Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 29 / Tuesday, February 13, 2007 / Notices 6805 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: Total estimated average annual 

burden is 14,700 hours. 

Public Comments Invited: You are 

asked to comment on any aspect of this 

information collection, including: (1) 

Whether the proposed collection is 

necessary for the FHWA’s performance; 

(2) the accuracy of the estimated 

burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to 

enhance the quality, usefulness, and 

clarity of the collected information; and 

(4) ways that the burden could be 

minimized, including the use of 

electronic technology, without reducing 

the quality of the collected information. 

The agency will summarize and/or 

include your comments in the request 

for OMB’s clearance of this information 

collection. 

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.48. 

Issued On: February 7, 2007. 

James R. Kabel, 

Chief, Management Programs and Analysis 

Division. 

[FR Doc. E7–2458 Filed 2–12–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

Environmental Impact Statement: 

Alamance County, NC 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: None of Intent. 

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this 

notice to advise the public that an 

environmental impact statement will be 

prepared for the relocation of highway 

NC 119 in Mebane, Alamance County, 

North Carolina (TIP Project U–3109). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Clarence Coleman, PE, Operations 

Engineer, Federal Highway 

Administration, 310 New Bern Avenue, 

Suite 410, Raleigh, North Carolina 

27601, Telephone: (919) 856–4350, 

Extension 133. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

FHWA, in cooperation with the North 

Caroline Department of Transportation 

(NCDOT), will prepare an environment 

impact statement (EIS) on the relocation 

of NC 119 in Mebane, Alamance 

County. The proposed action would be 

the construction of a multi-lane divided 

facility on new location from the I–85 

interchange southwest of Mebane to 

existing NC 119 near SR 1918 (Mrs. 

White Lane) north of Mebane. Full 

control of access is proposed at the 

I–85 interchange and limited or partial 

control of access (access only at existing 

secondary roads [SRs]) is proposed for 

the remainder of the project. The 

purpose of this project is to relieve 

traffic congestion in the downtown area, 

provide access to the local area, and 

provide Alamance County with a 

primary north/south route. The 

proposed action is consistent with the 

2030 Long Range Transportation Plan 

for Burlington-Graham Metropolitan 

Planning Organization last updated in 

May 2005. The proposed action is also 

consistent with the Burlington-Graham 

Urbanized Area Transportation Plan 

(which the Thoroughfare Plan map is a 

part of) last updated in January 2004. 

Alternatives under consideration 

include: (1) The ‘‘no-build’’, (2) 

improving existing facility, and (3) three 

limited controlled access highways on 

new location. Letters describing the 

proposed action and soliciting 

comments were sent to appropriate 

Federal, State, and local agencies. A 

public meeting and meetings with local 

officials and neighborhood groups were 

and will continue to be held in the 

project study area. A public hearing will 

also be held. Information on the time 

and place of the public hearing will be 

provided in the local news media. The 

draft EIS will be available for public and 

agency review and comment at the time 

of the hearing. A formal scoping 

meeting was held on February 15, 1994. 

A result of the scoping meeting, as 

well as a meeting held with local 

officials, was an environmental study 

area comprised of several potential 

alignment corridors for the relocation of 

NC 119. The project study area 

developed from the initial project 

scoping process was presented to the 

public at two Citizens Informational 

Workshops, at which time public input 

on this study area was received. In 

addition, NCDOT held several small 

group meetings with representatives 

from the various communities in the 

project study area as a way to gain 

additional input from residents and 

identify ways to minimize community 

impacts. In early 1997, the majority of 

the supporting documentation for the 

Environmental Assessment (EA) was 

completed and at that time, the EA was 

anticipated to be completed in mid 

1997. 

In March 1997, NCDOT held a 

meeting where local residents suggested 

an eastern route for the relocation of NC 

119. Over the course of the next year, 

NCDOT studied various alternatives that 

would relocate NC 119 to the east side 

of Mebane. During this process, NCDOT 

conducted several meetings with agency 

representatives, as well as residents 

from the various communities 

surrounding the project study area, to 

discuss concerns regarding the proposed 

relocation of NC 119. Several project 

newsletters were mailed to the area 

residents and project stake holders 

providing updated information about 

the project and showing the location of 

the NC 119 Relocation alternatives being 

considered. In July 2003, another 

Citizens Informational Workshop was 

held by NCDOT, showing the detailed 

study alternatives to the public and 

seeking public input. Afterwards, the 

NCDOT decided that an Environmental 

Impact Statement would be prepared for 

this project instead of the EA. 

In 2004, the NCDOT hired the Wills 

Duncan Group to manage a community 

facilitation program for the NC 119 

Relocation project. The intent of this 

program was to increase citizen 

involvement and identify the most 

important issues regarding the proposed 

project from the perspective of the 

various communities within the study 

area. A series of community charettes 

were conducted by the Wills Duncan 

Group as part of this program and the 

result was the formation of the NC 119 

Relocation Steering Committee; a 

diverse group of citizens representing 

the neighborhoods and the business 

community of the Greater Mebane area. 

The primary responsibility of this 

Steering Committee was to assist in 

increasing citizen participation in the 

transportation decision making process 

and to identify the most important 

issues regarding the project from the 

perspective of the local communities. 

Due to extensive coordination with the 

resource agencies, local officials, and 

the public during the EA and EIS 

process for the NC 119 Relocation 

project, no additional scoping meetings 

will be conducted for the DEIS. 

To ensure that the full range of issues 

related to the proposed action is 

addressed and all significant issues are 

identified, comments and suggestions 

are invited from all interested parties. 

Comments and questions concerning the 

proposed action should be directed to 

the FHWA at the address 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.) 

Issued on: February 6, 2007. 

Clarence W. Coleman, 

Operations Engineer, Raleigh, North Carolina. 

[FR Doc. 07–615 Filed 2–12–07: 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M 


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