Environmental Impact Statement: Evansville, IN, and Henderson, KY

Mayela Sosa
Federal Highway Administration
13 February 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 28 (Monday, February 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10537-10538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02861]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Evansville, IN, and Henderson, KY

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), will be prepared for the proposed I-69 
Corridor in the Evansville, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky area. This 
Notice of Intent (NOI) represents a revision to the original NOI that 
was issued for the project on May 10, 2001 (66 FR 23966 May 10, 2001). 
Under the original NOI, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
was completed in 2004 but the project was subsequently suspended in 
2005. This NOI reinitiates the NEPA process for the project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Allen, Planning and 
Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Indiana 
Division, 575 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Room 254, Indianapolis, Indiana 
46204, Telephone 317-226-7344, Email michelle.allen@dot.gov; Laura 
Hilden, Director of Environmental Services, Indiana Department of 
Transportation, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N642, Indianapolis, 
Indiana 46204, Telephone 317-232-5018, Email lhilden@indot.in.gov; or 
David Waldner, Director, Division of Environmental Analysis, Kentucky 
Transportation Cabinet, 200 Mero Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40622, 
Telephone 502-564-7250, Email david.waldner@ky.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Indiana 
Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Kentucky Transportation 
Cabinet (KYTC), will prepare an EIS to identify a preferred alternative 
for the I-69 Corridor through the Evansville, Indiana-Henderson, 
Kentucky area. The project area will extend from I-69 south of 
Evansville (formerly I-164) across the Ohio River to the Edward T. 
Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway (now designated as I-69 up to Mile Point 
76.9) near Henderson. The study will build upon the information 
developed for the 2004 DEIS, the 2008 Conceptual Financing Plan for I-
69 Corridor conducted by KYTC, the 2013 I-69 Innovative Financing Study 
conducted by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department 
(AHTD) (serving as the project manager for the seven-state I-69 
Steering Committee), and the 2014 I-69 Feasibility Study conducted by 
KYTC. The proposed project would provide an interstate-type facility 
with at least two lanes in each direction separated by a median. The 
EIS will analyze environmental, cultural, social, and economic impacts 
associated with the development of the proposed action.
    The project's purpose and need that was developed as part of the 
2004 DEIS included the following: (1) Support the completion of the 
National I-69; (2) Provide sufficient cross-river mobility in the 
Evansville/Henderson area; and (3) Strengthen the transportation 
network in the Evansville/Henderson area. The 2004 DEIS initially 
identified ten alternatives, including six alternatives west of the 
Evansville/Henderson area; one alternative following existing US 41; 
one alternative using the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway north 
to US 41 and continuing north on US 41 to I-164; and two alternatives 
east of US 41. The northern terminus for all of the alternatives was I-
64 north of Evansville. The southern terminus for all the alternatives 
was the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway south of Henderson. Based 
on the ability to meet the project's purpose and need, environmental 
impacts, costs, and public and agency input, the DEIS identified 
Alternative 2 as the Preferred Alternative. The DEIS Preferred 
Alternative utilized the existing I-164 alignment (now designated I-69) 
from its northern terminus at I-64 in Warrick County, to just east of 
the Green River Road interchange and west of Angel Mounds State 
Memorial Site. From that location, the alternative left the existing I-
164 alignment and traveled along a new alignment south across the Ohio 
River immediately west of the mouth of the Green River. The new route 
continued south to KY 351, then southwest to the Edward T. Breathitt 
Pennyrile Parkway (now designated I-69). The alternative was 30.2 miles 
in length and utilized 18.6 miles of the existing I-164.
    The 2014 Feasibility Study conducted by KYTC reexamined the 
possibility of providing a single, new Ohio River bridge at Henderson, 
replacing the existing US 41 bridges. Seven alternatives, some with 
variations, were developed and evaluated. The 2014 Feasibility Study 
also introduced a modified version of the DEIS Preferred Alternative, 
designated as Alternative 1, that used the same Ohio River crossing 
location, but connected to the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway 
just south of Henderson and farther north than the DEIS Preferred 
Alternative to take advantage of the improvements to and the 
designation of the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway as I-69.
    This EIS will review and update, as needed, the purpose and need 
from the 2004 DEIS and will consider changes to the project termini as 
a result of I-164 and Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway being 
designated as I-69. It will also review and update the alternatives 
development and screening process based on the updated purpose and need 
and project termini. New alternatives will be developed and evaluated, 
as appropriate, and it is anticipated that this project will consider 
the potential use of tolls as part of its funding plan.
    With the resumption of the project, the public and federal, state, 
and local agencies will be invited to participate in scoping meetings 
to review the project's purpose and need and range of alternatives to 
be considered. These meetings will be scheduled at a later date. Public 
and agency meetings will also be held at key milestones throughout the 
EIS process to present project information and to obtain public and 
agency input. In addition, a project Web site will be established and 
public information offices will be set up in both Evansville and 
Henderson to allow the public to view project information and provide 
comments. Project e-newsletters and social media will also

[[Page 10538]]

be used to present project information and issue notices of upcoming 
events.
    Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to the FHWA, INDOT, or KYTC contacts at the 
addresses provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 20.205, Highway 
Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive 
Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal 
programs and activities apply to the program).

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

    Dated: February 6, 2017.
Mayela Sosa,
Division Administrator, FHWA, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[FR Doc. 2017-02861 Filed 2-10-17; 8:45 am]
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