[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 92 (Thursday, May 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 30474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11860]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Tucker County, West Virginia

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will be prepared for 
the Blackwater Avoidance area of the Thomas-to-Davis portion of the 
Parsons-to-Davis project of the proposed Appalachian Corridor H highway 
in Tucker County, West Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry E. Compton, Division 
Environmental Coordinator, Federal Highway Administration, West 
Virginia Division, Geary Plaza, Suite 200, 700 Washington Street East, 
Charleston, West Virginia, 25301, Telephone: (304) 347-5268.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with a court approved 
settlement agreement, the FHWA in cooperation with the West Virginia 
Department of Transportation (WVDOT) will prepare an SEIS to examine 
one or more potential alignment shifts for the Thomas-to-Davis section 
of Parsons-to-Davis project of the proposed Appalachian Corridor H 
highway in Tucker County, West Virginia. A Record of Decision (ROD) for 
the entire Appalachian Corridor H highhway (FHWA-WV-EIS-92-01-F) from 
Aggregates to the WV/VA state line, a distance of approximately 100 
miles, was approved on August 2, 1996. The proposed Parsons-to-Davis 
project will provide a divided four-lane, partial control of access 
highway on new location for a distance of approximately 9 miles. The 
purpose of this project is to provide safe and efficient travel between 
population centers in Tucker County (Parsons Area and Thomas/Davis 
Area), while also contributing to the completion of Corridor H in West 
Virginia.
    Alternates under consideration in the SEIS will be: (1) The no-
action alternative, (2) the preferred alternative that was approved in 
the 1996 ROD, and (2) one or more alternatives that avoid the 
Blackwater Area identified in Exhibit 4 of the court approved Corridor 
H Settlement Agreement. Based on preliminary studies, it is expected 
that the avoidance alternatives considered in the SEIS will include one 
or more alignments that would shift the project to the north, resulting 
in additional connections to US 219, WV Route 32, and WV Route 93 in 
the vicinity of the towns of Thomas and Davis. However, final decisions 
on the scope of the SEIS will be made only after an opportunity for 
comment by interested agencies and the public during the scoping 
process, which will occur in May 2000.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations and citizens who have expressed or are known to 
have an interest in this proposal.
    To ensure the full range of issues related to this proposed action 
are addressed and all significant issues identified, comments and 
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action should be directed to the 
FHWA at the address provided above.

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


    Issued on: May 2, 2000.
Henry E. Compton,
Environmental Coordinator, Charleston, West Virginia.
[FR Doc. 00-11860 Filed 5-10-00; 8:45 am]
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