[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 82 (Monday, April 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21013-21014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10409]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Assessment; Pulaski County, KY

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 of its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed 
highway project in the south-central portion of Kentucky, between the 
Louis B. Nunn Parkway (Cumberland

[[Page 21014]]

Parkway) at Fishing Creek to Ky 80 east of Somerset.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Evan J. Wisniewski, Project 
Development Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration, 330 West 
Broadway, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601, (502) 223-6740, e-mail: 
[email protected]; or David Beattie, Project Manager, 
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, District XX, P.O. Box 780, Somerset, 
Kentucky, 40502, (606) 677-4017, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded by using a 
computer, modem and suitable communications software from the 
Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 
512-1661. Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's 
home page at http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing 
Office's Web page at http://www.access.gpo.gov.nara.

Background

    The FHWA, in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 
(KYTC), will prepare an Environmental Assessment to evaluate 
alternatives for a proposed highway project in the vicinity of 
Somerset, Kentucky. The proposed project is located in the south-
central portion of Kentucky near and immediately north of Somerset in 
Pulaski County and would connect the Louis B. Nunn Parkway (Cumberland 
Parkway) at Fishing Creek to KY 80 east of Somerset.
    As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, 
FHWA will be preparing an EA to assess the social, economic, and 
environmental impacts of the proposed project. The EA will include a 
reasonable range of alternatives that will address the purpose and need 
of the project, as well as a no-build alternative. If the EA determines 
that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is necessary for the 
proposed project, the information gained through the scoping process in 
this EA may be used as input to the scoping process for the development 
of that EIS. If an EIS is prepared in the future, additional written 
comments will still be considered at that time, after the filing of a 
Notice of Intent (NOI).
    A Public Involvement Plan, including the development of a Citizens 
Advisory Council, has been established during the planning phase of 
this project and will facilitate public involvement throughout the 
project development process. The input of the resource agencies will be 
solicited throughout the life of this project. Throughout the 
development process, advance notice of the time and place of public 
meetings and/or hearings will be given in order to provide an 
opportunity for citizen attendance and comments.
    The proposed project would service the Somerset area transportation 
needs by improving regional access, reducing existing and forecasted 
traffic congestion, and strengthening the regional highway network by 
improving connectivity to other major roads. This includes connecting 
the Louis B. Nunn (Cumberland) Parkway west of Somerset to KY 80 east 
of Somerset. While the project would serve the Somerset area, it could 
also link portions of the proposed Transamerica Transportation Corridor 
(I-66). This Transamerica Transportation Corridor included a ``Southern 
Kentucky Corridor'' centered on the cities of Pikeville, Jenkins, 
Hazard, London, Somerset, Columbia, Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, Benton 
and Paducah.
    This I-66 Corridor was defined in an Interstate 66 Feasibility 
Study, and extends from the East Coast to the West Coast and generally 
is located between I-70 and I-40. This feasibility study focused on the 
feasibility of various alternative transportation concepts within that 
corridor. The report recognized that further analyzes could find that 
some individual segments of the Transamerica Transportation Corridor 
would be more feasible than others and would be more desirable from a 
state or regional perspective. The Interstate 66 Feasibility Study was 
funded through the 1991 U.S. Department of Transportation Appropriation 
Act.
    The Southern Kentucky Corridor, Economic Justification & Financial 
Feasibility Study (dated May, 1997) followed the Interstate 66 
Feasibility Study. Then in 2000, the I-66 Southern Kentucky Corridor 
Scoping Study (Pulaski-Laurel Counties) was completed. It developed an 
environmental footprint, gathered resource agency and public input, and 
identified areas of concern, as well as the potential benefits of such 
an undertaking within the Southern Kentucky Corridor. The Somerset 
Northern Bypass has been prioritized from study because of existing and 
future transportation needs in the Somerset area, including traffic 
congestion and regional access, and the linkage that it creates between 
existing facilities.
    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 previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposal. A series of public meetings 
will be held throughout the design process. In addition a public 
hearing will be held. Public notice will be given of the time and place 
of the meetings and hearing. The draft EA will be available for public 
and agency review and comment prior to the public hearing. Formal 
scoping will be planned for late spring 2002.
    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 EA should be directed 
to the FHWA at the address provided under the caption FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

(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.)

(23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48)

    Issued on: April 22, 2002.
Evan J. Wisniewski.
Acting Kentucky Division Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-10409 Filed 4-26-02; 8:45 am]
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