[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 233 (Monday, December 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68089-68090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31557]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Proposed Development of Corridor O, S.R. 0322, Section B02, in
Centre and Clearfield Counties, PA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CE), DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of
[[Page 68090]]
Transportation (PennDOT) plans to file an application for a Department
of the Army Permit for impacts to waters of the United States
associated with the construction of Corridor O, S.R. 0322, Section B02.
The Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined
that due to the potential environmental impacts associated with this
highway development project, an EIS is required.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be directed to Michael Dombroskie Project Manager,
Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, State College Field
Office, 3947 South Atherton Street, State College, PA 16801, Telephone
Number (814) 466-7796.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The Corridor O project area encompasses
approximately 90 square miles in western Centre and eastern Clearfield
Counties, Pennsylvania. The project study area extends approximately 27
miles from the village of Port Matilda near proposed Interstate 99 in a
northwesterly direction to Interstate 80 near Woodland in Clearfield
County. The purpose of the project, generally, will be to improve
traffic flow on US 322 from I-99 to interstate 80, improve traveler
safety and improve quality of life for those living along the existing
highway corridor.
2. This project is specifically identified in the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in Section 1212(u) which
states ``not withstanding any other provision of law, the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania is authorized to proceed with engineering, final
design, and construction of Corridor O of the Appalachian development
highway system between Bald Eagle and Interstate Route 80.''
3. To comply with relevant state laws and Corps of Engineers
requirements, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will be
preparing a combined Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and
Environmental Evaluation Report (EER). The EIS/EER will be developed to
provide the Army Corps of Engineers necessary information to support
its Section 404 permitting process. The EER will be developed based on
requirements of Pennsylvania Act 120 and Section 2002 relating to
highway project development.
4. The EIS will address, at a minimum, the following alternatives:
a. No Action: The no action alternative will address the option not
to develop an improved highway corridor and would allow for the
existing highway infrastructure to remain in place.
b. Upgrade of Existing Facility: This alternative would provide for
the upgrade of the existing US 322 Corridor from Port Matilda to
Woodland, with all major improvements occurring within the existing
Corridor.
c. New Alignment Corridors: This alternative would provide for the
development of a new four lane limited access highway corridor off of
the existing alignment between the Village of Port Matilda and
Woodland.
5. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has proposed an
extensive public and agency involvement/coordination effort.
a. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has already hosted
a two-day kick-off meeting for the project which involved the natural
resource and permitting agencies as well as key citizens and Citizen
Advisory Committee members within the project area.
b. An agency scoping meeting has been held to review the scope of
the project.
c. PennDOT has proposed an extensive public and agency involvement
program, which will be carried out throughout the duration of the
project.
d. This project will be developed utilizing a four phase project
development process including a visioning phase wherein performance
measures will be developed, a development stage wherein initial
alternatives will be identified, a refinement stage wherein a reduced
set of the alternatives will be evaluated in further detail and a final
comparison stage during which a preferred alternative will be
identified.
e. Any Federal, State, County or Local Agencies, Effected Indian
Tribes or other interested private organizations or parties may submit
comments directly to the Baltimore District at the address listed
above.
f. Construction of the proposed project may effect a number of
environmental cultural and socioeconomic resources
(1) Preliminary environmental concerns include: water quality;
impacts to and proposed replacement of wetland functions and values;
passage of aquatic and terrestrial habitat species; loss of upland
habitat; and lose of aquatic habitat.
(2) Cultural Resources that may be effected include: Early 19
Century structures/sites associated with historic activities in the
project area and archeological resources associated with these same
activities.
(3) Socioeconomic factors which will be considered include changes
in traffic patterns, economic benefit, land use changes, and
development patterns which may be reasonably expected in response to
the improvement of interchanges.
6. Although the Baltimore District will act as lead agency for
compilation of the EIS, the Baltimore District neither supports nor
opposes the project. The EIS is to be compiled to satisfy CE Permit
Regulations (33 CFR 320 et seq.); the Clean Water Act (as amended),
Section 401 (33 U.S.C. 1251-1376), and Section 404 (b)(1) Guidelines
(40 CFR part 230); the National Environmental Policy Act (CEQ
Regulations: 40 CFR 1500-1508); Section 2 of the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-666); Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (as amended); Section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act
[16 U.S.C. 470(F)] (as amended) and Title 25, DEP Chapter 105 Rules and
Regulations, (as amended).
7. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation anticipates
completing the EIS/EER on or about December 2001.
Paul R. Wettlaufer,
Acting Chief, Pennsylvania Section.
[FR Doc. 99-31557 Filed 12-3-99; 8:45 am]
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