B&P Tunnel Project Scoping Report. Sample Elected Official and Key Stakeholder Correspondence. Appendix B

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1 B&P Tunnel Project Scoping Report Appendix B: Sample Elected Official and Key Stakeholder Correspondence September 2014 Appendix B

2 81 Mosher Street Baltimore, MD bptunnel.com May 19, 2014 The Honorable Curt Anderson Maryland House of Delegates 314 House Office Building 6 Bladen Street Annapolis, MD Dear Delegate Anderson: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), in coordination with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), launched a $60 million federally-funded study of potential improvements to Amtrak's Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel in Baltimore City. A public open house on the project will be held from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at Coppin State University, located at 2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland in the Second Floor Atrium of the Talon Center. FRA and MDOT welcome your participation at and encourage your constituents to attend this event to learn more about the project and provide critical input as we initiate the study. Amtrak's B&P Tunnel, which opened in 1873, is located between the West Baltimore MARC Station and Baltimore's Penn Station along Amtrak s Northeast Corridor (NEC). A map is enclosed which shows the existing tunnel and surrounding area. Please note that this is not CSX Transportation's Howard Street Tunnel, which serves freight trains to and from the Port of Baltimore. The section of the NEC that Amtrak's B&P Tunnel serves is primarily used by Amtrak and Maryland s MARC passenger trains, as well as some freight trains. It is a critical connection between Baltimore and points south such as Washington, DC to points north such as Perryville, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. Investment in the tunnel is warranted due to its significance, as well as its age and condition. Substantial rehabilitation or replacement of the existing tunnel on its current alignment, or a new tunnel on a new alignment need to be examined if the tunnel is to continue to reliably and safely serve modern passenger and freight rail needs along the NEC. The study is the first step that must be undertaken before a construction project could be considered. The work to be undertaken by this joint federal, state, and local action includes an engineering and environmental analysis of key characteristics of Amtrak's B&P Tunnel that hamper passenger and freight rail movement. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section

(FRA), in coordination with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), launched a $60 million federally-funded study of potential improvements to Amtrak's Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel in

3 Delegate Anderson May 19, 2014 Page of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 and other environmental laws and regulations, the study will consider potential impacts to surrounding communities and the environment and culminate in the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Thank you for your anticipated participation at the June 19 th public open house. We encourage you and the communities you represent to comment online at the B&P Tunnel Project s website at via at info@bptunnel.com, or in person at the open house event. For more information, please contact Ms. Jacqueline Thorne at or via at jthorne@mdot.state.md.us. Sincerely, Bradley Smith Manager, MDOT Office of Freight & Multimodalism Enclosure: Map

Thank you for your anticipated participation at the June 19 th public open house. We encourage you and the communities you represent to comment online at the B&P Tunnel Project s website at www.

5 May 22, 2014 Mt. Royal Elementary Middle School Job Grotsky, Principal 121 McMechen Street Baltimore, MD Dear Organization Leader: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), in coordination with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), launched a $60 million federally-funded study of potential improvements to Amtrak's Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel in Baltimore City. A public open house on the project will be held from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at Coppin State University, located at 2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland in the Second Floor Atrium of the Talon Center. FRA and MDOT welcome your organization s participation and encourage you to attend this event to learn more about the project and provide critical input as we initiate the study. Amtrak's B&P Tunnel, which opened in 1873, is located between the West Baltimore MARC Station and Baltimore's Penn Station along Amtrak s Northeast Corridor (NEC). A map is enclosed which shows the existing tunnel and surrounding area. Please note that this is not CSX Transportation's Howard Street Tunnel, which serves freight trains to and from the Port of Baltimore. The section of the NEC that Amtrak's B&P Tunnel serves is primarily used by Amtrak and Maryland s MARC passenger trains, as well as some freight trains. It is a critical connection between Baltimore and points south such as Washington, DC to points north such as Perryville, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. Investment in the tunnel is warranted due to its significance, as well as its age and condition. Substantial rehabilitation or replacement of the existing tunnel on its current alignment, or a new tunnel on a new alignment need to be examined if the tunnel is to continue to reliably and safely serve modern passenger and freight rail needs along the NEC. The study is the first step that must be undertaken before a construction project could be considered. The work to be undertaken by this joint federal, state, and local action includes an engineering and environmental analysis of key characteristics of Amtrak's B&P Tunnel that hamper passenger and freight rail movement. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 and other environmental laws and regulations, the study will consider potential impacts to surrounding

Department of Transportation (MDOT), launched a $60 million federally-funded study of potential improvements to Amtrak's Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel in Baltimore City.

6 Organization Leader May 22, 2014 Page Two communities and the environment and culminate in the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Thank you for your anticipated participation at the June 19 th public open house. We also encourage your organization to comment online at the B&P Tunnel Project s website at via at info@bptunnel.com; via mail (to 81 Mosher Street, Baltimore, MD 21217); or in person at the open house event. Sincerely, Bradley Smith Manager, MDOT Office of Freight & Multimodalism Enclosure: Map

We also encourage your organization to comment online at the B&P Tunnel Project s website at www.bptunnel.com; via email at info@bptunnel.

Environmental Impact Statement for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project

Environmental Impact Statement for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 11/04/2015 and available online at http://federalregister.gov/a/2015-28079, and on FDsys.gov 4910-06-P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION