[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77549-77550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30310]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Revise Notice of Intent for an Environmental Impact Statement:
State Route (SR) 95 Realignment Study: Interstate 40 to SR 68, Mohave
County, Arizona
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), United States Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent (NOI).
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SUMMARY: FHWA is issuing this Revised NOI to advise the public of a
change to the environmental review process for the proposed realignment
of State Route (SR) 95 in Mohave County, Arizona. FHWA and the project
sponsor, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), intend to use
a tiered process to facilitate project decision-making. This notice
revises the NOI that was published in the Federal Register on June 1,
2007.
The proposed tiering approach will allow FHWA and ADOT to identify
potential corridors and to broadly evaluate a range of potential
environmental impacts and mitigation approaches in Tier 1. The Tier 1
analysis will utilize as appropriate technical data obtained thus far
in the environmental review process. Subsequently, in Tier 2, the
agencies will evaluate project-level, site-specific impacts, and
required mitigation and commitments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Hansen, Team Leader--Planning,
Environment & Realty, Federal Highway Administration, 4000 North
Central Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, AZ 85012-3500, Telephone: (602)
382-8964, Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 1, 2007, FHWA and ADOT, in
cooperation with Mohave County and the City of Bullhead City, issued an
NOI to prepare an EIS for the proposed realignment of SR 95 in Mohave
County, Arizona (Federal Register Vol. 72, No. 105). The study area
begins approximately 2 miles south of Interstate 40 near Topock,
Arizona and extends north to SR 68 near Bullhead City, Arizona.
Information and documents regarding the environmental review process
will be made available for the duration of the Tier 1 EIS process on
the following Web site: https://www.azdot.gov/projects/far-west/sr-95-realignment-study-i-40-to-sr-68.
Public Involvement: Public outreach will continue throughout this
Tier 1 EIS process. At least one public hearing will be held during the
study, and the Draft EIS will be available for public and agency review
and comment prior to the public hearing.
Purpose and Need: The Tier 1 EIS will evaluate alternatives that
address the following needs of the SR 95 corridor: (1) Increasing
traffic volumes will lead to capacity deficiencies on SR 95 within the
study area; (2) the operation of SR 95 will fail by the design year
2040 through much of the study area; (3) much of the length of the
roadway will continue to be used for regional and local traffic, which
is not consistent with its intended function; and (4) critically high
accident rates will continue into the foreseeable future unless
measures are undertaken to address at least some of the factors causing
the accidents. Therefore, the
[[Page 77550]]
purpose of the proposed action is to identify the appropriate
transportation solution(s) to rectify the increasing inability to
safely and effectively move people, goods, and services through the
study area.
Alternatives: Alternative corridors will be developed within the
previously defined study area.
Environmental Review Process: The EIS will be developed in
accordance with Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40
Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] part 1500 et seq.) implementing NEPA
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and FHWA regulations. FHWA and ADOT will use
a tiered process, as provided for in 40 CFR 1508.28 and in accordance
with FHWA guidance, in the completion of the environmental study.
If the Record of Decision indicates that FHWA has selected one of
the alternative corridors as the environmentally preferred alternative,
the evaluation of a specific highway alignment within the selected
corridor would occur in a subsequent phase of the study. Subsequent
Tier 2 assessment(s) would address a proposed highway alignment to be
developed within the alternative corridor selected in the Tier 1 EIS,
and would incorporate by reference the Tier 1 data, evaluations, and
findings. The Tier 2 NEPA evaluation(s) would concentrate on site-
specific issues and alternatives relevant to implementing a new highway
alignment within the selected Tier 1 alternative corridor, and would
identify the environmental consequences and measures necessary to
mitigate environmental impacts at a site-specific level of detail.
(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.)
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; U.S.C. 771.123.
Issued on: December 10, 2013.
Karla S. Petty,
FHWA Division Administrator, Phoenix, AZ.
[FR Doc. 2013-30310 Filed 12-20-13; 8:45 am]
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