[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 69 (Monday, April 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16913-16914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8392]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Erie County, NY

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 an 
environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed bridge 
replacement project (PIN 5758.17) located in Erie County, New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey W. Kolb, P.E., Division 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New York Division, Leo 
W. O'Brien Federal Building, 7th Floor Room 719, Clinton Avenue and 
North Pearl Street, Albany, New York 12207, Telephone: (518) 431-4127; 
or Alan E. Taylor, P.E., Regional Director, NYSDOT Region 5; 100 Seneca 
Street, Buffalo NY 14203, Telephone: (716) 847-3238; or Steven P. 
Ranalli, P.E., Senior Project Manager, Erie Canal Harbor Development 
Corporation (ECHDC), 95 Perry Street, 5th Floor, Buffalo, NY 14203, 
Telephone: (716) 846-8241.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the New York 
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Erie Canal Harbor 
Development Corporation (ECHDC), a subsidiary of the New York State 
Urban Development Corporation d/b/a/Empire State Development 
Corporation (ESDC), will prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) in accordance with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Section 6002 
for a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ``Class I'' action on a 
proposal to replace the former South Michigan Avenue Bridge in the City 
of Buffalo, Erie County.
    A transportation facility is needed that provides a direct link 
from the inner harbor area to the outer harbor area and providing local 
access between the two areas while maintaining adequate waterway access 
for commercial and recreational craft. The facility would be located in 
one of several locations within a 1.5 mile corridor extending from a 
northern terminus at the mouth of the Buffalo River (in the vicinity of 
the Erie Basin Marina) to a southern terminus near the southern 
navigation limit of the City Ship Canal (west of the existing Ohio 
Street Bridge) in the inner and outer harbor areas of the City of 
Buffalo (containing various local streets that end short of the Buffalo 
River or the City Ship Canal). The range of alternatives will include 
no action and give consideration to locations derived from previous 
studies that investigated reconnecting the harbor. Alternatives under 
consideration include: (1) Taking no action; (2) replacing the South 
Michigan Avenue Bridge on existing alignment; and (3) constructing a 
new bridge on new alignment across the Buffalo River and/or City Ship 
Canal. Additional input from Participating and Cooperating Agencies, 
and from the public, will be necessary before a final decision will be 
made regarding the full range of alternatives to be studied.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
private organizations, citizens and other project stakeholders. A 
series of public information meetings, including a formal NEPA scoping 
meeting, will be held in the City of Buffalo between May 2009 and 
August 2011. In addition, a formal NEPA scoping meeting and a public 
hearing will be held. Public notice will be given of the time and place 
of the meetings and hearings. The draft EIS will be available for 
review and comment by the public and agencies.
    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.

[[Page 16914]]

Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to the FHWA, NYSDOT or ECHDC at the addresses 
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.)

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; U.S.C. 771.123.

    Issued on April 7, 2009.
Jeffrey W. Kolb,
Division Administrator, New York Division, Federal Highway 
Administration, Albany, New York.
 [FR Doc. E9-8392 Filed 4-10-09; 8:45 am]
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