[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46339-46340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21995]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
State Road 40 Project, Ocala National Forest, Marion County,
Florida
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service and the Florida Department of
Transportation (Joint Lead Agencies) are issuing this notice to advise
the public that an environmental impact statement (EIS) will be
prepared for a proposed highway project to improve State Road 40 in
Marion County, Florida. The agencies invite written comments and
suggestions from Federal, State, and local agencies and other
individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by
the proposed action.
DATES: A draft EIS is expected to be completed in December, 2000. The
final EIS is scheduled to be completed in December, 2001.
ADDRESSES: To ensure that the full range of issues related to the
proposed action are addressed and all significant issues are
identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested
parties. You may request to be placed on the project mailing list or
direct questions, comments and suggestions to Ms. Heather Bradshaw-
Ells, Project Manager, Florida Department of Transportation, 719 S.
Woodland Blvd. DeLand, Florida 32720, telephone (904) 943-5391.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Thorsen, District Ranger,
Seminole Ranger District, Ocala National Forest, 40929-SR 19, Umatilla,
Florida 32784, telephone (352) 669-3153; Mr. Larry Perry, Florida
Department of Environmental Protection, District 3, Apopka, Florida
32714, telephone (407) 884-2000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to improve State Road
40 from the end of the existing four lanes in Silver Springs, Marion
County, Florida to County Road 314A in Marion County, Florida, a
distance of 10 miles. Improvements to the corridor are considered
necessary to provide for projected traffic demands. The route proposed
by the Florida Department of Transportation crosses a portion of the
Ocala National Forest in Marion County and involves a distance of 5.6
miles within National Forest Boundaries. The western leg segment (4.4
miles) is located adjacent to the boundaries of Silver River State Park
which is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The USDA Forest Service and Florida Department of Transportation will
be joint lead agencies in preparing the EIS. The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection and the United States Coast Guard will be
cooperating agencies. The Forest Supervisor for the National Forest in
Florida will decide whether or not to permit an additional easement
across national forest lands for the portion of the project within
national forest boundaries. The Florida Department of Transportation
will decide whether or not to improve the highway and if so, the extent
of the improvement.
Newsletter describing the proposed action and soliciting comments
will be sent to appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, and to
organizations and citizens who express interest in this proposal. In
addition, public meetings and workshops will be scheduled, and a web
site established to provide the opportunity for public input throughout
the process. Preliminary issues include the impacts of the project on
wildlife, wetlands, vegetative communities, visual resources, public
safety, and possible future development of related road projects.
Possible other alternatives under consideration include: taking no
action, widening to a four lane divided highway or alternative
corridors.
The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date
the Environmental Protect Agency publishes the notice of availability
in the Federal Register. The Forest Service believes, at this early
stage, it is important to give reviewers notice of several court
rulings related to public participation in the environmental review
process. First, reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must
structure their participation in the environmental review of the
proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that
could be raised at the draft environmental impact statement stage but
that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental
impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts, City of
Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin
Heritages, Inc., v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980).
Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the
comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully
consider them and
[[Page 46340]]
respond to them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist
the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns
on the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact
statement should be as specific possible. It is also helpful if
comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement.
Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental
impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and
discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council
on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in
addressing these points.
Dated: August 18, 1999.
Marsha Kearaney,
Forest Supervisor, National Forests in Florida.
[FR Doc. 99-21995 Filed 8-24-99; 8:45 am]
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