[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 19 (Monday, January 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4958-4959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-822]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Pueblo, Otero, Bent, and Prowers 
Counties, CO

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed transportation 
improvements in Pueblo County, Otero County, Bent County and Prowers 
County in the State of Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chris Horn, Senior Operations 
Engineer, FHWA, Colorado Division, 12300 West Dakota Ave., Suite 180, 
Lakewood, CO, 80228, Telephone: (720) 963-3017. Mr. Mike Perez, Project 
Manager, Colorado

[[Page 4959]]

Department of Transportation, Region 2, 905 Erie Avenue, P.O. Box 536, 
Pueblo, CO 81002, Telephone: (719) 546-5406.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA and the Colorado Department of 
Transportation (CDOT), will prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for transportation improvements on U.S Highway 50 
between Pueblo, Colorado, and the vicinity of the Kansas State line in 
southeastern Colorado.
    U.S. is a coast-to-coast highway recognized by the state of 
Colorado as a vital link in the statewide transportation system. The 
U.S. 50 corridor is approximately 150 miles long and connects four 
counties and ten municipalities. The communities along this corridor 
have primarily agricultural based economies. The proposed improvements 
to this section of U.S. 50 are intended to improve safety as well as 
local, regional, and statewide mobility. The proposed improvements will 
also consider access management strategies.
    The Tier 1 EIS will incorporate the results of a 2003 CDOT corridor 
planning study that culminated in a long-term community-developed 
vision for the U.S. 50 corridor. The vision called for a safer roadway, 
on or near the exiting U.S. 50, that maintains a reasonable traffic 
flow and speed for the movement of people and goods along and through 
the Lower Arkansas Valley while providing flexibility to accommodate 
future transportation needs. Since 2003, additional coordination with 
local agencies and the public has resulted in resolutions of support 
from all four counties and ten communities and execution of a 
Memorandum of Understanding with local representatives defining 
community roles and responsibilities in the development of the Tier 1 
EIS. FHWA and CDOT have also consulted with 11 other Federal and state 
agencies that have agreed to participate throughout the development of 
the Tier 1 EIS. These agencies have formally adopted a Charter 
Agreement that establishes clear expectations, identifies roles and 
responsibilities, describes procedures that support collaborative 
problem-solving in a timely manner at key project milestones, and 
defines an issue resolution process. The corridor planning study and 
agency charter agreement will be made available for review during the 
public and agency scoping process described below.
    The Tier 1 EIS will evaluate alternative corridor locations and 
improvements and the No-Action alternative based upon the purpose and 
need. Alternatives will be developed and analyzed through an extensive 
agency and community outreach process. Anticipated decisions to be made 
during the Tier 1 EIS include modal choice, selection of a preferred 
general corridor location for U.S. 50, evaluation of access management 
and corridor preservations strategies, and a plan for further action. 
The Tier 1 EIS will also identify segments of independent utility. 
Based on the decisions reached during the Tier 1 process, FHWA and CDOT 
may proceed with Tier 2 studies for specific projects within those 
segments.
    The public, as well as Federal, state, and local agencies, will be 
invited to participate in project scoping to ensure that a full range 
of alternatives is considered and that all appropriate environmental 
issues and resources are evaluated. The scoping process will include 
opportunities to provide comments on the purpose and need for the 
project, potential alternatives, and social, economic and environmental 
issues of concern. Public scoping will be accomplished through public 
meetings and other community outreach opportunities at locations 
throughout the project corridor. The time and place for these meetings 
will be announced in the local media. It is anticipated that public and 
agency scoping will occur in early 2006.
    Based upon input from the scoping process, FHWA will evaluate 
social, economic, and environmental impacts of the corridor 
alternatives and the No-Action alternative. It is expected that major 
issues to be evaluated include: water quality, historic and other 
cultural resources, economic impacts, and farmland issues. The Tier 1 
EIS will be available for public and agency review and comment. 
Information concerning the availability of the EIS will be published.
    To ensure that the ful 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 or the Colorado Department of Transportation at 
the addresses 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: January 24, 2006.
David A. Nicol,
Division Administrator, Colorado Division, Federal Highway 
Administration, Lakewood, Colorado 80228.
[FR Doc. 06-822 Filed 1-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M