12584 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 2001 / Notices

a proposal to establish a new or

improved transportation crossing of the

Columbia River. This crossing will

involve either existing facility

improvements or new connections

between SR 14 in Washington to SR 35

and/or I–84 in Oregon. The Washington

State Department of Transportation has

designated this proposed crossing as

State Route 35 (SR–35).

A new or improved Columbia River

crossing is necessary to effectively

accommodate current and future traffic

demands, address multi-modal

accessibility, enhance movement of

freight and other goods, improve public

safety, and improve current and future

traffic operations.

Alternatives under consideration

include (1) no action; (2) multi-modal

options; (3) improvements to traffic and

toll operations, (4) improvements to the

existing bridge; and (5) constructing a

new bridge or tunnel at or near the

existing location. Potential crossing

corridors being evaluated along the

Columbia River include: West Hood

River I–84 interchange, Second Street in

Hood River (using the City Center exit

on I–84), the existing bridge crossing,

and east of Hood River near Stanley

Rock. Design variations being evaluated

include adjustments to grade,

alignment, and crossing type.

A series of preliminary meetings have

already been conducted between

various public groups, the project

Steering Committee, a Local Advisory

Committee, and a Resource and

Regulatory agency Committee since this

project has been introduced. The ideas

presented at these meetings will be

incorporated into the environmental

process as will all the necessary impacts

and alternatives required by the

National Environmental Protection Act

(NEPA) and Council on Environmental

Quality (CEQ) regulations.

Letters soliciting comments will be

sent to appropriate Federal, State, and

Local agencies, including private

organizations and citizens who have

previously expressed or are known to

have interest in this proposal.

A public scoping meeting will be held

on March 8, 2001, from 5 to 8 p.m. at

Fidel’s at the Gorge (restaurant), located

on SR 14 at 120 East Steuben in Bingen,

Washington. On March 8, 2001, a

resource and regulatory agency scoping

meeting will be held in Troutdale,

Oregon, at the Oregon Department of

Transportation Maintenance Facility

from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Notification of

the public scoping meeting will be

published in the local newspaper and

through mailed announcements.

In addition, a public meeting will be

held prior to completion of the draft

EIS. Public notice will be given of the

time and place of all proposed meetings

during Draft and Final EIS development.

The draft EIS will be made available to

the public and all agencies for review

and comment prior to all public

meetings.

Interested parties are encouraged to

provide suggestions and comments in

order to ensure that the full range of

issues related to this proposed action

are addressed and all potential impacts

identified. Comments or questions

concerning this proposed action and the

EIS should be directed to the FHWA,

Washington Division or Southwest

Washington Regional Transportation

Council at the addresses or telephone

numbers provided in the Contact

Information Section.

(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)

Issued on: February 14, 2001.

Michael Kulbacki,

Transportation and Environmental Engineer,

Olympia, Washington.

[FR Doc. 01–4706 Filed 2–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement:

Mendocino County, California

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise the public that an

environmental impact statement will be

prepared for a proposed highway project

in Mendocino County, near the town of

Hopland, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: C.

Glenn Clinton, Team Leader, Program

Delivery Team—North, Federal

Highway Administration, 980 Ninth

Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, California

95814–2724, Telephone: 916–498–5020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

FHWA, in cooperation with the

California Department of Transportation

(Caltrans), will prepare an

environmental impact statement (EIS)

on a proposed project to construct a four

lane freeway or expressway bypass of

the community of Hopland, on Route

101 in Southern Mendocino County.

The project limits extend from kp 14.2

to 22.5 (pm 8.8 to 14.0). The project is

needed to reduce operational conflicts,

accommodate existing and future traffic

demand, reduce travel time, increase

safety, improve air quality, reduce noise

in Hopland and provide the facility

concept identified in the ‘‘Inter-regional

Transportation Strategic Plan’’.

Three aligments are being proposed at

this time as well as a ‘‘No Build’’

alternative. All of the alignments

potentially affect oak woodlands,

riparian forest and pre-historic cultural

resources. A Public Open House has

been held to solicit opinions from the

community and a Project Development

Team has been formed to determine the

scope of the project. There will be a

public scoping meeting to discuss the

proposed project and another

opportunity for public comment on the

draft environmental document during

the circulation phase of the draft

environmental impact statement (DEIS).

To ensure that the full range of issues

related to this proposed action is

addressed and all significant issues

identified, comments and suggestions

are invited from all interested parties.

The views of agencies that may have

interest in the effect of the proposal on

historic properties are specifically

solicited. Comments or questions

concerning this proposed action and the

EIS 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 15, 2001.

C. Glenn Clinton,

Team Leader, Program Delivery Team—

North, Sacramento, California.

[FR Doc. 01–4705 Filed 2–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number: MARAD–2001–8952]

Requested Administrative Waiver of

the Coastwise Trade Laws

AGENCY: Maritime Administration,

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Invitation for public comments

on a requested administrative waiver of

the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel

CHARISMA.

SUMMARY: As authorized by Public Law

105–383, the Secretary of

Transportation, as represented by the

Maritime Administration (MARAD), is