[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 30902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13103]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement; U.S. 231
Dubois County, IN
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with
the Indiana Department (INDOT), is issuing this notice to advise the
public that FHWA will prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (SDEIS) for the U.S. 231 Jasper Huntingburg project in Dubois
County, Indiana.
Since publication of the 2004 U.S. 231 Draft EIS in March 2004,
FHWA and INDOT has continued to evaluate the project and has developed
additional alternatives for consideration. The SDEIS will re-evaluate
the Preferred Alternative identified in the 2004 U.S. 231 DEIS and
compare those impacts to the additional build alternatives. The SDEIS
will focus on the project modifications, the existing environment and
impacts, and any new information that has developed since the 2004 DEIS
as required by 23 CFR 771.130.
DATES: Comments on the scope of the SDEIS for the proposed project
should be forwarded no later than July 2, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Tim Miller,
Environmental Manager, HNTB Indiana, Inc., 111 Monument Circle, Suite
1200, Indianapolis, IN 46204, Telephone: (317) 636-4682, E-mail:
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janice Osadczuk, Planning/
Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Indiana
Division, 575 North Pennsylvania Street, Room 254, Indianapolis,
Indiana, Telephone: (317) 226-7486.
Supplementary Background Information: U.S. 231 extends approximately
304 mi from U.S. 60 in Owensboro, Kentucky, north through Indiana to
U.S. 41 near the Illinois border. Due to the importance of the route,
U.S. 231 is included in the National Highway System (NHS). The NHS
includes all Interstate routes, a large percentage of roads classified
as principal arterial highways and roads important for national
defense. The NHS includes 5 percent of the national roadway network but
serves approximately 40 percent of the nation's highway travel. U.S.
231 is also a part of the National Truck Network, a national network of
highways that allows the passage of trucks of specified minimum
dimensions and weight.
Designated as a Regional Mobility Corridor and Commerce Corridor,
U.S. 231 serves as a connection to smaller cities and regions, feeds
traffic to the major mobility corridors and provides for regional
accessibility. As a Commerce Corridor, U.S. 231 directly facilitates
intrastate, interstate or international commerce or travel.
Approximately 12 mi of existing U.S. 231 through Dubois County is rural
2-lane roadway. The roadway becomes 3- or 4-lane through Huntingburg
and Jasper and is a north-south arterial that divides both communities.
Traffic flow in Huntingburg is affected by delays at an at-grade
railroad crossing. In Jasper, U.S. 231 makes two right-angle turns,
both of which have substandard corner radii and are difficult for
larger vehicles to negotiate.
In March 2004, FHWA released the U.S. 231 Draft EIS. FHWA and INDOT
have continued to evaluate the project and have developed additional
alternatives for consideration and a Final EIS has not been released
within three years of the publication of the Draft EIS. The SDEIS will
re-evaluate the Preferred Alternative identified in the 2004 U.S. 231
DEIS and compare those impacts to the additional build alternatives.
The SDEIS will focus on the project modifications, the existing
environment and impacts, and any new information that has developed
since the 2004 DEIS as required by 23 CFR 771.130.
Environmental Issues: Possible environmental impacts include
viewshed impacts, impacts to water resources, wetlands, farmed
wetlands, prime farmland, sensitive biological species and habitat,
land use compatibility impacts, impacts to agricultural lands,
displacement of commercial and residential properties, and potential
effects to historical properties or archaeological sites.
Alternatives: The SDEIS will consider alternatives that include:
(1) Taking no action; (2) re-evaluation of the Preferred Alternative
identified in the 2004 DEIS; and (3) additional build alternatives not
previously identified in the 2004 DEIS.
Public and Agency Scoping and Comment: FHWA encourages continued
broad participation in the SDEIS process and review of the resulting
environmental documents. A resource/regulatory agency meeting is
scheduled for May 17, 2010 to re-initiate agency participation again as
FHWA continues with the development of the SDEIS, Final EIS, and Record
of Decision. This agency meeting will be held to solicit input from the
resource and regulatory agencies on the nature and extent of issues,
concerns and potential impacts to be addressed in the SDEIS, including
methods by which they will be evaluated and discuss any changes since
the release of the 2004 DEIS. A public information meeting will be
conducted in the City of Huntingburg in the summer of 2010, re-
initiating the public scoping process on the SDEIS, which will be
widely publicized well in advance of the meeting. Comments, questions,
and suggestions related to the project and potential environmental
concerns are invited from all interested agencies and the public at
large to ensure that the full range of issues related to the proposed
action and all reasonable alternatives are considered and all
significant issues are identified. These comments, questions, and
suggestions should be forwarded to the address listed above. Notices of
availability for the Supplemental Draft EIS, Final EIS, and Record of
Decision will be provided through direct mail, the Federal Register and
other media. Notification also will be sent to Federal, State, local
agencies, persons, and organizations that submit comments or questions.
Precise schedules and locations for public meetings will be announced
in the local news media. Interested individuals and organizations may
request to be included on the mailing list for the distribution of
meeting announcements and associated information.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 20.205, Highway
Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive
Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal
programs and activities apply to the program.)
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 31.5; 23 CFR 771.123; 49 CFR 1.48.
Robert F. Tally,
Division Administrator, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[FR Doc. 2010-13103 Filed 6-1-10; 8:45 am]
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