[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