[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2382-2383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-866]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Multiple South and East Texas
Counties, State of Texas
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a
Tier One Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the
proposed extension of Interstate Highway 69 (I-69) from near Laredo and
the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The proposed I-69 facility is being
evaluated as an element of the National High Priority Corridor 18 and
Corridor 20 systems. In addition, I-69 is being evaluated as an element
of the Trans-Texas System as outlined in the Trans-Texas Corridor Plan
(TTCP). As currently envisioned, the proposed Trans-Texas System could
include lanes for passenger vehicles, separate lanes for trucks, rail
lines and a utility corridor.
FHWA is using a tiered approach for evaluating this proposal. Tier
One will study the broader level decision to determine the location of
an I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor. After the Tier One decision has been
made, FHWA will proceed with the I-69 highway component by performing
project level studies in a Tier Two decision process. Other Federal,
State and/or Local agencies would pursue project decisions for the non-
highway modes after the Tier One decision.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Mack, P.E., District Engineer,
Federal Highway Administration, 300 E. 8th Street, Room 826, Austin,
Texas 78701, by telephone at (512) 536-5960.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Please refer to the previous Announcement of
I-69 Status published as Federal Register Notice, Volume 65, No. 237,
Friday, December 8, 2000.
Using a tiered approach to study I-69 in Texas, the FHWA, in
cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT),
intends to prepare a Tier One EIS on a proposal to identify a corridor
for ultimate construction of I-69 as a controlled access, multimodal
transportation facility. This project responds to the need for a
strategic, high priority highway serving the east-central United
States, as outlined in the national High Priority Corridors 18 and 20
studies defined by Congress in the 1991 Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), as extended in 1993 and 1995,
and the 1998
[[Page 2383]]
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). I-69 is
planned to be a continuous north-south corridor linking Canada, the
United States, and Mexico. The proposed facility would also serve as a
high priority element of the statewide Trans-Texas System as outlined
in the June 2002 report published by TxDOT entitled ``Crossroads of the
Americas: Trans Texas Corridor Plan.''
As currently envisioned, Trans-Texas would potentially include
highway lanes for passenger vehicles; separate lanes for trucks; and
six rail lines (one in each direction serving freight, commuter and
high speed passenger traffic). The width of the proposed facility would
be approximately 1,000 to 1,200 feet including a 200-foot wide utility
zone that could ultimately accommodate lines for water, petroleum,
natural gas, electricity, data, and other commodities. The overall
length of the corridor is approximately 1,000 miles but the final
length is dependent upon the location decision.
FHWA and TxDOT anticipate utilizing a combination of traditional
and innovative financing options to fund construction of the proposal
facility. These options include state and federal transportation
sources, public/private partnerships, and tolling.
The Tier One EIS will focus on broad issues and generally address
the national, regional and area-wide implications of the major
alternatives. The Tier One study will not authorize construction of any
element of the proposed facility. Anticipated decisions to be made
during the Tier One study include evaluation of the ``no action''
alternative; identification of a preferred corridor location where the
I-69 highway element and the remaining modal elements of the Trans-
Texas Corridor can be coincidal and where they will be separated;
refinement of modal concepts; identification of segments of independent
utility (to be studied further in subsequent tiers); identification of
areas that may warrant corridor preservation; and development of a plan
for further action. Documents prepared during subsequent tiers would
rely upon and utilize the environmental analysis in the Tier One. As a
priority element of a national I-69 corridor initiative, the proposed
facility would address interstate and international transportation
needs, goals and objectives.
Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will
be sent to appropriate federal, state and local authorities as well as
private organizations, individuals and stakeholders who have previously
expressed or are known to have an interest in this proposal. Public
meetings and public hearings will be held during appropriate phases of
the project development process. Public notices will be given of the
date, time, and location of each.
A second high priority Trans-Texas Corridor, the IH 35 High
Priority Corridor, is also under development and a Tier One Corridor
EIS is being considered for that facility. A separate Notice of Intent
will be published by the FHWA for that EIS.
Although the I-69 and IH-35 Corridor facilities are separate and
distinct actions, with each having logical termini and independent
utility, each of the proposed facilities share the need to terminate
along the Texas-Mexico International Border (or Texas Gulf Coast)
resulting in overlap of study areas. In the overlapping areas, care
will be taken to closely coordinate the development of the two separate
facilities in order to minimize duplication of effort and inconvenience
to the public, resource agencies, and other stakeholders. Both projects
will be considered in the cumulative impacts analysis for each of the
facilities.
To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
action is addressed and all significant concerns are identified,
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties.
Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the Tier One
EIS should be directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental
consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this
program.)
Issued on: January 6, 2004.
John Mack,
District Engineer, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 04-866 Filed 1-14-04; 8:45 am]
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