[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 181 (Monday, September 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57327-57328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23296]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; Pinal County, AZ

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed 
transportation project in Pinal County, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth H. Davis, Senior Engineering 
Manager for Operations, Federal Highway Administration, 4000 N. Central 
Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-1906, Telephone (602) 382-
8970, Fax (602) 382-8998, e-mail: [email protected]; or Mary Frye, 
Environmental Coordinator, Federal Highway Administration, Arizona 
Division, 4000 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1500, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-
1906, Telephone (602) 382-8979, Fax (602) 382-8998, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Arizona 
Department of Transportation (ADOT), will prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) on a proposed 40-mile-long project along a new 
route located between US 60 on the north and Interstate 10 (I-10) on 
the south. The

[[Page 57328]]

project is considered necessary to achieve a transportation objective 
identified in Pinal County's 2008 Regionally Significant Routes for 
Safety and Mobility. The project would address current and future 
transportation needs in an area that currently exceeds existing road 
capacity and is expected to continue to worsen with the projected 
increase in traffic demand associated with regional growth.
    The proposed project evaluation will include, but not be limited 
to, potential impacts to adopted local and regional land use plans, 
Tribal lands, the existing and proposed Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima 
County regional transportation network, Central Arizona Project canals, 
railroads, residential and commercial development, cultural resources, 
Threatened and Endangered species, jurisdictional waters of the United 
States, air and noise quality, hazardous materials, and secondary and 
cumulative impacts. A full range of reasonable alternatives will be 
evaluated, including taking no action, using alternative transportation 
modes, making transportation system management improvements, a 
combination of arterial and freeway improvements, a new freeway, and 
combinations of these alternatives.
    The EIS will conform to the environmental review process 
established in Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). 
The Section 6002 environmental review process requires the following 
activities: the identification and invitation of cooperating and 
participating agencies; the development of a coordination plan and 
management plan; and provision of opportunities for additional agency 
and public comment on the project's purpose and need, alternatives and 
methodologies for assessing alternatives. Additionally, the public 
hearing following the release of the draft EIS will also be provided. 
Public notice advertisements and direct mailings will notify interested 
parties of the time and place of public meetings and public hearing. A 
formal agency scoping meeting is planned between federal, state, city, 
county, and Tribal stakeholders.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, including 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau 
of Reclamation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of 
the Interior Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Agriculture 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of 
Energy Western Area Power Administration, Arizona Game and Fish 
Department, Arizona State Land Department, Arizona Department of 
Environmental Quality, Arizona State Parks, Arizona Department of 
Emergency and Military Affairs, Arizona Department of Public Safety, 
Arizona Department of Corrections, Arizona Attorney General's Office, 
Gila River Indian Community, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, 
Ak-Chin Indian Community, Tohono O'odham Nation, Hopi Tribe, Pascua 
Yaqui Tribe, San Carlos Apache Nation, White Mountain Apache Tribe, 
Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Salt River 
Project, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority, Town of Florence, City 
of Coolidge, City of Eloy, City of Queen Creek, Town of Gilbert, City 
of Mesa, City of Apache Junction, City of Casa Grande, Town of Marana, 
Pima County, Maricopa Association of Governments, Pima Association of 
Governments, Pinal County, Central Arizona Project, and Central Arizona 
Association of Governments. Letters will also be sent to interested 
parties, including the Union Pacific Railroad, San Carlos Irrigation 
District and Resolution Copper Mining.
    To insure 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, 
suggestions, or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 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: September 10, 2010.
Kenneth H. Davis,
Senior Engineering Manager for Operations, Federal Highway 
Administration, Arizona Division Office, Phoenix, Arizona.
[FR Doc. 2010-23296 Filed 9-17-10; 8:45 am]
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