1. Oregon Passenger Rail Leadership Council Meeting June 6, 2012

2. Project Status and Schedule Update

3. Project Timeline

4. Project Phase 2: Scoping Process

5. Public Involvement Plan.

6. Public Involvement Plan Purpose To support project decisions that are informed by the needs and issues of the communities and stakeholders in the Corridor

7. Public Involvement Elements 1.Interactive Opportunities for Involvement Scoping meetings Open houses – 2 rounds Public hearing and comments on DEIS 2.Collaborative Groups – will inform Leadership Council Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) – geographically based Corridor Forum – to engage jurisdictions, agencies and interest groups

8. Public Involvement Elements 3.Additional Opportunities for Input Written, email and phone inquiries Leadership Council meetings 4.Information Tools Project website and online tools Printed materials Community presence (events and small briefings) News media Social media Title VI outreach

9. Problem Statement

10. What is a Problem Statement? Problem statements… – Communicate the context and justification for potential solutions. – Generally define current as well as future conditions. – Must be useful for developing and evaluating potential solutions. – Become a substantial core of the project’s Purpose & Need statement required under NEPA.

11. What is a Problem Statement? Problems must be stated in terms of underlying causes. Problems should be framed in a way that can lead to a solution - but not one solution. Problem statements can incorporate broader community issues such as economic development, community character, and livability.

12. How Does a Problem Statement Help Us? “Well thought-out, clearly communicated, and commonly understood problem statements go a long way to achieving both environmental sensitivity and project success.” – US Department of Transportation via www.contextsensitivesolutions.org

13. From Problem Statement to Purpose & Need The Problem Statement will become the primary basis for the project’s Purpose & Need statement The draft Purpose & Need statement will be prepared and reviewed by – This group (summer) – FRA (summer) – The public (September) – Resource Agencies (September) The final Purpose & Need statement will become a substantial basis for screening and evaluating alternatives

14. OPR Preliminary Problem Statement Over the next 25 years (2010 - 2035): – Willamette Valley population forecast to grow approx. 35% to 3.6 million people. – Freight volume (both trains and trucks) statewide estimated to grow approximately 60%.

15. OPR Preliminary Problem Statement 2006 – 2011 passenger trains average 65% on time in Pacific NW Corridor. Portland - Eugene scheduled passenger rail travel time average 2 hours 40 minutes - approximately 40 minutes longer than driving. Current average train delay in Corridor is similar to larger and more congested rail systems.

16. Key Success Factors A Discussion with the Leadership Council

17. Key Success Factors Question 1: What do you see as the central problem(s) that the Oregon Passenger Rail study must address?

18. Key Success Factors Question 2: What are the key risks or challenges that could keep us from being successful?

19. Key Success Factors Question 3: If we do our jobs well, how will we know that we have been successful?

20. What’s Next? From Problem Statement to Scoping

21. From Problem Statement to Purpose and Need The P&N statement describes why we are doing the project (its purpose) and the deficiencies that the alternatives must address to be successful (its need). P&N statements are required under the NEPA Council on Environmental Quality regulation (section 1502.13). P&N statements are what we use when screening and evaluating alternatives!

22. Project Timeline

23. What’s Next? ItemTimeline (2012) Technical team will prepare the draft Purpose & Need statement June The draft project Purpose & Need statement will be sent to Leadership Council and FRA for review July The team will host public and agency scoping meetingsSeptember The project’s Purpose & Need statement will be finalizedOctober