[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 19 (Monday, January 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 4958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-812]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Mecklenburg and Union Counties, 
NC

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Rescinding of Notice of Intent and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for proposed U.S. 74 corridor improvements in Mecklenburg and 
Union Counties, NC.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that we 
are rescinding the notice of intent and the public notice to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for a proposed highway project in 
Mecklenburg and Union Counties, North Carolina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clarence W. Coleman, P.E., Operations 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 310 New Bern Avenue, Ste 410, 
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601-1418, Telephone: (919) 856-4346.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the North 
Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), is rescinding the notice 
of intent to prepare an EIS for a proposed multi-lane, controlled 
access highway along the U.S. 74 corridor connecting I-485 in 
Mecklenburg County to U.S. 601 in Union County, North Carolina. On 
April 13, 2000, FHWA issued a notice of intent to prepare an EIS for 
this proposed project. A Draft EIS was released in November 2003 after 
resource agencies and the public provided input and comments as part of 
the project development process. The Draft EIS evaluated several 
alternatives, including: (1) No Build (2) Transportation Systems 
Management (TSM), (3) Transportation Demand Management (TSM), (4) Mass 
Transit, and (5) New Location Alternatives. A public hearing has not 
been held following the completion of the Draft EIS. Based on the 
comments received from various Federal and state agencies and the 
public and a recent decision to change the eastern terminus of the 
project form U.S. 601 to the proposed Monroe Bypass, the FHWA and NCDOT 
have agreed not to prepare a Final EIS for the proposed U.S. 74 
improvements from I-485 to U.S. 601.
    FHWA, NCDOT, and the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA), plan 
to prepare a new Draft EIS for the proposed project. A notice of intent 
to prepare the EIS will be issued subsequent to this rescinding notice. 
The new Draft EIS will include a toll alternative among the full range 
of alternatives that will be analyzed as well as a change in the 
location of the eastern terminus.
    Comments or questions concerning the decision to not prepare Final 
EIS should be directed to NCDOT or FHWA at the address provided in the 
caption, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 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 of 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)
Clarence W. Coleman,
Operations Engineer, Raleigh, North Carolina.
[FR Doc. 06-812 Filed 1-27-06; 8:45 am]
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