[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 1 (Monday, January 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 137-138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28644]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Municipality of Anchorage & 
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Alaska Department of 
Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF).

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 a proposed 
bridge across Knik Arm between the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) and 
the Matanuska-Susitna (MatSu) Borough in Alaska. Scoping meetings for 
the proposed Knik Arm Crossing project will be held in Anchorage and 
Wasilla, Alaska during the Winter/Spring of 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edrie Vinson, Environmental Project 
Manager, Federal Highway Administration, P.O. Box 21648, Juneau, Alaska 
99802, (907) 586-7464, or Henry Springer, Project Manager, Alaska 
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, 550 West Seventh 
Avenue, Suite 1850, Anchorage, Alaska 99501, (907) 269-6698.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Alaska 
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) and the 
Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA), will prepare an EIS for a 
proposed cost affordable, vehicular toll bridge across the Knik Arm 
between the MOA and Mat-Su connecting the Port of Anchorage area and 
existing access roads in the MOA with the Port MacKenzie area and 
existing access road in the Mat-Su. The proposed bridge is considered 
necessary to improve transportation network connectivity efficiently 
linking the two ports' operations and infrastructure, support military 
logistics and deployment, provide an alternate north-south emergency 
response and disaster evacuation route, establish transportation 
infrastructure for existing and projected population and economic 
growth, and to implement the Alaska legislative mandate to construct 
the Knik Arm bridge.
    A reasonable range of alternatives has yet to be developed for the 
proposed project but will include various crossing types and design 
variations. All proposed bridge-crossing alternatives will meet the 
reasonable needs of navigation for Knik Arm. The No-Build alternative 
will remain a viable alternative throughout the EIS process.
    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 the proposal. Formal agency scoping

[[Page 138]]

meetings will be held during the Winter/Spring of 2005. A series of 
additional agency and public meetings will be held in Anchorage and 
Wasilla, Alaska throughout the EIS study process. In addition, formal 
public hearings will be held on the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS). Public notice will be given of the time and place of 
the meetings and hearings. The new DEIS will be made available for 
public and agency review and comment prior to the formal public 
hearings.
    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 
concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be directed to Henry 
Springer, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities 
Project Manager, 550 West Seventh Avenue, Suite 1850, Anchorage, Alaska 
99501, (907) 269-6698.


(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 apply to this 
program)

    Issued on December 21, 2004.
David C. Miller,
Division Administrator, Juneau, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 04-28644 Filed 12-30-04; 8:45 am]
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