[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14038-14039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7026]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Summit County, CO

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
environmental impact statement will be prepared for the proposed 
transportation improvements on SH 9 from Frisco to Breckenridge in 
Summit County, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Scott Sands, FHWA Colorado 
Division, 555 Zang Street, Room 250, Denver, CO 80228, Telephone: 303/
969-6730 extension 362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Colorado 
Department of Transportation (CDOT), will prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) for transportation improvements on SH 9 from Frisco 
to Breckenridge in Summit County, Colorado. The EIS will evaluate the 
No-action and Build alternative(s) on SH 9 study limit from I-70 to 
River Park Drive south of Breckenridge, and determine the estimated 
costs and potential impacts associated with each. CDOT will be the 
local lead agency for the preparation of the EIS. The project is 
approximately ten miles in length and alternatives which may be 
evaluated included TSM (Transportation System Management), various four 
lane roadway typical sections and transit alternatives. Scoping has 
begun within the Environmental Assessment first initiated for this 
project. A public scoping meeting was held in Frisco, Colorado on 
November 5, 1998. Scoping meetings have also been conducted with the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Frisco City Council, 
Breckenridge City Council, Summit County Commissioners as well as 
interested citizens, property owners, business owners and others. 
Scoping will be continued through coordination with affected parties, 
organizations, federal, state and local agencies with future public and 
one-on-one meetings which will be held throughout the life of the 
project.
    Written comments on project scope should be sent to: Ms. Lisa 
Kassels, Planning and Environmental Project Manager, CDOT Region 1, 
18500 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, CO 80011, Telephone: 303/757-9156.
    FHWA, CDOT and other local agencies invite interested individuals, 
organizations, and federal, state and local agencies to participate in 
defining the alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS and identifying 
any significant social, economic, or environmental issues related to 
the alternatives. Information describing the purpose of the project, 
the proposed alternatives, the areas to be evaluated, the citizen 
involvement program, and the preliminary project schedule will be 
available. These scoping materials may be requested contacting Ms. Lisa 
Kassels at the address and phone number above. Scoping comments may be 
made verbally at future public meetings or in writing. The public will 
receive notices on location and time of future meetings through 
newspaper advertisements and individual correspondence.
    To ensure that a full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are addressed and all significant issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. if 
you wish to be placed on the mailing list to receive further 
information as the project develops, contact Ms. Lisa Kassels.
    All significant social, economic, and environmental impacts of the 
alternatives carried forward for further study (e.g., the No-action 
alternative, a TSM alternative, a Build alternative) will be evaluated. 
Depending upon the alternatives under study, environmental and social 
impacts to be evaluated may include safety and mobility impacts, 
traffic and parking impacts if stations are proposed, visual impacts, 
impacts on cultural and paleontological resources, and noise impacts. 
Impacts on natural areas, threatened and endangered species, and water 
quality

[[Page 14039]]

will also be covered. Depending upon the alternative which surfaces as 
the preferred and the associated impacts of that alternative, 
construction-related impacts may need to be evaluated, and mitigation 
of any significant adverse impacts would be developed.
    In accordance with FHWA policy, the Draft EIS will be prepared with 
required engineering design studies necessary to complete the document. 
After its publication, the Draft EIS will be available for public and 
agency review and comments, and a public hearing will be held. On the 
basis of the Draft EIS and the comments received, a preferred 
alternative will be selected and preparation of the Final EIS and 
Record of Decision will proceed.

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

    Issued: March 4, 1999.
Ronald A. Speral,
Environmental/ROW Program Manager, Colorado Division, Federal Highway 
Administration, Lakewood, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 99-7026 Filed 3-22-99; 8:45 am]
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