[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11896-11897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5873]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Wright, Stearns and Sherburne 
Countries, MN

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this revised notice to advise the public 
that a tiered environmental impact statement (EIS) will no longer be 
prepared for proposed highway capacity improvements on existing or new 
alignments that connect Interstate 94

[[Page 11897]]

(I-94) and Trunk Highway 10 (TH 10) between the cities of Becker and 
St. Cloud, Minnesota. The proposed alignment connections being studied 
include existing and new crossings of the Mississippi River. Rather, a 
conventional EIS will be prepared for the proposed improvements.

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 Terry Humbert, Project 
Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation--District 3, 3725 12th 
Street North, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56303, Telephone (320) 654-5520, V 
(651) 296-9930 TTY.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As indicated in the Notice of Intent 
published in the Federal Register on May 8, 1997, the FHWA, in 
cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), is 
preparing an EIS on a proposal to improve highway capacity for 
connections between I-94 and TH 10 between the cities of Becker and St. 
Cloud, Minnesota, including a crossing of the Mississippi River. The 
area of the proposed improvements is located in Wright, Stearns and 
Sherburne Counties.
    There has been a change in the planned approach to the 
environmental review process for this project since the Notice of 
Intent was published in the Federal Register. The Notice of Intent 
indicated that a tiered EIS process would be used for the proposed 
project based on a projected 15 to 20-year funding and implementation 
schedule and a need to protect right-of-way for a preferred 
alternative. Since the publication of the Notice of Intent, the 
proposed regional connection capacity improvements have been identified 
as important in serving state Inter-Regional Corridor System goals. As 
a result, the project has the potential to receive higher funding 
priority than had previously been anticipated. Therefore, a 
conventional (i.e., not tiered) EIS process has been determined to 
better suit the potential project implementation schedule. 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. Public meetings have been held in the past and will continue to 
be held, with public notice given for the time and place of the 
meetings.
    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 24, 2003.
Stanley M. Graczyk,
Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-5873 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
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