SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT. ACEforward Notice of Additional Project Element Niles Junction Connections

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1 SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT DATE: May 9, 2016 FROM: TO: SUBJECT: San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission Agencies, Organizations, and Interested Parties ACEforward Notice of Additional Project Element Niles Junction Connections SUMMARY: This is a notice soliciting scoping input concerning an additional project element for the ACEforward Project/Program, which is currently in environmental review. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to advise agencies, organizations, and interested parties, that it is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the ACEforward Project/Program (proposed project/program) in June The original NOP is provided as an attachment to this notice. The EIR will analyze improving and expanding existing Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) rail service between Stockton and San Jose and extending new ACE rail service to Modesto and Merced (refer to Figure 1). SJRRC is the owner and operator of the ACE rail service, and will serve as the lead agency for the preparation of the EIR in compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). SJRRC is issuing this Supplemental NOP to alert interested parties and solicit public and agency input regarding an additional element of the project that would establish new rail line connections at Niles Junction that would allow freight rail traffic to better utilize the Niles subdivision as a direct connection to the Port of Oakland. This Supplemental NOP is seeking comment on the scope and content of the EIR in regards to this additional element and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by the SJRRC and its representatives will be considered in the preparation of the EIR. Originally, SJRRC and the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) were preparing a combined EIR/EIS with FRA as the federal lead agency for the preparation of the EIS in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). At this time, no federal funds have been identified to fund the project elements. Thus, SJRRC and the FRA have decided that the appropriate NEPA document will be a Program EIS to be released following the completion of the CEQA process. DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held at the times and dates listed below. The Project/Program s purpose and need and the description of alternatives currently under consideration for the proposed project/program will be presented at these meetings along with the description of the additional project element between Fremont and Oakland. Scoping materials and information concerning the scoping Page 1

2 meetings will be made available through the SJRRC s website: Comments may be provided orally or in writing at the scoping meetings scheduled at the following dates and locations: Hayward/San Leandro Area Scoping Meeting Tuesday, May 24, :30 pm Ashland Community Center, th Ave, San Leandro, CA Fremont/ Union City Area Scoping Meeting Thursday, May 26, :30 pm Union City Council Chambers, City Hall Alvarado-Niles Rd, Union City, CA The meeting facilities will be accessible to persons with disabilities. If special translation or signing services or other special accommodations are needed, please contact Ms. Yanna Badet at (415) or yanna.badet@aecom.com at least 48 hours before the scoping meeting. COMMENTS: Written comments on the scope and content of the ACEforward EIR concerning the additional project element including the program s purpose and need, the alternatives to be considered, the impacts to be evaluated and the methodologies to be used in the evaluations should be provided to SJRRC by June 9, WRITTEN COMMENTS SHOULD BE SENT TO: Mr. Dan Leavitt, Manager of Regional Initiatives ATTN: ACEforward EIR SJRRC/ ACE Headquarters 949 East Channel Street Stockton, CA or via with the Subject line ACEforward EIR to: aceforward@acerail.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yanna Badet, ACEforward Community Engagement Lead AECOM, 300 California Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA Tel: Yanna.Badet@aecom.com SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SJRRC is preparing a combined Project/Program EIR to identify and understand impacts associated with improvements to the ACE rail services. Past Planning Efforts Past planning efforts are described further in the original NOP, which is available here: Purpose and Need of the Proposed Project/Program The purpose of the ACEforward Project/Program is to implement a series of projects to reduce travel time, increase service reliability and frequency, improve passenger facilities and extend the reach of the ACE rail system to downtown Modesto and Merced. The need for the ACEforward Project/Program is for enhanced intercity and commuter rail service in the northern San Joaquin Valley in the ACE corridor Page 2

3 connecting the southern Bay Area with the Tri-Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. This need stems from the social and economic ties and travel demand that bind together the Northern San Joaquin Valley, the Tri-Valley and the Southern Bay Area, as well as the high levels of existing traffic and future anticipated growth, travel demand, and congestion that will cause environmental degradation and higher safety risks if not addressed. This need cannot be met by the existing ACE service or infrastructure which has significant operating limitations: including limited-capacity single track for much of the route, slow average operating speeds, service limitations and lack of existing service to Modesto and Merced. The purpose and need are described further in the original NOP. ACEforward Proposed Project/Program ACEforward overall is a phased improvement program to increase frequency, improve service reliability, improve safety, and reduce travel times along the existing Stockton to San Jose corridor and to extend ACE rail service to Modesto and to Merced. This program would provide the foundation for the long-term vision of SJRRC to provide both commuter and intercity passenger rail services. The program overall would improve the existing ACE service managed by SJRRC by delivering safety and operational improvements that enable expansion of service to Modesto and up to 6 daily round trips between the San Joaquin Valley and San Jose, which could occur as early as Following that, the program would extend ACE service to Merced and service frequency from the San Joaquin Valley to San Jose would increase to as many as 10 or more daily round trips, perhaps as soon as The EIR for ACEforward will include both a project- and programmatic-level analysis as discussed below. Project-Level Analysis The EIR will assess the environmental effects of at least the following improvements at a project level of detail: Improvements necessary to increase service to Modesto and expand service between the San Joaquin Valley and San Jose up to 6 daily round trips by as early as 2019, including the following: o Upgrade of the track and structures along the former Southern Pacific line through Niles Canyon to accommodate freight traffic or addition of sidings at Hearst (north of Sunol), in Niles Canyon, and in Centerville (in Fremont west of Niles Junction). o New connections to the former Southern Pacific line at Niles Junction and at Hearst. o Upgrading of the Altamont siding in the Altamont Hills. o Potential shift in service to a new passenger route along Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) through downtown Tracy: This improvement would allow for a downtown Tracy station with improved transit connections located close to urban infill/mixed-use development in Tracy. o Potential new station in West Tracy at several different locations, River Islands in Lathrop, downtown Tracy and downtown Manteca. o New connection between the Oakland subdivision and the Fresno subdivision in Lathrop/Manteca area. o Expansion of service to Modesto using existing UPRR track, new track built within the UPRR right of way or new track outside the UPRR right of way, or some combination thereof. o Parking improvements at various existing ACE stations. Changes since the NOP include the following: o The potential shift of service to an alignment connecting to River Islands and downtown Tracy were described as being analyzed at a program-level of detail in the original NOP are now being analyzed at a project-level of detail. o The West Tracy station options were not included in the prior NOP. Page 3

4 Programmatic Analysis The programmatic analysis will describe impacts at a conceptual level of detail focused on the selection of corridors for new service and general environmental impacts associated with that selection. The EIR will programmatically analyze the following: San Joaquin Valley to San Jose o Increase of service to up to 10 trains or more in the future including corridor improvements necessary to support such increases. This may include improvements of potential pinch points identified by the UPRR in the Altamont Hills, between Newark and Alviso, and between Santa Clara and San Jose. o Potential improved connection to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service in the Tri-Valley area that would increase connectivity. o Potential connection to the Union City Intermodal Station. New extension to Merced o Expansion of service to Merced using existing UPRR track, new track built within the UPRR right of way or new track outside the UPRR right of way, or some combination thereof. o Up to 10 or more daily round-trip trains and new downtown stations in Turlock and Merced and potential stations in Ripon, Ceres, and Livingston/Atwater. Additional connections and stations would increase ridership and allow greater opportunities for alternatives to vehicle travel for San Joaquin Valley residents. Changes since the NOP include the following: o The potential shift of service to an alignment connecting to River Islands and downtown Tracy were described as being analyzed at a program-level of detail in the original NOP are now being analyzed at a project-level of detail. The programmatic analysis will also address all project elements included in the project-level analysis as described above. New Project Element: Niles Junction Connections There are three different existing rail lines between Oakland and Fremont; all owned by UPRR (see Figure 2). The Niles subdivision proceeds from the Port of Oakland toward Niles Junction in Fremont generally on the east side of the coastal plain. The Oakland subdivision splits from the Niles subdivision in southern Oakland and is located to the east of the Niles subdivision until Hayward at which point it transitions to the west of the Niles subdivision (at Industrial Road), then traverses through Union City and Fremont through the Quarry Lakes area and then turns eastward through Niles Junction and then eastward into Niles Canyon. The Coast subdivision departs from the Niles subdivision in southern Oakland and then runs south in the area west of I-880 to Newark where it meets the Centerville line. From Niles Junction, freight trains and ACE passenger service utilize the Oakland subdivision to travel through Niles Canyon. There is a second rail line through Niles Canyon called the Niles Canyon Railway, which is owned by Alameda County, but is not used for freight rail and is only used for a small excursion service at present. The Niles Canyon Railway would require track upgrades in order to be used for regular freight service (as well as permission from Alameda County). The Alameda County rail network has a connectivity issue whereby trains heading between the Central Valley and the Port of Oakland cannot make a direct connection from the Oakland Subdivision to the Niles subdivision at Niles Junction. This gap results in many freight trains being routed via the Coast Subdivision (see Figure 2). The most direct route to and from the Port of Oakland for freight using Niles Canyon is the Niles subdivision. A key objective of the ACEforward Project/Program is to increase passenger rail service from the San Joaquin Valley to San Jose. Since ACE operates on rail lines owned by UPRR, the capacity on the lines Page 4

5 is influenced by both freight and passenger rail traffic. In order to be able to obtain permission from UPRR to operate additional passenger trains from the San Joaquin Valley to San Jose, UPRR has identified that there must be sufficient capacity for both freight and passenger trains. In order to manage freight operations to and from the Port of Oakland, UPRR has identified that a better connection from Niles Canyon to the Niles subdivision is necessary. This project element will include two different alternatives, both of which would allow a more direct connection from the Port of Oakland to Niles Canyon (and vice-versa) via the Niles subdivision. The connection alternatives are depicted in Figure 3. The first alternative would include a bridge over Alameda Creek west of Mission Boulevard that would connect the Oakland subdivision to the Niles subdivision. The second alternative would include a connection of the Niles Canyon Railway north of Alameda Creek to the Niles subdivision which would also allow for a direct connection. According to the recently (2016) released Alameda County Goods Movement Study prepared by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), rail traffic on the Niles subdivision is expected to be 26 daily trains by 2020 (including freight and Capitol Corridor). Rail traffic on the Coast subdivision for 2020 is expected to be 18 daily trains (including freight and the Amtrak Coast Starlight). The Oakland subdivision from Fremont to Oakland only has limited freight service at present, no passenger rail service and is not expected to have substantial rail increases in the future (except that one of the ACE alternatives is to extend ACE service to the Union City Intermodal Station). A direct connection from the Niles subdivision to either the Oakland subdivision or the Niles Canyon Railway at Niles Junction would allow freight traffic to be routed on both the Niles and the Coast subdivision optimally. The changes in freight traffic on the Niles subdivision versus the Coast subdivision will be identified in the EIR. For trains that would have previously used the Coast subdivision that would use the Niles subdivision, the distance would be shortened by approximately 10 miles. Capitol Corridor presently uses the Niles subdivision from Oakland to Niles Junction and then turns westward to Newark on the Centerville line and then the Coast subdivision south to Santa Clara. The proposed new connection at Niles Junction included in this project would not change the routing for the Capitol Corridor. Choices about routing for the Capitol Corridor are under the control of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) as well as UPRR, since UPRR owns all of the railroad lines between Oakland and Fremont. Changes in Capitol Corridor service or routing are not part of the proposed project/program. Apart from the bridge over Alameda Creek or the connection to the Niles Canyon Railway, no other physical improvements at or north of Niles Junction are included in the proposed project/program. Potential Environmental Effects Based on review of the project/program area and in consideration of the proposed project/program activities, SJRRC has determined that the proposed project/program overall may result in potential significant impacts related to the following: aesthetics; agricultural resources; air quality, biological resources; cultural and paleontological resources; geology, soils and seismicity; greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; hydrology and water quality; land use; noise and vibration; population and housing; public services and utilities; and transportation and traffic. Potential construction period effects of construction of a connection between the Oakland subdivision and the Niles subdivision (or the Niles subdivision and the Niles Canyon Railway) could include disturbance to biological or cultural resources and temporary air quality, noise, water quality, and traffic effects or other construction-period disruption. Operationally, the shift of some freight trains from the Coastal subdivision to the Niles subdivision would result in shifting localized noise, air quality and traffic impacts from the areas along the Coastal subdivision (and along the Centerville line) to areas along the Niles subdivision. The reduction of train miles travelled would reduce regional criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions as well as fuel consumption. All potential environmental effects will be analyzed in the EIR. Page 5

6 The EIR Process and the Role of Participating Agencies and the Public The purpose of the EIR process is to explore in a public setting the potentially significant effects of the proposed project on the environment. The SJRRC will assess the site characteristics, size, nature, and timing of the improvements to determine whether the impacts are potentially significant and whether impacts can be avoided or mitigated. The EIR will identify and evaluate reasonable and feasible sitespecific alignment alternatives, evaluate the impacts from construction, operation, and maintenance and identify mitigation measures. Information and documents regarding the ACEforward environmental review process will be made available through the ACE website: Scoping and Comments SJRRC encourages broad participation in the EIR process during scoping and review of the resulting environmental document. Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested agencies and the public at large to insure the full range of issues related to the proposed project/program and all reasonable alternatives are addressed and that all significant issues are identified. In particular, SJRRC is interested in learning whether there are areas of environmental concern where there might be a potential for significant impacts. Public agencies with jurisdiction are requested to advise SJRRC of the applicable permit and environmental review requirements of each agency, and the scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to the agency s statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed program. Public agencies are requested to advise SJRRC if they anticipate taking a major action in connection with the proposed program and if they wish to cooperate in the preparation of the EIR. Public scoping meetings have been scheduled as an important component of the scoping process for both the state and federal environmental review. The scoping meetings described in this NOP will be advertised locally and additional public notice will be provided separately with the dates, times, and locations of these scoping meetings. Page 6

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