[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52359-52360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20968]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Hidalgo County, Texas
AGENCY: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Federal notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 40 CFR 1508.22, FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, is
issuing this notice to advise the public that an EIS will be prepared
for a proposed transportation project to construct State Highway (SH)
68 from Interstate (I)-2/United States Highway (US) 83 to I-69C/US 281
in Hidalgo County, Texas. Areas within the study area include the
cities of Alamo, Pharr, Donna, Edinburg, San Juan, and San Carlos.
[[Page 52360]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Homer Bazan, Jr., P.E., Director of
Transportation Planning and Development--TxDOT Pharr District, 600 W.
Interstate 2, Pharr, Texas, 78577; telephone: 956-702-6100; email:
[email protected]. TxDOT's normal business hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00
p.m., Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and
other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for
this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to
23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16,
2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT. TxDOT will prepare an EIS for the
proposed SH 68 from I-2/US 83 to I-69C/US 281, listed in the 2015--2040
Hidalgo County Metropolitan Transportation Plan as a 4-lane divided
rural highway facility with the potential for main lanes and
overpasses. There is no existing facility; therefore, the project is
proposed on new location.
The purpose of the project is to improve north/south mobility,
increase travel capacity for local and regional traffic, and provide an
alternate north-south evacuation routes during emergency events. The
project need is a lack of sufficient north/south mobility for local and
regional traffic and for additional emergency evacuation routes, which
are the result of historical and continuing growth in the region's
population as well as continued growth of traffic in the region.
The significance of impacts for the proposed SH 68 project was
initially uncertain, so the process began by preparing an environmental
assessment (EA). Based on preliminary analysis and feedback from the
public, it was determined that an EIS should be prepared. The EIS will
incorporate information collected during the EA process; in addition,
public input gathered during the development of the EA will be
considered in the EIS process. The EIS will develop and evaluate a
range of alternatives including ``No-action'' (the no-build
alternative), Transportation System Management (TSM)/Transportation
Demand Management (TDM), rapid transit and roadway build alternatives.
The EIS will analyze potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts
from construction and operation of proposed corridor improvements
including, but not limited to, the following: transportation impacts;
air quality and noise impacts; water quality impacts including storm
water runoff; impacts to waters of the United States including
wetlands; impacts to floodplains; impacts to historic and archeological
resources; impacts to threatened and endangered species; socioeconomic
impacts including environmental justice communities; impacts to and/or
potential displacements of land use, vegetation, residents and
businesses; and impacts to aesthetic and visual resources.
Public involvement is a critical component of the project
development process and will occur throughout the planning and study
phases. Letters describing the proposed action including a request for
comments will be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies
and to private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed
or are known to have interest in this proposal. Agency and public
scoping meetings are planned for late 2015. The purpose of the public
scoping meetings is to identify significant and other relevant issues
related to SH 68 mobility improvements as part of the National
Environmental Policy Act process. The scoping meetings will provide
opportunities for participating agencies, cooperating agencies, and the
public to be involved in review and comment on the draft coordination
plan, defining the need and purpose for the proposed project, and the
range of alternatives to be considered in the EIS. In addition to the
agency and public scoping meetings, a public hearing will be held.
Public notice will be given of the time and place of the meetings and
hearing. To ensure that the full range of issues related to this
proposed action is addressed and all significant issues are identified,
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Such
comments or questions concerning this proposed action should be
directed to TxDOT at the address 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.)
Issued on: August 19, 2015.
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-20968 Filed 8-27-15; 8:45 am]
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