93822 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 229 / Wednesday, November 27, 2024 / Notices 

Federal programs and activities apply to this 

program.) 

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). 

Issued on: November 21, 2024. 

Karen M. Brunelle 

Director, Office of Project Development, 

Federal Highway Administration, 

Tallahassee, Florida. 

[FR Doc. 2024–27817 Filed 11–26–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–RY–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

Environmental Impact Statement: 

Cameron, Hidalgo, And Willacy 

Counties, Texas 

AGENCY: Texas Department of 

Transportation (TxDOT), Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA), 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Federal notice of intent to 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS). 

SUMMARY: FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, 

is issuing this notice to advise the 

public that an EIS will be prepared for 

a proposed transportation project to 

study the effects of constructing a 

highway improvement project from 

Interstate Highway (I–) 69C/United 

States Highway (US) 281 to I–69E/US 77 

in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy 

Counties, Texas (CSJ: 0921–02–353). 

The proposed project will be referred to 

herein as I–69 Connector, or the I–69 

Connector Project. The proposed project 

is approximately 25 miles in length. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Francisco Chapa, P.E., TxDOT Pharr 

District Project Manager, 600 West I–2, 

Pharr, Texas, 78577, (956) 702–6344, 

Francisco.chapa@txdot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

environmental review, consultation, and 

other actions required by applicable 

Federal environmental laws for this 

project are being, or have been, carriedout by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 

and a Memorandum of Understanding 

dated December 9, 2019, and executed 

by FHWA and TxDOT. 

The purpose and need of the 

proposed I–69 Connector is to alleviate/ 

reduce traffic congestion and improve 

regional mobility, to improve and 

increase transportation network 

connectivity, to address future 

population growth and travel demands, 

and to provide an east-west hurricane 

evacuation route. 

The proposed project would evaluate 

a new potential connection from I–69C/ 

US 281 to I–69E/US 77 in Hidalgo, 

Cameron, and Willacy Counties, Texas 

(CSJ: 0921–02–353). The proposed 

project could potentially include 

constructing a highway on new location 

for approximately 25 miles with grade 

separations at intersections with major 

crossroads. 

The EIS will evaluate a range of build 

alternatives and a no-build alterative. 

Possible build alternatives include the 

four alternatives that were evaluated in 

the I–69 Connector Route Feasibility 

Study. Each alternative would be 

evaluated on the same right-of-way 

width and level of detail during the 

Alternative Analysis process. 

Alternative A 

Alternative A starts on the western 

end at the intersection of I–69C/US 281 

and State Highway (SH) 107. It follows 

SH 107 for approximately 3.2 miles to 

the east, where SH 107 curves north, 

before continuing on new location 

eastward for approximately 12.3 miles. 

After intersection with International 

Boundary and Water Commission 

(IBWC)’s North Floodway, the 

alignment follows SH 107 southeast for 

2.2 miles before turning north at the 

intersection of Farm-to-Market (FM) 

1425 for approximately 1.1 miles and 

continuing east for approximately 6.5 

miles until the eastern end of the project 

at I–69E/US 77. Alternative A is on 

partial new location and approximately 

25.5 miles long. 

Alternative B 

Alternative B starts on new alignment 

at the western end at I–69C/US 281 and 

approximately 0.15 mile south of E. 

Richardson Road. This alignment 

continues east for approximately 3.4 

miles, and curves slightly south at the 

intersection of SH 107 before continuing 

on new location for approximately 12.3 

miles. After the alignment’s intersection 

with the IBWC’s North Floodway, the 

alignment moves slightly south until the 

intersection with FM 1425 for 

approximately 2.1 miles, then continues 

east for approximately 7 miles until the 

eastern end of the project at I–69E/US 

77. Alternative B is on new location and 

approximately 24.8 miles long. 

Alternative C 

Alternative C starts on new alignment 

at the western end at I–69C/US 281 and 

approximately 0.70 mile north of E. 

Richardson Road. The alignment 

continues east for approximately 9.7 

miles until curving south after the 

intersection with FM 88. The alignment 

continues east for approximately 15.3 

miles until the eastern end of the project 

at I–69E/US 77. Alternative C is on new 

location and approximately 25 miles 

long. 

Alternative D 

Alternative D starts on new alignment 

at the western end at I–69C/US 281 and 

approximately 0.7 mile north of E. 

Richardson Road. The alignment 

continues east for approximately 9.3 

miles until curving north 0.3 mile west 

of the intersection with FM 88. The 

alignment continues northeast for 

approximately 4.3 miles then continues 

east for approximately 9.6 miles until 

the intersection with I–69E/US 77. 

Alternative D is on new location and 

approximately 23 miles long. 

Section 106 and Section 4(f) Historic 

Properties. The proposed build 

alternatives will be evaluated for 

potential adverse impacts to historic 

properties (i.e. properties that are 

eligible for or listed in the National 

Register of Historic Places) within the 

study area. 

Environmental Justice (EJ). The 

proposed build alternatives will be 

evaluated for potential adverse impacts 

to EJ communities due to anticipated 

relocations as well as other impacts 

such as access, noise, and visual 

aesthetics. Additional analysis and 

public involvement will be conducted 

during the National Environmental 

Policy Act process to assess if the 

project would result in any 

disproportionately high and adverse 

effects on low-income and minority 

communities. 

Wildlife and threatened and 

endangered species. The proposed build 

alternatives will be evaluated for 

potential adverse impacts to wildlife 

and threatened and endangered species 

within the study area. 

Floodplains. The proposed build 

alternatives will be evaluated for 

potential adverse impacts to floodplains 

within the study area. 

The EIS will evaluate the potential 

impacts and benefits to the resources/ 

communities identified above as well as 

the following other subject areas: 

Limited English Proficiency 

communities, land use, right-of-way, 

social and community resources, traffic 

noise, air quality, water resources, 

hazardous materials sites, cultural 

resources, biological resources, 

protected lands 4(f) and 6(f), and visual 

resources. 

It is anticipated that the following 

would be required: Texas Antiquities 

Code permit and concurrence, Section 

106 historic/archeological resources 

concurrence, Section 4(f) evaluation 

approval, Section 7 consultation with 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife, IBWC Permit, 

and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers 

Section 404 Nationwide Permit(s). 

A Tentative Schedule is outlined 

below. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 229 / Wednesday, November 27, 2024 / Notices 93823 

The Agency Scoping Meeting was 

held July 29, 2024. 

Public Scoping Meeting: January 21 

and 23, 2025. 

The FEIS/ROD is anticipated Summer 

2027. 

In addition to the public scoping 

meeting, a public hearing will be held 

after the Draft EIS is prepared. Public 

notice will provide the time and place 

of the hearing. After the public hearing 

and end of Draft EIS comment period, 

issuance of the Final EIS/Record of 

Decision is anticipated. If a build 

alternative is selected, all permits and 

authorization decisions would occur 

before construction. 

The following entities have been 

invited to be cooperating agencies for 

this EIS: U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural 

Resource Conservation Service, National 

Park Service, U.S. Army Corp of 

Engineers, Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, Federal Transit 

Administration, Federal Railroad 

Administration, International Boundary 

and Water Commission, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection, U.S. Department 

of Housing and Urban Development, 

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, 

Lower Rio Grande Valley National 

Wildlife Refuge, Kiowa Tribe, Mescalero 

Apache Tribe, Tonkawa Tribe of 

Oklahoma, Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, 

and Comanche Nation of Oklahoma. 

The following entities have been 

invited to be participating agencies for 

this EIS: Texas Commission on 

Environmental Quality, McAllen 

Historic Preservation Council, Texas 

Division of Emergency Management, 

The Texas General Land Office, Texas 

Historical Commission/State Historic 

Preservation Officer, Texas Parks and 

Wildlife Department, Cameron County 

Regional Mobility Authority, Hidalgo 

County Regional Mobility Authority, 

Hidalgo County Planning and 

Development, Cameron County 

Planning and Development, Hidalgo 

County, Cameron County, Willacy 

County, Texas Department of Public 

Safety, City of Harlingen, City of Lyford, 

City of McAllen, City of Donna, City of 

Edinburg, City of Elsa, City of La Feria, 

City of La Villa, City of Alamo, City of 

San Juan, City of Weslaco, City of 

Mercedes, City of Palm Valley, City of 

Pharr, City of Raymondville, Town of 

Combes, Rio Grande Valley 

Metropolitan Planning Organization, 

Cameron County Historical 

Commission, Hidalgo County Historical 

Commission, Willacy County Historical 

Commission, Hidalgo County Drainage 

District No. 1, Cameron County 

Irrigation District No. 2, McAllen 

Economic Development Corporation 

(EDC), Harlingen EDC, Edinburg EDC, 

Alamo EDC, Donna EDC, Lyford EDC, 

Mercedes EDC, Pharr EDC, San Juan 

EDC, Weslaco EDC, Elsa EDC, and 

Combes EDC. 

TxDOT will issue a single Final 

Environmental Impact Statement and 

Record of Decision document pursuant 

to 23 U.S.C. 139(n)(2), unless TxDOT 

determines statutory criteria or 

practicability considerations preclude 

issuance of a combined document. 

In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139, 

cooperating agencies, participating 

agencies, and the public will be given 

an opportunity for continued input on 

project development. A in-person public 

scoping meeting is planned for Tuesday, 

January 21, 2025, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

CST at J. Economedes High School 1414 

N Alamo Rd, Edinburg, Texas 78541, 

and January 23, 2025, from 5 p.m. to 7 

p.m. CST at Elma E. Barrera Elementary 

School, Hwy 107, Santa Rosa, Texas 

78593. The public scoping meeting will 

provide an opportunity for the public to 

review and comment on the draft 

coordination plan and schedule, the 

project purpose and need, the range of 

alternatives, and methodologies and 

level of detail for analyzing alternatives. 

It will also allow the public an 

opportunity to provide input on any 

expected environmental impacts, 

anticipated permits or other 

authorizations, and any significant 

issues that should be analyzed in depth 

in the EIS. In addition to the public 

scoping meeting, a public hearing will 

be held after the draft EIS is prepared. 

Public notice will be given of the time 

and place of the meeting and hearing. 

The public meeting will be conducted 

in English. If you need an interpreter or 

document translator because English is 

not your primary language or you have 

difficulty communicating effectively in 

English, one will be provided to you. If 

you have a disability and need 

assistance, special arrangements can be 

made to accommodate most needs. If 

you need interpretation or translation 

services or you are a person with a 

disability who requires an 

accommodation to attend and 

participate in the public scoping 

meeting, please contact Norma Robledo, 

TxDOT Pharr District, at (956) 702–6161 

no later than 4 p.m. CT, Thursday, 

January 16, 2025. Please be aware that 

advance notice is required as some 

services and accommodations may 

require time for the Texas Department of 

Transportation to arrange. 

The public is requested to provide 

public comments on alternatives or 

impacts and on relevant information, 

studies, or analyses with respect to this 

proposed project. Comments may be 

provided in writing by mail to Francisco 

Chapa, TxDOT Project Manager at 600 

West I–2, Pharr, Texas, 78577 or by 

email to Francisco.Chapa@txdot.gov or 

to PHR_I69_Connector@txdot.gov. 

Comments must be received by Friday, 

February 7, 2025. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning 

and Construction.) 

Michael T. Leary, 

Director, Planning and Program Development, 

Federal Highway Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2024–27823 Filed 11–26–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number [FRA–2010–0029] 

The National Railroad Passenger 

Corporation’s Request To Amend Its 

Positive Train Control Safety Plan and 

Positive Train Control System 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of availability and 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: This document provides the 

public with notice that, on November 

14, 2024, the National Railroad 

Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) 

submitted a request for amendment 

(RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive 

Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) to 

provide supplemental information to its 

initial RFA, submitted November 7, 

2024, to support updates to Amtrak’s 

Onboard Computer (OBC) Serial 

platform and Fusion software release. 

As this RFA may involve a request for 

FRA’s approval of proposed material 

modifications to an FRA-certified 

positive train control (PTC) system, FRA 

is publishing this notice and inviting 

public comment on Amtrak’s RFA to its 

PTCSP. 

DATES: FRA will consider comments 

received by December 17, 2024. FRA 

may consider comments received after 

that date to the extent practicable and 

without delaying implementation of 

valuable or necessary modifications to a 

PTC system. 

ADDRESSES: 

Comments: Comments may be 

submitted by going to https://

www.regulations.gov and following the 

online instructions for submitting 

comments. 

Instructions: All submissions must 

include the agency name and the 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1