Environmental Impact Statement; Pennington County, SD; Pennington County, Maine

Mark J. Clausen
Federal Highway Administration
December 17, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78816-78817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31698]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Pennington County, SD; Pennington 
County, Maine

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice to rescind Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that we 
are rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for roadway improvements proposed for South 
Rochford Road in Pennington County, South Dakota. The NOI was published 
in the Federal Register on January 30, 2012. A Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) was not released. This rescission is based on 
changes to the design standards that have brought the proposed action 
below the threshold of an EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marion Barber, Environmental 
Specialist, FHWA, 116 East Dakota Avenue, Suite A, Pierre, SD 57501, 
(605) 224-8033. Further information can be found and comments can be 
submitted via the project Web site at: http://www.southrochfordroad.com/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the South 
Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) and Pennington County, is 
rescinding the NOI for a proposal to make improvements to the South 
Rochford Road in Pennington County, South Dakota. The previous proposed 
action provided for reconstruction of approximately 10 miles of roadway 
between the Town of Rochford and the intersection with Deerfield Road 
in accordance with the SDDOT Road Design Manual. The NOI is being 
rescinded due to modifications to the design standards that will 
provide for historic preservation, reduced wetland impacts, and 
preservation of sensitive plant species currently protected by the 
United States Forest Service.
    The current proposed action would reconstruct the same 10 miles of 
roadway using the American Association of State Highway and 
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guidelines for Geometric Design of 
Very Low-Volume Local Roads. These guidelines provide for a reduced 
roadway width that is more consistent with similar low volume surfaced 
roadways in Pennington County. The proposed action would maintain the 
intended purpose of this action to improve year-round access to the 
Town of Rochford from the Deerfield Lake area by reconstructing the 
two-lane roadway, providing an all-weather surface, and improving 
drainage and drainage structures. SDDOT will offer an opportunity for a 
public meeting on the proposal to rescind the EIS which will be 
advertised through the local media along with a notification on the to 
the project Web site. Given the reduction in scope and the associated 
potential impacts of the proposed action, FHWA intends to prepare a 
lower-level NEPA document to determine if the project has the potential 
to significantly affect the quality of the human environment. If, at a 
future time, FHWA determines that the proposed action is likely to have 
a significant impact on the environment, a new NOI to prepare an EIS 
will be published.
    Comments or questions concerning this rescission or the proposed 
action should be submitted through the project Web site at http://www.southrochfordroad.com or directed to the address provided above 
under the caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.


[[Page 78817]]


    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: December 10, 2015.
Mark J. Clausen,
Engineering and Operations Supervisor, Federal Highway Administration, 
Pierre, South Dakota.
[FR Doc. 2015-31698 Filed 12-16-15; 8:45 am]
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