Environmental Impact Statement: Los Angeles County, CA

Shawn E. Oliver
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Register
March 9, 2011

[Federal Register: March 9, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 46)]
[Notices]               
[Page 13017-13018]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09mr11-129]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
Environmental Impact Statement: Los Angeles County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public 
that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a 
proposed highway project in Los Angeles County, California.

DATES: Public Scoping Meetings will be held at the following locations:
    San Gabriel, March 15, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Alhambra, March 16, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Glendale, March 22, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    South Pasadena, March 23, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    El Sereno, March 29, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Pasadena, March 30, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    An online Virtual Scoping Meeting will be held on March 21, 2011. 
Register to participate at metro.net/sr710conversations and click the 
``Participate from Home'' tab. (It will begin live at 6 p.m. and 
continue on demand through April 14, 2011).

ADDRESSES: San Gabriel--Jefferson Middle School, 1372 East Las Tunas 
Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776.
    Alhambra--Civic Center Library, 101 S. First Street, Alhambra, CA 
91801.
    Glendale--Glendale Community College, (Student Center RM 212), 1500 
North Verdugo Road, Glendale, CA 91208.
    South Pasadena--South Pasadena High School, (Auditorium), 1401 
Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, CA 91030.
    El Sereno--LA Christian Presbyterian Church, (Gymnasium), 2241 N. 
Eastern Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90032.
    Pasadena--Lake Avenue Church, (4th floor above Harris Hall), 393 N. 
Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Kosinski, Deputy District 
Director, California Department of Transportation, District 7, Division 
of Environmental Planning, 100 South Main Street, Mail Stop 16A, Los 
Angeles, CA 90012.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) assigned, and the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans) assumed, environmental responsibilities for 
this project pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327. Caltrans as the delegated 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency will prepare a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement on a proposal for the State Route 710 
Gap North Closure project in Los Angeles County, California. The 
proposed project, depending on the results of a thorough environmental 
analysis of all possible transportation improvements during the NEPA/
CEQA process, may include, but not be limited to: surface and 
subsurface highway/freeway construction, heavy rail and bus/light rail 
systems, local street upgrades, traffic management systems and a no 
build alternative. There currently is a gap in the I-710 corridor, for 
a distance of approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km), which extends between 
Valley Boulevard to the south and Del Mar Boulevard to the north. As 
originally identified in the April 13, 1998 Record of Decision for the 
Meridian Variation alignment, this gap contributes to congestion on 
local streets and the regional freeway system. The objective of this 
project is to relieve congestion and improve mobility within the study 
area.
    It is anticipated that the proposed project may require the 
following federal approvals and permits: a Biological Opinion from the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, approval of a PM10 and PM2.5 
Hot Spot Analysis by the Conformity Working Group for transportation 
conformity determination under the Clean Air Act. Section 404 
nationwide permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Section 401 
Water Quality Certification from the California Regional Water Quality 
Control Board, Section 1601 Streambed Alteration Agreement from the 
California Department of Fish and Game, and encroachment permits from 
the various cities in which project construction would occur.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, Participating Agencies, Tribal 
Governments and local agencies, and to private organizations and 
citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have interest in 
this proposal. The public scoping process will officially begin in 
March 2011. Public scoping meeting(s) will be held in San Gabriel, 
Alhambra, Glendale, South Pasadena, Los Angeles, El Sereno, and 
Pasadena in March 2011. In addition, one online Virtual Scoping Meeting 
will be held on March 21, 2011. (It will begin live at 6 p.m. and 
continue on demand through April 14, 2011). Further, a public hearing 
will be held once the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is 
completed. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the 
meeting and hearing. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement 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 Caltrans at the address provided above.


[[Page 13018]]


(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: March 3, 2011.
Shawn E. Oliver,
Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2011-5407 Filed 3-8-11; 8:45 am]
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