[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16318-16319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6651]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Assessment: Jessamine County and Madison County, KY

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that FHWA will prepare an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) to determine the need for a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Record of 
Decision (ROD) for a new connector between US 27 in Jessamine County, 
KY and 1-75 in Madison County, KY. This project will adhere to the 
requirements of Section 6002 of SAFETEA-LU. The purpose of the 1-75 
Connector project is to improve regional access and east-west 
connectivity. Comments on the scope of the EA for the proposed project 
should be forwarded no later than May 1, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Federal Highway Administration, 
Kentucky Division: Mr. Ian Chidister, Environmental Specialist, 330 
West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601. Ian may be reached by phone at 502-
223-6730, or by email at [email protected]. For additional 
information, contact Ananias Calvin, P.E., Project Manager for the 
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, at (859) 246- 2355 or via email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Kentucky 
Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), will prepare an EA to determine the need 
for a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS)/Record of Decision (ROD) for a new connector 
between US 27 in Jessamine County, KY and 1-75 in Madison County, KY. 
The study area extends from the proposed Eastern Nicholasville Bypass 
(US 27) to 1-75 near the KY 627 Interchange, including a new crossing 
at the Kentucky River. The nearest alternate connection between the two 
routes is Man O' War Boulevard in Lexington, KY. KY 169 also provides a 
rural route between Nicholasville, KY and Richmond, KY; however, the 
only Kentucky River crossing on this route is provided by the Valley 
View Ferry, an automobile-only ferry service that provides cross river 
service during limited service hours.
    The objective of this study is to identify alternative corridors 
for the 1-75 Jessamine County Connector while considering 
environmental, social, engineering, costs and other factors in the 
project vicinity. This study will conform to Kentucky's environmental 
guidance and the SAFETEA-LU Section 6002 requirements.
    Environmental Issues: Possible environmental impacts include 
effects to historical properties or farmland; increased noise; viewshed 
impacts; impacts to water resources, flood plains, prime farmland, 
sensitive biological species and their habitat; land use compatibility 
impacts; community impacts; and impacts to agricultural lands.
    Alternatives: The EA will consider alternatives that include the 
No-Build (Do Nothing) Alternative as well as a range of build 
alternatives on new alignment.
    Public and Agency Participation: FHWA encourages broad 
participation in the EA process and review of the resulting 
environmental documents. Comments, questions, and suggestions related 
to the project and potential socioeconomic and environmental concerns 
are invited from all interested agencies and the public at large to 
ensure that the full range of issues related to the proposed action and 
all reasonable alternatives are considered and all significant issues 
are identified. These comments, questions, and suggestions should be 
forwarded to either phone number or email address listed above.
    Early Coordination Letters will be sent to the appropriate Federal, 
State and local agencies in the Spring of 2012 describing the project, 
following a project kick-off coordinated through a media news release. 
An invitation letter will be sent to potential Cooperating Agencies, 
Participating Agencies, and Section 106 Consulting Parties inviting the 
agencies to officially take part in the study, encouraging agency 
comments and suggestions concerning the proposed project, and further 
defining

[[Page 16319]]

the roles of Agencies. The draft purpose and need for the project will 
be developed and preliminary alternatives identified. The agencies, 
stakeholders, and public will have an opportunity to review and comment 
on this information. The purpose and need and preliminary alternatives 
will be available for public review during a Citizens' Advisory 
Committee Meeting and Public Workshop. Public notice will be given as 
to the time and place of the meetings. Agencies and the public will 
also have an opportunity to comment on various study findings, 
including: (1) Definition of purpose and need; (2) establishment of 
screening criteria; (3) screening of initial alternatives; (4) 
selection of final alternatives; and (5) for the review of 
environmental documentation. Citizens' Advisory Committee meetings and 
public meetings will be conducted regularly as the project moves 
forward to secure input from key stakeholders as decisions are made.
    Notices of availability for the purpose and need and identification 
of preliminary alternatives, evaluation and screening of preliminary 
alternatives, and identification of final alternatives will be provided 
through direct mail, email, the project Web site available at www.I-75connector.com, and other media. Notification also will be sent to 
Federal, State, local agencies, persons and organizations that submit 
comments or questions. Precise schedules and locations for public 
meetings will be announced in the local news media and the project Web 
site. Interested individuals and organizations may request to be 
included on the mailing list for distribution of meeting announcements 
and associated information.
    Other Approvals for Federal Permits: The following approvals for 
federal permits are anticipated to be required: the Navigational Permit 
Application from the US Coast Guard and the Section 404 Permit from the 
Army Corps of Engineers. Additionally, a Section 401 Permit may be 
required from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.

(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 the program)


    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 23 CFR 771.123; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: March 12, 2012.
Jose Sepulveda,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Frankfort, 
Kentucky.
[FR Doc. 2012-6651 Filed 3-19-12; 8:45 am]
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