[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 2774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-925]



[[Page 2774]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement: Fond du Lac & Sheboygan Counties, WI

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
limited scope Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will 
be prepared for the proposed capacity improvements to Wisconsin Highway 
23 from U.S. Highway 151 to County Highway P in Fond du Lac and 
Sheboygan Counties, Wisconsin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bethaney Bacher-Gresock, Environmental 
Program Manager, FHWA, 525 Junction Road, Suite 8000, Madison, WI 
53717-2157; Telephone: (608) 662-2119. You may also contact Rebecca 
Burkel, Director, Bureau of Technical Services, Wisconsin Department of 
Transportation, 3502 Kinsman Blvd., Madison, WI 53704-2549; Telephone 
(608) 246-5399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Wisconsin 
Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will prepare a limited scope SEIS 
in accordance with 23 CFR 771.130(f) and 40 CFR 1502.9 for the proposed 
capacity improvements along approximately 19 miles of Wisconsin Highway 
23 from U.S. Highway 151 in the City of Fond du Lac to County Highway P 
in the City of Plymouth, in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties, 
Wisconsin. The purpose of the SEIS is to clarify certain parts of the 
previously approved June 3, 2010 Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) and to reconsider certain portions, including parts of the 
Section 4(f) evaluation and indirect and cumulative impacts analysis. 
In accordance with its regulations, FHWA also will evaluate and provide 
additional analysis, if needed, on any new or changed impacts to the 
human and natural environment since the issuance of the Record of 
Decision (ROD) on September 27, 2010. The ROD selected a build 
alternative involving construction of a 4-lane divided highway along 
the existing Wisconsin Highway 23 alignment, three interchanges (at 
County Highway K, County Highway UU, and County Highway G), and local 
road and access improvements. The ROD also selected a corridor 
preservation alternative for the Wisconsin Highway 23 corridor (except 
for the U.S. 151 interchange where there will be no corridor 
preservation), to preserve the right-of-way needed for future 
interchanges and grade separations.
    The SEIS will follow the same process and format as the original 
EIS (Draft EIS, FEIS, and ROD), except that scoping is not required. 
The FEIS and ROD are available at http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/neregion/23/environ.htm.
    Public involvement is a critical component of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project development process and will 
occur throughout the development of the environmental documents. 
Environmental documents will be made available for review by resource 
agencies and the public. Public hearing(s) will be held following the 
availability of the Draft SEIS and as necessary. The public hearing(s) 
will be accessible and held at a convenient time and location. 
Individuals will be provided the opportunity to offer official comments 
by publicly expressing their views to representatives of WisDOT and 
others in attendance, privately to a court reporter, or by submitting 
written comments. WisDOT will provide FHWA with a transcript of the 
public hearing(s) and copies of submitted written comments.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to the appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are 
known to have interest in this proposed project. To ensure that the 
full range of issues related to this proposed action are addressed and 
all significant issues are identified, comments and suggestions are 
invited from interested parties. Comments or questions concerning this 
proposed action and the SEIS should be directed to the FHWA at the 
address above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway, Planning, and Construction. The regulations implementing 
Executive Order 12372 regarding the intergovernmental consultation 
on Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

    Issued on: January 11, 2012.
R. Kirk Fredrichs,
Assistant Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, 
Madison, Wisconsin.
[FR Doc. 2012-925 Filed 1-18-12; 8:45 am]
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