[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4014-4015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1710]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Jefferson, Clear Creek, Summit, 
Eagle, and Garfield Counties, Colorado

AGENCY:  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY:  The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for 
the I-70 Mountain Corridor from the intersection of State Highway C470 
in Jefferson County to Glenwood Springs in Garfield County, a distance 
of approximately 140 miles crossing five counties in 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:  Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and as 
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations 
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and FHWA regulations (23 CFR part 771), the 
FHWA, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation 
(CDOT), is issuing this notice of intent to prepare a programmatic Tier 
1 EIS. The EIS will be prepared in compliance with CEQ regulations at 
40 CFR 1501.7 and as authorized by 40 CFR 1502.20 and 23 CFR 
771.111(g), to take a broad view of the transportation issues and 
alternative solutions to assist in identifying needed safety and 
mobility improvements and reducing congestion on the I-70 Mountain 
Corridor. The Federal Railroad Administration, though not having 
jurisdiction over the project, will serve as a cooperating agency, 
providing technical assistance on rail technology.

[[Page 4015]]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also will serve as a 
cooperating agency. In addition, FHWA and CDOT will coordinate closely 
with the U.S. Forest Service, Federal Transit Administration, and other 
federal, state, and local agencies throughout the preparation of the 
programmatic EIS.
    Recognizing the need to act on projected increases in congestion 
and other mobility problems that have been forecasted over a period of 
the next 20 years, CDOT commissioned the I-70 Mountain Corridor Major 
Investment Study (MIS), which was completed in late 1998. The 
recommended improvements resulting from the MIS address alternatives 
for increased safety and to accommodate existing and future traffic 
demand. Reference is made to such MIS, which is available for 
examination at the Colorado Department of Transportation, Region One, 
18500 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80011.
    As the next step and to meet objectives in the MIS, CDOT planned to 
prepare a site-specific EIS to address a 16-mile-long corridor between 
U.S. 40 and Floyd Hill, Clear Creek County (Federal Register Vol. 64, 
No. 103, pages 29079-29080, May 28, 1999), an area in need of immediate 
improvements, in conjunction with a secondary and cumulative impact 
study of the entire I-70 Mountain Corridor. However, in response to 
public concern, CDOT will postpone the preparation of the site-specific 
EIS and begin preparation of the programmatic EIS.
    The programmatic EIS will enable CDOT and FHWA to address the 
transportation problems of the I-70 Mountain Corridor comprehensively 
as part of the overall I-70 Mountain Corridor transportation system. 
The overall project termini will extend from C470 to Glenwood Springs 
in order to assess the transportation problems within the I-70 Mountain 
Corridor. While the project termini are proposed to match the problem 
area, some of the proposed solutions will extend into other major 
locales or corridors (e.g., metropolitan Denver area). The 
transportation elements identified in the MIS include fixed guideway 
transit, improved rubber tire transit, highway improvements, aviation, 
and alternate routes. These and any other reasonable alternatives 
identified through public comment during scoping will be addressed. The 
programmatic EIS will develop a 20-year transportation plan and a 50-
year vision for the I-70 Mountain Corridor with the intent to balance 
competing interests and uses of the corridor. The 20-year plan will be 
a cost-constrained plan that will prioritize improvements and establish 
procedures for site-specific environmental studies. The programmatic 
EIS will identify the locations, modes of transportation, critical 
environmental resources, and general mitigation policy for the 
preferred alternative.
    The approach to the assessment of environmental impacts will begin 
with agency and public scoping to identify the issues and concerns 
associated with the corridor. The results of scoping will help define 
the alternatives and the scope of the environmental studies to be 
conducted. Alternatives proposed in the MIS and identified through 
scoping will be evaluated and screened to narrow the range of 
alternatives considered for the I-70 Mountain Corridor programmatic 
EIS. Alternatives examined will be eliminated either through screening 
or advanced to environmental analysis for the programmatic EIS. The 
assessment will focus on cumulative environmental impacts. The studies 
and assessment will be documented in the draft programmatic EIS. After 
its publication, the draft programmatic EIS will be available for 
agency and public review and comment, and public hearings will be held. 
On the basis of the draft programmatic EIS and the comments received, a 
preferred alternative 20-year plan and 50-year vision will be selected 
and preparation of the final programmatic EIS and Record of Decision 
will proceed.
    The Record of Decision for the programmatic EIS will not result in 
the environmental clearance of any I-70 transportation-related 
improvements. However, individual projects could proceed for I-70 
improvements if they comply with 23 CFR 771.111(f) criteria: (1) 
Connect logical termini and be of sufficient length to address 
environmental issues on a broad scope, (2) have independent utility or 
independent significance, and (3) not restrict consideration of 
alternatives for other reasonably foreseeable transportation 
improvements. To date, projects that comply with 23 CFR 771.111(f) 
include the Eagle County Airport Interchange, Hogback Park-n-Ride, 
Georgetown Rockslide Mitigation Project, Colorado Intermountain Fixed 
Guideway Authority Demonstration and Testing Project, Intermountain 
Connection Project, and Eisenhower Tunnel Lighting Improvements. If any 
other projects emerge during the programmatic EIS that comply with 23 
CFR 771.111(f), they will be noticed publicly in advance. At present, 
it is anticipated that the I-70 Mountain Corridor programmatic EIS 
process will be completed in late 2002.
    Integral with the programmatic EIS process, CDOT and FHWA will 
conduct an extensive and broad public involvement program to keep 
federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, and interested 
individuals informed and to provide ample opportunities for such 
agencies, organizations, and the public to participate throughout the 
three-year process. To ensure that the full range of issues and 
alternatives related to this proposed action are identified and 
addressed, written comments, suggestions, or questions should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above or directed to:
    Ms. Cecelia Joy, Planning and Environmental Manager, Colorado 
Department of Transportation-Region 1, 18500 East Colfax Avenue, 
Aurora, Colorado 80011, Telephone: 303/757-9112.
    Information describing the purpose of the project, proposed 
alternatives, area to be evaluated, public involvement program, and 
preliminary project schedule will be available upon request by 
contacting Cecelia Joy at the address and telephone number noted above. 
Scoping comments may be made verbally or in writing to Ms. Joy and at 
future public meetings, the locations, dates, and times of which will 
be announced through public notice (newspaper advertisements and other 
means), as contemplated by 40 CFR 1506.6 and the following CDOT public 
notice procedure for comparable actions.

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

    Issued on: January 13, 2000.
Ronald A. Speral,
Program Team Leader, Colorado Division, Federal Highway Administration, 
Lakewood, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 00-1710 Filed 1-24-00; 8:45 am]
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