[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40406-40407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16644]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statements: National Summary of Rescinded 
Notices of Intent

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that 8 
States have rescinded Notices of Intent (NOIs) to prepare 14 
Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for proposed highway projects. 
The FHWA Division Offices, in consultation with the State departments 
of transportation (State DOTs), determined that six projects were no 
longer viable and have formally cancelled the projects. No further 
Federal resources will be expended on these projects; the environmental 
review process has been terminated. Four projects have been reduced in 
scope or found not to have significant impacts and now meet the 
criteria for an Environmental Assessment (EA) or a Categorical 
Exclusion (CE). Two projects will be constructed using solely State 
funds, so EISs will not be required. One project will be divided into 
two future projects and NOIs will be issued as needed. Finally, one 
project is being significantly rescoped and required a new NOI, which 
has already been issued.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Ostrum, Office of Project 
Development and Environmental Review, (202) 366-4651; Janet Myers, 
Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-2019; Federal Highway 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded by accessing 
the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov and the 
Government Printing Office's Web page at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara.

Background

    The FHWA, as lead Federal agency under the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) and in furtherance of its oversight and stewardship 
responsibilities under the Federal-aid highway program, periodically 
requests that its Division Offices review, with the State DOTs, the 
status of all EISs and place those projects that are not actively 
progressing in a timely manner in an inactive project status. The FHWA 
maintains lists of active and inactive EIS projects on its Web site at 
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/. The FHWA has determined that 
inactive projects that are no longer a priority or that lack financial 
resources should be rescinded with a Federal Register notice notifying 
the public that project activity has been terminated. This notice 
covers the time period since the last summary was issued on May 23, 
2011, and published in the Federal Register at 76 FR 31676 (June 1, 
2011). As always, FHWA encourages State DOTs to work with their FHWA 
Division Office to determine when it is most prudent to initiate an EIS 
in order to best balance available resources as well as the 
expectations of the public.
    The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that 8 States 
(California, Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, 
Ohio, and Texas) have recently rescinded previously issued NOIs for 14 
EISs for proposed highway projects. A listing of these projects, 
general location, original NOI date of publication in the Federal 
Register, and the date that the NOI was formally rescinded by notice 
published in the Federal Register, is provided below.
    The FHWA Division Offices, in consultation with the State DOTs, 
determined that six of these projects were no longer viable projects 
and have formally cancelled those projects. The projects are: State 
Route 101 in

[[Page 40407]]

Mendocino County, California; State Route 603/43 in Hancock County, 
Mississippi; the Elizabeth Brady Road Extension (U-3808) in Orange 
County, North Carolina; the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (Project 
X730.56) in Kings County, New York; Gowanus Expressway--Battery Tunnel 
(Project X729.94) in Kings County, New York; and US-62 in Mahoning and 
Trumbull Counties, Ohio.
    Four projects are currently undergoing re-scoping and are expected 
to require either an EA or CE when re-scoping is complete. These 
projects include: The Bayview Transportation Improvement Project in 
California; the Boise River Bridge and Travel Corridor in Ada County, 
Idaho; SH-55 in Valley County, Idaho; and Highway 35 between Norfolk 
and South Sioux City, Nebraska.
    In addition, two projects will now be constructed using State 
funding for the delivery of the project so EISs are no longer 
necessary: US Highway 30, Schuyler to Fremont in Colfax and Dodge 
Counties, Nebraska; and the Loop 375/C[eacute]sar Chavez Highway, in El 
Paso County, Texas.
    The Peace Bridge Expansion Project in Erie County, New York, will 
be divided into separate projects, and new NOIs will be issued as 
needed. Finally, one project, the Tappan Zee Bridge/ I-287 project in 
Rockland and Westchester Counties, New York, was significantly changed 
in scope. A new NOI reflecting this change was issued on 10/12/2011.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Original NOI      Rescinded NOI
       State          Project name          date              date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CA................  State Route 101           9/5/2002         8/09/2011
                     in Mendocino
                     County.
CA................  Bayview                   6/2/2004          9/1/2011
                     Transportation
                     Improvement
                     Project.
ID................  Boise River              1/13/2004         8/29/2011
                     Bridge and
                     Travel Corridor.
ID................  SH-55 in Valley          1/24/2000         3/14/2012
                     County.
MS................  State Route 603/        10/26/2009         8/26/2011
                     43.
NC................  Elizabeth Brady          6/14/2005         1/23/2012
                     Road Extension
                     (U-3808).
NE................  Highway 35                3/4/2002         7/14/2011
                     between Norfolk
                     and South Sioux
                     City.
NE................  Highway 30,              8/29/2005          3/7/2012
                     Schuyler to
                     Fremont in
                     Colfax and
                     Dodge Counties.
NY................  Tappan Zee              12/23/2002        10/12/2011
                     Bridge/I-287.
NY................  Brooklyn-Queens          4/20/2009        11/29/2011
                     Expressway
                     (BQE),.
                    Interstate 278
                     (I-278) in
                     Kings County
                     (Project
                     X730.56).
NY................  Gowanus                  11/1/1996        11/29/2011
                     Expressway--Bat
                     tery Tunnel in
                     Kings County.
NY................  Peace Bridge             10/9/2001         1/10/2012
                     Expansion
                     Project, City
                     of Buffalo,
                     Erie County.
OH................  US-62 in                 11/5/2004         4/26/2012
                     Mahoning and
                     Trumbull
                     Counties.
TX................  Loop 375                  9/1/2007         10/3/2011
                     C[eacute]sar
                     Ch[aacute]vez
                     Highway (Border
                     Highway West
                     Extension), El
                     Paso County.
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(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: June 29, 2012.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-16644 Filed 7-6-12; 8:45 am]
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