To document community and environmental resources that would be affected by the purchase of parcels to preserve right-of-way for BRT stations and to use the value of the property as match to future federal transit funds. The Tier 1 PEIS process is ...

 

OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) will host four public hearings for the public to review and comment on the Draft Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Tier 1 PEIS) describing the adopted Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system corridors and the potential purchase of land for right-of-way for BRT stations.  The Tier 1 PEIS documents environmental and community resources within the BRT station areas.  This study is a combined effort of the Federal Transit Administration and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.

Four public hearings will be held as listed below.  An open house period will begin at 4:30 p.m. where maps, displays and handouts will be available for review and discussion with project staff. The formal presentation followed by the comment period will begin at 6:00 p.m.

DATE AND TIMES: Monday, October 15, 2007, Open house: 4:30 p.m.; Formal Presentation: 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Regency Square Library, East Corridor, Community Room, 9900 Regency Square Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32225

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: To document community and environmental resources that would be affected by the purchase of parcels to preserve right-of-way for BRT stations and to use the value of the property as match to future federal transit funds. The Tier 1 PEIS process is designed to notify and inform property owners, the public and agencies of the potential for BRT services and to invite the public to review and comment on the BRT plans and potential property acquisition.

DATE AND TIMES: Tuesday, October 16, 2007, Open house: 4:30 p.m.; Formal Presentation: 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: FCCJ Deerwood Center, 9911 Old Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: To document community and environmental resources that would be affected by the purchase of parcels to preserve right-of-way for BRT stations and to use the value of the property as match to future federal transit funds. The Tier 1 PEIS process is designed to notify and inform property owners, the public and agencies of the potential for BRT services and to invite the public to review and comment on the BRT plans and potential property acquisition.

DATE AND TIMES: Wednesday, October 17, 2007, Open house: 4:30 p.m.; Formal Presentation: 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Gateway Mall – Stage (Near Bus Transfer Site), North Corridor, 5258 Norwood Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32208

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: To document community and environmental resources that would be affected by the purchase of parcels to preserve right-of-way for BRT stations and to use the value of the property as match to future federal transit funds. The Tier 1 PEIS process is designed to notify and inform property owners, the public and agencies of the potential for BRT services and to invite the public to review and comment on the BRT plans and potential property acquisition.

DATE AND TIMES: Thursday, October 18, 2007, Open house: 4:30 p.m.; Formal Presentation: 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: FCCJ Kent Campus, Southwest Corridor, 3939 Roosevelt Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32205

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: To document community and environmental resources that would be affected by the purchase of parcels to preserve right-of-way for BRT stations and to use the value of the property as match to future federal transit funds. The Tier 1 PEIS process is designed to notify and inform property owners, the public and agencies of the potential for BRT services and to invite the public to review and comment on the BRT plans and potential property acquisition.

You may attend any of the hearings.  At the hearing, you may submit comments orally or in writing at any time during the open house or after the presentation.  Persons wishing to speak during the formal comment period will obtain a speaker card at the meeting.  Sign language and Spanish language interpreters will be present, as well as a stenographer to document oral comments.

Anyone requiring special accommodations should contact Winova Hart at [phone] or [e-mail] no later than seven days prior to the meeting you plan to attend. You may submit comments within the 45 day comment period ending November 12, 2007 to: Winova Hart, JTA, 100 N. Myrtle Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32203 or [e-mail].

All comments received at the hearings and until the close of the comment period will be included in the final report document.  Copies of the Draft Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement can be reviewed at the locations below starting on September 10, 2007:

JTA Offices, 100 N. Myrtle St., Jacksonville, FL 32203

Main Library, 303 Laura St., Jacksonville, FL 32202

Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32256

Webb Wesconnett Regional Library, 6887 103rd St., Jacksonville, FL 32210

Bradham Brooks Northwest Regional Library, 1755 Edgewood Avenue, West, Jacksonville, FL 32208

Regency Square Library, 9900 Regency Square Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32225

These hearings are being held in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended. Public participation at this hearing is solicited without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to adherence to Titles Six and Eight of the Civil Rights Act may do so by contacting JTA’s equal opportunity officer Ken Middleton at [phone] or [e-mail].  These hearings are also being held in accordance with FTA policy, all Federal laws, regulations, and executive orders affecting project development, including but not limited to the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and FTA implementing NEPA (42 USC 4332) as well as EIS guidelines (40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and 23 CFR part 771), the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, Executive Order 12898 regarding environmental justice, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and Section 4(f) of the DOT Act, have been addressed to the maximum extent practicable during this NEPA process.  In addition, JTA is seeking section 5309 New Starts funding for the project and will therefore be subject to the FTA New Starts regulation (49 CFR part 611). This New Starts regulation requires the submission of certain specified information to FTA to comply with the NEPA process. Right-of-Way acquisition is anticipated for this project. Environmental Justice Issues have also been considered, as specified in Executive Order 12898. These hearings are being held in accordance with 23 CFR 771 and Section 339.155, Florida Statutes.