[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12816-12817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6679]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-4307-N-02]
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS); City of Porterville,
CA Section 108 Loan Guarantee Funded Infrastructure Project
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and
Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of availability of DEIS and public comment dates.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development gives notice
that the City of Porterville, California, has prepared a combined Draft
Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS)
for a Section 108 Loan Guarantee funded infrastructure project as
described in this notice. This notice is in accordance with regulations
of the Council on Environmental Quality under its rule (40 CFR part
1500).
Interested individuals, government agencies, and private
organizations are invited to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact
Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement concerning the project to
the specified person or address indicated below.
Particularly solicited are comments on the draft EIR/EIS and the
major issues identified below.
Federal agencies having jurisdiction by law, special expertise or
other special interest should report their interests and indicate their
readiness to aid in the final EIR/EIS effort.
DATES: Effective date: This notice shall be effective on March 16,
1998.
Comment due date: Written comments must arrive by May 1, 1998 at
the address given below. We will consider all comments received in
preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
ADDRESSES: All interested agencies, groups and persons are invited to
submit written comments on 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ronald J. Mauck (see address
above), telephone (209) 782-7460.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A combined Draft Environmental Impact
Report/Environmental Impact Statement has been completed and accepted
for the proposed action described below. Comments on the Draft EIR/EIS
are requested and will be accepted by the contact person until May 1,
1998.
Title of Action: City of Porterville Section 108 Loan Guarantee
Funded Infrastructure Project.
Description of Action: The Draft Environmental Impact Report/
Environmental Impact Statement examines the social, economic and
environmental impacts on the City of Porterville and its environs from
completion of the proposed action. Key objectives of the project
include:
(1) Provision of new, and retention of existing, jobs through
development of a variety of public infrastructure resulting in
employment opportunities for low and moderate income persons; (2)
rehabilitation of three central business district parking lots; and (3)
provision of financial assistance in rehabilitating existing commercial
structures or acquisition of sites for, and construction of new,
commercial buildings.
The combined EIR/EIS analyzes potential environmental effects of
five alternative projects. The alternative projects described here are
illustrative of varying options for development, enabling an evaluation
of the full range of impacts identified within the EIR/EIS alternative.
Alternative 1 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 Tea Pot Dome Avenue and within the easterly
sector of the Porterville Municipal Airport. Alternative 1 would also
include development of a new highway interchange at the intersection of
State Highway 65 and Teapot Dome Avenue. Approximately 280 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 1.
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 280
acres of vacant land currently designated by the City General Plan for
low-density
[[Page 12817]]
residential uses would be ultimately converted to Industrial/Commercial
Uses under Alternative 2.
Alternative 3 would provide for extension of sewer and water 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 150 acres of primarily
vacant land designated for industrial uses would ultimately be
converted to urbanized uses under Alternative 3.
Alternative 4 (the Proposed Action) 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
abandoned 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 Jaye Street and Gibbons Avenue. Under Alternative
4, approximately 380 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.
Location: City of Porterville, Tulare County, California
Potential Environmental Impacts: Land use and planning; population
and housing; water impacts; air quality impacts; transportation and
circulation impacts; biological resource impacts; energy and mineral
resource impacts; hazards, noise impacts; demands on public services
and utilities; aesthetic impacts; recreation impacts; and cumulative
effects. Most of these impacts would be reduced to a level of
insignificance following implementation of proposed mitigation
measures.
The Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact
Statement will be published on or about March 16, 1998 and will be on
file at 291 North Main Street, Porterville, California 93257 and
available for public inspection, or copies may be obtained at the same
address, upon request.
Dated: March 11, 1998.
Richard H. Broun,
Director, Office of Community Viability.
[FR Doc. 98-6679 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am]
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