Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement; Washington, DC

Joseph C. Lawson
Federal Highway Administration
July 28, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 144 (Monday, July 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43813-43814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17679]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement; Washington, DC

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (SFEIS).

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in coordination 
with the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) in 
Washington, DC is issuing this notice to advise agencies and the public 
that a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) will 
be prepared for the South Capitol Street Project (the Project). The 
Project proposes to make major changes to the South Capitol Street 
Corridor from Firth Sterling Avenue SE to Independence Avenue and the 
Suitland Parkway from Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE., to South 
Capitol Street, including replacing the existing Frederick Douglass 
Memorial Bridge over the Anacostia River.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Federal Highway Administration, 
District of Columbia Division: Mr. Michael Hicks, Environmental/Urban 
Engineer, 1990 K Street NW., Suite 510, Washington, DC 20006-1103, 
(202) 219-3513, email: michael.hicks@dot.gov; or the District of 
Columbia Department of Transportation: Mr. E.J. Simie, PE, Project 
Manager, 55 M Street SE., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20003, (202) 671-
2800, email: ej.simie@dc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In March 2011, the FHWA in conjunction with 
DDOT approved release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) for the Project. The availability of the FEIS was announced in 
the April 8, 2011 Federal Register. The alternatives examined in detail 
in the FEIS included a No Build Alternative and three build 
alternatives: Build Alternatives 1 and 2 and the Preferred Alternative, 
which was a modification of Build Alternative 2. A movable arched 
bascule was selected for the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. 
The alignment of the new bridge would be at an angle from the existing 
bridge to allow the swing span on the existing bridge to remain 
operational during construction, which meant that right-of-way would be 
needed from Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB). Build Alternatives 1 
and 2 were eliminated from consideration in the FEIS and, therefore, 
will not be considered in the SFEIS.
    Since publication of the FEIS, FHWA and DDOT have considered major 
changes regarding the design of the FEIS Preferred Alternative. Most 
notably, DDOT reconsidered the need to obtain right-of-way from JBAB, 
which resulted in changing the alignment of the proposed new Frederick 
Douglass Memorial Bridge to a location immediately south of and 
parallel to the existing bridge. In addition, new information about 
current and planned navigation along the Anacostia River, including the 
navigation requirements of the U.S. Navy (USN), led to the decision to 
make the new bridge a fixed span structure instead of a movable span 
structure. Other notable design revisions made to the FEIS Preferred 
Alternative include the conversion of the east side traffic circle to a 
traffic oval similar in size to the proposed west traffic oval, and 
changes to the proposed ramps or ramp modifications between South 
Capitol Street and I-695, Suitland Parkway and I-295, and Martin Luther 
King, Jr. Avenue SE. and Suitland Parkway. Due to these and other 
design changes, a Revised Preferred Alternative was developed.
    The SFEIS will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 
U.S.C. 4371, et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), FHWA Code of Federal Regulations 
(23 CFR 771.101-771.137, et seq.), and all

[[Page 43814]]

applicable Federal, State, and local government laws, regulations, and 
policies. The SFEIS will describe the proposed changes to the FEIS 
Preferred Alternative, update the affected environment, and describe 
the anticipated environmental impacts of the Revised Preferred 
Alternative in comparison to the anticipated environmental impacts 
disclosed in the FEIS for the FEIS Preferred Alternative. The Purpose 
and Need of the Project did not change from the FEIS. The U.S. Navy; 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard; the National Park 
Service; and the District of Columbia Department of the Environment 
will continue to serve as Cooperating Agencies for the Project.
    A 30-day review period will be provided following the Notice of 
Availability of the SFEIS in the Federal Register, and a public meeting 
will be held within this review period. The public meeting will be 
conducted by DDOT and announced a minimum of 15 days in advance of the 
meeting. DDOT will provide information for the public meeting, 
including date, time and location through a variety of means including 
the Project Web site (http://www.southcapitoleis.com) and by newspaper 
advertisement.
    To ensure that the full range of issues is identified early in the 
process, comments are invited from all interested and/or potentially 
affected parties. Comments or questions concerning this Notice should 
be directed to the FHWA and DDOT at the addresses provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations and 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: July 23, 2014.
Joseph C. Lawson,
Division Administrator, District of Columbia Division, Federal Highway 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-17679 Filed 7-25-14; 8:45 am]
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