[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 230 (Thursday, December 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72144-72145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23529]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement; I-395/Route 9 Transportation 
Study; Penobscot County, ME

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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[[Page 72145]]

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed 
highway project in the towns of Brewer, Holden, Eddington, and Clifton, 
Maine.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Hasselmann, Right of Way and 
Environmental Programs Manager, Maine Division, Federal Highway 
Administration, 40 Western Ave., Augusta, Maine 04330, Tel. 207/622-
8350, ext. 101; Raymond Faucher, Project Manager, Maine Department of 
Transportation, 16 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0016, Tel. 
207/624-3300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 11, 2005, FHWA Maine Division 
notified MaineDOT that they completed their review of the preliminary 
Environmental Assessment (EA) including the history and issues 
involving the I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study. Based on the review, 
FHWA determined that an EIS is required before location and design 
approval. The FHWA determination to elevate the I-395/Route 9 
Transportation Study NEPA documentation requirements from an EA to an 
EIS is based on:
    <bullet> 23 CFR 771.115 identification of a new controlled access 
freeway and highway projects of four or more lanes normally requiring 
an EIS; approximate corridor length 10.5 miles,
    <bullet> The proposed 43.2 acres of wetland impacts exceeding 
historical MaineDOT annual statewide total for wetland impacts,
    <bullet> The potential difficulty in identifying compensatory 
mitigation opportunities within the Study Area, and
    <bullet> The resource agencies request for additional information 
on indirect and cumulative impacts and the potential for habitat 
fragmentation.
    The FHWA, in cooperation with the Maine Department of 
Transportation, will prepare an EIS that analyzes alternatives to 
identify a Preferred Alternative to meet future transportation needs. 
The alternative identification and analysis from the preliminary EA 
will provide the foundation to further the evaluation of upgrades of 
the existing roadway system, alignments on new location, and the No-
build Alternative. The EIS will examine alternatives to improve 
transportation system linkage, safety, and mobility between Interstate 
395 (I-395), Brewer and State Route 9 (Route 9), Clifton in southern 
Penobscot County, Maine.
    This project was initiated as an EA. Agency scoping and early 
coordination was initiated in December of 2000; letters describing the 
proposed action and soliciting comments were sent to appropriate 
Federal, State, and local agencies and the municipalities in accordance 
with the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
and FHWA's and MaineDOT's requirements and policies for scoping and 
early coordination. The I-395/Route 9 Transportation Study was 
presented to the federal and state regulatory and resource agencies at 
eight MaineDOT monthly Interagency coordination meetings between 
January 2000 and July 2005. Public participation, initiated early in 
the EA process, has included 17 meetings of a Public Advisory Committee 
(PAC), two public meetings and an interactive Web site, <http://www.i395-rt9-study.com>. The first PAC meeting was held in September 
2000. A public scoping and informational meeting was held on April 11, 
2001. A second public meeting was held on September 19, 2001 to present 
the range of alternatives considered for satisfying purpose and need, 
preliminary alternatives screening, and the range of alternatives 
retained for further consideration.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies and private 
organizations that have previously expressed or are known to have 
interest in the proposed action. All public and agency comments, 
including early scoping comments, received during the EA process will 
be addressed in the EIS. The draft EIS will be available for public and 
agency review and comment prior to a public hearing. 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 the FHWA and/or 
MaineDOT at the addresses 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 program.)
    FHWA anticipates that the following Federal approvals will be 
necessary for the project:

Clean Water Act Section 404 permit
Design, Right of Way, and Construction Funding Authorization

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

    Issued on: November 22, 2005.
Jonathan McDade,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Augusta, Maine.
[FR Doc. 05-23529 Filed 11-30-05 8:45 am]
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