Environmental Impact Statement: Dane County, WI |
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Johnny M. Gerbitz
Federal Highway Administration
August 6, 2012
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 151 (Monday, August 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46790-46791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19090]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Dane County, WI
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this NOI is to update the notice issued in the
Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 112, Monday, June 12, 2006, Notices. The
FHWA and WisDOT are updating this notice to advise the public that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is continuing to be prepared for
proposed transportation improvements on the United States Highway (US)
51 corridor in the Madison Urban Area, Dane County, Wisconsin. The
general location is between U.S. 12/18 (Madison South Beltline Highway)
and Wisconsin State Highway (WIS) 19. The EIS is being prepared in
conformance with 40 CFR 1500 and FHWA regulations. The NOI is being
updated to reflect the current status of the environmental study,
changes in contact information, and significant coordination efforts
etc that have been completed since the revised NOI was issued in June
2006.
The project was placed on ``Hold'' by the WisDOT in the Summer of
2010 because it was determined the type and cost of the improvements
being considered met the revised definition of a WisDOT ``Major
Project'' requiring approval by the Wisconsin Legislature's
Transportation Projects Commission (TPC). In November 2011, the TPC
approved the EIS study for the project as part of WisDOT's Majors
Program, and efforts to continue with the EIS study were initiated in
April 2012. The Project limits, Purpose & Need, and Range of
Alternatives being evaluated have not changed
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Johnny Gerbitz, Field Operations
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 525 Junction Rd, Suite 8000,
Madison, Wisconsin, 53717-2157, Telephone: (608) 829-7500. You may also
contact Rebecca Burkel, Director, Bureau of Technical Services,
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 7965, Madison,
Wisconsin, 53707-7965: Telephone: (608) 516-6336.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded by using a
computer, modem and suitable
[[Page 46791]]
communications software from the Government Printing Offices'
Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet users may
reach the Office of Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov/and the Government Printing Offices' database at:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Background
The FHWA, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of
Transportation, is continuing to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) on proposed improvements to address safety, operational
and capacity concerns on an approximate 11-mile (17-kilometer) portion
of U.S. 51 between Terminal Drive/Voges Road (Village of McFarland) and
WIS 19 (Village of DeForest) in Dane County. These improvements are
being considered to address existing and future transportation demand
on U.S. 51 as identified in the 2003 Stoughton Road Needs Assessment
Technical Report; safety and operational concerns documented in the
2010 Traffic, Safety and Needs Report; and to identify land which may
need to be preserved for future transportation improvements.
FHWA's decision to prepare an EIS is based on the initial
environmental assessment that indicates the proposed action is likely
to have significant impacts on the environment, including wetlands. The
EIS will evaluate the social, economic, and environmental impacts of
the alternatives including no build, improvements within the existing
highway corridor, and possible improvements on new location.
Information describing the proposed action and soliciting comments
has been sent to appropriate Federal, State, and Local agencies,
American Indian Tribes, private agencies and organizations, and
citizens who have expressed or are known to have an interest in this
proposal. Coordination will continue to be solicited through public
information meetings, agency coordination meetings, and other meetings
with interested parties throughout the environmental analysis process
During the Needs Assessment activities, coordination was conducted
with State and Federal review agencies, and there was extensive
coordination with Local Officials. Several ongoing focus group meetings
and workshops have been held since 2002. A Policy Advisory Committee
(PAC) consisting of neighborhood & business representatives and elected
officials has met periodically when their input on new information
seems appropriate since the study began in 2002. A Technical Advisory
Committee (TAC) comprised of technical staff from Local, State, and
Federal agencies with stakeholder interests has also been actively
involved in the development of alternatives and their impacts since
2004. A Pre-Consultation/NEPA 404 Merger Scoping Meeting was held with
State and Federal agencies in April 2005. Later, the project Purpose
and Need (NEPA/404 Concurrence Point 1) and the Range of
Alternatives (NEPA/404 Concurrence Point 2) were also
concurred in by State and Federal resource agencies in 2005. The
expanded coordination procedures provided under Section 6002 of the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) as codified in 23 U.S.C. 139 were
implemented in 2007. Opportunities to be a Participating and/or
Cooperating Agency and to provide input on the project's Coordination
Plan (CP) and Impact Assessment Methodology (IAM) were afforded to all
Local, State, and Federal agencies and American Indian Tribes with
interest in the project area. Public input was obtained on the draft
project CP and IAM plan at the October 2007 Public Information Meeting
(PIM). The completed project CP and IAM plan was issued in October
2008. A follow-up Agency Coordination Meeting and PIM are planned for
2012 in order to update all interested parties on the current status of
the EIS study and the issuance of an updated CP and IAM plan.
Two PIMs were held in 2006 and 2007 before the project was placed
on ``hold'' by the WisDOT. At least two additional PIMs are planned
while the Draft EIS is being written in order to up-date the public on
the current status of the EIS study and to obtain additional public
input. Following completion and publishing of the Draft EIS, a Public
Hearing will be held to address the impacts of each alternative. Public
notices will be given announcing the time and place of the meetings,
and the Draft EIS will be available for public and agency review and
comment prior to the Public Hearing. After the Draft EIS is circulated
for comment, and comments from the Public Hearing are evaluated, the
State and Federal resource agencies will be asked to concur in the
Preferred Alternative selected by WisDOT (NEPA/404 Concurrence Point
3). Information on the Preferred Alternative, anticipated
impacts, and proposed mitigation measures are also be planned to be
shared with the public at another PIM before the Final EIS is published
and distributed. Any additional substantive comments received on the
Final EIS will be addressed in the Record of Decision (ROD).
This study shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and
of Executive Order 12898, which prohibits discrimination on the basis
of race, color, age, sex, or country of national origin in the
implementation of this action. To ensure that the full range of issues
related to this proposed action is addressed, and all substantive
issues are identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all
interested parties.
In order to ensure that the full range of issues related to this
proposed action is addressed, and all substantive issues are
identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested
parties. Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the
draft EIS should be directed to FHWA or the Wisconsin Department of
Transportation at the addresses provided under the heading FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
(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).
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: August 1, 2012.
Johnny M. Gerbitz,
Field Operations Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Madison,
Wisconsin.
[FR Doc. 2012-19090 Filed 8-3-12; 8:45 am]
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