[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59028-59029]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-23669]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Sussex County, DE

AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Delaware 
Department of Transportation (DelDOT).

ACTION: Update of notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is updating a previous notice of intent (issued on 
Friday, June 3, 2005) to advise the public that an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway improvement 
project along US 113 in south central Sussex County, Delaware.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Nick Blendy, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, DelMar Division, J. Allen 
Frear Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Room 2101, Dover, DE 
19904; Telephone: (302) 734-2966; e-mail: [email protected] or Mr. 
Monroe C. Hite, III, P.E., Project Manager, Delaware Department of 
Transportation, 800 Bay Road, P.O. Box 778, Dover, DE 19903; Telephone: 
(302) 760-2120; e-mail: [email protected] or contact the DelDOT 
Public Relations Office (800) 652-5600 (in DE only) or (302) 760-2080.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 
in cooperation with the

[[Page 59029]]

Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider changes to the 
existing US 113 corridor including access restrictions, additional 
travel lanes, and the construction of a potential new alignment in 
south central Sussex County, Delaware. The proposed limited access 
facility would link back to the existing US 113 corridor north of the 
Town of Millsboro and in the vicinity of the Delaware/Maryland state 
line in the Town of Selbyville.
    In July 2001, DelDOT completed a feasibility study (Sussex County 
North-South Transportation Feasibility Study) to consider improvements 
for the US 113 corridor from the vicinity of Delaware Route 1 north of 
the City of Milford south to the Delaware/Maryland state line. 
Originally, the data and findings from the study indicated that 
upgrading the existing US 113 corridor is feasible and that 
improvements on new alignment or alignments, bypassing existing US 113, 
were a consideration in the Georgetown-South Area, which extends from 
the Town of Georgetown to the Delaware/Maryland state line (including 
the Towns of Georgetown, Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, and 
Selbyville).
    The current US 113 North/South Study was initiated in 2003 as the 
next step in the overall planning process for the US 113 corridor north 
of the City of Milford to the Town of Selbyville at the Delaware/
Maryland state line, a distance of approximately 40 miles.
    As a result of extensive public outreach and analysis of the 
anticipated impacts associated with a number of alternatives considered 
during the current US 113 North/South Study, FHWA and DelDOT have now 
determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) is the appropriate 
class of action for the Georgetown Area (area in and around the Town of 
Georgetown) portion of the US 113 corridor identified in the original 
Notice of Intent.
    Further, FHWA and DelDOT recommend that the Millsboro-South Area 
(area in and around the Towns of Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, and 
Selbyville located in south central Sussex County, Delaware) portion of 
the US 113 corridor identified in the original Notice of Intent be 
studied separately from the remaining US 113 corridor, north of the 
Town of Millsboro, located in central to northern Sussex County. 
Because of the potential for new alignment alternative(s), access 
restrictions, and the resulting potential for significant impacts on 
the natural and human environment, the FHWA has determined that an EIS 
continues to be the appropriate class of action and documentation for 
any corridor changes that may be selected within the Millsboro-South 
Area of study, south of Georgetown.
    A program of public involvement and coordination with Federal, 
State, and local agencies for the US 113 corridor began in 2003 and is 
ongoing. Both agency and public involvement have been extensive and 
will continue throughout project development. Comments have been 
solicited from appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposal. The initial Agency Scoping 
Meeting was held in January 2004, and the Purpose and Need process was 
completed with agency concurrence.
    Public scoping meetings via public workshops were held and seven 
(7) rounds of informational meetings or public workshops have been 
conducted. Additional public workshops will be scheduled during the 
remainder of the planning study. In addition, a formal public hearing 
will be held after the draft EIS has been circulated. Public notice 
will be given announcing the time and place of all public meetings and 
the formal public hearing. The draft EIS will be available for public 
and agency review and comment prior to the public hearing on the draft 
EIS.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, 
comments, and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments or questions concerning the proposed actions and the EIS and 
EA documentation should be directed to the FHWA or DelDOT 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.)

Hassan Raza,
Division Administrator, Dover, Delaware.
 [FR Doc. E8-23669 Filed 10-7-08; 8:45 am]
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