Environmental Impact Statement; Saint Louis County, MN

Topics:  Federal Highway Administration

Philip Forst
Federal Register
August 10, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 49526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20354]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Saint Louis County, MN

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 (EIS) will be prepared to respond to the 
terms of the existing Trunk Highway (TH) 53 easement across the United 
Taconite mine.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Forst, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, 380 Jackson Street, Suite 
500, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101, Telephone (651) 291-6110; or Brian 
Larson, Project Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation 
(District 1), 1123 Mesaba Avenue, Duluth, Minnesota 55811, Telephone: 
(218) 725-2745.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Minnesota Department of Transportation 
was given notice by United Taconite on May 5, 2010, that easement 
rights for a portion of existing Highway 53 between Virginia and 
Eveleth are being terminated. The FHWA, in cooperation with the 
Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) will prepare an EIS on 
a proposal to address termination of the easement rights by United 
Taconite. The EIS will evaluate the social, economic, transportation 
and environmental impacts of alternatives, including (1) No-build, (2) 
Purchasing title and possession of the existing TH 53 alignment, (3) 
Construction on partial new alignment, and (4) Construction on new 
alignment.
    The Scoping Document/Draft Scoping Decision Document is anticipated 
to be published in late 2011. A press release will be published to 
inform the public of the document's availability. Copies of Scoping 
Document will be published on a Mn/DOT Web site as well as distributed 
to agencies, interested persons and libraries for review to aid in 
identifying issues and analyses to be contained in the EIS. A thirty-
day comment period for review of the document will be provided to 
afford an opportunity for all interested persons, agencies and groups 
to comment on the proposed action. A public scoping meeting will also 
be held during the comment period. Public notice will be give for the 
time and place of the meeting. The Scoping Decision Document will be 
published after the public comment period has closed.
    A Draft EIS will be prepared based on the outcome of and closely 
following the scoping process. The Draft EIS will be available for 
agency and public review and comment. In addition, a public hearing 
will be held following completion of the Draft EIS. Public notice will 
be given for the time and place of the public hearing on the Draft EIS. 
Coordination has been initiated and will continue with appropriate 
Federal, State and local agencies and private organizations and 
citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have an interest 
in the proposed action.
    This project is utilizing a National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA)/404 merger process to seek concurrence by multiple Federal 
agencies on the project's purpose and need, range of alternatives to be 
considered, range of alternatives to be evaluated in detail, and 
selection of a preferred alternative. In addition to the Federal 
Highway Administration as the lead Federal Agency for this NEPA effort, 
the NEPA/404 merger process includes the following Federal agencies: 
United States Army Corps of Engineers, The United States Environmental 
Protection Agency.
    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 the proposed action and the EIS should be directed 
to the FHWA at the address 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.)

    Issued on: August 1, 2011.
Philip Forst,
Environmental Specialist, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-20354 Filed 8-9-11; 8:45 am]
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