Environmental Impact Statement; Pinal County, AZ |
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Kenneth H. Davis
Federal Highway Administration
September 20, 2010
[Federal Register: September 20, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 181)]
[Notices]
[Page 57327-57328]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20se10-96]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement; Pinal County, AZ
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an
Environmental impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed
transportation project in Pinal County, Arizona.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth H. Davis, Senior Engineering
Manager for Operations, Federal Highway Administration, 4000 N. Central
Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-1906, Telephone (602) 382-
8970, Fax (602) 382-8998, e-mail: Ken.davis@dot.gov; or Mary Frye,
Environmental Coordinator, Federal Highway Administration, Arizona
Division, 4000 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-
1906, Telephone (602) 382-8979, Fax (602) 382-8998, e-mail:
Mary.Frye@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Arizona
Department of Transportation (ADOT), will prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) on a proposed 40-mile-long project along a new
route located between US 60 on the north and Interstate 10 (I-10) on
the south. The
[[Page 57328]]
project is considered necessary to achieve a transportation objective
identified in Pinal County's 2008 Regionally Significant Routes for
Safety and Mobility. The project would address current and future
transportation needs in an area that currently exceeds existing road
capacity and is expected to continue to worsen with the projected
increase in traffic demand associated with regional growth.
The proposed project evaluation will include, but not be limited
to, potential impacts to adopted local and regional land use plans,
Tribal lands, the existing and proposed Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima
County regional transportation network, Central Arizona Project canals,
railroads, residential and commercial development, cultural resources,
Threatened and Endangered species, jurisdictional waters of the United
States, air and noise quality, hazardous materials, and secondary and
cumulative impacts. A full range of reasonable alternatives will be
evaluated, including taking no action, using alternative transportation
modes, making transportation system management improvements, a
combination of arterial and freeway improvements, a new freeway, and
combinations of these alternatives.
The EIS will conform to the environmental review process
established in Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).
The Section 6002 environmental review process requires the following
activities: the identification and invitation of cooperating and
participating agencies; the development of a coordination plan and
management plan; and provision of opportunities for additional agency
and public comment on the project's purpose and need, alternatives and
methodologies for assessing alternatives. Additionally, the public
hearing following the release of the draft EIS will also be provided.
Public notice advertisements and direct mailings will notify interested
parties of the time and place of public meetings and public hearing. A
formal agency scoping meeting is planned between federal, state, city,
county, and Tribal stakeholders.
Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, including
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau
of Reclamation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of
the Interior Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy Western Area Power Administration, Arizona Game and Fish
Department, Arizona State Land Department, Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality, Arizona State Parks, Arizona Department of
Emergency and Military Affairs, Arizona Department of Public Safety,
Arizona Department of Corrections, Arizona Attorney General's Office,
Gila River Indian Community, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community,
Ak-Chin Indian Community, Tohono O'odham Nation, Hopi Tribe, Pascua
Yaqui Tribe, San Carlos Apache Nation, White Mountain Apache Tribe,
Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Salt River
Project, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority, Town of Florence, City
of Coolidge, City of Eloy, City of Queen Creek, Town of Gilbert, City
of Mesa, City of Apache Junction, City of Casa Grande, Town of Marana,
Pima County, Maricopa Association of Governments, Pima Association of
Governments, Pinal County, Central Arizona Project, and Central Arizona
Association of Governments. Letters will also be sent to interested
parties, including the Union Pacific Railroad, San Carlos Irrigation
District and Resolution Copper Mining.
To insure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, comments
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments,
suggestions, or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS
should be directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 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: September 10, 2010.
Kenneth H. Davis,
Senior Engineering Manager for Operations, Federal Highway
Administration, Arizona Division Office, Phoenix, Arizona.
[FR Doc. 2010-23296 Filed 9-17-10; 8:45 am]
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