[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 230 (Monday, December 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63554-63555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31339]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4307-N-01]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement; City of Porterville, CA; 
Section 108 Loan Guarantee Funded Infrastructure

agency: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, HUD.

action: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

summary: The Department of Housing and Urban Development gives notice 
that the City of Porterville, California, intends to prepare a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for a public infrastructure project to 
be located within the Urban Development Boundary of Porterville.
    This Notice is in accordance with regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality as described in 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. Federal 
agencies having jurisdiction by law, special expertise, or other 
special interest should report their interests and indicate their 
readiness to aid in the EIS effort as a ``Cooperation Agency.''
    A Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be completed for the 
proposed action described herein. Comments relating to the Draft EIS 
are requested and will be accepted by the contact person listed below. 
When the Draft EIS is completed, a notice will be sent to individuals 
and groups known to have an interest on the Draft EIS and particularly 
on the environmental impact issues identified therein. Any person or 
agency interested in receiving a notice and making comment on the Draft 
EIS should contact the person listed below.

dates: Comments Due: December 16, 1997.

addresses: All interested agencies, groups and persons are invited to 
submit written comments on the within-named project and the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement to the following contact person: Ronald 
J. Mauck, City of Porterville, Department of Community Development and 
Services, 291 North Main Street, Porterville, CA 93257. Such comments 
should be received by the office within 15 days of the publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register and all comments so received will 
be considered prior to the preparation and distribution of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement.
    Particularly solicited is information on reports or other 
environmental studies planned or completed in the project area, major 
issues and date which the EIS should consider and recommended 
mitigating measures and alternatives associated with the proposed 
project. Federal agencies having jurisdictions by law, special 
expertise or other special interest should report their interests and 
indicate their readiness to aid the EIS effort as a ``cooperating 
agency''.

for further information contact: Ronald J. Mauck, City of Porterville, 
Department of Community Development and Services, 291 North Main 
Street, Porterville, CA 93257.

supplementary information: The proposed project involves installation 
of a variety of public infrastructure including, but not necessarily 
limited to, public streets (including curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and 
street lights), water and sewer trunk lines, highway on and off ramps, 
and storm drain lines. The primary objective of installing the 
infrastructure is to facilitate the development of new industrial and 
commercial employment centers to accomplish provision of new jobs, 
particularly low- and moderate-income jobs, within the community.
    The City of Porterville anticipates acquiring Community Development 
Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 
Development under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act 
of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-383) to repay a Section 108 Loan Guarantee from the 
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in funding the 
proposed project.
    The combined Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIR/EIS) will analyze potential environmental effects of 
five project alternatives. The alternatives described here are not 
intended to represent a final list of alternatives that may be 
considered, but are illustrative of varying options for investment of 
the Section 108 Loan Guarantee funds, enabling an evaluation of the 
full range of potential environmental impacts in the EIR/EIS. 
Development plans for the final selected project alternative will 
represent infrastructure facilities to be constructed and address 
related growth inducing effects which fall within the range of impacts 
identified within the EIR/EIS alternatives.

Alternatives

    Alternative I would provide for extension of water and sewer trunk 
lines within Indiana Street and Teapot Dome Avenue connecting the 
existing City water and sewer infrastructure system with industrial 
designated lands along Teapot Dome Avenue and within the easterly 
sector of the Porterville Municipal Airport. Alternative I would also 
include development of a new highway interchange at the intersection of 
State Highway 65 and Teapot Dome Avenue. Approximately 200 acres of 
vacant and agricultural land currently designated by the City General 
Plan for future industrial development would ultimately be converted to 
urbanized use under Alternative I.
    Alternative 2 would provide for extension of water trunk lines 
within South Newcomb Street from River Avenue south across the Tule 
River to a point just south of the intersection of South Newcomb Street 
and State Highway 190. Alternative 2 would also provide for the 
construction of South Newcomb Street to arterial width from Heritage 
Avenue south across the Tule River, inclusive of construction of a 
bridge across the river, to a point just south of the intersection of 
South Newcomb Street and State Highway 190. Street improvements would 
include curb, gutter, sidewalk, and streetlights. Approximately 200 
acres of vacant land currently designated by the City General Plan for 
low-density residential uses would be ultimately converted to 
Industrial/Commercial Uses under Alternative 2.
    Alternative 3 would provide for extension of sewer and trunk lines 
from Indiana Street north of Gibbons Avenue to the intersection of 
Indiana Street and Scranton Avenue then west along Scranton Avenue 
across State Highway 65 to the intersection of Scranton Avenue and 
South Newcomb Street. Construction of State Highway on and off ramps at 
the intersection of State Highway 65 and Scranton Avenue would also be 
provided by Alternative 3. Approximately 300 acres of vacant land 
designated for highway commercial uses and 200 acres of primarily 
vacant land designated for industrial uses would ultimately be 
converted to urbanized uses under Alternative 3.

[[Page 63555]]

    Alternative 4 (the proposed Project Alternative) would provide for 
infrastructure improvements within two (2) distinctly separate 
locations. Alternative 4--Area No. 1 would provide for extension of 
water and sewer trunk lines in the vicinity of the Porterville 
Municipal Airport, improvement of Tea Pot Dome Avenue, and Newcomb and 
West Streets proximate to the Municipal Airport, improvements to the 
abandon runway located at the Municipal Airport, and installation of 
master planned storm drain improvements in the vicinity of the 
municipal airport. Alternative 4--Area No. 2 would provide for 
extension of water trunk lines in the vicinity of South Jaye Street, 
State Highway 65, and Gibbons Avenue. South Jaye Street would be 
extended as an arterial width Street from its southerly terminus to 
Gibbons Avenue. Alternative 4 would also accomplish installation of 
storm drain facilities in South Jay Street and Gibbons Avenue. Under 
Alternative 4, approximately 200 acres of primarily vacant land 
designated for industrial uses would ultimately be converted to 
urbanized use.
    Alternative 5 is the No Project alternative, consideration of which 
is required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and by 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Under this alternative, 
the proposed infrastructure project would not occur precluding 
industrial/commercial development of any of the areas discussed in 
Alternatives 1-4.
    Environmental effects of the proposed project: Land use and 
planning; population and housing; water impacts; air quality impacts; 
transportation and circulation impacts; biological resources impacts; 
energy and mineral resource impacts; hazards; noise impacts; demands on 
public services and utilities; aesthetic impacts; recreation impacts; 
and cumulative effects.

Need for the EIS

    It has been determined that the project may constitute an action 
significantly effecting the quality of the human environment and an 
Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared by the City of 
Porterville in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (Pub. L. 91-190) on such project.
    Responses to this notice will be used to:
    1. Determine significant environment issues;
    2. Identify data which the EIS should address; and
    3. Identify agencies and other parties which will participate in 
the EIS process and the basis for their involvement.
    This notice is in accordance with the regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality under its rule (40 CFR part 1500).
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be published and 
distributed about January 15, 1998, and a copy will be on file at the 
City of Porterville Department of Community Development and Services at 
291 North Main Street, Porterville, CA 93257 and available for public 
inspection, or copies may be attained at the same address, upon 
request.

Scoping

    This notice is part of the process used for scoping the EIS. 
Responses will help determine significant environmental issues, 
identify data which the EIS should address, and help identify 
cooperating agencies.
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be published upon 
completion and will be on file, and available for public inspection at 
the address listed below. Copies may also be obtained upon request, at 
the same address.
    This Notice shall be effective for one year. If one year after the 
publication of the Notice in the Federal Register a Draft EIS has not 
been filed on the project, then the Notice for that project shall be 
cancelled. If a draft EIS is expected more than one year after the 
publication of this Notice, a new and updated Notice must be published.

    Dated: November 20, 1997.
Richard H. Broun,
Director, Office of Community Viability.
[FR Doc. 97-31339 Filed 11-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-29-M