Federal Highway Administration Revised Notice of Intent To Prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement: Juneau, Sauk, and Columbia Counties, Wisconsin

Johnny M. Gerbitz
Federal Highway Administration
November 30, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74833-74834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30277]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Federal Highway Administration Revised Notice of Intent To 
Prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement: Juneau, Sauk, and 
Columbia Counties, Wisconsin

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation (WisDOT).

ACTION: Federal Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this NOI is to update the notice that was 
issued in the Federal Register Vol. 79 No. 221, Monday, November 17, 
2014, Notices. The FHWA is issuing this revised notice to advise the 
public that FHWA and WisDOT will be preparing a Tier 1 Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed transportation improvements along 
the Interstate (I)-90/94 corridor, from United States Highway (US) 12/
Wisconsin State Highway (WIS) 16 Interchange to the I-39/WIS 78 
interchange in Juneau, Sauk, and Columbia Counties in Wisconsin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Johnny Gerbitz, Field Operations 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 525 Junction Road, Suite 
8000, Madison, Wisconsin, 53717-2157, Telephone: (608) 829-7511. You 
may also contact Steve Krebs, Director, Bureau of Technical Services, 
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 7965, Madison, 
Wisconsin, 53707-7965, Telephone: (608) 246-7930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FHWA, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation (WisDOT), will prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for proposed improvements in the I-90/94 corridor and 
adjacent local road systems from the US 12/WIS 16 interchange (2 miles 
north of Wisconsin Dells) to the I-39/WIS 78 interchange (south of 
Portage), approximately 25 miles. The project limits include 
operational areas of influence at each interchange. The preliminary 
purpose of this project is to address pavement and bridge structural 
needs; highway and roadside safety issues and design deficiencies; 
accommodate existing and projected traffic volumes; and improve the 
transportation system's ability to support local and regional tourism 
economies.
    FHWA's decision to prepare an EIS is based on the initial review 
that indicates the proposed action is likely to have significant 
impacts on the environment, including wetlands. The study began 
preparing a traditional Draft EIS for the corridor, but due to project 
complexity and funding limitations, FHWA and WisDOT have decided to 
prepare a Tiered EIS. The Tiered EIS approach will allow FHWA and 
WisDOT to bring forward portions of the project as needs dictate and as 
funding becomes available.
    The Tier 1 EIS document will analyze the project on a broad scale 
and identify a preferred corridor location for potential future 
improvements. The Tier 1 EIS will evaluate the social, economic, and 
environmental impacts for a range of alternatives within the existing 
I-90/94 corridor and improvements along other corridors. The Tier 1 EIS 
will be prepared in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139, 23 CFR771, and 40 
CFR parts 1500-1508. Completion of the Tier 1 EIS and the Record of 
Decision (ROD) is expected in 2018.
    Subsequent Tier 2 environmental documents will be prepared with a 
greater degree of engineering detail for specific improvements in the 
remainder of the corridor. The alternative analysis in the Tier 2 
documents will include, but is not limited to, the alternatives that 
have been developed as part of the previous EIS study.
    Public involvement is a critical component of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and will occur throughout the 
development of the draft and final Tier 1 EIS. All environmental 
documents will be made available for review by federal and state 
resource agencies and the public. Specific efforts to encourage 
involvement by, and solicit comments from, minority and low-income 
populations in the project study area will be made, with public 
involvement meetings held throughout the environmental document 
process. Public notice will be given as to the time and place of public 
involvement meetings. A public hearing will be held after the 
completion of the Draft Tier 1 EIS.
    Inquiries related to this study can be sent to 
mark.westerveld@dot.wi.gov. A public Web site will be maintained 
throughout the study to provide information about the project (http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/swregion/9094/index.htm). To ensure

[[Page 74834]]

the full range of issues related to the proposed action are addressed 
and all significant issues identified, comments and suggestions are 
invited from all interested parties. Comments and questions concerning 
the proposed action and the EIS should be directed to the FHWA address 
provided above.
    Projects receiving Federal funds must comply with Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act, and Executive Order 12898 ``Federal Actions to 
Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 
Populations.'' Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of 
race, color, age, sex, or country of national origin in the 
implementation of this project. It is also Federal policy to identify 
and address any disproportionately high and adverse effects of federal 
projects on the health or environment of minority and low-income 
populations to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law.

(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.)


    Dated: November 23, 2015.
Johnny M. Gerbitz,
Field Operations Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Madison, 
Wisconsin.
[FR Doc. 2015-30277 Filed 11-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P