[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 22 (Friday, February 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5097-5098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-433]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Bell County, TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

[[Page 5098]]


ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed 
transportation project in Bell County, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Salvador Deocampo, District 
Engineer, District A, Federal Highway Administration, Texas Division, 
300 East 8th Street, Rm 826, Austin, Texas 78701, Telephone 512-536-
5950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Texas 
Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) for the proposed extension of State Highway (SH) 
201 from SH 195 to IH 35 in Bell County, Texas. Note: This project is 
listed in the Killeen-Temple Urban Transportation (K-TUTS) 2030 Project 
Rankings (long-range transportation plan) as ``SH 201 Extension, 
Construct 2 lane divided roadway.'' The project length is approximately 
17 miles long. Areas within the cities of Killeen, Harker Heights, 
Belton and Salado are included in the study.
    The proposed roadway is listed in the Mobility 2030 Metropolitan 
Transportation Plan, developed by the K-TUTS for the region over the 
next 25 years. The SH 201 extension is considered necessary to 
alleviate congestion on US 190, improve traffic flow in southern Bell 
County, and provide direct access to the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional 
Airport. The EIS will evaluate a range of alternatives, including the 
proposed action and the alternative of no action.
    Opportunities for public involvement exist during scoping and 
public review of the draft EIS. Two early scoping meetings will be held 
to determine the scope of environmental issues and alternatives to be 
addressed in the EIS. The public scoping meetings will be held on 
Monday, March 26, 2007, at the Killeen Civic & Convention Center and 
Visitors Bureau located at 3601 South WS Young Drive, Killeen, Texas 
76543 at 6:30 p.m. and on Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at the Salado 
Intermediate School located at 550 Thomas Arnold Road, Salado, Texas 
76571 at 6:30 p.m. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend 
these meetings. Maps of the study area will be displayed at each 
meeting. This will be the first in a series of meetings to involve the 
public in preparing the EIS.
    The EIS will evaluate potential impacts from construction and 
operation of the proposed roadway including, but not limited to, the 
following: transportation impacts (construction detours, construction 
traffic, and mobility improvement), air quality, and noise impacts from 
construction equipment and operation of the facilities, water quality 
impacts from construction area and roadway storm water runoff, impacts 
to waters of the United States including wetlands from right-of-way 
encroachment, impacts to historic and archeological resources, impacts 
to floodplains, and impacts and/or potential displacements to residents 
and businesses, land use, vegetation, wildlife, aesthetic and visual 
resources, socioeconomic resources, and cumulative impacts.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, and private 
organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known 
to have interest in this proposal. 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 FHWA at the address 
above.

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

    Issued: January 26, 2007.
Ted West,
Urban Programs Engineer.
[FR Doc. 07-433 Filed 2-1-07; 8:45 am]
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