Dear Stakeholder,
In response to community input and request, the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) and San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) will be holding an additional scoping meeting for the Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project to solicit additional input on the scope of the environmental analysis of the project.
The Project would include the implementation of new Amtrak San Joaquins and ACE passenger rail service along the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Sacramento Subdivision from the existing Stockton Downtown/ACE Station to the North Natomas area of Sacramento. The Project would serve six proposed stations at Lodi, south Sacramento (to be named the “Elk Grove” station), Sacramento City College, Midtown, Old North Sacramento, and Natomas (with a shuttle connection to and from the Sacramento International Airport). The Project would also include a potential Maintenance and Layover Facility located in Natomas, and track improvements within the existing right-of-way.
The full Notice of Preparation (NOP) was released on September 13, 2019 and provides a more detailed description of the project. The NOP can be viewed online at www.aceraildev1.wpengine.com/valley_rail. Although the scoping period described in the NOP has ended, we will continue to accept your comments for consideration in the Draft EIR now being prepared.
The scoping meeting will include a brief presentation to provide an overview of the project, followed by an open house discussion. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the project with staff, visit display boards illustrating the locations under consideration and layouts of proposed project improvements, and submit written comments.
Meeting date and time:
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Meeting location: Natomas Park Master Association Clubhouse
2101 Club Center Drive
Sacramento CA 95835
Potential Environmental Effects: The lead agency has initially determined that the following topics will be included for evaluation in the EIR: Aesthetics, Agricultural Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise and Vibration, Population and Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation and Traffic, and Utilities and Service Systems. The EIR will consider both temporary construction-period and permanent impacts. The EIR will also include a cumulative impact analysis of the impacts of the project in combination with other planned railway projects, transportation improvements, and land use plans and projects in the various cities along the project corridor. SJRRC and SJJPA are seeking comments from agencies, stakeholders, and the public regarding the environmental effects and potential alternatives to be analyzed in the EIR.
Scoping Comments: Written responses and comments on the scope of the Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project may be sent via email to ace.sacramentoextension@gmail.com, or via mail to:
San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission
Attn: Valley Rail Sacramento Extension
949 E. Channel Street
Stockton, CA 95202
Comments will be accepted through November 20, 2019. Please include “Valley Rail Sacramento Extension” in the subject heading for emailed comments.
Sincerely,
SJRRC and SJJPA