[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19425-19426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8869]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Randolph and Tucker Counties, 
West Virginia

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

[[Page 19426]]


ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will be prepared for 
the Kerens-to-Parsons portion of the proposed Appalachian Corridor H 
highway project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry E. Compton, Division 
Environmental Coordinator, Federal Highway Administration, West 
Virginia Division, Geary Plaza, Suite 200, 700 Washington Street East, 
Charleston, West Virginia 25301, Telephone: (304) 347-5268.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with a court approved 
settlement agreement, the FHWA in cooperating with the West Virginia 
Department of Transportation (WVDOH) will prepare a supplemental 
environmental impact statement (SEIS) to examine one or more potential 
alignment shifts for the Kerens-to-Parsons portion of the proposed 
Appalachian Corridor H highway in Randolph and Tucker Counties, West 
Virginia. A Record of Decision (ROD) for the entire Appalachian 
Corridor H Highway (FHWA-WV-EIS-92-01-F) from Aggregates to the WV/VA 
state line, a distance of approximately 100 miles, was approved on 
August 2, 1996. The proposed Kerens-to-Parsons project will provide a 
divided four-lane, partial control of access highway on new location 
for a distance of approximately 20 miles. The purpose of this project 
is to provide safe and efficient travel between the population centers 
of Randolph (Elkins/Kerens Area) and Tucker (Parsons Area) counties, 
while also contributing to the completion of Corridor H in West 
Virginia.
    Alternates under consideration in the SEIS will be: (1) The no 
action alternative, (2) the preferred alternative that was approved in 
the 1996 ROD, and (3) one or more alternatives that avoid impacts to 
the Corricks Ford Battlefield. Based on preliminary studies, it is 
expected that the avoidance alternatives considered in the SEIS will 
include one or more alignments that would shift the project to the 
north, resulting in additional connections to US 219, WV Route 72, and 
County Route 17 in the vicinity of Parsons. However, final decisions on 
the scope of the SEIS will be made only after an opportunity for 
comment by interested agencies and the public during the scoping 
process, which will occur in early to mid-April 2000.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have expressed or are known to 
have an interest in this proposal.
    To ensure 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 should be directed to the 
FHWA at the address provided above.

(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 to this program)

    Issued on: March 28, 2000.
Henry E. Compton,
Environmental Coordinator, Charleston, West Virginia.
[FR Doc. 00-8869 Filed 4-10-00; 8:45 am]
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