Rescinding the Notice of Intent for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Manassas National Battlefield Park Bypass, Loudon, Fairfax, Fauquier and Prince William Counties, VA

Kurt Dowden
Federal Highway Administration
9 February 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 5824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02602]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Rescinding the Notice of Intent for an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS): Manassas National Battlefield Park Bypass, Loudon, 
Fairfax, Fauquier and Prince William Counties, VA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Rescind notice of intent to prepare an EIS.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the 
Notice of Intent (NOI) for the preparation of an EIS to identify and 
study alternative means of transportation for traffic currently using 
the two main public roadways (VA Routes 29 and 234) running through the 
Manassas National Battlefield Park is being rescinded. The NOI was 
published in the Federal Register on November 1, 2001. A draft EIS was 
released in January 2005. This rescission is based on a lack of 
available funding for the proposed new road alignments proposed by this 
project as well as lack of funding and planning approval for the Bi-
County Parkway.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt Dowden, Chief of Business 
Operations, Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, FHWA, 21400 
Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, VA 20166, Telephone (571) 434-1598.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA in cooperation with the Virginia 
Department of Transportation, the National Park Service and impacted 
counties initiated preparation of a study to identify and study 
alternative means of transportation for vehicular traffic currently 
using the two main public roadways (VA Routes 29 and 234) running 
through the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The preferred 
alternative would utilize the proposed Bi-County Parkway alignment (as 
independently proposed by VDOT) with a new roadway located outside but 
adjacent to the park's east and north boundary as a full corridor (for 
Routes 29 and 234) Battlefield Bypass.
    The NOI for the previously notified EIS is being rescinded due to 
funding constraints for the proposed new road alignments proposed by 
the Draft EIS. A lack of funding and withdrawal of local planning 
approval for the Bi-County Parkway make it impossible to create a 
complete Battlefield Bypass without this essential roadway segment.

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

    Issued on: January 31, 2018.
Kurt Dowden,
Chief of Business Operations, Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, 
FHWA.
[FR Doc. 2018-02602 Filed 2-8-18; 8:45 am]
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