4910-06-P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2024-0045]
Notice of Availability of a Final General Conformity Determination for the
California High-Speed Rail System, Palmdale to Burbank Project Section
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is making a Final
General Conformity Determination for the Palmdale to Burbank Project Section of the
California High-Speed Rail (HSR) System.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lana Lau, Supervisory
Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental Policy, Office of Environmental
Program Management, telephone: (202) 923-5314, email: Lana.Lau@dot.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 (section 327), the
California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA or Authority) has assumed FRA’s
environmental review responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). However, under section 327, FRA remains responsible
for compliance with the Clean Air Act General Conformity requirements. In compliance
with NEPA and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Authority
published a Final Environmental Impact Record/Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIR/EIS) for the Palmdale to Burbank Project Section of the California High-Speed Rail
(HSR) System on May 24, 2024.
FRA prepared a Draft General Conformity Determination, pursuant to 40 CFR
part 93, subpart B, which establishes the process for complying with the General

Conformity requirements of the Clean Air Act. FRA published a notice in the Federal
Register on April 2, 2024 at 89 FR 22766, advising the public of the availability of the
Draft Conformity Determination for a 30-day review and comment period. The Draft
Conformity Determination was published at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No.
FRA-2024-0045. The comment period of the Draft Conformity Determination closed on
May 2, 2024. FRA received one non-substantive comment on the Draft General
Conformity Determination that was not germane to FRA’s air quality analysis or
determination.
FRA prepared the Final General Conformity Determination pursuant to 40 CFR
part 93 subpart B and based on the Authority’s coordination with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) and South Coast Air Quality Management District
(SCAQMD). The Authority has also consulted with the USEPA on the overall approach
to General Conformity. FRA’s analysis of the Project’s potential emissions, completed in
close collaboration with CHSRA, found that construction period emissions would exceed
the General Conformity de minimis threshold for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon
monoxide (CO) in certain calendar years. However, operation of the Project would result
in an overall reduction of regional emissions of all applicable air pollutants and would not
cause a localized exceedance of an air quality standard (during operations). Consistent
with the General Conformity Rule, the Authority will ensure all remaining emissions that
exceed de minimis thresholds, after implementation of impact avoidance and
minimization features and onsite mitigation measures will be completely mitigated to zero
through agreements with the applicable air districts. In addition, FRA concluded the
Project would conform to the approved state implementation plan (SIP), based on
localized CO modeling that shows that construction emissions exceeding the CO de
minimis thresholds will not result in a violation of the National Ambient Air Quality

Standards. Based on this commitment and the localized CO modeling, FRA determined
the Project will conform to the requirements in the approved SIP.
The Final General Conformity Determination is available at
http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. FRA-2024-0045, and FRA’s website at
https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/clean-air-act-californiageneral-conformity-determinations.
Issued in Washington, D.C.
Marlys Ann Osterhues,
Director, Office of Environmental Program Management.

[FR Doc. 2024-12646 Filed: 6/7/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/10/2024]