Environmental Impact Statement: Smith County, Texas |
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Michael T. Leary
Environmental Protection Agency
27 March 2020
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 17376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05601]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Smith County, Texas
AGENCY: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Federal notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, is issuing this notice to advise
the public that an EIS will be prepared for a proposed transportation
project to construct Toll 49, Segment 6 located partially within and
just east of the City of Tyler in Smith County, Texas. The project is
sponsored by the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Ford, Project Delivery Manager,
Environmental Affairs Division, Texas Department of Transportation, 125
E 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483, telephone (512) 416-2687,
email: scott.ford@txdot.gov. TxDOT's normal business hours are 8:00
a.m. to 5 p.m. (central time), Monday through Friday.
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 TxDOT pursuant to
23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 9, 2019,
and executed by FHWA and TxDOT.
Toll 49, Segment 6 will be an extension of Toll 49 from the Toll
49, Segment 5 eastern terminus at State Highway (SH) 110 to United
States (US) 271. There is no existing facility; therefore, the project
is proposed on a new location. The proposed roadway will consist of an
interim two-lane facility (one lane in each direction) with an
intermittent single passing lane that alternates direction along the
length of the corridor (Super 2) and an ultimate four-lane divided
highway.
The EIS will evaluate a range of build alternatives and a no-build
alternative. Possible build alternatives include three route options
identified in the Toll 49, Segment 6 Feasibility Study completed in
November 2019. The three route options begin at the Toll 49, Segment 5
terminus at SH 110, end at different locations on US 271, and range
from 10 to 13 miles long. TxDOT will issue a single Final Environmental
Impact Statement and Record of Decision document pursuant to 23 U.S.C.
139(n)(2), unless TxDOT determines statutory criteria or practicability
considerations preclude issuance of a combined document.
In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139, cooperating agencies,
participating agencies, and the public will be given an opportunity for
continued input on project development. A public scoping meeting is
planned for Spring 2020 at a location to be determined. An agency
scoping meeting will also be held with participating and cooperating
agencies. The agency and public scoping meetings will provide an
opportunity for the participating/cooperating agencies and public to
review and comment on the draft coordination plan and schedule, the
project purpose and need, the range of alternatives, and methodologies
and level of detail for analyzing alternatives. In addition to the
agency and public scoping meetings, a public hearing will be held.
Public notice will be given of the time and place of the meetings and
hearing.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205,
Highway Planning and Construction.)
Issued on: March 12, 2020.
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-05601 Filed 3-26-20; 8:45 am]
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