[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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