[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 10962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3045]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Adopt a Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District (Corps), has 
reviewed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) prepared by 
the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration 
(FHWA), dated July 2004, for the proposed ``Route Location, Adoption, 
and Construction of State Route 905 Between the Otay Mesa Port of Entry 
and Interstate 805 in the County of San Diego, California.'' The Corps 
intends to adopt the FEIS for purposes of compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice only solicits comments on 
the Corps' intent to adopt the FEIS.

DATES: Written comments must be received by March 14, 2006.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CESPL-CO-R, San Diego 
Regulatory Field Office, 168885 West Bernardo Drive, Suite 300A, San 
Diego, California 92127. Comments may also be submitted, via electronic 
mail, to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Terry Dean, San Diego Regulatory 
Field Office, at (858) 674-5386.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project is to construct State 
Route 905 from Interstate 805 (I-805) to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry 
(POE) with Mexico, a distance of approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 
miles). Each of the proposed alternatives would include six travel 
lanes (three in each direction) and each would have a wide median for 
possible, future high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Local interchanges 
would be constructed at Caliente Avenue, Heritage Road, Heritage Road, 
Britannia Boulevard, and La Media Road, as would a freeway-to-freeway 
interchange at State Route 125. The project purpose is to provide for 
effective transportation of people, goods, and services between I-805 
and the Otay Mesa POE. Project objectives include alleviating existing 
traffic congestion, improving safety on Otay Mesa Road, providing 
adequate transportation facilities for the associated growth from 
planned and approved developments, and completing a major 
transportation corridor between Interstate 5 and the POE. Alternatives 
assessed in the FEIS issued by FHWA include: A no-build alternative and 
six build alternatives. The Freeway-Central Alignment Alternative has 
been identified as the Preferred Alternative and the Least 
Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA).
    On August 10, 2005, the Caltrans submitted an application for a 
Department of the Army permit under section 404 of the Clean Water Act 
(CWA) to discharge fill material into 7.68 acres of jurisdictional 
waters of the United States to construct State Route 905 as a six-lane 
controlled access highway from I-805 to the Otay Mesa POE with Mexico 
in San Diego County, California. The project includes: (1) Constructing 
local interchanges at Caliente Avenue, Heritage Road, Britannia 
Boulevard, La Media Road, (2) a freeway-to-freeway interchange at State 
Route 125, and (3) constructing a bridge structure at Spring Canyon.
    A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published by FHWA in the 
Federal Register on March 30, 1995. Prior to the development of the 
draft EIS (DEIS), several scoping meetings were held by the FHWA/
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to identify local 
issues and areas of concern. On July 27, 2001, the DEIS was filed with 
the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DEIS was circulated 
for public review from August 13, 2001 to October 16, 2001. During the 
public review period, a public hearing was held by FHWA/Caltrans on 
September 20, 2001. The FEIS was signed by the FHWA on July 23, 2004, 
and distributed to the public. On September 24, 2004, the FHWA signed 
the Record of Decision.
    The Corps' regulations at 33 CFR parts 320-331 requires compliance 
with the NEPA, the EPA's CWA section 404(b)(1) Guidelines, and a public 
interest evaluation. Accordingly, for purposes of the Corps' compliance 
with the NEPA and to prevent duplication of effort, the Corps intends 
to adopt the FEIS issued by the FHWA. This notice solicits comments on 
the Corps' intent to adopt the FEIS only.
    However, we have determined further analysis is necessary to 
document compliance with our public interest requirements and the CWA 
404(b)(1) Guidelines. We initially distributed a notice to the public 
of the receipt of a permit application by the Caltrans and to solicit 
comments on the proposed project. This initial notice solicited 
comments from August 17 to September 18, 2005. As a result of our 
election to adopt the FEIS, we will be distributing a second notice to 
the public seeking comments on the proposed project as analyzed in the 
FEIS. An Environmental Assessment will be prepared to address the 
additional analysis and comments received in response to both public 
notices.
    Comments concerning the Caltrans' proposed project must be provided 
in response to the Los Angeles District Second Public Notice, which we 
anticipate, will be circulated on February 21, 2006. The public notice 
can be obtained by submitting a written request to Mr. Terry Dean at 
the address or e-mail above or by accessing our Internet Web page at 
http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/regulatory.

Mark R. Blackburn,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting District Engineer.
 [FR Doc. E6-3045 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
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