[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1756-1757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-429]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; State Of Washington

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Revised Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
revised notice to advise the public, affected Tribal nations, and 
agencies that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared 
for a proposal to expedite construction of pontoons needed to replace 
the floating section of the SR 520 Evergreen Point Bridge in the event 
of a catastrophic failure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Everett, Federal Highway 
Administration, 915 2nd Avenue, Room 3142, Seattle, Washington, 98174, 
Telephone: (206) 220-7536; Susan Haupt, Washington State Department of

[[Page 1757]]

Transportation, 600 Stewart Street, Suite 520, Seattle, Washington, 
98101, Telephone: (206) 770-3519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA is issuing a Revised Notice of 
Intent (NOI) to advise the public of revisions to the scope of the 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed development of a 
site to build pontoons for the SR 520 bridge in case of a catastrophic 
failure. A NOI was published in the January 3, 2008, Federal Register. 
The FHWA, in cooperation with the Washington State Department of 
Transportation (WSDOT), has revised the scope of the EIS since that 
time and will prepare an EIS on a proposal to expedite construction of 
pontoons needed to replace the existing traffic capacity of the State 
Route 520 (SR 520) Evergreen Point Bridge, and to store those pontoons 
until they are needed for catastrophic failure response or incorporated 
into the anticipated SR 520 bridge replacement. FHWA and WSDOT will 
prepare the EIS in accordance with the provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), 
and Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
    The EIS will evaluate potential effects on the physical, human, and 
natural environments. Alternatives under consideration will include (1) 
taking no action and (2) building a new pontoon construction facility. 
Each proposed location for the casting basin facility will be evaluated 
as a separate alternative.
    Information describing the proposed action and a request for 
comments will be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local 
agencies, and to Tribal nations, private organizations, and citizens 
who have previously expressed or are known to have interest in this 
proposal. Public and agency scoping meetings were held in January 2008 
for one site under consideration in Hoquiam, Washington. Additional 
public and agency scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments and 
provide information on other sites advanced for full assessment in the 
project EIS in January 2009. The public, agencies, and Tribal nations 
will be invited to comment on the Draft EIS, and a public meeting will 
be held during the Draft EIS comment period. Public notice will be 
given of the time and place of these meetings. Project information will 
be available for public, agency, and Tribal nation review prior to 
scheduled meetings.

(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: December 17, 2008.
Stephen P. Boch,
Major Project Oversight Manager, Seattle, Washington.
[FR Doc. E9-429 Filed 1-12-09; 8:45 am]
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