Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 123 / Monday, June 26, 2000 / Notices 39465

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise that FHWA is

terminating the Environmental Policy

Act (EIS) process at the conclusion of

the Draft Environmental Impact

Statement/Major Investment Study

(DEIS/MIS) phase of the project

development. The FHWA and the

WisDOT have jointly decided to not

continue with completion of the EIS

process for the IH 94 East-West Corridor

Study. Work completed to date on the

DEIS/MIS will serve as a starting point

for developing environmental analysis

and documentation for potential

individual projects expected to follow.

The DEIS/MIS was completed and made

available to the public on November 8,

1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William K. Fung, FHWA Wisconsin

Division Administrator; Telephone:

(608) 829–7500, FHWA Wisconsin

Division Office, 567 D’Onofrio Drive,

Madison, WI 53719–2814.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this document

may be downloaded using a modem and

suitable communications software from

the Government Printing Office’s

Electronic Bulletin Board Service at

(202) 512–1661. Internet users may

reach the Federal Register’s home page

at: http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the

Government Printing Office’s database

at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Background

The FHWA, in cooperation with the

Wisconsin Department of

Transportation (WisDOT) is closing the

Major Investment Study (MIS) for the I–

94 East-West Corridor study in

Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties,

Wisconsin. The Draft Environmental

Impact Statement (DEIS)/MIS was made

available to the public on November 8,

1996. The DEIS/MIS evaluated five

transportation components: (1) Redesign

of the Marquette Interchange (I–94/I–43/

I–794); (2) re-design of the East-West

Freeway (I–94) between downtown

Milwaukee and Waukesha; (3) special

purpose lanes for carpools and buses in

the East-West Freeway Corridor; (4)

light rail transit in Milwaukee County;

and (5) expanded bus transit service

throughout the metro Milwaukee area.

A Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)

which included all five of the abovementioned transportation components

was accepted by the relevant county

boards in 1997. However, none of the

elements of the LPA have advanced into

preliminary engineering. Developing the

LPA completed the MIS process.

Therefore, FHWA is concluding the

Major Investment Study process for the

I–94 East-West Corridor in Milwaukee

and Waukesha Counties.

Because the corridor-wide MIS is in

place, and recognizing that the

components of the LPA are unlikely to

proceed on the same schedule, the I–94

East-West Corridor DEIS will not be

followed by a corridor-wide Final EIS or

Record of Decision. The previous work

completed on the DEIS will now serve

to provide a solid foundation of

information on which to begin

environmental analysis of individual

components. Then, if found to satisfy

State and Federal requirements, the

individual component could be

advanced through the final design and

construction phases. Advancing an

individual component requires its own

sponsoring agency. This advancement of

a component would not preclude or

assure that another component would

move forward.

(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)

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

Issued on: June 14, 2000.

William K. Fung,

Division Administrator, Federal Highway

Administration, Madison, WI.

[FR Doc. 00–16005 Filed 6–23–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement:

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise the public that an

Environmental Impact Statement will be

prepared for a proposed highway project

in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William C. Farr, Program Operations

Manager, Federal Highway

Administration, 5304 Flanders Drive,

Suite A, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808,

Telephone: (225) 757–7615, Facsimile:

(225) 757–7601.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

FHWA, in cooperation with the

Louisiana Department of Transportation

and Development (LDOTD), will

prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) on a proposal to

construct a new highway facility on an

alignment to be determined. The

proposed project, known locally as the

Kansas Lane Connector, is generally

located in the northeast quadrant of

Monroe, Louisiana. The roadway

includes several alternates based on the

number of bridges needed for various

alignments. The approximate length of

the project is 4.3 kilometers (2.7 miles).

Final length will depend on the

alternative selected.

The proposed improvements would

improve the connectivity, travel time,

and safety of the area and increase

regional access to the area, including the

University of Louisiana at Monroe for

persons, businesses and industry in the

region.

The western terminus of the proposed

project will be in the vicinity of the

junction of U.S. Highway 165 and

Forsythe Avenue and the eastern

terminus will be in the vicinity of the

junction of U.S. Highway 80 and Kansas

Lane.

Alternatives to be considered are:

(1) The ‘‘Do-nothing’’ Alternative,

where the current and existing

highways will be repaired and

maintained in their present location,

capacity, and character.

(2) The ‘‘Build’’ Alternative,

considering several different

alignments, roadway type and control of

access.

An agency scoping meeting will be

held at a time and place to be

determined at a later date. Letters

describing the proposed action and

soliciting comments will be sent to

appropriate Federal, state, and local

agencies and to private organizations,

including conservation groups and

groups of individuals who have

expressed interest in the project in the

past. At least one public informational

meeting will be held in the project area

that will be affected. In addition, a

Public Hearing will be held. Public

notice will be given of the time and

place of the public informational

meeting(s) and the Public Hearing. The

draft EIS will be available for public and

agency review and comment prior to the

Public Hearing.

To ensure that 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 and the EIS should be

directed to the FHWA at the address

provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning

39466 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 123 / Monday, June 26, 2000 / Notices

and Construction. The regulations

implementing Executive Order 12372

regarding intergovernmental consultation on

Federal programs and activities apply to this

program)

William A. Sussmann,

Division Administrator, FHWA, Baton Rouge,

Louisiana.

[FR Doc. 00–16006 Filed 6–23–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

Environmental Impact Statement on

the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit

Project in Metropolitan Washington,

DC

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration,

DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit

Administration (FTA), the Virginia

Department of Rail and Public

Transportation (DRPT), and the

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit

Authority (WMATA) intend to prepare

an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) in accordance with the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA), as amended, on the proposed

Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project in

Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, Virginia,

which are within the metropolitan area

of Washington, D.C. The lead agencies

will also seek the cooperation of the

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),

the Virginia Department of

Transportation (VDOT), and the

Metropolitan Washington Airports

Authority (MWAA) in conducting this

review.

The EIS will address the need to

improve transit access and mobility in

response to projected growth, traffic

congestion, and land-use plans for the

Dulles Corridor, including Tysons

Corner. The EIS will develop

alternatives for the project which will

(1) be feasible, cost-effective, and

beneficial transportation improvements

that enhance connections to the existing

transit systems, to Washington Dulles

International Airport, and to land

developments throughout the Dulles

Corridor; (2) increase transit bus and

Metrorail ridership; and (3) enhance the

region’s economic vitality and quality of

life. The EIS will evaluate a No-Build

Alternative, a Transportation Systems

Management (TSM) Alternative, several

Build Alternatives, and any additional

alternatives generated by the scoping

process. The TSM Alternative will

assess low cost, operationally oriented

improvements to meet the

transportation needs in the Dulles

Corridor and will be equivalent to

enhanced local and express bus service

in the two counties. The Build

Alternatives will consider Bus Rapid

Transit (BRT), Metrorail rapid transit,

and combinations of these transit

modes. The type, design, location, and

need of ancillary facilities, such as

parking facilities, bus maintenance

depots, and rail yards, will also be

considered for the Build Alternatives.

Scoping will be accomplished through

meetings and correspondence with

interested persons, organizations, the

general public, Federal, State, regional,

and local agencies.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written

comments on the scope of alternatives

and impacts to be considered should be

sent to Mr. Leonard Alfredson, Project

Manager, Office of Extensions,

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit

Authority, 1550 Wilson Boulevard,

Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209, by

Thursday, August 10, 2000.

Scoping Meetings: Public scoping

meetings for the Dulles Corridor Rapid

Transit Project will be held on:

Tuesday, July 25, 2000

7 p.m. to 10 p.m., George C. Marshall

High School, 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls

Church, Virginia 22043.

Wednesday, July 26, 2000

7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Langston Hughes

Middle School, 11401 Ridge Heights

Road, Reston, Virginia 20191.

Thursday, July 27, 2000

7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Ashburn

Elementary School, 44062 Fincastle

Drive, Ashburn, Virginia 20147.

The locations of the scoping meetings

are accessible to persons with

disabilities. Any individual with a

disability who requires special

assistance, such as a sign language

interpreter, to participate in the scoping

meetings, should contact Mr. Leonard

Alfredson at the address below or call

the project INFO line at 888–566–7245

(TTD: 202–638–3780) by Monday, July

17, 2000, in order for WMATA to make

necessary arrangements.

Scoping material will be available at

the meetings and may also be obtained

in advance of the meetings by

contacting Mr. Alfredson at the address

below or by calling the project INFO

line above. Oral and written comments

may be given at the scoping meetings;

a video team will record all comments.

If you wish to be placed on the mailing

list to receive further information as the

project develops, contact Mr. Leonard

Alfredson at the address below, call the

project INFO line at 888–566–7245, or

send an e-mail (including your name

and address) to dullescorridor@aol.com.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the

project scope should be sent to Mr.

Leonard Alfredson, Project Manager,

Office of Extensions, Washington

Metropolitan Area Transit Authority,

1550 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300,

Arlington, VA 22209. Scoping meetings

will be held at the locations identified

above in the DATES section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Douglas Kerr, P.E., Washington Metro

Area Coordinator, Federal Transit

Administration, 202–366–1641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scoping

The FTA, DRPT, and WMATA invite

all interested individuals and

organizations, and federal, state,

regional, and local agencies to provide

comments on the scope of the project.

During the scoping process, comments

should focus on identifying specific

social, economic, or environmental

issues to be evaluated and on suggesting

alternatives, which may be less costly or

have less environmental impacts, while

achieving similar transportation

objectives. Comments should focus on

the issues and alternatives for analysis

and not on a preference for a particular

alternative. Scoping material will be

available at the meetings or in advance

of the meetings by contacting Mr.

Leonard Alfredson at WMATA or by

calling the project INFO line, as

indicated above.

The Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit

Project will be closely coordinated with

the following major regional studies and

projects:

• Capital Beltway Corridor Rail

Feasibility Study, a study by DRPT on

the feasibility of constructing commuter

rail from the existing mass transit rail

facilities at Springfield to the mass

transit rail facilities at or near Tysons

Corner and Vienna. The study will

examine the continuation of rail from

Tysons Corner to a connection with rail

in Maryland.

• Capital Beltway NEPA Study, an

analysis by the Virginia Department of

Transportation (VDOT) of beltway

capacity and access improvements.

• Dulles International Airport Master

Plan and landside improvements, a

program of projects by the Metropolitan

Washington Airports Authority.

• I–66 EIS and Location Study, a step

in developing and implementing

highway and transit improvements in

the I–66 corridor between U.S. Route 15

in Prince William County and I–495 in

Fairfax County.