(erielack) Lackawanna Cutoff Update and Local Meeting 6/29/00

["KC2WE_@_aol.com"]

Sussex County Planners will be holding a public meeting on Transportation 
issues and rail alternatives.

When:  Thurs 6/29  7:00 PM
Where: Sussex County Community College Bldg "D", Newton off US Rt. 206.
Info: More to follow later this coming week. Check 
http://www.lackawannacutoff.org mid week after info is posted.

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THE MIS and EA Status and the steps to start Engineering

 Q. What is the state of  the MIS and EA? 

A.The MIS and EA are completed. Both documents will be reviewed and marked up 
by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) sometime this Summer. TAC members 
include the SYSTRA (the consulting firm that authored the MIS and EA), Monroe 
and Lackawanna County Rail Authorities, NJ Transit Planning Dept. PennDOT 
amongst others along with the project leader, Executive Director Frank 
Reilly, MCDOT. After that review, the documents go to the Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA) for final project review. 

 Q. When will the documents be made public? 

A. As we understand the situation, NOT until they are approved by the FTA. 
This is a change from previous postings.

 Q. What is the next step and when? Why do we now have to wait longer for the 
MIS and EA to be public? 

Per the language in the FY 2001 Transportation Appropriation bill (just 
passed in the US Senate) S.2720 and H.R. 4475, FTA  is explicitly directed to 
request the engineering funds  from the House and Senate Appropriations 
committees no later than a  2/1/2001 deadline,  nor sooner than 10/1/2000. 
The FTA has to follow their internal review process to authorize the project.

 Q. How soon can the FTA request the engineering $$$ be made available for 
the project chief, Frank Reilly MCDOT to start the design? 

A. Not until after 10/1/2000 when the FY2001 Appropriations become law and 
not later than the 2/1/2001 deadline.

 Q. When will we see the "enrolled" version of the Transportation 
Appropriation bill that will be signed by the president? (An enrolled bill 
has the combined text of the Senate S.2720 and the House H.R. 4475 combined) 

A. It's anybody's guess, but certainly no later that 9/30/2000.

 Q. How do the engineering $$ actually become available? 

A. The House and Senate Appropriations committees will release the 
engineering funds as per the language in the enrolled bill after a formal 
request from the FTA.  

Q. Is the project authorized for funding?

A. YES, after the law takes effect (10/1/2000).


Seth T.
http://www.lackawannacutoff.org

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End of Erielack Digest V2 #744
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