Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next Steps Project, Everglades National Park, 29359-29361 [2010-12476]
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srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 25, 2010 / Notices
date of this Notice. Comments should
refer to the proposal by name /or OMB
approval number and should be sent to:
HUD Desk Officer, Office of
Management and Budget, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503; e-mail:
OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov; fax:
(202) 395–5806.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Leroy McKinney, Reports Management
Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing
and Urban Development, 451 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410;
e-mail: Leroy.MkinneyJR@hud.gov;
telephone (202) 402–5564. This is not a
toll-free number. Copies of available
documents submitted to OMB may be
obtained from Mr. McKinney.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
Notice is soliciting comments from
members of the public and affected
agencies concerning the proposed
collection of information to: (1) Evaluate
whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information; (3) enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to
respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology; e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
This Notice also lists the following
information:
Title of Proposal: Office of
Sustainable Housing and Communities
NOFA Rating Factor Forms.
Description of Information Collection:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2010 (Pub. L. 111–117, approved
December 16, 2009) (Appropriations
Act), made $100 million available for
the Sustainable Communities Regional
Planning Grant Program to support
metropolitan and multijurisdictional
planning efforts that integrate housing,
land use, economic and workforce
development, transportation, and
infrastructure investments in a manner
that empowers jurisdictions to consider
the interdependent challenges of (1)
economic competitiveness and
revitalization; (2) social equity,
inclusion, and access to opportunity; (3)
energy use and climate change; and (4)
public health and environmental
impact.
As part of HUD’s Office of Sustainable
Housing and Communities Notice of
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:11 May 24, 2010
Jkt 220001
Funding Availability (NOFA) we hope
incorporating Rating Factor forms will
achieve the following: (1) Facilitate the
submission of information as part of the
applicant’s grant application; (2) ensure
that the information submitted is
consistent and uniform amongst all
applicants; and (3) facilitate the review
process when applications are being
reviewed, ranked and rated.
OMB Control Number: Pending.
Agency Form Numbers: N/A, the data
will be collected via form.
Members of Affected Public: State,
Local Government and Non-profit
organizations.
Estimation of the total numbers of
hours needed to prepare the information
collection including number of
respondents, frequency of responses,
and hours of responses: The estimated
number of respondents is 300 and the
number of responses is 1. There will be,
in total, approximately 300 responses.
The total reporting burden is 600 hours.
Status of the Proposed Information
Collection: New collection of
information for Sustainable
Communities Regional Planning Grant
Program applicants.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.
Dated: May 19, 2010.
Leroy McKinney, Jr.,
Departmental Reports Management Officer,
Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010–12572 Filed 5–24–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary
Invasive Species Advisory Committee
Office of the Secretary, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings of the
Invasive Species Advisory Committee.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of
the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
notice is hereby given of meetings of the
Invasive Species Advisory Committee
(ISAC). Comprised of 30 nonfederal
invasive species experts and
stakeholders from across the nation, the
purpose of the Advisory Committee is to
provide advice to the National Invasive
Species Council, as authorized by
Executive Order 13112, on a broad array
of issues related to preventing the
introduction of invasive species and
providing for their control and
minimizing the economic, ecological,
and human health impacts that invasive
species cause. The Council is co-chaired
by the Secretary of the Interior, the
Secretary of Agriculture, and the
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29359
Secretary of Commerce. The duty of the
Council is to provide national
leadership regarding invasive species
issues.
Purpose of Meeting: The meeting will
be held on June 22–24, 2010 in San
Francisco, California, and will focus
primarily on aquatic invaders. The Bay
Area was chosen as the meeting location
because it is one of the most invaded
marine/coastal environments in the
world, with over 50 invasive species
that threaten the Bay’s vibrant economy.
ISAC will provide recommendations to
the Council concerning both the unique
challenges faced by the Bay Area, and
broader challenges faced by NISC
agencies elsewhere in the nation. ISAC
will also address the complex
relationship between climate change
and invasive species, opportunities for
green jobs creation within invasive
species efforts, ballast water related
issues, and the development of state
invasive species councils.
DATES: Meeting of the Invasive Species
Advisory Committee: Tuesday, June 22,
2010 and Thursday, June 24, 2010;
beginning at approximately 8 a.m., and
ending at approximately 5 p.m. each
day. Members will be participating in an
off-site field tour on Wednesday, June
23, 2010.
ADDRESSES: The Argonaut Hotel, 495
Jefferson Street at Hyde, San Francisco,
California 94109–1314. The general
session on June 22, 2010 and June 24,
2010 will be held in the Golden Gate
Ballroom.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelsey Brantley, National Invasive
Species Council Program Analyst and
ISAC Coordinator, (202) 513–7243; Fax:
(202) 371–1751.
Dated: May 17, 2010.
Lori Williams,
Executive Director, National Invasive Species
Council.
[FR Doc. 2010–12581 Filed 5–24–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–RK–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Tamiami Trail Modifications:
Next Steps Project, Everglades
National Park
Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next
Steps Project, Draft Environmental
Impact Statement, Everglades National
Park, Florida. The Notice of Intent (NOI)
for this project referred to it as a
‘‘Feasibility Study and Report’’ based on
language in the authorizing legislation.
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
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29360
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 25, 2010 / Notices
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
This new appellation was a result of
public scoping and internal National
Park Service discussions.
AGENCY: National Park Service,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Tamiami Trail Modifications:
Next Steps Project, Everglades National
Park.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and
National Park Service (NPS) policy in
Director’s Order Number 2 (Park
Planning) and Director’s Order Number
12 (Conservation Planning,
Environmental Impact Analysis, and
Decision-making), the NPS announces
the availability of a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for the
Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41)
Modifications: Next Steps Project for
Everglades National Park, Florida.
The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations
Act, H.R. 1105: Omnibus
Appropriations Act of 2009 (Pub. L.
111–008, dated March 11, 2009)
directed the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) to construct
modifications to U.S. Highway 41
(Tamiami Trail) that were approved in
the 2008 Limited Reevaluation Report
and Environmental Assessment. The
2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act also
directed the Department of the Interior’s
National Park Service to ‘‘immediately
evaluate the feasibility of additional
bridge length, beyond that to be
constructed pursuant to the Modified
Water Deliveries to Everglades National
Park Project (16 U.S.C. 410r–8),
including a continuous bridge, or
additional bridges or some combination
thereof, for the Tamiami Trail to restore
more natural water flow to Everglades
National Park (ENP) and Florida Bay
and for the purpose of restoring habitat
within the Park and the ecological
connectivity between the Park and the
Water Conservation Areas’’ (2009
Omnibus Appropriations Act, Pub. L.
111–008).
DATES: There will be a 60-day comment
period beginning with the
Environmental Protection Agency’s
publication of its Notice of Availability
in the Federal Register. Public
meeting(s) will be held during the
review period. The date, time, and
location of the public meeting(s) will be
announced through the NPS Planning,
Environment, and Public Comment
(PEPC) Web site https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/ever, a news
release, and/or a mailed announcement
to be released in May 2010.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:11 May 24, 2010
Jkt 220001
The document will be
available for public review and
comment online at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/ever. CDs and
hard copies are available at Park
headquarters. You may also request a
hard copy or CD by contacting
Everglades National Park, 40001 State
Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034–6733;
telephone 305–242–7700.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public
scoping was initiated in the summer of
2009. A newsletter was distributed on
May 31, 2009, and a public meeting was
held on June 2, 2009, to keep the public
informed and involved throughout the
planning process. As the lead agency,
the NPS conducted several inter-agency/
Tribal meetings and one workshop to
develop project objectives, identify
alternatives, evaluate the benefits of
alternatives, and identify a preferred
alternative. The DEIS provides historical
information, existing conditions,
alternatives for infrastructure
modifications, and related impacts of
the alternatives. The DEIS describes six
alternatives for consideration, including
a no-action alternative that provides for
the continuation of the current Tamiami
Trail infrastructure configuration. The
five action alternatives present a range
of infrastructure modification
opportunities. The environmental
impacts of each alternative, including
the no-action alternative, are
systematically analyzed in the
document.
The six alternatives (with
corresponding identifiers) as they
appear in the document are as follows:
• No Action Alternative: The NoAction Alternative consists of a 1-mile
eastern bridge and elevation of the
remaining roadway to allow for 8.5 feet
stages in the L–29 Canal. This
alternative continues the status quo.
• Alternative 1: 2.2 miles of bridges
and remaining roadway elevated:
Alternative 1 would involve creating
conveyance openings through Tamiami
Trail by removing 2.2 miles of the
existing highway and embankment.
Four bridges (or ConSpan) would be
constructed in the openings to replace
the removed section of road and
maintain vehicle traffic across the
openings. This alternative would create
2.2 miles of ecological connectivity and
better distribute flows in the western
area of the 11 mile project corridor.
• Alternative 2a: 3.3 miles of bridges
and remaining roadway elevated:
Alternative 2a would involve creating
conveyance openings through Tamiami
Trail by removing 3.3 miles of the
existing highway and embankment. Six
bridges would be constructed in the
ADDRESSES:
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openings to replace the removed section
of road and maintain vehicle traffic
across the openings. This alternative
would create 3.3 miles of ecological
connectivity and moderately reduce the
adverse effects of high velocity
discharges associated with the existing
culverts.
• Alternative 4: 1.0 miles of bridging
and remaining roadway elevated:
Alternative 4 would involve creating
conveyance openings through Tamiami
Trail by removing 1.0 mile of the
existing highway and embankment
where the bridging is proposed. This
alternative would increase ecological
connectivity by 1.0 mile.
• Alternative 5: 1.5 miles of bridging
and remaining roadway elevated:
Alternative 5 would involve creating
conveyance openings through Tamiami
Trail by removing 1.5 miles of the
existing highway and embankment.
Three bridges would be constructed in
the opening to replace the removed
section of road and maintain vehicle
traffic. This alternative would increase
ecological connectivity by 1.5 miles.
• Alternative 6E: 5.5 miles of bridging
and remaining roadway elevated.
Alternative 6E is the maximum bridging
option and involves creating
conveyance openings through Tamiami
Trail by removing 5.5 miles of the
existing highway and embankment.
Four bridges would be constructed in
the opening to replace the removed
section of road and maintain vehicle
traffic. This alternative would increase
ecological connectivity by 5.5 miles,
reduce flow velocities below the 0.10
fps threshold that causes harm to
marshes, and substantially restore the
flow patterns associated with a healthy
ridge and slough landscape in Northeast
Shark River Slough.
• Common to all action alternatives:
The remaining highway embankments
along stretches of the road that are not
bridged would be reconstructed to raise
the crown elevation to 12.3 feet, the
minimum required based on the design
high water of 9.7 feet and the roadway
cross section geometry.
Preferred Alternative: Alternative 6E
was determined to be the preferred
alternative by the NPS and the U.S.
Department of the Interior.
If you wish to comment on the DEIS
for the Tamiami Trail Modifications:
Next Steps Project, you may submit
your comments by any one of several
methods. The preferred method for
submitting comments is via the Internet
at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ever. If
you do not receive a confirmation from
the system that we have received your
internet message, please contact us
directly at the address above. You may
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
25MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 25, 2010 / Notices
also mail comments to the Park at the
address shown above. Finally, you may
present your comments in person at the
public meeting(s) to be held during the
public review period or at the address
listed above.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so. We will always make
submissions from organizations or
businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as
representatives of or officials or
organizations or businesses, available
for public inspection in their entirety.
Authority: The authority for publishing
this notice is 40 CFR 1506.6.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Contact Everglades National Park at the
address and telephone number shown
above.
The responsible official for this Draft
EIS is the Regional Director, Southeast
Region, NPS, 100 Alabama Street, SW.,
1924 Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.
Dated: March 31, 2010.
David Vela,
Regional Director, Southeast Region, National
Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–12476 Filed 5–24–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–70–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOS06000–L91310000–EI0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Competitive Geothermal
Lease Sale, Gunnison County, CO and
Land Use Plan Amendment
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
18:11 May 24, 2010
Jkt 220001
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EA and RMP
amendment. Comments on issues may
be submitted in writing until June 24,
2010. A joint public scoping meeting
was held by the BLM and the U.S.
Forest Service (FS) in Gunnison,
Colorado on March 11, 2010. The date(s)
and location(s) of any additional
scoping meetings will be announced at
least 15 days in advance through local
media, newspapers and the following
BLM Web site: https://www.blm.gov/co/
st/en/fo/gfo.html. In order to be
included in the EA, all comments must
be received prior to the close of the
scoping period or 30 days after the last
public meeting, whichever is later. The
BLM will provide additional
opportunities for public participation
upon publication of the EA.
You may submit comments
on issues and planning criteria related
to Competitive Geothermal Lease
Nomination, Gunnison County by any of
the following methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/co/st/
en/fo/gfo.html.
• E-mail: Marnie_Medina@blm.gov.
• Fax: (970) 642–4425.
• Mail: BLM, Gunnison Field Office,
216 N. Colorado St., Gunnison,
Colorado 81230.
ADDRESSES:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Gunnison Field Office, Gunnison,
Colorado intends to prepare an
Environmental Assessment (EA) to
consider whether, and under what
conditions, to issue geothermal leases
VerDate Mar<15>2010
under pending nominations, which may
include an amendment to the Gunnison
Resource Area Approved Resource
Management Plan (RMP) of February
1993, as amended by the RMP
Amendments for Geothermal Leasing in
the Western United States (2008). While
the area nominated for geothermal
leasing is allocated as open to
consideration for geothermal leasing
under the amended Plan, and the
proposed level of development
contemplated in the amended Plan will
not be exceeded by issuance of the
proposed leases, the Reasonably
Foreseeable Development scenario for
the resource area has been refined and
updated since that time, and additional
stipulations to protect other resources
and uses may be developed through this
process and adopted into the Plan. The
BLM proposes to amend the existing
Gunnison Resource Area RMP using the
NEPA analysis to support its decision.
Review of the RMP is necessary due to
recently updated information regarding
the presence of Gunnison sage-grouse
and Canada lynx habitat that was not
analyzed in the existing RMP. The BLM,
by this notice, is announcing the
beginning of the scoping process to
solicit public comments and identify
issues.
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29361
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the Gunnison Field
Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information and/or to have your
name added to our mailing list, contact
Marnie Medina, Realty Specialist,
telephone (970) 642–4457; address 216
N. Colorado St., Gunnison, Colorado
81230; e-mail Marnie_Medina@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
has received two block nominations of
lands for competitive geothermal
leasing. One block includes
approximately 4,586 acres of public
lands and 400 acres of split estate lands,
i.e., private surface overlying the
Federal mineral estate. The second
block includes approximately 3,765
acres of FS lands. The proposed lease of
that block will be included in the study
area for BLM’s EA, but also will be
analyzed by the FS in a separate
environmental analysis. The FS will use
its own NEPA process to decide
whether, and under what conditions, to
consent to the issuance of geothermal
leases on its lands. In addition, the
Colorado State Land Board has received
an application for a geothermal lease on
State lands adjacent to some of the
nominated FS lands. The nominated
lands are located in southeastern
Gunnison County, north of Highway 50,
in the general vicinity of Tomichi Dome
east of Gunnison, Colorado. While the
BLM lands at issue are currently open
to geothermal leasing, current RMPlevel use restrictions and stipulations
designed to protect other resources, in
particular Gunnison sage-grouse (a BLM
special status species) and Canada lynx
(recently listed under the Endangered
Species Act), may not be adequate or
have not been formally adopted into the
RMP. The nominated BLM lands are
within occupied sage-grouse habitat and
include about 200 acres of potential
lynx habitat. The decision to be made is
whether to offer the lands in the study
area for geothermal lease, and if so, to
identify the constraints, major and
minor, under which geothermal leasing
and development could occur. The
planning level decisions could include,
among other things, development of
adequate protective measures for
cultural resources, sage-grouse, and
lynx, and other resources, which may
involve some minor resource-specific
land use plan amendments. Individual
lease issuance decisions for the
nominated lands will be made based on
this NEPA process. A geothermal lease
provides a non-exclusive right to future
exploration and an exclusive right to
produce and use the geothermal
resources within the lease area, subject
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29359-29361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12476]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Tamiami Trail
Modifications: Next Steps Project, Everglades National Park
Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next Steps Project, Draft
Environmental Impact Statement, Everglades National Park, Florida. The
Notice of Intent (NOI) for this project referred to it as a
``Feasibility Study and Report'' based on language in the authorizing
legislation.
[[Page 29360]]
This new appellation was a result of public scoping and internal
National Park Service discussions.
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next Steps Project,
Everglades National Park.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's
Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12
(Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-
making), the NPS announces the availability of a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41)
Modifications: Next Steps Project for Everglades National Park,
Florida.
The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, H.R. 1105: Omnibus
Appropriations Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-008, dated March 11, 2009)
directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to construct
modifications to U.S. Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) that were approved in
the 2008 Limited Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment. The
2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act also directed the Department of the
Interior's National Park Service to ``immediately evaluate the
feasibility of additional bridge length, beyond that to be constructed
pursuant to the Modified Water Deliveries to Everglades National Park
Project (16 U.S.C. 410r-8), including a continuous bridge, or
additional bridges or some combination thereof, for the Tamiami Trail
to restore more natural water flow to Everglades National Park (ENP)
and Florida Bay and for the purpose of restoring habitat within the
Park and the ecological connectivity between the Park and the Water
Conservation Areas'' (2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Pub. L. 111-
008).
DATES: There will be a 60-day comment period beginning with the
Environmental Protection Agency's publication of its Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register. Public meeting(s) will be held
during the review period. The date, time, and location of the public
meeting(s) will be announced through the NPS Planning, Environment, and
Public Comment (PEPC) Web site https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ever, a news
release, and/or a mailed announcement to be released in May 2010.
ADDRESSES: The document will be available for public review and comment
online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ever. CDs and hard copies are
available at Park headquarters. You may also request a hard copy or CD
by contacting Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336,
Homestead, FL 33034-6733; telephone 305-242-7700.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping was initiated in the summer
of 2009. A newsletter was distributed on May 31, 2009, and a public
meeting was held on June 2, 2009, to keep the public informed and
involved throughout the planning process. As the lead agency, the NPS
conducted several inter-agency/Tribal meetings and one workshop to
develop project objectives, identify alternatives, evaluate the
benefits of alternatives, and identify a preferred alternative. The
DEIS provides historical information, existing conditions, alternatives
for infrastructure modifications, and related impacts of the
alternatives. The DEIS describes six alternatives for consideration,
including a no-action alternative that provides for the continuation of
the current Tamiami Trail infrastructure configuration. The five action
alternatives present a range of infrastructure modification
opportunities. The environmental impacts of each alternative, including
the no-action alternative, are systematically analyzed in the document.
The six alternatives (with corresponding identifiers) as they
appear in the document are as follows:
No Action Alternative: The No-Action Alternative consists
of a 1-mile eastern bridge and elevation of the remaining roadway to
allow for 8.5 feet stages in the L-29 Canal. This alternative continues
the status quo.
Alternative 1: 2.2 miles of bridges and remaining roadway
elevated: Alternative 1 would involve creating conveyance openings
through Tamiami Trail by removing 2.2 miles of the existing highway and
embankment. Four bridges (or ConSpan) would be constructed in the
openings to replace the removed section of road and maintain vehicle
traffic across the openings. This alternative would create 2.2 miles of
ecological connectivity and better distribute flows in the western area
of the 11 mile project corridor.
Alternative 2a: 3.3 miles of bridges and remaining roadway
elevated: Alternative 2a would involve creating conveyance openings
through Tamiami Trail by removing 3.3 miles of the existing highway and
embankment. Six bridges would be constructed in the openings to replace
the removed section of road and maintain vehicle traffic across the
openings. This alternative would create 3.3 miles of ecological
connectivity and moderately reduce the adverse effects of high velocity
discharges associated with the existing culverts.
Alternative 4: 1.0 miles of bridging and remaining roadway
elevated: Alternative 4 would involve creating conveyance openings
through Tamiami Trail by removing 1.0 mile of the existing highway and
embankment where the bridging is proposed. This alternative would
increase ecological connectivity by 1.0 mile.
Alternative 5: 1.5 miles of bridging and remaining roadway
elevated: Alternative 5 would involve creating conveyance openings
through Tamiami Trail by removing 1.5 miles of the existing highway and
embankment. Three bridges would be constructed in the opening to
replace the removed section of road and maintain vehicle traffic. This
alternative would increase ecological connectivity by 1.5 miles.
Alternative 6E: 5.5 miles of bridging and remaining
roadway elevated. Alternative 6E is the maximum bridging option and
involves creating conveyance openings through Tamiami Trail by removing
5.5 miles of the existing highway and embankment. Four bridges would be
constructed in the opening to replace the removed section of road and
maintain vehicle traffic. This alternative would increase ecological
connectivity by 5.5 miles, reduce flow velocities below the 0.10 fps
threshold that causes harm to marshes, and substantially restore the
flow patterns associated with a healthy ridge and slough landscape in
Northeast Shark River Slough.
Common to all action alternatives: The remaining highway
embankments along stretches of the road that are not bridged would be
reconstructed to raise the crown elevation to 12.3 feet, the minimum
required based on the design high water of 9.7 feet and the roadway
cross section geometry.
Preferred Alternative: Alternative 6E was determined to be the
preferred alternative by the NPS and the U.S. Department of the
Interior.
If you wish to comment on the DEIS for the Tamiami Trail
Modifications: Next Steps Project, you may submit your comments by any
one of several methods. The preferred method for submitting comments is
via the Internet at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ever. If you do not
receive a confirmation from the system that we have received your
internet message, please contact us directly at the address above. You
may
[[Page 29361]]
also mail comments to the Park at the address shown above. Finally, you
may present your comments in person at the public meeting(s) to be held
during the public review period or at the address listed above.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so. We will always make submissions from organizations or
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives of or officials or organizations or businesses,
available for public inspection in their entirety.
Authority: The authority for publishing this notice is 40 CFR
1506.6.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Everglades National Park at
the address and telephone number shown above.
The responsible official for this Draft EIS is the Regional
Director, Southeast Region, NPS, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 1924
Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.
Dated: March 31, 2010.
David Vela,
Regional Director, Southeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-12476 Filed 5-24-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P
