[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61176-61177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28943]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Environmental Impact Statement: Daggett county, Utah
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT Bureau of Land
Management, (BLM), DOI.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
and Amend the Diamond Mountain Resource Area Resource Management Plan.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA and BLM are issuing this Notice to advise the public
that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the
proposed Browns Park Road Re-alignment and Paving Project proposed by
Daggett County, Utah. This 26.9 km (16.8 miles) segment would connect
from the currently paved portion of Browns Park Road that junctions
with US Highway 191 in Utah to Colorado Route 318. The BLM, as a
cooperating agency, under this Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS, may
amend the Diamond Mountain Resource Area Resource Management Plan (RMP)
by adding a corridor for the proposed action.
AGENCY DECISIONS: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended, the FHWA must decide whether or not to proceed
with the proposed project and under what terms, conditions, and
stipulations. The BLM, which will assist in the preparation of the EIS,
will decide whether to amend the RMP and provide a letter of consent to
the FHWA under Interagency Agreement AA851-LA2-40.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Allen, Environmental Engineer,
Federal Highway Administration, 2520 West 4700 South, Suite 9A, Salt
Lake City, Utah 84118-1847, Telephone: (801) 963-0078 Ext. 229; Greg
Searle, Utah Department of Transportation, Region 3 (801) 227-8058 and
Duane De Paepe, Bureau of Land Management, Vernal Field Office, (435)
781-4400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FHWA as lead agency, in cooperation with the
Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will prepare an EIS to re-
align and pave the existing Browns Park Road. The Vernal Field Office
of the Bureau of Land Management will serve as a cooperating agency and
will assist in preparation of the EIS and direct preparation of the
plan amendment for the Diamond Mountain Resource Area RMP. The plan
amendment criteria would be the same as in the Diamond Mountain
Resource Area RMP Record of Decision (Fall, 1994). The construction
project would consist of upgrading and realigning portions of an
existing county road that crosses 19.6 km of public land parcels
administered by the BLM (12.2 miles), 6.9 km State of Utah lands (4.3
miles), as well as .5 km of land that is privately owned (.3 miles).
Currently, the Browns Park Road is unpaved, and characterized by
rutted washboard surfaces and dust producing surface materials.
Horizontal and vertical alignments on the existing roadway vary from
good in the straight sections to poor on the steep and curving
sections. Jesse Ewing Canyon has some extremely steep grades in the
range of 14 to 17 percent. This makes travel very difficult during
inclement weather and has proven to be very dangerous as evidenced by a
traffic fatality in recent years. In addition to addressing these
maintenance and safety concerns, Daggett County also considers it
important to bring this road up to the standards of the adjoining
highways.
The proposal is to pave the section of Daggett County road between
Red Creek (T3N R23E Sec. 16) and the Colorado State line (T2N R25E Sec.
35), known as the Browns Park Road. This 26.9 km segment would be 9 m
(29.5 feet) in width and have a design speed of 60 km/hr (38 mph). It
would connect from the currently paved portion of Browns Park Road that
junctions with US Highway 191 in Utah to Colorado Route 318, and
provide improved access to recreational, agricultural, and commercial
developments in the Green River and Flaming Gorge areas from Utah,
Colorado and Wyoming.
The proposed project would generally follow the existing Browns
Park Road alignment. However, there are two proposed courses around
Jesse Ewing Canyon that would lengthen the road course to reduce grades
and provide a safer route of travel.
The corridor width needed for construction would be expected to
average about 30.5 m (100 feet). New disturbance associated with the
realignment proposed in Jesse Ewing Canyon is expected to be
approximately 12.1 hectares (30 acres). In addition, several
construction equipment staging
[[Page 61177]]
(temporary use) areas and borrow sites would be required, and would be
located along the road corridor (8.1 hectares [20 acres]). The overall
disturbed area associated with this project is expected to be less than
60.7 hectares (150 acres).
The primary users of the Browns Park Road are agriculturists,
recreationists, and residents in the area. The upgrade of the road
would greatly improve travel conditions and safety, and would
substantially reduce present maintenance costs for the road. It would
also support the increased travel demands projected for the near
future.
The alternative is no action which would leave the road in its
present condition. Suggestions for other alternatives are welcome.
Letters describing the proposed project and soliciting comments
will be sent to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, and to
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are
known to have an interest in this proposal.
Three public open house scoping meetings will be held, two in Utah
(Dutch John and Vernal), and one in Craig, Colorado. The open houses
will include displays explaining the project and a forum for commenting
on the project. The meetings will be held as follows:
Craig, Colorado: December 1, 1999, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Craig City
Hall, 300 West 4th Street, Council Meeting Room
Vernal, Utah: December 2, 1999, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Western Park,
302 East 200 South
Dutch John, Utah: December 3, 1999, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Dutch John
Conference Hall
Written comments on the scope of this proposal will be accepted
until December 27, 1999. Comments should be directed to Linda Matthews,
JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc., 8160 South Highland Drive, Suite
A-4, Sandy, Utah 84093. At least one public hearing will be held
following release of the Draft EIS. Public notice will be given of the
time and place of the hearing. The Draft EIS will be available for
public and agency review and comment prior to the public hearing.
To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed
project is addressed and any significant impacts are identified,
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties.
Comments or questions concerning this proposed project and the EIS
should be directed to Tom Allen, Environmental Engineer, Federal
Highway Administration, 2520 West 4700 South, Suite 9A, Salt Lake City,
Utah 84118-1847, Telephone: (801) 963-0078 Ext. 229.
(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.)
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents will
be available for public review at the Utah Division of FHWA and at the
BLM Vernal Field Office and will be subject to disclosure under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). They may be published as part of the
Environmental Impact Statement and other related documents. Individual
respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your
name or street address from public review and disclosure under the
FOIA, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written
comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law.
All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their
entirety.
Michael Ritchie,
Division Administrator, Utah Division, Federal Highway Administration,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Linda S. Colville,
BLM Acting Utah State Director, Salt Lake City, Utah.
[FR Doc. 99-28943 Filed 11-8-99; 8:45 am]
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