[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 16 (Thursday, January 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4302-4303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1142]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Mariposa County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public 
that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared for a 
proposed highway project in Mariposa County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Juergen Vespermann, Chief, San Joaquin 
Valley Environmental Analysis Branch, Caltrans, 2015 East Shields 
Avenue, Suite 100, Fresno CA, 93726, E-mail at [email protected], telephone at (559) 243-8157.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the FHWA assigned, 
and Caltrans assumed, environmental responsibilities for this project 
pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327. Caltrans will prepare an EIS on a proposal 
for reopening and restoring full access to the section of State Route 
140 damaged by the Ferguson rockslide in Mariposa County, California. 
The project is located on State Route 140 from 8 miles east of 
Briceburg, post mile 42.0, to approximately 7.6 miles west of El

[[Page 4303]]

Portal, post mile 42.7 in Mariposa County, California. The total length 
of the project is 0.7 mile. This project is proposing the following 
build alternatives:
     Alternative C (Open-Cut Realignment) would realign the 
highway to the northeast, spanning the Merced River and bypassing the 
rockslide. State Route 140 would cut through the mountain across from 
the rockslide and then span back across the river where it would meet 
the existing alignment. Two bridges would be constructed to cross the 
river.
     Alternative T (Tunnel Realignment) would realign the 
highway to the northeast, spanning the Merced River and bypassing the 
rockslide. State Route 140 would tunnel 725 feet through the mountain 
across from the rockslide and then span back across the river where it 
would meet the existing alignment. Two bridges would be constructed to 
cross the river.
     Alternative S (Viaduct Realignment) would realign the 
highway to the northeast, spanning the Merced River with two bridges 
and bypassing the rockslide with a hillside viaduct and retaining wall.
     No-Build Alternative would leave State Route 140 damaged 
and blocked by the Ferguson rockslide. As a result of the No-Build 
Alternative, the temporary detour would become the permanent State 
Route 140 alignment. The current vehicle length restrictions would 
remain in place along with the traffic signals controlling the single-
lane access through the detour. The structures for the temporary detour 
were constructed during a declared emergency and were designed as a 
temporary solution to the closure of State Route 140. These structures 
would not meet standard design features nor would the detour meet the 
purpose and need of the project.

Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will be 
sent to appropriate Federal, State, Participating Agencies, the 
American Indian Council of Mariposa County, the Yosemite-Mono Lake 
Paiute Indian Community and local agencies, and to private 
organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known 
to have interest in this proposal. Public hearings will be held in 
Mariposa and El Portal, California. Public notice will be given of the 
time and place of the hearings. The draft EIS will be available for 
public and agency review and comment prior to the public hearings. An 
Environmental Assessment was prepared and then circulated for agency 
and public review on November 19, 2007. The circulation period was a 
45-day review that ended on January 3, 2008. Based on agency and public 
comments, Caltrans has decided to begin the preparation of an EIS. 
Scoping meetings and hearings were previously held during May, June, 
and November of 2007. The meetings and hearings were held at Mariposa 
and El Portal, California.

    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 Caltrans 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: January 16, 2008.
Nancy Bobb,
Director, State Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, 
California.
 [FR Doc. E8-1142 Filed 1-23-08; 8:45 am]
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