Environmental Impact Statement: State Route (S.R.) 30, Cache County, Utah

Ivan Marrero
Federal Highway Administration
23 August 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57645-57646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19827]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: State Route (S.R.) 30, Cache 
County, Utah

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
transportation improvements in Cache County, Utah.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Ziman, Area Enginer, Federal 
Highway Administration, 2520 West 4700 South, Suite 9A, Salt Lake City, 
UT 84118, telephone (801) 955-3525, Paul.Ziman@dot.gov, The Utah 
Department of Transportation (UDOT) contact is Rod Terry, Project 
Manager, Utah Department of Transportation, Region One Office, 166 West 
Southwell Street, Ogden, UT 84404-4194, telephone (801) 620-1686, email 
rodterry@utah.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FHWA, in cooperation with UDOT, will prepare 
an EIS for a proposal to address safety and current and projected 
traffic demand on S.R. 30 in the city of Logan and in Cache County, 
Utah. The proposed project area extends from S.R. 23 to S.R. 252 (1000 
West in Logan), a distance of about 6.4 miles. Safety and 
transportation improvements are needed to address current identified 
design deficiencies

[[Page 57646]]

and current and projected 2040 travel demand along the existing two-
lane S.R. 30 highway.
    Prior to this Notice of Intent, UDOT prepared the State Route 30 
Corridor Study, I-15 to 1000 West (June 2016). The corridor study 
identified current and future safety and capacity needs that will be 
incorporated into the EIS process. Throughout the corridor study 
process, UDOT relayed to stakeholders that identified needs might 
require further analysis in a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
document and that the S.R. 30 Corridor Study Planning Report will be 
adopted in such NEPA documents. The corridor study also helped UDOT 
identify the logical termini for highway improvements evaluated in the 
EIS. The corridor study can be reviewed at udot.utah.gov/SR30study.
    FHWA will consider a reasonable range of alternatives that meet the 
purpose of and need for the project and are based on agency and public 
input. These alternatives include: (1) Taking no action (no-build); (2) 
using alternate travel modes; (3) using access control and 
transportation demand management to improve the efficiency of the 
existing road network; (4) upgrading and adding lanes to the existing 
road network, including S.R. 30; (5) combinations of any of the above; 
and (6) other feasible alternatives identified during the scoping 
process.
    A Coordination Plan is being prepared to define the agency and 
public participation procedure for the environmental review process. 
The plan will outline (1) how agencies and the public will provide 
input during the scoping process; (2) the development of the purpose 
and need; and (3) alternatives development.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, state, and local agencies as well as to 
Native American tribes and to private organizations and citizens who 
have previously expressed, or who are known to have, an interest in 
this proposal. These letters will invite agencies, tribes, and the 
public to participate in scoping meetings at locations and dates to be 
determined.
    Public meetings will be held to allow the public, as well as 
Federal, state, and local agencies, and tribes, to provide comments on 
the purpose of and need for the project, potential alternatives, and 
social, economic, and environmental issues of concern.
    In addition, a public hearing will be held following the release of 
the draft EIS. Public notice advertisements and direct mailings will 
notify interested parties of the time and place of the public meetings 
and the public hearing.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to FHWA or UDOT at the addresses provided above by October 21, 
2016.
    UDOT is currently seeking NEPA Assignment from FHWA and expects the 
process to be finalized before the end of 2016. NEPA Assignment allows 
UDOT to assume FHWA's responsibilities under NEPA. This also applies to 
all or part of FHWA's responsibilities for environmental reviews, 
consultation, and other actions required under other Federal 
environmental laws such as the Endangered Species Act and the Clean 
Water Act. Once FHWA approves UDOT's NEPA Assignment application, UDOT 
will take the lead in completing the S.R. 30 EIS.

(Catalog of Federal and 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.)

    Dated: August 15, 2016.
Ivan Marrero,
Division Administrator, Salt Lake City, Utah.
[FR Doc. 2016-19827 Filed 8-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P