[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46339-46340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21995]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


State Road 40 Project, Ocala National Forest, Marion County, 
Florida

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service and the Florida Department of 
Transportation (Joint Lead Agencies) are issuing this notice to advise 
the public that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be 
prepared for a proposed highway project to improve State Road 40 in 
Marion County, Florida. The agencies invite written comments and 
suggestions from Federal, State, and local agencies and other 
individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by 
the proposed action.

DATES: A draft EIS is expected to be completed in December, 2000. The 
final EIS is scheduled to be completed in December, 2001.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that the full range of issues related to the 
proposed action are addressed and all significant issues are 
identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested 
parties. You may request to be placed on the project mailing list or 
direct questions, comments and suggestions to Ms. Heather Bradshaw-
Ells, Project Manager, Florida Department of Transportation, 719 S. 
Woodland Blvd. DeLand, Florida 32720, telephone (904) 943-5391.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Thorsen, District Ranger, 
Seminole Ranger District, Ocala National Forest, 40929-SR 19, Umatilla, 
Florida 32784, telephone (352) 669-3153; Mr. Larry Perry, Florida 
Department of Environmental Protection, District 3, Apopka, Florida 
32714, telephone (407) 884-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to improve State Road 
40 from the end of the existing four lanes in Silver Springs, Marion 
County, Florida to County Road 314A in Marion County, Florida, a 
distance of 10 miles. Improvements to the corridor are considered 
necessary to provide for projected traffic demands. The route proposed 
by the Florida Department of Transportation crosses a portion of the 
Ocala National Forest in Marion County and involves a distance of 5.6 
miles within National Forest Boundaries. The western leg segment (4.4 
miles) is located adjacent to the boundaries of Silver River State Park 
which is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 
The USDA Forest Service and Florida Department of Transportation will 
be joint lead agencies in preparing the EIS. The Florida Department of 
Environmental Protection and the United States Coast Guard will be 
cooperating agencies. The Forest Supervisor for the National Forest in 
Florida will decide whether or not to permit an additional easement 
across national forest lands for the portion of the project within 
national forest boundaries. The Florida Department of Transportation 
will decide whether or not to improve the highway and if so, the extent 
of the improvement.
    Newsletter describing the proposed action and soliciting comments 
will be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, and to 
organizations and citizens who express interest in this proposal. In 
addition, public meetings and workshops will be scheduled, and a web 
site established to provide the opportunity for public input throughout 
the process. Preliminary issues include the impacts of the project on 
wildlife, wetlands, vegetative communities, visual resources, public 
safety, and possible future development of related road projects. 
Possible other alternatives under consideration include: taking no 
action, widening to a four lane divided highway or alternative 
corridors.
    The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the Environmental Protect Agency publishes the notice of availability 
in the Federal Register. The Forest Service believes, at this early 
stage, it is important to give reviewers notice of several court 
rulings related to public participation in the environmental review 
process. First, reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must 
structure their participation in the environmental review of the 
proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the 
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. 
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that 
could be raised at the draft environmental impact statement stage but 
that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental 
impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts, City of 
Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and  Wisconsin 
Heritages, Inc., v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). 
Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those 
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 
comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made 
available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully 
consider them and

[[Page 46340]]

respond to them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist 
the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns 
on the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact 
statement should be as specific possible. It is also helpful if 
comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. 
Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental 
impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and 
discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council 
on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in 
addressing these points.

    Dated: August 18, 1999.
Marsha Kearaney,
Forest Supervisor, National Forests in Florida.
[FR Doc. 99-21995 Filed 8-24-99; 8:45 am]
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