Environmental Impact Statement, Washington County, Utah

Ivan Marrero
Federal Highway Administration
20 August 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 161 (Monday, August 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42199-42200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17895]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement, Washington County, Utah

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the Utah Department of Transportation 
(UDOT), is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to evaluate 
proposed courses of action to satisfy transportation and safety goals 
at Interstate 15 (I-15)/Green Spring Drive Interchange (Exit 10) and 
the surrounding roadway system in Washington City within Washington 
County, Utah.

DATES: A scoping, purpose and need, and alternatives meeting is 
scheduled for August 28, 2018 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Washington 
City Community Center in Washington, Utah. A formal comment period will 
also be held from August 17 to September 14, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Washington City Community Center, 350 Community Center 
Drive, Washington, UT 84780.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elisa Albury, Environmental Program 
Manager, Environmental Services Division, UDOT 4501 South 2700 West, 
P.O. Box 148450, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-8450; Telephone: (801) 834-
5284, Email: ealbury@utah.gov. Kim Manwill, MP11 Environmental Study 
Project Manager, UDOT Region 4, 708 South 100 West, Richfield, UT 
84701; Telephone (435) 896-0733, Email: kmanwill@utah.gov. UDOT's 
normal business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard 
Time), Monday through Friday, except State and Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and 
other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for 
this project are being or have been carried out by UDOT pursuant to 23 
U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated January 17, 2017 and 
executed by FHWA and UDOT. UDOT, as the assigned National Environmental 
Policy

[[Page 42200]]

Act (NEPA) agency, will prepare an EIS for a proposal to satisfy 
transportation and safety goals at Interstate 15 (I-15)/Green Spring 
Drive (Exit 10) Interchange and the surrounding roadway system in 
Washington County within Washington City, Utah. The proposed project 
study area extends east and west along I-15 between the I-15/Green 
Spring Drive Interchange (Exit 10) and I-15/Washington Parkway 
Interchange (Exit 13). The extent of the proposed study area is 
generally bound by Buena Vista Boulevard to the north and Telegraph 
Street to the south. The proposed logical termini for this study are I-
15 Exit 10 and Exit 13, as well as Buena Vista Boulevard, and Telegraph 
Street. Each of these streets are major arterials that provide north-
south and east-west travel within the study area.
    The environmental review process for this project began in the 
summer of 2017. An information meeting was held August 29, 2017 to 
gather public input related to the transportation needs within the 
study area and inform the community of the environmental process. Based 
on community concerns regarding potential outcomes of this study, UDOT 
decided the appropriate level of environmental review needed for this 
project would be best provided by proceeding with an EIS.
    As part of the EIS, UDOT will consider a range of alternatives 
based on the purpose and need of the project and taking into account 
agency and public input. The currently contemplated alternatives 
include: (1) Taking no action (no-build); (2) making the existing 
system operate more efficiently; (3) adding capacity to the system; (4) 
dispersing of traffic more evenly throughout the system; (5) reducing 
traffic in the system; (6) combinations of any of the above; and (7) 
other reasonable alternatives if identified during the scoping process. 
Alternatives will be refined based on input from agencies and the 
public during the initial coordination/scoping period and agency and 
public involvement opportunities. Alternatives that do not meet the 
project purpose and need or that are otherwise not reasonable will not 
be carried forward for detailed consideration.
    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, Participating, and local 
agencies, Native American tribes, and to private organizations and 
citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have an interest 
in this proposal. A public scoping, purpose and need, and alternatives 
meeting is scheduled for August 28, 2018 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the 
Washington City Community Center in Washington, Utah. Public notice 
will be given of the time and place of the meeting. Information 
regarding this meeting and the project may also be obtained through a 
public website maintained by UDOT at www.mp11.org.
    During the NEPA process, other public meetings may be held as 
appropriate 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 any public meetings and of the public hearing. 
The Draft EIS will be available for public and agency review and 
comment prior to the public hearing.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments, 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to UDOT at the mail or email address provided above by 
September 14, 2018. For additional information please visit the project 
website at www.mp11.org. Information requested or comments can also be 
provided by email to info@mp11.org.

(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.)


    Issued on: August 9, 2018.
Ivan Marrero,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Salt Lake City, 
Utah.
[FR Doc. 2018-17895 Filed 8-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P