[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21145-21146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9290]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans), announces the availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed highway project and 
route adoption study in San Benito and Santa Clara Counties, 
California.

DATES: Public circulation of this document will begin on April 26, 2010 
and will end on June 10, 2010. An open forum public hearing will be 
held for this project on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 between 5 p.m. and 8 
p.m. in Hollister. The location is R.O. Hardin Elementary School, 881 
Line Street, Hollister, CA 95023 in the Multi-purpose Room.

ADDRESSES: This document will be available at the Caltrans District 5 
office, 50 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 on weekdays from 8 
a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for the first, second, and third Fridays of the 
month, when Caltrans offices are closed). Copies of the document can 
also be read at the San Benito County Free Library, 470 Fifth Street, 
Hollister, CA 95023 and at the Santa Clara County Library, 7562 
Monterey Street, Gilroy, CA 95020. The Draft EIS is also available at 
http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/hwy25widening/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: G. William `Trais' Norris III, Sierra 
Pacific Environmental Analysis Branch, 2015 East Shields Avenue, Suite 
100, Fresno, CA 93726. E-mail [email protected]. Telephone (805) 
542-4711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) assigned, and (Caltrans) assumed, environmental 
responsibilities for this project pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327. Caltrans 
as the delegated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency, has 
prepared a Draft Tier I Environmental Impact Statement that evaluates 
two proposed projects: (1) A route adoption of State Route 25 between 
Hollister in San Benito County and US 101 just south of Gilroy in Santa 
Clara County and (2) a proposed four-lane expressway construction 
project within the limits of the proposed route adoption in San Benito 
County. Caltrans approved the Draft EIS on April 13, 2010.
    Alternatives 1 and 2, the route adoption alternatives, would share 
the same alignment from \1/2\ mile south of Shore Road in San Benito 
County to US 101 in Santa Clara County. Between \1/2\ mile south of 
Shore Road and the southern end of the proposed project at San Felipe 
Road, these alternatives separate. In this area Alternative 1 proposes 
to align the future four-lane expressway generally to the east of the 
existing highway, while Alternative 2 would be aligned mostly to the 
west of the existing two-lane highway.
    The proposed widening project extends from San Felipe Road in 
Hollister to just west of Hudner Lane in San Benito County. A four-lane 
expressway would be built on a new alignment. Alternative A would be 
within the footprint of Alternative 1, and Alternative B would be 
within the footprint of Alternative 2. Because this project is really 
two projects, it would be possible for the No-Build Alternative to be 
selected instead of a construction project, and to also have an action: 
a route adoption. The No-Action Alternative would result in no action 
being taken.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning

[[Page 21146]]

and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 
regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and 
activities apply to this program.)

    Issued on: April 16, 2010.
Cindy Vigue,
Director, State Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2010-9290 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
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