Action
Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
Summary
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (RTA) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The RTA will also ensure that the EIS satisfies the requirements of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The FTA will be the NEPA lead agency. The RTA will be the SEPA lead agency. Corridor alternatives were evaluated in a SEPA plan- level EIS (1993) and in a Major Investment Study (1997). The EIS will evaluate the Central Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project and alignment alternatives in the 23-mile long corridor between North Seattle (Northgate) and SeaTac, Washington. The proposed Central LRT Project is intended to provide light rail transit service between key activity centers along the corridor, including the region's three largest employment centers, many major institutions, dense residential neighborhoods, and regional destinations, such as Sea-Tac International Airport. The study area also includes several sites for a proposed LRT vehicle storage and maintenance facility. In addition, the EIS will evaluate the no-build alternative and any new, reasonable alternatives within the corridor generated through the scoping process. Scoping will be accomplished through correspondence with interested persons, organizations, and federal, state, regional, and local agencies. Six public scoping meetings will be held, as well as one inter-agency scoping meeting. See DATES below for details.