Environmental Impact Statement: St. Clair County, Michigan, 53280-53281 [07-4611]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 18, 2007 / Notices
projects. These agreements, referred to
as ‘‘project agreements’’ are written
contracts between the State and the
Federal government that define the
extent of work to be undertaken and
commitments made concerning a
highway project. Section 1305 of the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (TEA–21, Pub. L. 105–178)
amended 23 U.S.C. 106(a) and
combined authorization of work and
execution of the project agreement for a
Federal-aid project into a single action.
States continue to have the flexibility to
use whatever format is suitable to
provide the statutory information
required, and burden estimates for this
information collection are not changed.
Respondents: There are 56
respondents, including 50 State
Transportation Departments, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the
Territories of Guam, the Virgin Islands
and American Samoa.
Frequency: On an on-going basis as
project agreements are written.
Estimated Average Annual Burden
per Response: There is an average of 476
annual agreements per respondent. Each
agreement requires 1 hour to complete.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 26,656 hours.
Electronic Access: Internet users may
access all comments received by the
U.S. DOT Dockets by using the
universal resource locator (URL):
https://dms.dot.gov, 24 hours each day,
365 days each year. Please follow the
instructions online for more information
and help.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended;
and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: September 12, 2007.
James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis
Division.
[FR Doc. E7–18299 Filed 9–17–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: St.
Clair County, Michigan
Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of and
notice of public hearing.
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AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, the Federal Highway
Administration has made available for
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19:28 Sep 17, 2007
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public review and comments a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Blue Water Bridge Plaza Study.
The DEIS describes and presents the
environmental effects of the three
alternatives, the No-Build Alternative
and three Build Alternatives. A public
hearing will be held to receive
comments from individuals and
organizations on the DEIS.
DATES: Comment and public hearing
dates are: 1. October 9, 2007, public
hearing scheduled. 2. November 5,
2007, public comments and due.
The DEIS will be available for a 60day public review period. Oral and
written comments will be available for
public review. All submissions from
organizations or businesses and from
individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses will be
made available for public disclosures in
their entirety.
ADDRESSES: 1. Document Availability:
The document was made available to
the public on September 10, 2007.
Copies of the Draft DEIS are available
for public inspection and review on the
project Web site https://
www.michigan.gov/
bluewaterbridgeproject and at the
following locations:
• Fort Gratiot Township, 3720
Keewahdin Rd., Fort Gratiot.
• Port Huron City of, Office of the
City Clerk, 10 McMorran Blvd., Port
Huron, MI 48060.
• Port Huron Township, 3800 Lapeer
Rd., Port Huron, MI 48060.
• MDOT Region Office, 18101 W.
Nine Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48075.
• MDOT Bureau of Transportation
Planning, 425 Ottawa St., Lansing.
• MDOT Port Huron Transportation
Service Center, 2127 11th Ave., Port
Huron, MI 48060.
• St. Clair County Library, 210
McMorran Blvd., Port Huron, MI 48060.
• St. Clair County Planning Office, St.
Clair County Bldg., 20 Grand River Ave.,
Port Huron, MI 48060.
Copies of the Draft EIS may be
requested from Bob Parsons (Public
Involvement and Hearings Officer) at
the Michigan Department of
Transportation, 425 W. Ottawa Street,
P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909 or
by calling (517) 373–9534.
2. Comments: Send comments on the
Draft EIS to Michigan Department of
Transportation, c/o Bob Parsons (Public
Involvement and Hearings Officer), 425
W. Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050,
Lansing, MI 48909.
3. Public Hearing: The public hearing
will be held at McMorran Place, 701
McMorran Blvd., Port Huron, Michigan
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48060. Two sessions will be held,
Session 1 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and
Session 2 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Persons needing special assistance to
attend and participate in the public
hearing should contact Bob Parsons
(Public Involvement and Hearings
Officer) at (517) 373–9534 as soon as
possible. In order to allow sufficient
time to process requests, please call no
later than one week before the public
hearing. Information regarding this
proposed action is available in
alternative formats upon request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Major Project Manager: Ryan Rizzo,
517–702–1833. Environmental Program
Manager: David T. Williams, 517–702–
1820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed federal action is to expand the
Blue Water Bridge Plaza and improve
the I–94/I–69 corridor. Improvements
are needed on the Blue Water Bridge
Plaza to provide safe, efficient and
secure movement of people and goods
across the Canadian-U.S. border in the
Port Huron area to support the
economies of Michigan, Ontario,
Canada, and the United States and to
support the mobility and security needs
associated with national and civil
defense.
Purpose and Need for the Project: The
selected alternative must provide
additional space for inspection booths,
offices, docks to inspect and unload
cargo, new security measures, and
parking for cars and trucks needing
inspection. The need for additional
space and facilities is supported by
several key issues including:
• Security issues.
• Introduction of new inspection
technologies, procedures, and policies.
• Limited existing space to
accommodate increased number of
border inspection agents.
• Traffic conflicts and crash history.
• Access between the plaza and
adjacent circulatory local roads.
• Traffic growth and traffic backups.
• Existing infrastructure conditions of
the I–94/I–69 corridor.
• Upgrading the International
Welcome Center.
Alternatives Evaluated: The DEIS
evaluates three action alternatives in
addition to a No-Build Alternative: City
East Alternative, City West Alternative
and the Township Alternative.
1. The No-Build Alternative would
not make any changes to the existing
plaza configuration or ramps. MDOT
and CBP would continue to maintain
the existing plaza facilities and new
technology and procedures would be
introduced on the existing plaza
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 18, 2007 / Notices
footprint as space allows. The existing
welcome center would remain in its
current location.
2. The City East Alternative would
require 133 acres for an expanded plaza
and improvements along the I–94/I–69
corridor including the Welcome Center
which includes 67 acres for the plaza.
This alternative would require the
relocation of Pine Grove Avenue to the
east along 10th Avenue and would bring
most of the plaza down to street level.
Pine Grove Avenue would be re-routed
to the east of the existing plaza, between
Hancock Street and Scott Avenue. Pine
Grove Avenue and 10th Avenue would
merge for a joint five-lane road between
Scott Avenue and Elmwood Street. The
City East Alternative uses the block
between Hancock Street and the existing
plaza, west of Pine Grove Avenue for an
expanded truck inspection area. The
Black River Bridge Water Street
Interchange would be rebuilt and the
Lapeer Connector Interchange would be
expanded to include access in all
directions. A new MDOT Welcome
Center would be constructed north of I–
94/I–69 in Port Huron Township,
replacing the existing Welcome Center
at Water Street.
3. The City West Alternative includes
31 acres for an expanded plaza and
improvements along the I–94/I–69
corridor including the Welcome Center
which includes 65 acres for the plaza.
The City West Alternative would
require the relocation of Pine Grove
Avenue to the west of the plaza. The
relocated Pine Grove Avenue would
wrap around the south and west sides
of the new plaza. Near Hancock Street,
the relocated Pine Grove Avenue would
split into separate northbound and
southbound lanes. The northbound
lanes would turn back east and connect
to existing Pine Grove Avenue at
Riverview Street. The southbound lanes
would follow the existing M–25
Connector. The City West Alternative
would use the block bounded by 10th
Avenue, Hancock Street, the M–25
Connector, and the existing plaza for
expanded inspection and plaza
facilities. The City West Alternative
would also rebuild the Black River
Bridge from a four-lane bridge to nine
lanes and reconstruct the Water Street
Interchange. The Lapeer Connector
Interchange would be expanded to
include access in all directions. A new
MDOT Welcome Center would be
constructed north of I–94/I–69 in Port
Huron Township, replacing the existing
Welcome Center at Water Street.
4. The Township Alternative involves
the relocation of major plaza functions
to Port Huron Township, 1.5 miles west
of the current facility, on currently
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undeveloped land. This site also would
include a new MDOT Welcome Center.
Existing I–94/I–69 lanes west of the
plaza and the Blue Water Bridge. The
M–25 Connector would be extended to
provide a local access road parallel to
the existing I–94/I–69 with full access to
Water Street and the Lapeer Connector.
The Black River Bridge in the Township
Alternative would be replaced and
expanded from four lanes to ten lanes.
While the current plaza footprint would
remain the same, local traffic would no
longer be able to exist at the existing
plaza or use Pine Grove Avenue to
access the plaza. Allow inspections
would occur at the new plaza in the
Township. The Township Alternative
would also include traffic related
improvements such as additional lanes
and turn lanes for key local roads
surrounding the existing plaza.
Issued on: September 12, 2007.
James J. Steele,
Division Administrator, Lansing Michigan.
[FR Doc. 07–4611 Filed 9–17–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–M
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement on West 11th
Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Corridor in
the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan
Area, OR
Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) and Lane Transit
District (LTD) intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for potential high-capacity transit
improvements, including possible bus
rapid transit (BRT) improvements, along
the West 11th Avenue Corridor in the
West Eugene area of the EugeneSpringfield metropolitan region. The
project’s purposes are to increase
mobility and improve safety in the
corridor, which runs between Eugene
Station and Green Hill Road. The EIS
will be prepared in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and in compliance with section
6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU). This
Notice alerts interested parties regarding
the plan to prepare the EIS, provides
information on the nature of the
proposed transit project, invites
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53281
participation in the EIS process
(including comments on the scope of
the EIS proposed in this notice), and
announces upcoming scoping meetings.
DATES: Comment due date: Written
comments on the scope of the EIS,
including the purpose and need for
transit improvements in the corridor,
the alternatives to be considered, the
environmental and community impacts
to be evaluated, or any other projectrelated issues should be sent by
November 2, 2007 to Lane Transit
District at the address below.
Scoping meeting dates: The first
public scoping meeting will be held on
October 8 at 3:00 p.m. at the location
described in ADDRESSES below. Oral and
written comments may be given at the
scoping meetings.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be sent to Tom Schwetz, LTD Director
of Planning and Development, at PO
Box 7070, Eugene, OR 97401 (or by email: Tom.Schwetz@ltd.org; or fax: (541)
682–6111). Comments may also be
offered at the public scoping meetings.
The public scoping meetings will be:
The first public scoping meeting will
be: October 8, 2007, 3 to 7 p.m., Elks
Lodge #357, 2740 W. 11th Ave., Eugene,
OR.
There will be at least one additional
public meeting, in January 2008, at a
time and place to be announced.
These meeting places are accessible to
persons with disabilities. Any
individual with a disability who
requires special assistance, such as a
sign language interpreter, should
contact LTD at (541) 682–6100 or by email to Tom.Schwetz@ltd.org at least 48
hours in advance of the meeting. A
scoping information packet will be
available before the meeting on the Lane
Transit Web site (https://www.ltd.org) or
by calling Tom Schwetz, LTD, at (541)
682–6100, and copies will be available
at the public scoping meetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom
Radmilovich, Community Planner,
Federal Transit Administration, Region
10, (206) 220–4463 or
tom.radmilovich@dot.gov. The LTD Web
site, https://www.ltd.org, also has project
information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The proposed project: Known as the
West Eugene EmX Extension (WEEE),
this project consists of transit and safety
improvements from downtown Eugene
to about Green Hill Road. The West 11th
Avenue Corridor, the primary east/west
transit travelshed linking West Eugene
to the Eugene Station, contains several
major employment centers, large
commercial developments, a growing
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53280-53281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4611]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: St. Clair County, Michigan
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of and notice of public hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, the Federal Highway Administration has made available for public
review and comments a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for
the Blue Water Bridge Plaza Study. The DEIS describes and presents the
environmental effects of the three alternatives, the No-Build
Alternative and three Build Alternatives. A public hearing will be held
to receive comments from individuals and organizations on the DEIS.
DATES: Comment and public hearing dates are: 1. October 9, 2007, public
hearing scheduled. 2. November 5, 2007, public comments and due.
The DEIS will be available for a 60-day public review period. Oral
and written comments will be available for public review. All
submissions from organizations or businesses and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses will be made available for public disclosures in their
entirety.
ADDRESSES: 1. Document Availability: The document was made available to
the public on September 10, 2007. Copies of the Draft DEIS are
available for public inspection and review on the project Web site
https://www.michigan.gov/bluewaterbridgeproject and at the following
locations:
Fort Gratiot Township, 3720 Keewahdin Rd., Fort Gratiot.
Port Huron City of, Office of the City Clerk, 10 McMorran
Blvd., Port Huron, MI 48060.
Port Huron Township, 3800 Lapeer Rd., Port Huron, MI
48060.
MDOT Region Office, 18101 W. Nine Mile Rd., Southfield, MI
48075.
MDOT Bureau of Transportation Planning, 425 Ottawa St.,
Lansing.
MDOT Port Huron Transportation Service Center, 2127 11th
Ave., Port Huron, MI 48060.
St. Clair County Library, 210 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron,
MI 48060.
St. Clair County Planning Office, St. Clair County Bldg.,
20 Grand River Ave., Port Huron, MI 48060.
Copies of the Draft EIS may be requested from Bob Parsons (Public
Involvement and Hearings Officer) at the Michigan Department of
Transportation, 425 W. Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909
or by calling (517) 373-9534.
2. Comments: Send comments on the Draft EIS to Michigan Department
of Transportation, c/o Bob Parsons (Public Involvement and Hearings
Officer), 425 W. Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909.
3. Public Hearing: The public hearing will be held at McMorran
Place, 701 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron, Michigan 48060. Two sessions
will be held, Session 1 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Session 2 from
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Persons needing special assistance to attend and
participate in the public hearing should contact Bob Parsons (Public
Involvement and Hearings Officer) at (517) 373-9534 as soon as
possible. In order to allow sufficient time to process requests, please
call no later than one week before the public hearing. Information
regarding this proposed action is available in alternative formats upon
request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Major Project Manager: Ryan Rizzo,
517-702-1833. Environmental Program Manager: David T. Williams, 517-
702-1820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed federal action is to expand the
Blue Water Bridge Plaza and improve the I-94/I-69 corridor.
Improvements are needed on the Blue Water Bridge Plaza to provide safe,
efficient and secure movement of people and goods across the Canadian-
U.S. border in the Port Huron area to support the economies of
Michigan, Ontario, Canada, and the United States and to support the
mobility and security needs associated with national and civil defense.
Purpose and Need for the Project: The selected alternative must
provide additional space for inspection booths, offices, docks to
inspect and unload cargo, new security measures, and parking for cars
and trucks needing inspection. The need for additional space and
facilities is supported by several key issues including:
Security issues.
Introduction of new inspection technologies, procedures,
and policies.
Limited existing space to accommodate increased number of
border inspection agents.
Traffic conflicts and crash history.
Access between the plaza and adjacent circulatory local
roads.
Traffic growth and traffic backups.
Existing infrastructure conditions of the I-94/I-69
corridor.
Upgrading the International Welcome Center.
Alternatives Evaluated: The DEIS evaluates three action
alternatives in addition to a No-Build Alternative: City East
Alternative, City West Alternative and the Township Alternative.
1. The No-Build Alternative would not make any changes to the
existing plaza configuration or ramps. MDOT and CBP would continue to
maintain the existing plaza facilities and new technology and
procedures would be introduced on the existing plaza
[[Page 53281]]
footprint as space allows. The existing welcome center would remain in
its current location.
2. The City East Alternative would require 133 acres for an
expanded plaza and improvements along the I-94/I-69 corridor including
the Welcome Center which includes 67 acres for the plaza. This
alternative would require the relocation of Pine Grove Avenue to the
east along 10th Avenue and would bring most of the plaza down to street
level. Pine Grove Avenue would be re-routed to the east of the existing
plaza, between Hancock Street and Scott Avenue. Pine Grove Avenue and
10th Avenue would merge for a joint five-lane road between Scott Avenue
and Elmwood Street. The City East Alternative uses the block between
Hancock Street and the existing plaza, west of Pine Grove Avenue for an
expanded truck inspection area. The Black River Bridge Water Street
Interchange would be rebuilt and the Lapeer Connector Interchange would
be expanded to include access in all directions. A new MDOT Welcome
Center would be constructed north of I-94/I-69 in Port Huron Township,
replacing the existing Welcome Center at Water Street.
3. The City West Alternative includes 31 acres for an expanded
plaza and improvements along the I-94/I-69 corridor including the
Welcome Center which includes 65 acres for the plaza. The City West
Alternative would require the relocation of Pine Grove Avenue to the
west of the plaza. The relocated Pine Grove Avenue would wrap around
the south and west sides of the new plaza. Near Hancock Street, the
relocated Pine Grove Avenue would split into separate northbound and
southbound lanes. The northbound lanes would turn back east and connect
to existing Pine Grove Avenue at Riverview Street. The southbound lanes
would follow the existing M-25 Connector. The City West Alternative
would use the block bounded by 10th Avenue, Hancock Street, the M-25
Connector, and the existing plaza for expanded inspection and plaza
facilities. The City West Alternative would also rebuild the Black
River Bridge from a four-lane bridge to nine lanes and reconstruct the
Water Street Interchange. The Lapeer Connector Interchange would be
expanded to include access in all directions. A new MDOT Welcome Center
would be constructed north of I-94/I-69 in Port Huron Township,
replacing the existing Welcome Center at Water Street.
4. The Township Alternative involves the relocation of major plaza
functions to Port Huron Township, 1.5 miles west of the current
facility, on currently undeveloped land. This site also would include a
new MDOT Welcome Center. Existing I-94/I-69 lanes west of the plaza and
the Blue Water Bridge. The M-25 Connector would be extended to provide
a local access road parallel to the existing I-94/I-69 with full access
to Water Street and the Lapeer Connector. The Black River Bridge in the
Township Alternative would be replaced and expanded from four lanes to
ten lanes. While the current plaza footprint would remain the same,
local traffic would no longer be able to exist at the existing plaza or
use Pine Grove Avenue to access the plaza. Allow inspections would
occur at the new plaza in the Township. The Township Alternative would
also include traffic related improvements such as additional lanes and
turn lanes for key local roads surrounding the existing plaza.
Issued on: September 12, 2007.
James J. Steele,
Division Administrator, Lansing Michigan.
[FR Doc. 07-4611 Filed 9-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M
