[Federal Register: November 14, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 221)]
[Notices]
[Page 67491]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14no08-57]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement/Section 404 Permit Application for the Southern Beltway
Transportation Project from I-79 to the Mon/Fayette Expressway,
Washington County, PA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), in cooperation with
the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, as a Cooperating Agency, have prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)/Section 404 Permit Application
for the Southern Beltway Transportation Project from I-79 to the Mon/
Fayette Expressway in Washington County, PA. The overall purpose of the
project is to provide transportation mobility safety improvements, to
relieve congestion, and to support economic development plans in
southwestern Pennsylvania. The FEIS assesses the environmental effects
of the various alternatives developed to address the project needs.
DATES: Comments concerning this FEIS should be submitted by December
15, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: Scott A. Hans, Chief, Regulatory
Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District, Moorhead
Federal Building, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4186 or to:
David P. Willis, Environmental Manager, Pennsylvania Turnpike
Commission, P.O. Box 67676, Harrisburg, PA 17106.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the FEIS should be
directed to: Mr. John S. Weres, Project Manager, at SAI Consulting
Engineers, Inc., 1350 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412-392-8750).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authorization: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh
District, Regulatory Branch is considering an application from the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, 700 South Eisenhower Boulevard, P.O.
Box 67676, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7676 under Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act to construct the proposed action. The primary Federal concern
is the discharge of fill materials (including permanent inundation)
within Federal jurisdictional waters of the United States, and
potential impacts on the human environment from such activities. The
Corps' decision will be to either issue or deny a Department of the
Army permit for the proposed action.
The FEIS has been prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), pursuant to 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(c) and Executive Order 11990, and with other appropriate
federal laws and regulations, policies, and procedures of the Corps for
compliance with those regulations.
2. Scoping Process: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has held a
series of Public Plans Displays and Public Meetings in the project area
during the past several years, including a series of three meetings in
August 2005 to present the alternatives developed in detail in the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). To initiate the public
scoping process for the DEIS in accordance with the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) and NEPA guidelines, the Corps published a
Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on October 23, 2007 (FR
Doc. E7-20812).
3. Availability of the DEIS: Notice of Availability for the DEIS
was published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2007. The DEIS
was available for comment until February 8, 2008. A total of 48
comments were submitted to the Corps and the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Commission. The Corps and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
considered public comments and concerns on the DEIS and incorporated
into the FEIS as appropriate.
4. Public Hearing: A formal public hearing to receive comments on
the DEIS was held by the Corps and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
on January 24, 2008, at the Canon-McMillan Senior High School in
Canonsburg, PA. Both an open house plans display and a formal
presentation was conducted, and a total of 10 individuals provided
testimony regarding the project. The Corps and the Pennsylvania
Turnpike Commission considered public comments and concerns and
incorporated them into the FEIS as appropriate.
5. Availability of the FEIS: Individuals and agencies may offer
comments on the FEIS by mailing the information to Mr. Scott A. Hans or
to Mr. David P. Willis at the addresses provided in this notice prior
to December 15, 2008. The Corps will finalize the Record of Decision no
sooner than 30 days after the Notice of Availability of the FEIS. The
FEIS and appendices are available for review and downloading from the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's project Web site at the following
address: http://www.paturnpike.com/monfaySB/. Copies of the FEIS are
available for public review at local municipal offices and public
libraries in the project area. Copies of the technical support data and
all documents referenced in the FEIS are available for public review by
appointment at the Pittsburgh Office of SAI Consulting Engineers, Inc.
1350 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Please contact Mr. John Weres
at (412) 392-8750 to set up an appointment. Please note that only
qualified individuals will be allowed to review the confidential
cultural resources appendices. Copies of the FEIS and appendices are
also available for public review at the locations noted below:
Scott A. Hans,
Chief, Regulatory Branch, Pittsburgh District--U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
[FR Doc. E8-26970 Filed 11-13-08; 8:45 am]
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