[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44933-44934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17906]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplement to the July 2011 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed SR 1409 (Military 
Cutoff Road) Extension and Proposed U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass New 
Hanover and Pender Counties in North Carolina, NCDOT TIP Projects U-
4751 and R-3300

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Wilmington District, 
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office has received updated information for 
a future request for Department of the Army (DA) authorization, 
pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the 
Rivers and Harbor Act, from the North Carolina Department of 
Transportation. This updated information was generated as the project 
was scoped and designed with input from the public and applicable 
resource agencies. Specifically, since release of the July 2011 Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) the project now proposes an 
additional interchange on the north end of the project corridor as well 
as additional lanes not originally disclosed in the Draft EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be directed to Mr. Brad Shaver, Regulatory Project 
Manager, Wilmington Regulatory Field Office, 69 Darlington Ave, 
Wilmington, NC 28403; telephone: (910) 251-4611 or 
[email protected]. or Mr. Jay McInnis, Jr., P.E., Project 
Engineer, North Carolina Department of Transportation, 1548 Mail 
Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1548, telephone: (919) 707-6029.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. The COE in cooperation with the North Carolina 
Department of Transportation will prepare a supplement to the Draft 
(EIS) on a proposal to make transportation improvements to the U.S. 17 
and Market Street (U.S. 17 Business) corridor in northern New Hanover 
and southern Pender Counties. Two North Carolina Department of 
Transportation Improvement Program (TIPs U-4751 and R-3300) projects 
are being evaluated as part of the U.S. 17 Corridor Study.
    The purpose of the U.S. 17 Corridor Study project is to improve the 
traffic carrying capacity and safety of the U.S. 17 and Market Street 
corridor in the project area. The project study area is roughly bounded 
on the west by I-40, on the north by the Northeast Cape Fear River, 
Holly Shelter Game Lands to the east, and Market Street and U.S. 17 to 
the south.
    This project is being reviewed through the Merger 01 process 
designed to streamline the project development and permitting 
processes, agreed to by the COE, North Carolina Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (Division of Water Quality, Division 
of Coastal Management), Federal Highway Administration (for this 
project not applicable), and the North Carolina Department of 
Transportation and supported by other stakeholder agencies and local 
units of government. The other partnering agencies include: U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; N.C. 
Wildlife Resources Commission; N.C. Department of Cultural Resources; 
and the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Merger 
process provides a forum for appropriate agency representatives to 
discuss and reach consensus on ways to facilitate meeting the 
regulatory requirements of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act during 
the NEPA/SEPA decision-making phase of transportation projects.
    Through input from the public and resource agencies the project has 
been changed to include a second interchange at the northern terminus. 
Additionally, the project currently proposes additional travel lanes 
between a previously proposed interchange south of the Topsail High 
School and the aforementioned northern interchange. These changes were 
considered substantial changes which the public has not had input and 
thus necessitates the development and release of the supplement Draft 
EIS. The original Draft EIS is still available for review on the 
project Web page: http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/US17HampsteadBypass/.
    2. Scoping Process. As described above the project is progressing 
through the Merger process which allows for input from interested stake 
holders.

[[Page 44934]]

Additionally, the NCDOT held two corridor public hearings one on 
October 27, 2011 at Noble Middle School in Wilmington and the other on 
October 18, 2011 at Topsail High School in Hampstead. The described 
changes came as a direct result from the agency and public input. The 
NCDOT anticipates holding future design public hearings to further 
describe changes to the project since 2011.
    A 45-day public review period will be provided for all interested 
parties, individuals, and agencies to review and comment on the Draft 
Supplement to the EIS when released.
    3. Availability of the Supplement to the EIS. The Draft Supplement 
is expected to be published and circulated late Summer or Fall of 2013.

    Dated: July 15, 2013.
Henry Wicker,
Asst. Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-17906 Filed 7-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P