Notice To Rescind Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Cape Fear Crossing in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, NC

Clarence W. Coleman
Federal Highway Administration
31 January 2020

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 5769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01864]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice To Rescind Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement and Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Cape Fear 
Crossing in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, NC

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice to rescind notice of intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it 
is rescinding its Notice of Intent (NOI), published in the Federal 
Register on May 11, 2006, to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Cape Fear Crossing, a proposed multi-lane highway 
facility in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, North Carolina. The 
project was previously known as the Cape Fear Crossing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clarence W. Coleman, P.E., Director of 
Preconstruction, Federal Highway Administration, 310 New Bern Avenue, 
Suite 410, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-1418, Telephone: (919) 747-
7014; or Mr. Chad Kimes, P.E., Division Engineer, Division 3, North 
Carolina Department of Transportation, 5501 Barbados Blvd., Castle 
Hayne, NC 28429, Telephone 910-341-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the North 
Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the North Carolina 
Turnpike Authority (NCTA), issued a notice of intent in May 11, 2006, 
to prepare an EIS for a proposal to construct a multi-lane highway 
facility in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, North Carolina. Known 
as the Cape Fear Skyway, the proposed improvement would extend from US 
17 in Brunswick County, near the community of Bishop, to US 421 in the 
city of Wilmington for a distance of approximately 9.5 miles. The 
project would include a crossing of the Cape Fear River. Currently, the 
project is known as the Cape Fear Crossing project. The purpose of the 
Cape Fear Crossing is to improve traffic flow and enhance freight 
movements beginning in the vicinity of US 17 and I-140 in Brunswick 
County, across the Cape Fear River to US 421 near the Port of 
Wilmington in southern New Hanover County. The Cape Fear Crossing would 
also help expedite an evacuation of residents and visitors in the event 
of a hurricane or other emergency. The FHWA and the NCDOT, in 
cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers, prepared a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which was approved on March 25, 
2019. The DEIS was circulated to the public, and a public hearing was 
held on April 29, 2019. The NCDOT initially considered six different 
corridors for the project that would have connected US 17 and I-140 in 
Brunswick County to US 421 near the Port of Wilmington.
    On August 13, 2019, the NCDOT published their decision to 
discontinue planning and preliminary design work on the Cape Fear 
Crossing highway-bridge project at this time. See: https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2019/2019-08-13-cape-fear-crossing-update.aspx.
    Based on NCDOT's decision to discontinue work, FHWA is rescinding 
the NOI and the March 2019 DEIS. Comments or questions concerning this 
rescinding notice for the Cape Fear Crossing project, formerly known as 
Cape Fear Skyway, should be directed to FHWA and NCDOT at the addresses 
provided above.

(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.)

Clarence W. Coleman,
Director of Preconstruction, Raleigh, North Carolina.
[FR Doc. 2020-01864 Filed 1-30-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P