[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8469-8470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3971]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; St. Louis County, MN

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 an

[[Page 8470]]

environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
highway improvements to Trunk Highway 53 (TH 53) in St. Louis County, 
Minnesota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Martin, Federal Highway 
Administration, Galtier Plaza, Box 75, 175 East Fifth Street, Suite 
500, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2904, Telephone (651) 291-6120; or Brian 
Larson, Project Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation--
District 1, 1123 Mesaba Avenue, Duluth, Minnesota 55811, Telephone 
(218) 723-4960 ext. 3322; (651) 296-9930 TTY.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Minnesota 
Department of Transportation, will prepare an EIS on a proposal to 
improve TH 53 between County Road 307 north of Virginia to the south 
city limit of Cook in St. Louis County, Minnesota, a distance of 
approximately 30.7 kilometers.
    The proposed action is being considered to address future 
transportation demand, safety problems, access management, 
international and interregional trade corridor status, and pavement 
condition. Alternatives under consideration include (1) No build; and 
(2) four variations of ``Build'' alternatives involving reconstruction 
and/or realignment and new construction of TH 53 into a four-lane 
divided expressway. All four-lane alternatives utilize the existing TH 
53 alignment from the Rice River (approximately 0.8 kilometer north of 
County Road 688) to the northern terminus of the project area (the 
south city limits of Cook). The southern portion (County Road 307 to 
the Rice River) contains three alternatives for realignment and one 
alternative which utilizes the existing TH 53 alignment. The ``Trunk 
Highway 53 Scoping Document/Draft Scoping Decision Document'' will be 
published in February or March 2000. A press release will be published 
to inform the public of the document's availability. Copies of the 
scoping document will be distributed to agencies, interested persons 
and libraries for review to aid in identifying issues and analyses to 
be contained in the EIS. A 30-day comment period for review of the 
document will be provided to afford an opportunity for all interested 
persons, agencies and groups to comment on the proposed action. A 
public scoping meeting will also be held during the comment period. 
Public notice will be given for the time and place of the meeting. 
Coordination has been initiated and will continue with appropriate 
Federal, State and local agencies and private organizations and 
citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have an interest 
in the proposed action. To ensure that the full range of issues related 
to this proposed action are addressed and all significant issues 
identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested 
parties. Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the 
EIS should be directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(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: February 9, 2000.
Stanley M. Graczyk,
Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, St. Paul, 
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 00-3971 Filed 2-17-00; 8:45 am]
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