[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37526-37527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14907]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Rescinding the Notice of Intent for an Environmental Impact 
Statement: Boulder, Broomfield, and Jefferson Counties, CO

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice rescinds the Notice of Intent for preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement that was issued on July 21, 2003, for a 
proposed transportation improvement project in Boulder, Broomfield, and 
Jefferson Counties, Colorado. The action is being taken because there 
are no federal or state funds identified to make the proposed 
transportation improvements in the corridor for the next 20 years. It 
is not known when federal or state funds may become available for these 
improvements therefore an Environmental Impact Statement will not be 
prepared until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Monica Pavlik, Senior Operations 
Engineer, FHWA, Colorado Division, 12300 West Dakota Avenue, Suite 180, 
Lakewood, CO 80228, Telephone: (720) 963-3012. Mr. William McDonnell, 
Project Engineer, Colorado Department of Transportation Region 6, 2000 
South Holly Street, Denver, Colorado 80222, Telephone: (303) 757-9914.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 
cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) 
initiated an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with a Notice of 
Intent July 21, 2003, for an improved connection between the western 
terminus of the Northwest Parkway in Broomfield County and the SH 58, 
1-70, or C-470 freeway systems to the south in Jefferson County. This 
corridor is referred to as the Northwest Corridor. The FHWA and CDOT 
have determined that while major transportation improvements in the 
northwest Denver metropolitan area are needed, federal, state, or other 
funds are not available to meet these needs in the foreseeable future. 
Much work has been completed towards an EIS for this corridor and can

[[Page 37527]]

serve as a planning foundation for future projects by CDOT or others.
    In late 2007, it became apparent that many transportation needs in 
the State would be competing for very limited funding. This EIS project 
was one of four major Denver-area EISs initiated in 2003 with the 
expectation that funding levels would continue and possibly increase. 
While the need for a project is an important factor in determining 
which projects receive funding, those with the greatest public and 
local-entity support are more likely to receive funding in a fiscally-
constrained, long-range plan. As a result, the current long-range plan 
does not include funding for the improvements studied for the Northwest 
Corridor. As such, it is not the best use of limited public funds to 
continue the NEPA process for this project. A report, Northwest 
Corridor Transportation and Environmental Planning Study, will document 
the results of the analysis to date and be available to the public in 
July/August 2008.
    If any entity or authority, public or private, wants to proceed 
with improvements or connections to state highways in this area in the 
future, applicable state and federal requirements must be met and 
established study processes followed to determine feasibility and 
environmental impacts. In consultation with CDOT and FHWA, the 
Northwest Corridor Transportation and Environmental Planning Study 
document could support these efforts to develop future NEPA or 
technical studies. As part of planning and environmental linkages 
(PEL), elements that could be used to assist decision-making on future 
projects include purpose and need, alternatives development and 
evaluation, environmental resource background data, and public and 
agency coordination.

    Authority: 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: June 25, 2008.
Karla S. Petty,
Colorado Division Administrator.
[FR Doc. E8-14907 Filed 6-30-08; 8:45 am]
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