58148 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

Environmental Impact Statement: High 

Desert Corridor, State Route 18 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent. 

SUMMARY: This notice is to inform 

agencies and the public that an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

will be prepared for a project in San 

Bernardino, California. Furthermore, it 

is advised that environmental review, 

consultation, and any other action 

required in accordance with applicable 

Federal laws and regulations for this 

project is being, or has been, carried out 

by the California Department of 

Transportation (Caltrans) under its July 

1, 2007 assumption of all the United 

States Department of Transportation 

(USDOT) Secretary’s responsibilities 

under National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) pursuant to Section 6005 of 

SAFETEA–LU codified in 23 U.S.C. 

327(a)(2)(A). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Russell Williams, Acting Office Chief, 

Environmental Oversight, California 

Department of Transportation District 8, 

464 W. Fourth Street, San Bernardino, 

CA 92401. Telephone: (909) 383–1554. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

California Department of Transportation 

(Caltrans), in cooperation with the city 

of Victorville, will prepare an EIS on the 

proposal to construct a portion of the 

High Desert Corridor (HDC), in San 

Bernardino County, California. The 

proposed project would involve 

construction of a freeway/expressway to 

realign State Route (SR) 18 on new 

alignment from US 395 in the City of 

Adelanto to SR 18 near the Town of 

Apple Valley for a distance of 

approximately 21 miles. This notice of 

intent is prepared in accordance with 40 

CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22. 

In addition, to NEPA, the project is 

required to comply with the efficient 

environmental review process pursuant 

to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and 

Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 

2003—A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–

LU) Section 6002 codified at 23 U.S.C. 

138. The process is intended to promote 

efficient project management by the 

NEPA lead agency and to provide 

enhanced opportunities for coordination 

and accountability with the public as, 

well as, Federal, State, local, and tribal 

government agencies during the project 

development process. The process will 

include activities such as invitation of 

participating and cooperating agencies, 

preparation of a coordination plan, and 

establishment of a statute of limitations 

on the EIS. Pursuant to SAFETEA–LU 

Section 6002, sponsor agencies are 

required to notify the Secretary of 

Transportation of the type of work, 

termini, length, and general location of 

the project, together with a statement of 

Federal approvals anticipated to be 

necessary for the proposed project. 

Issuance of this notice will serve to meet 

these requirements for initiation of the 

environmental review process. 

Currently, SR 18 exists as a four-lane 

conventional highway with numerous 

signalized intersections, business 

districts and congestion bottlenecks 

which restrict accessibility and mobility 

for east-west travel, and reduces 

throughput and safety for interregional 

travel in Victor Valley. The purpose of 

the project is to maximize accessibility 

to major economic generators such as 

the Southern California Logistics 

Airport and the industrial park 

surrounding Apple Valley Airport, 

improve mobility for interregional travel 

and truck/goods movement by 

providing freeway/expressway 

connectivity between regional routes US 

395, I–15, and SR 18. Improvements to 

the corridor are considered necessary to 

alleviate the projected traffic demand 

for the increasing population growth in 

the area. Another goal of the project is 

to maintain consistency with the overall 

development of the High Desert 

Corridor and the future Victor Valley 

Beltway. 

It is proposed to construct a ‘‘stand 

alone’’ phase of the HDC in Victor 

Valley from US 395 in Adelanto to SR 

18 of the Town of Apple Valley, a 

distance of approximately 21 miles. A 

preferred Alternative has not been 

selected at this point, but two Build 

Alternatives will be analyzed along with 

the No-Build Alternative. Alternative 1, 

known as the north alignment, would 

construct the HDC as a multi-lane 

freeway/expressway on new alignment 

from U.S. 395 to continue east between 

the Southern California Logistics 

Airport and the proposed new Federal 

Prison in Victorville. The new 

alignment would cross the Mojave River 

and the BNSF mainline, intersect I–15 

north of the Stoddard Wells Road 

Interchange, travel east through the 

industrial section of the Town of Apple 

Valley, then turn south to meet existing 

SR 18. In addition, at least 6 

interchanges, 8 bridge/undercrossing 

structures, 5 grade intersections, and at 

least 300 ft. of right of way are proposed 

for Alternative 1. 

Alternative 2, from US 395 to I–15, 

would follow the same alignment as 

Alternative 1 from U.S. 395 to just west 

of I–15. Alternative 2 would then swing 

south to tie into SR 18 near Rimrock 

Road. This section of the alternative 

from east of I–15 will be constructed as 

an access controlled highway. On the 

east of I–15, Alternative 2 will be on 

new alignment for about 3.5 miles and 

then it will replace existing SR 18 for 

about 6 miles. Alternative 2 will meet 

SR 18 in the same location as 

Alternative 1. In addition, at least 4 

interchanges, 8 at grade intersections, 

and 200-300 ft of right of way are 

proposed for Alternative 2. 

The two Alternatives will be studied 

and refined through efforts conducted 

under the National Environmental 

Policy Act (40 CFR parts 1500–1508 and 

23 CFR part 771), the Clean Air Act 

Amendments, Section 404 of the Clean 

Water Act, Executive Order 12898 

regarding Environmental Justice, the 

National Historic Preservation Act, the 

Federal Endangered Species Act, the 

Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of 

Transportation Act, and other federal 

environmental protection laws, 

regulations, policies, and executive 

orders. Based on available information, 

the project is anticipated to require a 

Clean Water Act 404 permit, a right-ofway use permit from the Bureau of Land 

Management. In addition, consultation 

is anticipated under Section 7 of the 

FESA and Section 106 of the NHPA. 

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. 

The EIS will incorporate comments 

from the public scoping process as well 

as analysis from environmental and 

engineering technical studies. Other 

alternatives suggested during the 

scoping process would be considered 

during the development of the EIS. 

Letters describing the proposed action 

and soliciting comments will be sent to 

appropriate Federal, State, and Local 

agencies, and to private organizations 

and citizens who have previously 

expressed or are known to have interest 

in this proposal. Location and details of 

the public scoping meeting for the 

proposed project will be advertised in 

local newspapers and other media. 

Comments or questions concerning this 

proposed action and the EIS should be 

directed to Caltrans at the address 

indicated 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 

program.) 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Notices 58149 

Issued on: September 28, 2007. 

David Tedrick, 

Project Development Team Leader, South 

Region, California Division, Federal Highway 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 07–5049 Filed 10–11–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions 

on Proposed Highway in Minnesota 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of Limitation on Claims 

for Judicial Review of Actions by FHWA 

and Other Federal Agencies. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces actions 

taken by the FHWA and other Federal 

agencies that are final within the 

meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The 

actions relate to a proposed highway 

project, the Interstate (I)-94/Trunk 

Highway (TH) 10 Interregional 

Connection from west of Becker to east 

of St. Cloud in Sherburne, Stearns and 

Wright Counties, Minnesota. Those 

actions grant approvals for the project. 

DATES: By this notice, the FHWA is 

advising the public of final agency 

actions subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). A 

claim seeking judicial review of the 

Federal agency actions of the highway 

project will be barred unless the claim 

is filed on or before 180 days from the 

date of this notice. If the Federal law 

that authorizes judicial review of a 

claim provides a time period of less 

than 180 days for filing such claim, then 

that shorter time period still applies. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

FHWA: Mr. Thomas Sorel, Division 

Administrator, Federal Highway 

Administration, Galtier Plaza, Suite 500, 

380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 

55101, Telephone (651) 291-6100, email: Thomas.sorel@fhwa.dot.gov. The 

Minnesota Division Office’s normal 

business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

(central time). For the Minnesota 

Department of Transportation (Mn/ 

DOT): Mr. Terry Humbert—District 3, 

3725—12th Street North, Mail Stop 031, 

St. Cloud, Minnesota 56303-2130, 

Telephone (320) 223-6527, (800) 627- 

3529 TTY, e-mail: 

Terry.Humbert@state.mn.us. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that the FHWA and other 

Federal agencies have taken final agency 

actions by issuing approvals for the 

following highway project in Minnesota: 

I–94/TH 10 Interregional Connection 

from Clearwater, Wright County to Clear 

Lake, Sherburne County, Minnesota. 

The project will be an approximately 

5.4-mile, four-lane freeway with 

interchanges at I–94 and TH 10 and a 

grade-separated rail crossing near TH 10 

and includes the construction of a new 

crossing of the Mississippi River. The 

project also includes an interchange at 

existing TH 24 to provide local access 

to/from the Cities of Clear Lake and 

Clearwater. The actions by the Federal 

agencies, and the laws under which 

such actions were taken, are described 

in the Final Environmental Impact 

Statement (FEIS), approved on 

December 21, 2006, in the FHWA 

Record of Decision (ROD) issued on 

September 7, 2007, and in other 

documents in the FHWA project files. 

The FEIS, ROD and other project 

records are available by contacting the 

FHWA or Mn/DOT at the addresses 

provided above. The FHWA FEIS and 

ROD can be viewed and downloaded 

from the project Web site at http:// 

www.dot.state.mn.us/d3/projects/ 

interregionalconnection/index.html. 

This notice applies to all Federal 

agency decisions as of the issuance date 

of this notice and all laws under which 

such actions were taken, including but 

not limited to: 

1. General: National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C. 4321–

4351]; Federal-Aid Highway Act [23 

U.S.C. 109]. 

2. Land: Section 4(f) of the 

Department of Transportation Act of 

1966 [49 U.S.C. 303]; Landscaping and 

Scenic Enhancement (Wildflowers) [23 

U.S.C. 319]. 

3. Wildlife: Endangered Species Act 

[16 U.S.C. 1531–1544 and section 1536]; 

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act [16 

U.S.C. 661–667(d)]; Migratory Bird 

Treaty Act [16 U.S.C. 703–712]. 

4. Historic and Cultural Resources: 

Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966, as amended 

[16 U.S.C. 470(f) et seq.]; Archaeological 

and Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 

469–469(c)]. 

5. Social and Economic: Civil Rights 

Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000(d)–

2000(d)(1)]; Farmland Protection Policy 

Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C. 4201–4209]. 

6. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) 

[42 U.S.C. 300(f)–300(j)(6)]; Flood 

Disaster Protection Act [42 U.S.C. 4001–

4128]. 

7. Executive Orders: E.O. 11990, 

Protection of Wetlands; E.O. 11988, 

Floodplain Management; E.O. 12898, 

Federal Actions to address 

Environmental Justice in Minority 

Populations and Low Income 

Populations; E.O. 11593, Protection and 

Enhancement of Cultural Resources; 

E.O. 13007, Indian Sacred Sites; E.O. 

13287, Preserve America; E.O. 13175, 

Consultation and Coordination with 

Indian Tribal Governments; E.O. 11514, 

Protection and Enhancement of 

Environmental Quality; E.O. 13112, 

Invasive Species. 

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

Issued on: October 5, 2007. 

Thomas K. Sorel, 

Division Administrator, Federal Highway 

Administration, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

[FR Doc. 07–5044 Filed 10–11–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2007–0007] 

Postponement of Medical Review 

Board (MRB) Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces the 

postponement of the Medical Review 

Board meeting that was scheduled for 

October 15, 2007 from 8 a.m.–11:30 a.m. 

at the U.S. Department of 

Transportation. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Mary D. Gunnels, Chief, Physical 

Qualifications Division, 202–366–4001. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 

14, 2007, FMCSA published a Notice in 

the Federal Register announcing a 

public meeting of the Medical Review 

Board to be held on October 15, 2007 

(72 FR 45479). The meeting announced 

on August 14, 2007 will not be held. 

FMCSA will publish a Notice in the 

Federal Register announcing the date, 

time, and place of any rescheduled MRB 

meeting. The public may also refer to: 

http://www.mrb.fmcsa.dot.gov. for 

upcoming meeting announcements. 

Issued on: October 4, 2007. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy and 

Program Development. 

[FR Doc. E7–20106 Filed 10–11–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES