[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23337-23338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10040]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[5284-TT02-371]


Record of Decision

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision on the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Tamiami Trail Modifications: 
Next Steps Project.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's 
Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12 
(Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-
making), the NPS announces the availability of the Record of Decision 
(ROD) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the 
Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41) Modifications: Next Steps Project for 
Everglades National Park (ENP), Florida.

DATES: The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Public Law 111-008, dated 
March 11, 2009, directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to 
construct modifications to U.S. Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) that were 
approved in the 2008 Limited Reevaluation Report and Environmental 
Assessment. The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act also directed the NPS 
to ``immediately evaluate the feasibility of additional bridge length, 
beyond that to be constructed pursuant to the Modified Water Deliveries 
to ENP Project (16 U.S.C. 410r-8), including a continuous bridge, or 
additional bridges or some combination thereof, for the Tamiami Trail 
to restore more natural water flow to ENP and Florida Bay and for the 
purpose of restoring habitat within the ENP and the ecological 
connectivity between the ENP and the Water Conservation Areas.'' The 
FEIS for the Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next Steps Project provides 
historical information, existing conditions, alternatives for 
infrastructure modifications, including the preferred alternative, 
related impacts of the alternatives, and public involvement and 
consultation. The Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next Steps Project would 
be implemented in accordance with the preferred alternative should it 
be authorized and funded by the Congress.

ADDRESSES: The Record of Decision document will be available for public 
review online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ever. You may

[[Page 23338]]

request a hard copy by contacting Everglades National Park, Attn: Bruce 
Boler, 950 N. Krome Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030-6733; telephone 305-
224-4234.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping was initiated in the summer 
of 2009. A newsletter was distributed on May 31, 2009, and a public 
meeting was held on June 2, 2009, to keep the public informed and 
involved throughout the planning process. As the lead agency, the NPS 
conducted several inter-agency/Tribal meetings and one workshop to 
develop project objectives, identify alternatives, evaluate the 
benefits of alternatives, and identify a preferred alternative. The 
selected alternative maximizes bridging by creating conveyance openings 
through Tamiami Trail by removing 5.5 miles of the existing highway and 
embankment. Four bridges will be constructed in the opening to replace 
the removed section of road and maintain vehicle traffic. Bridge down-
ramp (access ramps) options were also developed to maintain access to 
two commercial airboat facilities: Everglades Safari Park and 
Coopertown. A ``Modified Parallel Down Ramp'' was selected as the 
preferred option for Everglades Safari and a ``Parallel Down Ramp with 
Existing Frontage Road'' was selected as the preferred option for 
Coopertown. The selected alternative will increase ecological 
connectivity by 5.5 miles, reduce flow velocities below the 0.10 feet 
per second (fps) threshold that causes harm to marshes, and 
substantially restore the flow patterns associated with a healthy ridge 
and slough landscape in Northeast Shark River Slough. In addition, the 
remaining highway embankments along stretches of the road that are not 
bridged will be reconstructed to raise the crown elevation to 12.3 
feet, the minimum required based on the design high water of 9.7 feet 
and the roadway cross section geometry.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Everglades National Park, Attn: Bruce 
Boler, 950 N. Krome Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030-6733; telephone 305-
224-4234.

    Authority:  The authority for publishing this notice is 
contained in 40 CFR 1506.6.

    The responsible official for this ROD is the Regional Director, 
Southeast Region, National Park Service, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 1924 
Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: April 18, 2011.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-10040 Filed 4-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-XH-P