Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nebraska Department of Transportation U.S. Highway 275 West Point to Scribner Project

Topics:  United States Numbered Highways

John L. Moeschen
Department of Defense
31 October 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54728-54729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23451]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nebraska 
Department of Transportation U.S. Highway 275 West Point to Scribner 
Project

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for U.S. Highway 275 (US-275) West 
Point to Scribner Project (Project) sponsored by the Nebraska 
Department of Transportation (NDOT). NDOT proposes to expand US-275 
from a two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway along an 
approximately 20-mile segment from northwest of West Point to southeast 
of Scribner, including a bypass around Scribner (referred to as 
``Scribner Bypass''), in Cuming and Dodge Counties, Nebraska.
    Construction of the Project is expected to impact jurisdictional 
waters of the United States, thereby requiring a Clean Water Act 
Section 404 permit. Additionally, NDOT is proposing to build segments 
of the Scribner Bypass on an existing federally authorized levee, which 
would require a Section 408 authorization. The Project may also affect 
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Program 
(WRP) easements. Due to these requirements, the Corps has determined an 
EIS is necessary for the Project. The Corps has determined that the 
provisions of Executive Order 13807 (``One Federal Decision'') apply to 
this Project. One Federal Decision is intended to streamline federal 
permitting processes, including environmental reviews and authorization 
decisions, for major infrastructure projects.

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, November 8, 
2018 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held at Mohr Auditorium 
located at 650 County Road 13 Boulevard, Scribner, NE 68057.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the Project and 
the EIS should be addressed to Phil Rezac, Project Manager, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Regulatory Office, Wehrspann Field Office, 
8901 S 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138-3621 or at (402) 896-0896; 
Phil.M.Rezac@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NDOT's stated Project purpose is to advance 
the Scribner to West Point segment of the Norfolk to Fremont 
Expressway, maximize utilization of existing transportation 
infrastructure and right-of-way, including connecting highways (N-9, N-
32, and N-91), improve the safety and reliability of the roadway, 
provide a more efficient roadway that improves regional connectivity 
for the traveling public, including commercial traffic, in northeast 
Nebraska, and to fulfill the Nebraska Legislature mandates contained in 
Legislative Bill [LB] 632 and LB 84. The necessity for the expansion of 
this portion of US-275 arises from legislation, lack of connectivity 
between urban centers, and high average daily traffic use.
    A public scoping meeting will be held Thursday, November 8, 2018 to 
describe why the Project is needed, preliminary alternatives, the NEPA 
compliance process, and to solicit input on the issues and alternatives 
to be evaluated and other related matters. Written comments will also 
be requested. The Corps has prepared handout materials and developed an 
EIS website to familiarize other agencies, the public, and interested 
organizations with the preliminary Project alternatives and potential 
environmental issues that may be involved. Copies of these handout 
materials will be available at the public scoping meeting or can be 
requested by mail. The EIS website can be found at http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory-Program/Nebraska/.
    The Corps has invited Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency,

[[Page 54729]]

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, and Nebraska Game and 
Parks Commission to be cooperating agencies in the preparation of the 
EIS. Additionally, the Corps has invited the Nebraska State Historic 
Preservation Office and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to 
serve as commenting agencies during the preparation of the EIS.

John L. Moeschen,
Nebraska State Program Manager, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 2018-23451 Filed 10-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P