[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 77 (Friday, April 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19982-19983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9845]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Chittenden County, Vermont

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 a 
draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for 
a proposed highway project in Chittenden County, Vermont.

[[Page 19983]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald J. West, 
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Federal 
Building, Montpelier, VT 05601, Telephone (802)828-4423.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Vermont 
Agency of Transportation, will prepare a draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to focus on a proposed temporary 
project change for a portion of the previously approved Burlington 
Southern Connector/Champlain Parkway Project. The entire project 
involves the construction of approximately 2.5 miles of a four lane, 
access controlled highway known as the Southern Connector, commencing 
at the interchange of I-189 with Shelburne Street (US Route 7), and 
extending westerly and northerly to the intersection of Battery and 
King Streets in the Burlington Central Business District.
    A draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project was 
completed in 1977, and a final EIS (FHWA-VT-EIS-77-02-F) was completed 
and approved in 1979. A portion of the original proposed project has 
been constructed. Final design for an additional portion has been 
completed. The remaining segment has been delayed due to the fact that 
it traverses an EPA Superfund Site. Resolution of issues on the cleanup 
of the Superfund Site have prohibited the entire project from being 
constructed. The proposed temporary project change would involve the 
construction of improvements to detour around the Superfund Site to 
allow the collector to function as intended and provide traffic relief 
until the Superfund Site issues are resolved.
    The draft SEIS will summarize issues for the entire project, as 
covered in the original draft and final EIS. Additional information and 
impact analysis will be presented for a temporary detour around the 
Superfund Site, which will generally follow existing streets (Lakeside 
Avenue and Pine Streets); however, an approximately .5 mile section of 
the detour will involve new route location. Alternatives under 
consideration are: (1) Taking no action (i.e., no changes from the 
approved project); and (2) a range of alternatives for making a 
temporary connection via use of Lakeside Avenue and Pine Street to 
avoid the Superfund Site.
    Impacts anticipated with the project change would be focused on 
right-of-way and possible section 106 and section 4(f) issues, 
primarily concerned with the northern portion of the temporary detour. 
Impacts of the project change on wetlands, if any, are expected to be 
minimal. Secondary and cumulative impacts of the project change will 
also be addressed.
    No formal scoping meeting will be held. However, comments will be 
solicited from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Army 
Corps of Engineers (ACOE), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), State 
Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and State Agency of Natural 
Resources (ANR). Also, a public informational meeting will be held in 
the project area early in the document development. The draft SEIS is 
expected to be filed on or about June 1, 1995, and will be sent to 
appropriate federal, state and local agencies, and to private 
organizations and citizens who have previously expressed interest in 
this project for their comments. A public hearing will be held 
following the filing of the draft SEIS.
    Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to 
ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed action 
are addressed and that all significant issues are identified. Comments 
or questions concerning this proposal action and the SEIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations 
implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
coordination consultation on Federal programs and activities apply 
to this program)

    Issued on: April 13, 1995.
William K. Fung,
Engineering Coordinator, Montpelier.
[FR Doc. 95-9845 Filed 4-20-95; 8:45 am]
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