E7-19098. Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in Wake County, NC

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(I)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the Western Wake Freeway, which begins at NC 55 at Old Smithfield Road (SR 1172) between Apex and Holly Springs and ends at NC 55 near Alston Avenue north of Cary in Wake County. The Western Wake Freeway is also known as State Transportation Improvement Program Project R-2635. It is part of the Outer Wake Expressway, a circumferential freeway around Raleigh, North Carolina. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and 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(I)(1). A claim seeking judicial review of the Federal agency actions on the highway project will be barred unless the claim is filed on or before March 25, 2008. 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:

Mr. George Hoops, P.E., Major Projects Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 310 New Bern Avenue, Suite 410, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601-1418, Telephone: [phone] extension 104; e-mail: [e-mail]. FHWA North Carolina Division Office's normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern Time). Ms. Jennifer Harris, P.E., Staff Engineer, North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA), 5400 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 400, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27612, Telephone: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail]. NCTA's normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern Time).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice is hereby given that FHWA and other Federal agencies have taken final agency actions by issuing licenses, permits, and approvals for the following highway project in the State of North Carolina: The Western Wake Freeway, a 12.6-mile long, 6-lane, fully access-controlled, new location roadway that will be part of Raleigh's Outer Wake Expressway. The project is also known as State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Project R-2635. The project would run generally in a north-south direction, roughly parallel to and just west of the existing NC 55.

On the south, the project begins at NC 55 at Old Smithfield Road (SR 1172) between Apex and Holly Springs; on the north, it ends at NC 55 near Alston Avenue north of Cary in Wake County. The actions by the Federal agencies, and the laws under which such actions were taken, are described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project, approved on January 21, 2004, in the FHWA Record of Decision (ROD) issued on April 30, 2004 approving the Western Wake Freeway project, and in a Reevaluation Report for Administrative Action issued on September 7, 2007 (“Reevaluation Report”), determining that a supplemental environmental impact statement is not required, and in other documents in the FHWA administrative record. The FEIS, ROD, Reevaluation Report and other documents in the FHWA administrative record file are available by contacting the FHWA or NCTA at the addresses provided above. The FHWA FEIS, ROD, and Reevaluation Report can be viewed at the offices of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, 5400 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 400, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27612.

This notice applies to all Federal agency actions and 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. Air: Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. 7401-7671(q)].

3. 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].

4. Wildlife: Endangered Species Act [16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 and Section 1536], Marine Mammal Protection Act [16 U.S.C. 1361], Anadromous Fish Conservation Act [16 U.S.C. 757(a)-757(g)], Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act [16 U.S.C. 661-667(d)], Migratory Bird Treaty Act [16 U.S.C. 703-712], Magnuson-Stevenson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, as amended [16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.].

5. Historic and Cultural Resources: Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended [16 U.S.C. 470(f), et seq.]; Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16 U.S.C. 470(aa)-11]; Archeological and Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 469-469(c)]; Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) [25 U.S.C. 3001-3013].

6. Social and Economic: Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000(d)-2000(d)(1)]; American Indian Religious Freedom Act [42 U.S.C. 1996]; Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C. 4201-4209].

7. Wetlands and Water Resources: Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) [16 U.S.C. 4601-4604]; Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) [42 U.S.C. 300(f)-300(j)(6)]; Wild and Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C. 1271-1287); Emergency Wetlands Resources Act [16 U.S.C. 3921, 3931]; TEA-21 Wetlands Mitigation [23 U.S.C. 103(b)(6)(m), 133(b)(11)]; Flood Disaster Protection Act [42 U.S.C. 4001-4128].

8. Hazardous Materials: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) [42 U.S.C. 9601-9675]; Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) [42 U.S.C. 6901-6992(k)].

9. 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 Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(I)(1).

Issued on: September 20, 2007.

George Hoops,

Major Projects Engineer, Raleigh, North Carolina.