, high-speed rail service along the NEC; and The Amtrak Vision for the High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor (2012), which presents updated developments in NEC planning and lists capacity milestones over the next 30 years.

Critical Infrastructure Needs on the Northeast Corridor (2013), developed by the NEC Commission, (which includes representatives from NEC states, Amtrak, and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT)), identifies critical infrastructure needs and additional investments necessary to renew and enhance the NEC as a high-performance rail corridor. The NEC FUTURE comprehensive plan, currently under development by FRA, will feature both new approaches to growing the NEC region’s intercity, commuter, and freight rail services, as well as provide an environmental evaluation of proposed transportation alternatives.

Another FRA study, Baltimore’s Railroad Network (2005 and 2011), supports the need for the project while offering a foundation for alternatives development required as part of the B&P Tunnel Project. The study was requested by Congress in 2001 in order to evaluate the condition and capabilities of the Baltimore railroad network’s fixed facilities and “examine the benefits and costs of various alternatives for reducing congestion and improving safety and efficiency in the rail operations” in the Baltimore region (FRA, 2005). Baltimore’s Railroad Network: Challenges and Alternatives (2005) characterized the state of the network and demands placed on it. Challenges and Alternatives evaluated the existing B&P Tunnel, among other components of Baltimore’s rail network, and underscored its importance to the overall Northeast Corridor system.

Baltimore’s Railroad Network: Analysis and Recommendations (2011) supplemented the findings of the 2005 report element. Analysis and Recommendations studied the potential actions that could improve passenger and freight railway capabilities in the Baltimore region, focusing on the principal elements of Baltimore’s network of passenger and freight rail lines extending from Perryville (the junction of Amtrak’s NEC with the Norfolk Southern principal route from Harrisburg and points west) to Halethorpe (where CSX Transportation and Amtrak lines from Washington cross).

Analysis and Recommendations also identified the replacement of the B&P Tunnel as one of the stated recommendations and developed several passenger rail alternatives for replacement of the B&P Tunnel. Passenger alternatives included the No-Build alternative; rehabilitation of the existing tunnel; the Presstman Street alternative; the Great Circle Passenger Tunnel alternative; the Route 40 alternative; the Locust Point-Canton alternative; and the Sports Complex alternative. These alternatives then underwent a three-stage screening process based on



functional/design criteria, external impact criteria, and additional analyses (including conceptual engineering; evaluations of critical system components, implementation methods, performance calculations, and required regional betterments; and a summary-level operations analysis).

Each of these Amtrak, NEC Commission, and FRA studies referenced determines the existing B&P Tunnel as one of the major assets along the NEC that is beyond its useful life and impedes the overall speed, capacity, and reliability of the NEC. Collectively, the studies underscore the stated need for the B&P Tunnel Project.

The B&P Tunnel Project has evolved separately from the Baltimore’s Railroad Network Study and will be advancing independently as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process. However, the qualitative and quantitative information provided in Baltimore’s Railroad Network Study remains comprehensive and valuable for input into the purpose and need as well as preliminary alternatives screening for the B&P Tunnel Project. As the EIS is developed, it may be determined that some alternatives from Baltimore’s Railroad Network Study merit inclusion in the environmental review process. Other previously unexplored alternatives may be included in the environmental review process as well. Each alternative presented in the B&P Tunnel EIS, whether originating in a previous study or not, will undergo evaluation as dictated by the federal environmental review process.

B. NEPA and the Scoping Process

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is a procedural law that mandates an interdisciplinary environmental review and documentation process for all federally-funded projects. The NEPA documentation process ensures that the following goals have been met before a project is implemented:

• All applicable laws, regulations, policies, and guidance have been adhered to; • Federal, state, and local agencies, the public, and other project stakeholders have been

involved in the decision-making process; • A reasonable range of alternatives have been examined; and • Impacts to environmental resources have been considered.

An EIS is being prepared to complete the NEPA requirements for the B&P Tunnel Project. FRA is serving as the lead federal agency for developing the EIS, while MDOT is serving as the project grantee and Amtrak is the tunnel owner.

FRA recognizes the importance of early and continuous input from the public and agencies, especially while key project components— such as the project study area, the Purpose and Need, environmental resource considerations, and the significance of potential impacts— are being developed. Members of the public and agencies are first invited to engage in project development during the scoping process. The purpose of the scoping process is to determine and clarify issues that are relevant to the scope of the study. During the scoping process, open lines of communication are established between the lead project agency and project grantee (FRA and



MDOT, respectively) and government agencies, citizens, elected officials, community associations, and other interested stakeholders.

Per Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, as well as USDOT Order 5610.2(a), Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, FRA and MDOT are making every appropriate effort to engage Environmental Justice communities in the decision-making process for the project. For individuals who may not have internet access, study participation information was made available via postcard distribution and flier postings; a postal mailing address for project comments is also available and was listed on all outreach and notification materials. Additional methods to engage Environmental Justice communities may be adopted as the study continues.

The primary goals during the scoping process were to introduce the B&P Tunnel Project to both the public and agencies and gather their input on the project. The scoping process for the B&P Tunnel Project was implemented to be consistent with the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); FRA Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545 [1999]); and FRA Update to NEPA Implementing Procedures (78 FR 2713 [2013]). The scoping process included the following major elements:

• Notice of Intent; • Interagency Review Meeting; • Public Open House; • Scoping Comment Period; and • Project Scoping Report.

II. PUBLIC SCOPING PROCESS AND COMMENTS

Members of the public, including citizens, elected officials, and key stakeholders (i.e. community associations, Baltimore City agencies, and local institutions and businesses), are important project participants and were regarded as such throughout the scoping process. Input from the public gathered during the scoping process will help form the Project’s Purpose and Need and guide the development of the range of alternatives.

The scoping period officially began with the publication of the Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on June 9, 2014. However, outreach to the public started as early as May 20, 2014, when the project website was launched. The scoping period concluded with the end of the comment period on July 30, 2014.

After the closing of the comment period, responses were sent by the Project Team to all commenters. A copy of this response is found in Appendix D.



A. Notice of Intent

The Notice of Intent, an official announcement of the initiation of the B&P Tunnel EIS development, was published in the Federal Register on June 9, 2014. The Notice provided background information on the tunnel; the purpose of the project; upcoming public involvement dates; the project website address; and contact information for comments. The NOI is included in Appendix A.

B. Outreach and Notification 1. Website

The B&P Tunnel Project website (www.bptunnel.com) launched on May 20, 2014. The website features the following: descriptions of the B&P Tunnel Project; an introduction to the Project Team; a brief history and current conditions of the B&P Tunnel; previous tunnel-related studies; a project schedule; and an overview of the NEPA process. The website also contains an overview map; preliminary Purpose and Need for the project; and other public involvement materials.

In addition to providing this background information, the website provides an opportunity for the public to get involved in the project by encouraging interested parties to submit ideas, opinions, and questions via the website’s embedded comment form, the project e-mail address ([email protected]), and postal mailing address (B&P Tunnel Project, 81 W. Mosher Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21217). Overviews of additional meetings, including meeting materials, and dates for upcoming meetings, will be updated as appropriate. The website will continually be available and updated throughout development of the EIS to provide updates and other pertinent information to the public and agencies.

2. Other Materials and Media FRA invited the public to participate in the scoping process through a variety of outreach and notification methods. The purpose of these efforts was to notify the public of the B&P Tunnel EIS development, invite individuals and organization representatives to attend the Public Open House, and provide project contact information. A summary of public outreach and notification is presented in Table 1. Samples of outreach materials are located in the appendices listed in Table 1.

Table 1: Public Outreach and Notification

Method Number Distributed

Date Mailed or Distributed (2014) Material Location

Letters to Elected Officials 32 May 20th Appendix B

Letters to Key Stakeholders* 84 May 23rd – June 5th Appendix B

Postcards 18,614 June 2nd Appendix C

Newspaper Advertisements 4 June 4th – June 7th Appendix C

Fliers 27 June 9th – June 12th Appendix C

MDOT Press Release 1 June 11th Appendix C * Key Stakeholders Include community associations, Baltimore City agencies, and other local institutions and businesses (Table 3).



Thirty-two federal, state, and city elected officials who represent districts proximal to the existing B&P Tunnel received letters from FRA. The elected official mailing list is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Elected Official Mailing List Government Position Elected Officials

United States Senate Benjamin Cardin Barbara Mikulski

United States House of Representatives

Elijah Cummings Steny Hoyer

John Delaney C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger

Donna Edwards John Sarbanes

Andrew Harris Chris Van Hollen

Senate of Maryland Joan Carter Conway Nathaniel McFadden

Verna Jones-Rodwell Catherine Pugh

Maryland House of Delegates

Curt Anderson Maggie McIntosh

Talmadge Branch Keiffer Mitchell

Frank Conaway, Jr. Barbara Robinson

Cheryl Glenn Melvin Stukes

Nina Harper Shawn Tarrant

Keith Haynes Mary Washington

Baltimore City Council

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor

Bernard "Jack" Young, Council President

Bill Cole William "Pete" Welch

Nick Mosby Carl Stokes

Eighty-four letters were sent to key stakeholders, including city agencies, community associations, schools, and other organizations who may have professional and/or personal interests in the project. The key stakeholder mailing list is shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Key Stakeholder Mailing List Community Associations

2500 Block McCulloh Street Neighborhood Club

Mondawmin Neighborhood Improvement Association

Alba Neighborhood Association New Auchentoroly Terrace Association

Alliance of Rosemont Community Organizations, Inc Old Goucher Business Alliance



Community Associations

Ashburton and Presbury Better Neigborhood Association Old Goucher Community Association, Inc.

Ashburton Area Association Old Mill Town Association

Ash-Co-East/Coppin Heights Neighborhood Brick Hill Community Group

Panway Neighborhood Improvement Association

Charles-North Community Association Parkview Improvement Association, Inc.

Citizens Concerned For The Hanlon Community

Penn-North Nehemiah Homeowners' Association

Citizens For Community Improvement-(CCI) Pennsylvania Avenue Merchants Association

Clergy United to Transform Sandtown-(CUTS)

Pennsylvania Avenue Redevelopment Collaborative

Communities Organized To Improve Life-(COIL) People's Homesteading Group, Inc.

Community Survival Center/The Community School Remington Neighborhood Alliance

Concerned Citizens of Grayson Street Reservoir Hill Historic District

Concerned Citizens of Woodberry Association Reservoir Hill Improvement Council, Inc.

Druid Heights Community Development Corporation Robert W. Coleman Community Organization

Easterwood Neighborhood Improvement Association Rosemont/Dukeland Tenant Council

Ellamont Christian Community Neighborhood Sandtown Habitat Homeowners' Association

Fairmount Neighborhood Association, Inc. Sandtown-Winchester Building In Partnership

Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park Sandtown-Winchester Improvement Association

Fulton Community Association, Inc. Sanford-Cumberland Task Force Association

Fulton Heights Community Organization Stone Hill Residents' Association

Greater Remington Improvement Association Upton Planning Committee, Inc.

Heathbrook Community Organization, Inc. Walker Mews Residents Association

Hilton/North Merchants Association Western Human Services Center

Hoes' Heights Improvement Association, Inc. Westwood Avenue Neighborhood Association



Community Associations

Homeowners' Association of Sandtown-Winchester Windsor Residential Improvement Association

Laurens House Winston-Govans Neighborhood Improvement

Liberty Square Neighborhood Association Woodbrook Avenue Neighborhood Association

Matthew A. Henson Community Association Woodyear Neighborhood Association

Baltimore City Agencies

Baltimore City Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation Baltimore City Planning Commission

Baltimore City Department of Human Resources Baltimore City Planning Department

Baltimore City Department of Public Works Baltimore City Police Department

Baltimore City Department of Transportation Baltimore City Public Schools

Baltimore City Emergency Management and Public Safety Baltimore Development Corporation

Baltimore City Fire Department Baltimore Housing

Baltimore City Hispanic Commission

Schools

Eutaw-Marshburn Elementary School Mt. Royal Elementary Middle School

Maryland Institute College of Art University of Baltimore

Midtown Academy Elementary School

Other Organizations

Arthur 'Smokestack' Hardy Fire Station Druid Hill Family Center

Baltimore City Bureau of Parks Administration Norfolk Southern Corporation**

CSX Transportation Inc.* P. Flanigan & Sons Construction and Material Supply

*Includes two departments: Passenger Services and State and Government Affairs **Includes two departments: Administration and Public Relations

Approximately 18,600 residences and businesses within approximately one-half mile of the existing B&P Tunnel alignment received postcard invitations to the Public Open House.

Newspaper advertisements announcing the Public Open House were published in four local and regional newspapers, including the Grace and Glory Magazine, the Baltimore City Paper, the Baltimore Sun, and the Afro-American. Additionally, fliers were placed at 27 key locations



surrounding the existing B&P Tunnel alignment, including rail stations, schools, libraries, churches, and community centers. The fliers were posted at the locations listed in Table 4.

Table 4: Flier Posting Locations Locations

Baltimore Light Rail: Mount Royal Station Fayette St. Outreach Organization

Baltimore Light Rail: North Ave. Station Lockerman Bundy Elementary School

Baltimore Metro Line: Penn North Station MARC Station- West Baltimore

Baltimore Metro Line: State Center Mary Ann Winterling Elementary School

Baltimore Metro Line: Upton Station Maryland Institute College of Art

Baltimore- Penn Station Maryland State Office Complex

Bethel AME Church Providence Baptist Church

Bon Secours of Maryland Shake & Bake Family Fun Center

Carver High School Shiloh Baptist Church

City Temple Church Stop Shop Save Food Market (1400 N. Monroe St.)

Enoch Pratt Library: Central Branch United Baptist Missionary Convention

Enoch Pratt Library: Hampden Branch University of Baltimore

Enoch Pratt Library: Walbrook Branch West Baltimore MARC Station

Enoch Pratt Library: Pennsylvania Ave. Branch

An MDOT press release on June 11, 2014, featured background information on the B&P Tunnel Project, elected official endorsements for the project, as well as an invitation to the Public Open House.

The Public Open House was also advertised through various media outlets, including television and online social media. On June 11, 2014, WBAL-TV released a news story regarding the initiation of the B&P Tunnel Project and Public Open House on June 19, 2014. The next day, WJZ-TV/CBS Baltimore aired a news segment that included background information on the B&P Tunnel Project and Public Open House, as well as interviews with Amtrak and MDOT representatives.

Amtrak, MDOT, and Baltimore City have made project and Public Open House information available to the public via Twitter and Facebook postings. A screenshot of Baltimore City Facebook posting is found with other Public Open House material in Appendix C.



C. Public Open House

FRA and MDOT conducted a Public Open House for the B&P Tunnel Project on Thursday, June 19, 2014, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The Open House was held in the Talon Center at Coppin State University and had 39 attendees.

Ten display boards provided an overview of the B&P Tunnel Project, including the following project elements: project need; tunnel description and existing conditions; the NEPA process; environmental resource considerations; previous tunnel-related studies; the project schedule; two maps of the existing B&P Tunnel alignment and vicinity, featuring historic and natural resources; and input solicitation and contact information. For those unable to attend the Public Open House, the display boards were posted to the project website prior to the meeting. A copy of the display boards is located in Appendix C.

The attendees browsed the display boards and were encouraged to share comments and questions with representatives from FRA, MDOT, and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). The representatives were available to converse with attendees and to notify the public of the project commenting options and availability of materials on the project website. Several attendees submitted written comments at the Open House via comment forms. The comment form template is found in Appendix D.

D. Summary of Public Comments

In addition to those written and submitted at the Public Open House, comments were submitted online via the project website, and digitally via the project e-mail address. Thirty-three comments from the public, including citizens and key stakeholders, were submitted during the scoping comment period.

Public comments on the project submitted during the scoping process have been categorized by common themes, as follows: alternatives; environmental resources; project administration; public and agency involvement/materials; and Purpose and Need. Four comments were not related to the project; they are not included in this summary, but are featured with all of the public comments in Appendix D. Table 5 summarizes the content of the public comments.

Table 5: Summary of Public Comments Category Number Content Overview

Alternatives 8

• Develop less expensive alternatives/contingency plans. • Consider the potential to allow double-track, double-

stack freight rail. • Include a connection at Upton Station for Baltimore

Metro and MARC. • Enhance transit connectivity with West Baltimore MARC

Station. • Consider the potential to replace or supplement the

Howard Street Tunnel STRACNET route.



Category Number Content Overview

Environmental Resources 4

• Consider impacts to historic resources in the Bolton Hill community.

• Consider short- and long-term physical impacts to Department of Public Works utilities.

• Provide information on existing tunnel characteristics and potential construction impacts.

Project Administration 3 • The study timeframe seems too long.

• The cost of the project has been underestimated. Public and Agency Involvement/ Materials

14 • Expand outreach to additional community groups. • Consider meeting with individual groups. • Add contact information to project mailing list.

Purpose and Need 6

• Replacement of tunnel should be quality, safe, environmentally friendly, and expeditious.

• Consider all impacts to current freight rail along route. • Consider the expansion of passenger capacity for future

transit demands. • Consider restoring access to the wye* linking Penn

Station and the NEC to Westminster as a design requirement.

Editor’s Note: A wye is a triangle of railroad track, used for turning locomotives or trains (Google Definition, September 2014).

E. Elected Official Comments

No comments were submitted from elected officials. However, elected officials have expressed support for the project through the press release included in Appendix C.

F. Key Stakeholders

Baltimore City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) submitted a comment at the Public Open House on June 19, 2014. DPW requested that the Project Team consider short- and long-term physical impacts to water mains and other DPW utilities.

A representative of the Mount Royal Improvement Association—Bolton Hill submitted a comment at the Public Open House on June 19, 2014. The representative states that the community is looking to maximize functionality for transportation to Washington while minimizing disruption to the neighborhood.

A representative of the SMART-TD Local 1470 Labor Union attended the Public Open House. The SMART-TD Local 1470 Labor Union represents the Conductors and Assistant Conductors of Amtrak and MARC Penn Line trains, as well as the train crews on Norfolk Southern freight trains that use the existing B&P Tunnel. The representative submitted a comment via the online form



on June 19, 2014, expressing concern for the existing working conditions within the existing B&P Tunnel.

A representative of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Labor Union spoke with members of the Project Team at the Public Open House and offered support for the public involvement process.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) submitted a comment via a mailed letter on July 24, 2014. NS noted that the existing infrastructure has constrained current and potential freight operations just as it has passenger operations. NS urged that all impacts to freight rail must be considered on all segments of the proposed route. It was suggested that two accommodations be incorporated into the EIS: the potential for clearing the B&P Tunnel for high and wide loads, and the potential to replace or supplement the US Department of Defense Strategic Rail Corridor Network (STRACNET) route now utilizing the Howard Street Tunnel.

All public comments, from citizens and key stakeholders, are included in Appendix D. Any specific Project Team responses to public involvement-related comments are featured as footnotes in Appendix D. A standard response from the Project Team, included in Appendix D, was also sent to all commenters on August 28, 2014.

III. AGENCY SCOPING PROCESS AND COMMENTS Outreach to federal and state/regional agencies occurred simultaneously with outreach to the public. On June 11, 2014, FRA sent letters and e-mails to 32 federal and state/regional agencies, which are listed in Table 6. These letters and e-mails announced the initiation of the B&P Tunnel EIS and served as formal invitations to the Interagency Review Meeting (IRM), which was held on June 18, 2014 at the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) headquarters in Baltimore. Agencies were also encouraged to visit the project website, submit comments, and attend the Public Open House. The agency scoping invitation is included in Appendix E.

Table 6: Federal and State/Regional Agencies Mailing List Federal Agencies

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region III

US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Baltimore Office

Federal Highway Administration US Department of the Interior, Office of Environmental Policy & Compliance

Federal Transit Administration, Region 3 Office US Environmental Protection Agency

National Park Service, Northeast Region US Fish & Wildlife Service, Chesapeake Bay Field Office



US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District US Geological Survey, Northeast Region

State/Regional Agencies

Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Baltimore Regional Transportation Board

Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services

Interagency Committee for School Construction

Maryland Department of the Environment, Office of the Secretary

Maryland Department of Budget and Management

Maryland Historical Trust (Maryland State Historic Preservation Officer)

Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development, Office of the

Secretary Maryland Port Administration

Maryland Department of General Services Maryland State Clearinghouse for Intergovernmental Assistance

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Maryland State Department of Education

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Maryland State Highway Administration

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Maryland Transit Administration*

Maryland Department of Planning *Includes three departments: Administration, Transit Development and Delivery, and Public Affairs and Communication

A. Interagency Review Meetings

The B&P Tunnel Project was presented to several federal and state/regional agencies at the Interagency Review Meeting (IRM) on June 18, 2014. In addition to representatives from SHA, attendees of the IRM included representatives from the following agencies:

• Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) • Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) • Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) • Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) • Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) • Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) • Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) • Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) • US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) • US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)



A PowerPoint presentation provided an overview of the following project elements: project need; project administration; tunnel description and existing conditions; a map of the existing B&P Tunnel alignment and vicinity, featuring historic and natural resources; environmental resource considerations; previous tunnel-related studies; the scoping/public involvement process; agency coordination strategy; input solicitation and contact information; and the project schedule. During the IRM, copies of the presentation were made available and agencies were encouraged to ask questions and participate in the discussion. The IRM PowerPoint presentation and meeting minutes from the IRM are found in Appendix E.

Comments and questions from agencies at the IRM included:

• What is the depth of the existing tunnel? • What is the existing tunnel alignment? • How will the future proposed alternative be constructed and how it will impact the

community? • How will double-stack freight influence the height of the future proposed alternative? • How will the project address Environmental Justice? • The level of public outreach for the B&P Tunnel Project should be similar to the level of

public outreach for the Baltimore Red Line Project. • A large volume of groundwater currently exists in the study area and water infiltration

through the tunnel is a more important issue than water leaving the tunnel; a stormwater review should occur.

B. Additional Agency Comments

Agencies were able to submit comments via the same methods as the public, including the project website, the project e-mail address, and the project mailing address. The Project Team received additional comments from two agencies: the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT). Both comments are included in Appendix E.

IV. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

Input submitted during the scoping process shall be taken into consideration by the Project Team throughout the development of the B&P Tunnel EIS. The ideas and concerns shared during the scoping process, in addition to any received throughout the remainder of the study, will be considered in the content of the study, including the public and agency involvement process, Purpose and Need, alternatives, and environmental resources evaluation.

Public involvement in the B&P Tunnel Project will extend beyond the scoping period. The public and agencies will have the most up-to-date information available to them via the project website, where content is continually evolving. Meeting materials and project reports will be posted to



the website as soon as they become available, and important project dates will be added as they are scheduled.

FRA and MDOT will provide opportunities for agencies, citizens, elected officials, community associations, and other interested stakeholders to learn about and provide input at each project milestone. Two additional Public Open Houses will be held: one in connection with the Preliminary Alternatives and Screening Report and another in connection with the Alternatives Report. A formal Public Hearing will be held after the completion of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

Federal and state/regional agencies will be updated on the project via regular correspondence and IRMs. Input from the public and agencies will be accepted throughout the study.



V. REFERENCES

Amtrak Northeast Corridor Master Plan Working Group. May 2010. The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan. <http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/870/270/Northeast-Corridor-Infrastructure-Master-Plan.pdf>.

Amtrak. September 2010. A Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor. <http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/214/393/A-Vision-for-High-Speed-Rail-in-the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf>.

Amtrak. July 2012. The Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor: 2012 Update Report. <http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/453/325/Amtrak-Vision-for-the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf>. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission. January 2013. Critical Infrastructure Needs on the Northeast Corridor. <http://www.nec-commission.com/wp- content/uploads/2013/01/necc_cin_20130123.pdf>. United States Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). “NEC FUTURE: A Rail Investment Plan for the Northeast Corridor— Overview.” Accessed September 8, 2014. <http://www.necfuture.com/about/>. Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). September 2013. Growth and Investment Plan Update 2013 to 2050. <http://mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/mgip_update_2013-09-13.pdf>. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). November 2005. Baltimore’s Railroad Network: Challenges and Alternatives. <file:///C:/Users/brolf/Downloads/brn1%20(8).pdf>. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). January 2011. Baltimore’s Railroad Network: Analysis and Recommendations. <file:///C:/Users/brolf/Downloads/BaltimoreRailroadNetworkReport%20(3).pdf>. LTK Engineering Services. August 2014. Washington Terminal Yard Future Operating Plans (MARC/Amtrak 2020 and 2030 Plans).


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