[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 208 (Monday, October 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63762-63763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25592]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Outagamie County, WI

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement is being prepared for a proposed highway 
improvement project on State Trunk Highway 15 in Outagamie County, 
Wisconsin, to be conducted by the Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation. The Notice of Intent (NOI) was originally prepared in 
2003 but was inadvertently overlooked for submittal to the Federal 
Register for publication. Environmental activities, including 
involvement of state and federal agencies and other stakeholders, 
proceeded since the initiation of the project in 2003. Over five years 
have passed, and the process is now at the final Environmental Impact 
Statement stage. FHWA acknowledges the oversight and has now begun 
activities to recover from the inadvertent omission. The Environmental 
process will be brought up to date and made compliant with the 2005 
SAFETEA-LU Environmental Review process, including development of a 
coordination plan and impact assessment methodologies. In the event 
other items in the process need to be updated to comply with SAFETEA-
LU, the FHWA and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will ensure 
those items are revised, as well.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Chandler, FHWA, Suite 8000, 525 
Junction Road, Madison, WI 53717; telephone: (608) 829-7514.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 
in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) 
is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement on a proposed highway 
improvement project on STH 15 in Outagamie County, Wisconsin. The 
proposed improvements may consist of adding two lanes of roadway 
adjacent to the existing facility, constructing two lanes as a bypass 
of the Village of Hortonville, constructing four lanes on a new 
location, or a combination thereof.
    The proposed project begins southeast of the City of New London, 
near the intersection of CTH D and the USH 45 Bypass of New London. 
Existing STH 15 travels approximately 10.5 miles southeast through the 
Village of Hortonville, with the end terminus west of the Town of 
Greenville, entirely in Outagamie County. The completion of such a 
proposed highway facility on STH 15 would implement the recommendations 
of the long-term corridor preservation study completed in 2001. The 
``STH 15/USH 45 Corridor Preservation Report'' was completed in 2001 
and documents the need for the STH 15 expansion. These recommendations 
include addressing the facility deficiencies, providing for additional 
capacity, accommodating local and through traffic, improving safety and 
operations, providing adequate regional mobility, allowing adequate 
access to current and future growth and development, and being capable 
of supporting a suburbanizing area.

[[Page 63763]]

    The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has met with local 
public officials and has created a Local Advisory Committee to include 
as much local and public input as possible. This type of local 
coordination and public involvement assisted in the identification of 
alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS, and will aid in the eventual 
selection of a preferred alternative.
    Public involvement will be solicited throughout this process. 
Public information meetings will be held during the project study. 
Public notice will be given as to the time and place of all workshops 
and public information meetings. All meetings and workshops will be 
held at accessible times and locations.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues identified, comments and 
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Additional 
information may be found on the project Web site at: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/d3/wis15/index.htm. Comments and 
questions concerning the proposed action and the Environmental Impact 
Statement 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 on 
Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

    Authority; 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: October 21, 2008.
Mark Chandler,
Design and Environment Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 
Madison, Wisconsin.
 [FR Doc. E8-25592 Filed 10-24-08; 8:45 am]
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