FONSI and 4(f) Applicability

Notice of Availability – Finding of No Significant Impact and Determination of Applicability of Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation for the Phase I National Gateway Clearance Initiative; CSX Transportation, Inc. Clearance Improvements between Northwest Ohio and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

The United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) awarded a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant for the National Gateway freight rail corridor. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are partnering to administer the implementation of the TIGER grant on behalf of the U.S. DOT and in collaboration with the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland, as well as the track owner, CSX. The Phase I National Gateway Clearance Initiative is a project that is intended to provide the necessary overhead clearance required to accommodate the more efficient and environmentally beneficial transportation of double-stack intermodal containers on the existing rail corridor between North Baltimore, Ohio and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1968 (NEPA), as amended and Section 4(f) of the U.S. Transportation Act of 1966, as amended, an Environmental Assessment and Section 4(f) Evaluation for this proposed action was completed and signed on September 16, 2010. The document was provided for a 30 day public review and comments were compiled. A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Determination of Applicability of Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation for the Phase I National Gateway Clearance Initiative was signed by FHWA and FRA on November 22, 2010. The FONSI and the Section 4(f) Determination of Applicability document are posted here for public inspection.

Project development and construction will proceed in accordance with the commitments contained in the FONSI.