[Federal Register: December 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 230)]
[Notices]
[Page 72144-72145]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01de05-67]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement; I-395/Route 9 Transportation
Study; Penobscot County, ME
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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[[Page 72145]]
SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed
highway project in the towns of Brewer, Holden, Eddington, and Clifton,
Maine.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Hasselmann, Right of Way and
Environmental Programs Manager, Maine Division, Federal Highway
Administration, 40 Western Ave., Augusta, Maine 04330, Tel. 207/622-
8350, ext. 101; Raymond Faucher, Project Manager, Maine Department of
Transportation, 16 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0016, Tel.
207/624-3300.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 11, 2005, FHWA Maine Division
notified MaineDOT that they completed their review of the preliminary
Environmental Assessment (EA) including the history and issues
involving the I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study. Based on the review,
FHWA determined that an EIS is required before location and design
approval. The FHWA determination to elevate the I-395/Route 9
Transportation Study NEPA documentation requirements from an EA to an
EIS is based on:
23 CFR 771.115 identification of a new controlled access
freeway and highway projects of four or more lanes normally requiring
an EIS; approximate corridor length 10.5 miles,
The proposed 43.2 acres of wetland impacts exceeding
historical MaineDOT annual statewide total for wetland impacts,
The potential difficulty in identifying compensatory
mitigation opportunities within the Study Area, and
The resource agencies request for additional information
on indirect and cumulative impacts and the potential for habitat
fragmentation.
The FHWA, in cooperation with the Maine Department of
Transportation, will prepare an EIS that analyzes alternatives to
identify a Preferred Alternative to meet future transportation needs.
The alternative identification and analysis from the preliminary EA
will provide the foundation to further the evaluation of upgrades of
the existing roadway system, alignments on new location, and the No-
build Alternative. The EIS will examine alternatives to improve
transportation system linkage, safety, and mobility between Interstate
395 (I-395), Brewer and State Route 9 (Route 9), Clifton in southern
Penobscot County, Maine.
This project was initiated as an EA. Agency scoping and early
coordination was initiated in December of 2000; letters describing the
proposed action and soliciting comments were sent to appropriate
Federal, State, and local agencies and the municipalities in accordance
with the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
and FHWA's and MaineDOT's requirements and policies for scoping and
early coordination. The I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study was
presented to the federal and state regulatory and resource agencies at
eight MaineDOT monthly Interagency coordination meetings between
January 2000 and July 2005. Public participation, initiated early in
the EA process, has included 17 meetings of a Public Advisory Committee
(PAC), two public meetings and an interactive Web site, < http://www.i395-rt9-study.com
>. The first PAC meeting was held in September
2000. A public scoping and informational meeting was held on April 11,
2001. A second public meeting was held on September 19, 2001 to present
the range of alternatives considered for satisfying purpose and need,
preliminary alternatives screening, and the range of alternatives
retained for further consideration.
Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will
be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies and private
organizations that have previously expressed or are known to have
interest in the proposed action. All public and agency comments,
including early scoping comments, received during the EA process will
be addressed in the EIS. The draft EIS will be available for public and
agency review and comment prior to a public hearing. To ensure that the
full range of issues related to this proposed action are addressed and
all significant issues identified, comments, and suggestions are
invited from all interested parties. Comments or questions concerning
this proposed action and the EIS should be directed to the FHWA and/or
MaineDOT at the addresses provided above. (Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning and Construction.
The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding
intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and activities apply
to this program.)
FHWA anticipates that the following Federal approvals will be
necessary for the project:
Clean Water Act Section 404 permit
Design, Right of Way, and Construction Funding Authorization
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: November 22, 2005.
Jonathan McDade,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Augusta, Maine.
[FR Doc. 05-23529 Filed 11-30-05 8:45 am]
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