[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65917-65918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26365]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Tier II Environmental Impact Statement: San Diego 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) and the General Services Administration (GSA) 
is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for Tier II of a proposed 
highway project, international port of entry (POE), and possible 
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility (CVEF) in the East Otay Mesa 
area of San Diego County, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cesar Perez, Senior Transportation 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 4-
100, Sacramento, CA 95814, Telephone: (916) 498-5065, or Susanne 
Glasgow, Deputy District Director, Environmental Division, California 
Department of Transportation, District 11, 4050 Taylor Street, MS-242, 
San Diego, CA 92110, Telephone: (619) 688-0100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the California 
Department of Transportation (Caltrans), has previously completed a 
Phase I EIS (Record of Decision dated October 3, 2008) that resulted in 
the selection of a preferred corridor for State Route 11 (SR-11) and a 
preferred location for the Otay Mesa POE. Issuance by the U.S. 
Department of State (DOS) of a conditional Presidential Permit is also 
an anticipated outcome of this prior environmental process.
    At this time, the FHWA, the GSA, and Caltrans will prepare a Tier 
II EIS that will evaluate design and operational alternatives for 
future SR-11, the POE, and a potential CVEF, in the previously selected 
locations in the Otay Mesa area

[[Page 65918]]

of San Diego County in southern California. This will provide the 
required environmental documentation for a full Presidential Permit for 
the POE and allow FHWA/Caltrans and GSA to proceed with acquisition of 
right-of-way and construction of SR-11 and the Otay Mesa East POE, 
respectively.
    Future SR-11 would begin at approximately the SR-905/SR-125 
interchange and proceed easterly approximately 2.1 miles to a new, 
approximately 100-acre POE. The project will also either determine a 
route to the existing CVEF that serves the existing Otay Mesa POE to 
the west or will provide a second CVEF (approximately 20 acres) 
dedicated to the proposed Otay Mesa East POE. Within the limits of and 
adjacent to the study area, there are biological resources, planned 
land uses, paleontological resources, cross-border concerns, and 
potential traffic management, air quality, and growth issues.
    Preliminary Alternatives/Design Variations under consideration 
include: (1) Taking no action; (2) the option to achieve the project's 
purpose and need through accommodation of pedestrians, cyclists, 
transit, and other transportation systems/demand management measures 
alone, without implementation of SR-11 and the new POE; (3) SR-11 toll 
implementation options; (4) the options of building two interchanges 
between SR-11 and local roadways, or one interchange only, with the 
exact locations of the interchanges to be determined after 
consideration of public input; and (5) the options of utilizing the 
existing CVEF at the existing Otay Mesa POE to also serve the proposed 
Otay Mesa East POE versus construction of a new CVEF adjacent to the 
new POE. For all alternatives/design variations, transportation 
systems/demand management measures and options to reduce vehicle idling 
time, and associated air pollutant emissions at the POE will be 
analyzed.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and Local agencies; Native 
American organizations; private organizations; and citizens who have 
previously expressed or are known to have interest in this proposal.
    During future project development, prior to draft EIS circulation, 
a public scoping meeting will be held on December 4, 2008, from 5 p.m. 
to 7:30 p.m. at Ocean View Hills Elementary School, located at 4919 Del 
Sol Boulevard, San Diego, California. In addition, a public hearing 
will be held after publication of the draft EIS. Public notices will be 
given regarding the time and place of the meeting and hearing.
    To ensure that the full range of issues relating to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues identified, comments and 
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the Draft EIS/EIR should 
be directed to FHWA and/or Caltrans at the addresses provided above.

    Issued on: October 30, 2008.
Nancy Bobb,
Director, State Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. E8-26365 Filed 11-4-08; 8:45 am]
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