Environmental Impact Statement: Stark, Billings, and McKenzie Counties, North Dakota

Sheri G. Lares
Federal Highway Administration
October 6, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 193 (Tuesday, October 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 60434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25405]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Stark, Billings, and McKenzie 
Counties, North Dakota

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), North Dakota Department 
of Transportation (NDDOT), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public of its 
intent to prepare an environmental impact statement, in cooperation 
with the NDDOT, for a proposed highway project in Stark, Billings, and 
McKenzie Counties, North Dakota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheri G. Lares, Environment Program 
Manager and Planning Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, North 
Dakota Division Office, 4503 Coleman Street, Suite 205, Bismarck, North 
Dakota 58503, Telephone: (701) 221-9464. Matt Linneman, Program 
Manager, Environmental and Transportation Services, North Dakota 
Department of Transportation, 608 E. Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, North 
Dakota 58505-0700, Telephone: (701) 328-2640.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the North 
Dakota Department of Transportation, will prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) on a proposal to expand U.S. Highway 85, 
approximately 62 miles, from I-94 Interchange to the Watford City 
Bypass (McKenzie County Road 30), North Dakota, and rehabilitate or 
replace the historic Long X Bridge over the Little Missouri River.
    Preliminary alternatives currently under consideration are the no 
build and the build alternatives, which are divided between roadway and 
bridge alternatives. The preliminary roadway alternative is to expand 
U.S. Highway 85 to a four lane highway with flexible design options to 
avoid or minimize impacts.
    Preliminary bridge alternatives currently under consideration 
include the following: (1) Rehabilitate the Long X Bridge (2) 
rehabilitate the Long X Bridge and construct a new two-lane structure 
adjacent to the existing Long X Bridge (3) retain the Long X Bridge for 
an alternative use, and construct a new four-lane structure adjacent to 
the existing Long X Bridge (4) construct a new four-lane structure and 
remove the Long X Bridge. All rehabilitation or retention alternatives 
would consider preserving the historic integrity of the Long X Bridge.
    A Coordination Plan is being prepared to define the agencies and 
public participation plan for the environmental review process. The 
plan will outline how agencies and the public will provide input during 
the scoping process, the development of the purpose and need, and 
alternatives development.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, regional and local agencies, and 
to private organizations and citizens who previously have expressed, or 
are known to have, an interest in this project. Two public scoping 
meetings will be held in Belfield and Watford City, North Dakota. The 
public scoping meetings for the proposed project will be advertised in 
local newspapers and other media and will be hosted by the North Dakota 
Department of Transportation in the fall of 2015.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(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.)

    Issued on: September 30, 2015.
Sheri G. Lares,
Environmental Program Manager and Planning Specialist, Federal Highway 
Administration, North Dakota Division Office.
[FR Doc. 2015-25405 Filed 10-5-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P