[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54728-54729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23451]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nebraska
Department of Transportation U.S. Highway 275 West Point to Scribner
Project
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 (Corps) is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for U.S. Highway 275 (US-275) West
Point to Scribner Project (Project) sponsored by the Nebraska
Department of Transportation (NDOT). NDOT proposes to expand US-275
from a two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway along an
approximately 20-mile segment from northwest of West Point to southeast
of Scribner, including a bypass around Scribner (referred to as
``Scribner Bypass''), in Cuming and Dodge Counties, Nebraska.
Construction of the Project is expected to impact jurisdictional
waters of the United States, thereby requiring a Clean Water Act
Section 404 permit. Additionally, NDOT is proposing to build segments
of the Scribner Bypass on an existing federally authorized levee, which
would require a Section 408 authorization. The Project may also affect
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Program
(WRP) easements. Due to these requirements, the Corps has determined an
EIS is necessary for the Project. The Corps has determined that the
provisions of Executive Order 13807 (``One Federal Decision'') apply to
this Project. One Federal Decision is intended to streamline federal
permitting processes, including environmental reviews and authorization
decisions, for major infrastructure projects.
DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, November 8,
2018 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held at Mohr Auditorium
located at 650 County Road 13 Boulevard, Scribner, NE 68057.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the Project and
the EIS should be addressed to Phil Rezac, Project Manager, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Regulatory Office, Wehrspann Field Office,
8901 S 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138-3621 or at (402) 896-0896;
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NDOT's stated Project purpose is to advance
the Scribner to West Point segment of the Norfolk to Fremont
Expressway, maximize utilization of existing transportation
infrastructure and right-of-way, including connecting highways (N-9, N-
32, and N-91), improve the safety and reliability of the roadway,
provide a more efficient roadway that improves regional connectivity
for the traveling public, including commercial traffic, in northeast
Nebraska, and to fulfill the Nebraska Legislature mandates contained in
Legislative Bill [LB] 632 and LB 84. The necessity for the expansion of
this portion of US-275 arises from legislation, lack of connectivity
between urban centers, and high average daily traffic use.
A public scoping meeting will be held Thursday, November 8, 2018 to
describe why the Project is needed, preliminary alternatives, the NEPA
compliance process, and to solicit input on the issues and alternatives
to be evaluated and other related matters. Written comments will also
be requested. The Corps has prepared handout materials and developed an
EIS website to familiarize other agencies, the public, and interested
organizations with the preliminary Project alternatives and potential
environmental issues that may be involved. Copies of these handout
materials will be available at the public scoping meeting or can be
requested by mail. The EIS website can be found at http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory-Program/Nebraska/.
The Corps has invited Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
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Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, and Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission to be cooperating agencies in the preparation of the
EIS. Additionally, the Corps has invited the Nebraska State Historic
Preservation Office and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to
serve as commenting agencies during the preparation of the EIS.
John L. Moeschen,
Nebraska State Program Manager, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 2018-23451 Filed 10-30-18; 8:45 am]
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