[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 126 (Monday, July 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36098-36099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3198]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS): 
Arkansas River Valley Intermodal FAcilities, Russellville, Arkansas 
(Pope County)

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a SDEIs.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in a joint venture 
with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) 
and the River Valley Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority (RVRIFA), 
is issuing this notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare a 
SDEIS for developing a regional intermodal facility in the Arkansas 
River Valley. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is functioning 
as a Cooperating Agency for this project and plans to adopt the River 
Valley Regional Intermodal Facilities Environmental Impact Statement 
upon completion. This project is intended to improve regional and 
national transportation, to serve existing industry, and to provide

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Randal Looney, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Highway Administration --Arkansas Division Office 
700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 3130, Little Rock, AR 72201-3298.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Transportation 
Federal HIghway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the Arkansas 
State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) and the River Valley 
Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority (RVRIFA), intends to prepare a 
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the 
Arkansas River Valley Intermodal Facilities projects. The U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (USACE) will serve as a Cooperating Agency for this 
project. An SDEIS will be prepared to further refine the Purpose and 
Need and Alternatives Analysis sections that were presented in the 
original Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) approved and 
released for public review in March 2006. This additional information 
will be used to ensure that the Purpose and Need for the project is 
described completely and that the methods and screening criteria used 
during the alternatives development process to identify all reasonable 
alternatives for the project are fully explained and disclosed.
    The Arkansas River Valley Intermodal Facilities (ARVIF) project is 
proposed to include access to the national railway grid through the 
Class I Union Pacific Railroad 9UPRR), possibly through the Class III 
short line Dardanelle Russellville Railroad (DRRR), and local roadway 
access to Interstate 40 (I-40) using existing highway connections via 
State Highway 7 and/or the proposed improved State Highway 247. A 
slackwater harbor would be constructed along the McClellan-Kerr 
Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) to connect the intermodal 
facilities to the U.S. Inland Waterway System. Additional services at 
the intermodal facility would include on-site rail/truck transfers, 
truck/water transfers, rail/water transfers, fright tracking, a foreign 
trade sub-zone, warehousing, distribution, consolidation, just-in-time 
inventory services, and material storage capabilities.
    There are currently three public ports/terminals along the Arkansas 
segment of the MKARNS located in Pine bluff, Little Rock, and Fort 
Smith. There are no public use facilities within 30 miles of the study 
area, however there are three private docks within 30 miles of the 
study area including the following: Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel, the Port 
of Dardanelle; and Oakley Port.
    The NEPA process to support this intermodal facility was initiated 
by the development of an Environmental Assessment (EA) with a defined 
purpose and need and supporting alternatives. The EA was approved for 
public dissemination by FHWA in November 2002, however it was 
determined that further study would be required and a Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) would not be issued by FHWA for the project. 
Further study in the subsequent DEIS released for review in March 2006 
included a revised purpose and need for the project and a description 
of proposed reasonable alternatives identified using screening criteria 
based on social, environmental, and economic impacts of the proposed 
project. The reasonable alternatives were developed, screened, and 
carried forward for detailed analysis in the DEIS based on their 
ability to address the project purpose and need while avoiding adverse 
impacts to known and sensitive resources. The USACE-Little Rock 
District plans to adopt the FHWA ARVIF EIS for their portion of the 
project involving slackwater harbor previously studied under a separate 
EA/FONSI issued by the USACE-Little Rock District in January 2000. FHWA 
is considered the Lead Agency for the ARVIF EIS.
    Local, State, and Federal Agencies, Native American Tribes, private 
organizations, citizens, and interest groups will have an opportunity 
to provide input into the development of the SDEIS and identify any 
issues that should be addressed. Notices of public meetings or public 
hearings relating to the SDEIS will be given through various forums 
providing the time and place of the meeting along with other relevant 
information. The SDEIS will be available for public and agency review 
and comment prior to the public hearings.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action are identified and taken into account,

[[Page 36099]]

comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Comments and questions concerning the proposed action and SDEIS should 
be directed to FHWA at the address provided above.

(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 proposed action.).

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

    Issued on: June 20th, 2007.
Sandra L. Otto,
Division Administrator, FHWA, Little Rock, Arkansas.
[FR Doc. 07-3198 Filed 6-29-07; 8:45 am]
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