[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 66191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27555]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Cass and Crow Wing Counties, 
Minnesota

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 
environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
highway improvements to Trunk Highway (TH) 371 from the intersection of 
TH 371 and Crow Wing County Road 18 in Nisswa to the intersection of TH 
371 and Cass County Road 42 in Pine River, a distance of approximately 
16.0 miles, in Cass and Crow Wing Counties, Minnesota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Martin, Federal Highway 
Administration, Galtier Plaza, 380 Jackson Street, Suite 500, St. Paul, 
Minnesota 55101, Telephone (651) 291-6120; or Tony Hughes, Project 
Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation--District 3, 1991 
Industrial Park Road, Baxter, Minnesota 56425, Telephone (218) 828-
2465; (651) 296-9930 TTY.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Minnesota 
Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), will prepare an EIS on a 
proposal to reconstruct TH 371 from the intersection of TH 371 and Crow 
Wing County Road 18 in Nisswa to the intersection of TH 371 and Cass 
County Road 42 in Pine River, a distance of approximately 16.0 miles, 
in Crow Wing and Cass Counties, Minnesota. The proposed action is being 
considered to address future transportation demand, safety problems, 
lack of access control, and design deficiencies.
    The EIS will evaluate the social, economic, transportation and 
environmental impacts of alternatives, including: (1) No-Build and (2) 
variations of ``Build'' alternatives involving reconstruction and 
capacity expansion of TH 371 along the existing highway corridor, 
including individual or combined bypass alignments around the Cities of 
Pequot Lakes, Jenkins and Pine River.
    It is anticipated that the ``Trunk Highway 371 Scoping Document/
Draft Scoping Decision Document'' will be published in the fall of 
2002. 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 
thirty-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. A Draft EIS will be prepared based 
on the outcome of the scoping process. The Draft EIS will be available 
for agency and public review and comment. In addition, a public hearing 
will be held following completion of the Draft EIS. Public Notice will 
be given for the time and place of the public hearing on the Draft EIS. 
Coordination has been initiated and will continue with the 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: October 23, 2002.
Stanley M. Graczyk,
Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, St. Paul, 
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 02-27555 Filed 10-29-02; 8:45 am]
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