02-11943. Environmental Impact Statement; Stearns County, MN

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 (EIS) will be prepared for proposed highway improvements to Trunk Highway (TH) 23 in Paynesville, Stearns County, Minnesota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Martin, Federal Highway Administration, Galtier Plaza, 380 Jackson Street, Suite 500, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101, Telephone [phone]; or Lowell Flaten, Pre-Design Engineer, Minnesota Department of Transportation—District 8, P.O. Box 768, 2505 Transportation Road, Willmar, Minnesota 56201. Telephone [phone] TTY.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The FHWA, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will prepare an EIS on a proposal to improve TH 23 from the western Stearns County line, to approximately 1.0 mile (1.6 kilometers) east of the crossing of the North Fork of the Crow River, in Stearns County, Minnesota, a distance of approximately 4.4 miles (7.0 kilometers).

The proposed action is being considered to address future transportation demand, safety problems, access management, interregional trade corridor status, and pavement condition. Alternatives under consideration include (1) No-Build (2) three variations of “Build” alternatives involving reconstruction and/or realignment and new construction of TH 23 (3) “Build” alternative involving improvements along the existing alignment of TH 23.

The “Trunk Highway 23 Scoping Document/Draft Scoping Decision Document” will be published in the Summer 2002. A press release will be published to inform the public of the document's availability. Copies of the Scoping Document will be distributed to agencies, interested persons and libraries for review to aid in identifying issues and analyses to be contained in the EIS. A thirty-day comment period for review of the document will be provided to afford an opportunity for all interested persons, agencies and groups to comment on the proposed action. A public scoping meeting will also be held during the comment period. Public notice will be given for the time and place of the meeting.

A Draft EIS will be prepared based on the outcome of the scoping process. The Draft EIS will be available for agency and public review and comment. In addition, a public hearing will be held following completion of the Draft EIS. Public Notice will be given for the time and place of the public hearing on the Draft EIS.

Coordination has been initiated and will continue with appropriate Federal, State and local agencies and private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known to have an interest in the proposed action. 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 at the address provided above.

Issued on: May 7, 2002.

(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)

Stanley M. Graczzyk,

Project Development Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, St. Paul, Minnesota.