[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 108 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33757-33758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14187]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Nicollet, 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 
environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
highway improvements to Trunk Highway (TH) 14 from State Highway 15, 
just east of New Ulm, to County Road 6 near North

[[Page 33758]]

Mankato, a distance of approximately 22 miles, in Nicollet County, 
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 Mark Scheidel, Project 
Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation--District 7, 501 South 
Victory Drive, PO Box 4039, Mankato, Minnesota 56002-4039, Telephone 
(507) 389-6149; (800) 627-3529 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 14 from State Highway 15, just east of New 
Ulm, to County Road 6 near North Mankato, a distance of approximately 
22 miles, in Nicollet County, Minnesota. The proposed action is being 
considered to address future transportation demand, safety problems, 
and geometric design issues. The EIS will evaluate the social, 
economic, transportation and environmental impacts of alternatives, 
including: (1) No-Build and (2) variations of four-lane urban design 
and four-lane rural design ``Build'' alternatives involving 
reconstruction and capacity expansion of TH 14 along the existing 
highway corridor, including individual or combined bypass alignments 
north of Courtland and south of Nicollet.
    The ``Trunk Highway 14 West Interregional Corridor North Mankato to 
New Ulm Scoping Document/Draft Scoping Decision Document'' was 
published in March 2003. A press release was published to inform the 
public of the document's availability. Copies of the scoping document 
were 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 was 
provided to afford an opportunity for all interested persons, agencies 
and groups to comment on the proposed action. A public scoping meeting 
was also held during the comment period. Public notice was given for 
the time and place of the meeting. The scoping comment period closed on 
May 2, 2003. At the time of publication of the scoping document, there 
was uncertainty as to the immediate completion of an EIS for this 
project due to a lack of funding. However, funding has been identified 
and, therefore, a Draft EIS will be prepared based on the outcome of 
and closely following 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 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: May 27, 2003.
Stanley M. Graczyk,
Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, St. Paul, 
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 03-14187 Filed 6-4-03; 8:45 am]
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