Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in Indiana, 68197-68199 [2012-27617]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 221 / Thursday, November 15, 2012 / Notices
Liberty International Airport (EWR).
This action also declines to grant a
waiver of the requirement to use slots at
Reagan Washington National Airport.
This waiver is effective from October 28,
2012 through November 2, 2012.
DATES: Effective November 15, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Hawks, Office of the Chief
Counsel, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591;
telephone: (202) 267–7143; email:
rob.hawks@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Background
On October 29, 2012, Hurricane
Sandy made landfall in southern New
Jersey. Combined with another weather
front, Hurricane Sandy transitioned to
an extratropical storm that caused
widespread power outages, severe
flooding, and severe disruption of
transportation systems in the
northeastern and mid-Atlantic United
States. This disruption included airport
closures and mass cancellation of
scheduled flights.
The degree of disruption and
cancellations varied by airport across
the region, and flight disruptions
occurred at slot-controlled and non-slotcontrolled airports. JFK and EWR were
effectively closed on October 29 and 30
and had limited operational capacity on
October 31. LGA was effectively closed
from October 29 through October 31 and
had limited operational capacity on
November 1. DCA was effectively closed
on October 29 and 30 and had reduced
operational capacity on October 31.
Recovery of normal operations took
several days after the storm.
FAA Analysis
Under the FAA’s High Density Rule at
DCA and Orders limiting operations at
LGA, JFK, and EWR, slots must be used
at least 80 percent of the time. These
rules are expected to accommodate
routine weather and other cancellations
under all but the most unusual
circumstances. Slots not meeting the
minimum usage requirement will be
withdrawn or not receive historic
precedence for the following scheduling
season, depending on the airport.1 The
FAA may grant a waiver from the
minimum usage requirement in highly
unusual and unpredictable conditions
that are beyond the control of the carrier
and affect carrier operations for a period
of five or more consecutive days (for
LGA, JFK, and EWR) or of nine or more
1 14 CFR 93.227 (DCA); 74 FR 51648 (Oct. 7,
2009) (EWR); 74 FR 51650 (Oct. 7, 2009) (JFK); 77
FR 30585 (May 23, 2012) (LGA).
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consecutive days (for DCA). However,
the FAA does not routinely grant
general waivers to the usage
requirement except under the most
unusual circumstances.
The FAA has granted waivers of the
slot usage requirement in circumstances
similar to those of Hurricane Sandy. The
FAA generally considers the days of the
weather event as well as a couple
additional days to resume normal
operations. For example, in February
2010, the FAA granted a general waiver
because unusual snowstorms closed
slot-controlled airports for multiple
days and also caused mass cancellations
resulting from reduced airport capacity.
For LGA, JFK, and EWR, the FAA has
determined the unusual circumstances
created by Hurricane Sandy meet the
criteria for a limited waiver of the
minimum slot usage requirement.
Accordingly, the FAA will treat as used
any slot or Operating Authorization
held by a carrier from October 28
through November 2, 2012.
For DCA, the FAA has determined
that overall operational disruption did
not last for the required nine or more
consecutive days. Operational data
show normal operations largely had
resumed by November 1, 2012.
Although the FAA has determined
that a general waiver of the usage
requirement is inappropriate for DCA, it
acknowledges that some carriers operate
flights between DCA and airports in the
NYC area or northeastern U.S. affected
by the storm. These circumstances may
have created a unique hardship for
those carriers justifying waiver relief. To
assess that hardship and determine
whether relief is warranted, the FAA
requests that affected carriers submit an
individual request for limited waiver.
However, a carrier must demonstrate
operational disruptions of scheduled
flights that lasted nine or more
consecutive days to be eligible for
waiver relief.
FAA Decision
In consideration of the foregoing, the
FAA GRANTS a limited waiver of the
usage requirement for LGA, JFK, and
EWR for the period from October 28
through November 2, 2012.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 7,
2012.
Rebecca B. MacPherson,
Assistant Chief Counsel for International Law,
Legislation, and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2012–27844 Filed 11–14–12; 8:45 am]
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68197
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions
on Proposed Highway in Indiana
Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Limitation on Claims
for Judicial Review of Actions by FHWA
and United States Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), DoD.
AGENCY:
This notice announces actions
taken by the FHWA and the USACE that
are final within the meaning of 23
U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to
proposed highway projects for a 26.7
mile segment of I–69 in the Counties of
Greene and Monroe, State of Indiana,
and 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(l)(1) and
are final within the meaning of that law.
A claim seeking judicial review of those
Federal agency actions that are covered
by this notice will be barred unless the
claim is filed on or before April 14,
2013. If the Federal law that authorizes
judicial review of a claim provides a
time period of less than 150 days for
filing such claim, then the shorter time
period applies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
the FHWA: Ms. Michelle Allen, Federal
Highway Administration, Indiana
Division, 575 North Pennsylvania
Street, Room 254, Indianapolis, IN
46204–1576; telephone: (317) 226–7344;
email: Michelle.Allen@dot.gov. The
FHWA Indiana Division Office’s normal
business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
e.t. For the USACE: Mr. Greg Mckay,
Chief, North Section Regulatory Branch,
Louisville District, United States Army
Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 59,
Louisville, KY 40201–0059; telephone:
(502) 315–6685; email:
gregory.a.mckay@usace.army.mil.
Normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5
p.m., e.t. You may also contact Mr.
Thomas Seeman, Project Manager,
Indiana Department of Transportation
(INDOT), 100 North Senate Avenue,
Indianapolis, IN 46204; telephone: (317)
232–5336; email:
TSeeman@indot.IN.gov. Normal
business hours for the Indiana
Department of Transportation are: 8 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., e.t.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that the FHWA and other
Federal agencies have taken final agency
actions by issuing licenses, permits, and
approvals for the highway project in the
State of Indiana listed below. The
SUMMARY:
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68198
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 221 / Thursday, November 15, 2012 / Notices
actions by the Federal agencies on the
project, and the laws under which such
actions were taken, are described in the
Record of Decision (ROD), Reevaluation
Documents to the final environmental
impact statements (FEIS) issued in
connection with the project, Section 404
Discharge of Dredged or Fill Material
Permit, and in other documents in the
FHWA administrative record for the
project. The ROD and other documents
from the FHWA administrative record
files for the listed project are available
by contacting the FHWA or the Indiana
Department of Transportation (INDOT)
at the addresses provided above. Project
information may also be available
through the INDOT I–69 Project Web
site at https://www.i69indyevn.org/.
People unable to access the Web site
may contact FHWA or INDOT at the
addresses listed above. This notice
applies to all Federal agency decisions
on the listed project as of the issuance
date of this notice and all laws under
which such actions were taken,
including but not limited to: 1. National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42
U.S.C. 4321–4351]. 2. Endangered
Species Act [16 U.S.C. 1531–1544]. 3.
Federal-Aid Highway Act [23 U.S.C. 109
and 23 U.S.C. 128]. 4. Clean Air Act, 42
U.S.C. 7401–7671(q). 5. Section 4(f) of
the Department of Transportation Act of
1966 [49 U.S.C. 303]. 6. Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966, as amended [16 U.S.C. 470(f) et
seq.]. 7. Bald and Golden Eagle
Protection Act [16 U.S.C. 688–688d]. 8.
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251–1377
(Section 404, Section 402, Section 401,
Section 319). Previous actions taken by
the USFWS for the Tier 1, I–69 project,
pursuant to the Endangered Species Act,
16 U.S.C. 1531–1544, included its
concurrence with the FHWA’s
determination that the I–69 project was
not likely to adversely affect the eastern
fanshell mussel (Cyprogenia stegaria)
and that the project was likely to
adversely affect, but not jeopardize, the
bald eagle. The USFWS also concluded
that the project was not likely to
jeopardize the continued existence of
the Indiana bat and was not likely to
adversely modify the bat’s designated
Critical Habitat. These USFWS
decisions were described in the
Programmatic Biological Opinion issued
on December 3, 2003, the Revised
Programmatic Biological Opinion issued
on August 24, 2006, and other
documents in the Tier 1 project records.
A Notice of Limitation on Claims for
Judicial Review of these actions and
decisions by the USFWS, DOI, was
published in the Federal Register on
April 17, 2007. The USFWS affirmed its
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decisions in the Amendment to the
Revised Programmatic Biological
Opinion issued on May 25, 2011. A
Notice of Limitation on Claims for
Judicial Review of these actions and
decisions by the USFWS, DOI, was
published in the Federal Register on
July 20, 2011. A claim seeking judicial
review of the Amendment to the
Revised Programmatic Biological
Opinion must have been filed by
January 17, 2012, to avoid being barred
under 23 U.S.C. 139(l).
The project subject to this notice is
Section 4 of the I–69 highway project
from Evansville to Indianapolis, which
extends from U.S. 231 (near Crane Naval
Surface Warfare Center) to near the
intersection of State Road 37 and Victor
Pike Road. Notice is hereby given that,
subsequent to the earlier FHWA notice,
the FHWA has taken final agency
actions within the meaning of 23 U.S.C.
139(l)(1) by approving five (5)
Reevaluations of the Tier 2, Section 4
Record of Decision issued on September
8, 2011. Section 4 of the I–69 project
extends from U.S. 231 just north of the
Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center to
S.R. 37 south of the City of
Bloomington. Section 4 is a new
alignment, fully access-controlled
highway. As approved in the Tier 1
ROD, the corridor is generally 2000-feet
wide. The ROD selected Refined
Preferred Alternative 2 for Section 4, as
described in the I–69 Evansville to
Indianapolis, Indiana, Tier 2 Final
Environmental Impact Statement, Crane
NSWC to Bloomington, Indiana (FEIS),
available at https://www.i69indyevn.org/
section-4-feis. The ROD also approved
the locations of the interchanges, grade
separations, and access roads (which
include new roads, road relocations,
and realignments). On September 29,
2011, the FHWA published a ‘‘Notice of
Limitation on Claims for Judicial
Review of Actions by FHWA and United
States Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS), DOI’’ in the Federal Register
at (76 FR 60583–01) for the Section 4,
26.7 mile segment of I–69 in the
Counties of Greene and Monroe. A
claim seeking judicial review of the Tier
2, Section 4 decisions must have been
filed by March 27, 2012, to avoid being
barred under 23 U.S.C. 139(l). The five
(5) Reevaluations of the Tier 2, Section
4 ROD include: (1) The November 4,
2011 Reevaluation, which was prepared
to evaluate the impacts of additional
temporary right-of-way areas (including
temporary right-of-way required to
accommodate demolition activities for
building removal) made necessary based
on final design that were not analyzed
in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS
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(approved July 13, 2011); (2) the June
12, 2012 Reevaluation, which was
prepared to evaluate the effects of
additional right-of-way and
improvements (including right-of-way
required to decrease bank slopes in an
area of inadequate soil conditions) made
necessary based on final design that
were not analyzed in the Tier 2 Section
4 ROD or FEIS (approved July 13, 2011);
(3) the July 11, 2012 Reevaluation,
which was prepared to evaluate the
impacts of additional right-of-way areas
(including temporary right-of-way
required to accommodate demolition
activities for building removal and
filling the remaining portion of an
impacted pond) made necessary based
on final design that were not analyzed
in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS
(approved July 13, 2011); (4) the July 31,
2012 Reevaluation, which was prepared
to evaluate the impacts of additional
right-of-way areas (including temporary
right-of-way required to accommodate
demolition activities for building
removal, temporary right-of-way
required for construction of a private
drive, and permanent right-of-way
required for construction of a cul de
sac.) made necessary based on final
design that were not analyzed in the
Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS (approved
July 13, 2011); and (5) the October 11,
2012 Reevaluation, which was prepared
to evaluate the impacts of additional
right-of-way areas (including temporary
right-of-way and permanent right-ofway required for construction a
modified interchange) made necessary
based on final design that was not
analyzed in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or
FEIS (approved July 13, 2011). The
analysis in each of the Reevaluations
supports the FHWA’s conclusions that
none of the changes examined will have
impacts sufficient to require preparation
of a Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (SEIS) or an
additional Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for Section 4, and
therefore that the Tier 2 Section 4 FEIS
and ROD remain valid. The detailed
analysis of the reevaluation documents
along with the federal decision of
minimal impact can be found on the
project Web site at https://
www.i69indyevn.org/reevaluationdocuments/.
In addition, notice is hereby given
that, subsequent to the earlier FHWA
notice, the USACE has taken final
agency actions within the meaning of 23
U.S.C. 139(l)(1) by issuing permits and
approvals for the highway project. The
actions by the USACE, related final
actions by other Federal agencies, and
the laws under which such actions were
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 221 / Thursday, November 15, 2012 / Notices
TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
taken, are described in the USACE
decisions and its project records,
referenced as Department of the Army
(DA) Permit, Number LRL–2011–0041–
djd. That information is available by
contacting the USACE at the address
provided above.
On September 22, 2011, INDOT filed
an application with the USACE for
authorization under Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1344, to
construct the 26.7 mile Section 4 I–69
project. On October 1, 2012, the USACE
took final action in issuing the
Department of the Army (DA) Permit for
the Section 4 I–69 project, Number
LRL–2011–0041–djd, as described in the
USACE decision and its administrative
record for the project. As part of the
Section 4 project, which begins at the
northern terminus of the Section 3
project in Greene County and terminates
at S.R. 37 and Victor Pike Road in
Monroe County, there are 18 crossings
of water resources requiring individual
permits from the USACE, including
streams, open water and emergent,
scrub-shrub and forested wetlands.
Subject to the permit conditions, INDOT
is permitted to discharge 34,154 cubic
yards of fill material below the Ordinary
Highway Water Mark of 88,462 linear
feet of stream channels, and to discharge
190,215 cubic yards of fill material into
9.42 acres of open water and emergent,
scrub-shrub, and forested wetlands in
constructing these 18 crossings.
The actions by the Federal agencies
on the project, and the laws under
which such actions were taken, are
described in the Reevaluation
documents, the Department of the Army
(DA) Permit (LRL–2011–0041–djd), and
in other documents in the FHWA
administrative record for the project.
The ROD and other documents from the
FHWA administrative record files for
the Section 4 projects are available by
contacting FHWA, USACE or INDOT at
the addresses provided above. Project
information may also be available
through the INDOT I–69 Project Web
site at https://www.i69indyevn.org/.
(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.)
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1)
Richard Marquis,
Acting Division Administrator, Indianapolis,
Indiana.
[FR Doc. 2012–27617 Filed 11–14–12; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA–1998–3637; FMCSA–
2000–7006; FMCSA–2000–7165; FMCSA–
2000–8203; FMCSA–2002–12294; FMCSA–
2004–17984; FMCSA–2004–18885; FMCSA–
2008–0266]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption
Applications; Vision
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of renewal of
exemptions; request for comments.
AGENCY:
FMCSA announces its
decision to renew the exemptions from
the vision requirement in the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 11
individuals. FMCSA has statutory
authority to exempt individuals from
the vision requirement if the
exemptions granted will not
compromise safety. The Agency has
concluded that granting these
exemption renewals will provide a level
of safety that is equivalent to or greater
than the level of safety maintained
without the exemptions for these
commercial motor vehicle (CMV)
drivers.
SUMMARY:
This decision is effective
November 9, 2012. Comments must be
received on or before December 17,
2012.
DATES:
You may submit comments
bearing the Federal Docket Management
System (FDMS) numbers: Docket No.
[FMCSA–1998–3637; 2000–7006;
FMCSA–2000–7165; FMCSA–2000–
8203; FMCSA–2002–12294; FMCSA–
2004–17984; FMCSA–2004–18885;
FMCSA–2008–0266], using any of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility;
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590–0001.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal Holidays.
• Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
Instructions: Each submission must
include the Agency name and the
docket number for this notice. Note that
DOT posts all comments received
without change to https://
ADDRESSES:
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68199
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information included in a
comment. Please see the Privacy Act
heading below.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments, go to https://
www.regulations.gov at any time or
Room W12–140 on the ground level of
the West Building, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. The
Federal Docket Management System
(FDMS) is available 24 hours each day,
365 days each year. If you want
acknowledgment that we received your
comments, please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope or
postcard or print the acknowledgement
page that appears after submitting
comments on-line.
Privacy Act: Anyone may search the
electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or of the person signing the
comment, if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review DOT’s Privacy Act
Statement for the FDMS published in
the Federal Register on January 17,
2008 (73 FR 3316), or you may visit
https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/
E8-785.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elaine M. Papp, Chief, Medical
Programs Division, 202–366–4001,
fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA,
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W64–
224, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315,
FMCSA may renew an exemption from
the vision requirements in 49 CFR
391.41(b)(10), which applies to drivers
of CMVs in interstate commerce, for a
two-year period if it finds ‘‘such
exemption would likely achieve a level
of safety that is equivalent to or greater
than the level that would be achieved
absent such exemption.’’ The
procedures for requesting an exemption
(including renewals) are set out in 49
CFR part 381.
Exemption Decision
This notice addresses 11 individuals
who have requested renewal of their
exemptions in accordance with FMCSA
procedures. FMCSA has evaluated these
11 applications for renewal on their
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 221 (Thursday, November 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68197-68199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27617]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in
Indiana
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Limitation on Claims for Judicial Review of Actions
by FHWA and United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), DoD.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and the USACE
that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions
relate to proposed highway projects for a 26.7 mile segment of I-69 in
the Counties of Greene and Monroe, State of Indiana, and 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(l)(1) and are final within the meaning
of that law. A claim seeking judicial review of those Federal agency
actions that are covered by this notice will be barred unless the claim
is filed on or before April 14, 2013. If the Federal law that
authorizes judicial review of a claim provides a time period of less
than 150 days for filing such claim, then the shorter time period
applies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the FHWA: Ms. Michelle Allen,
Federal Highway Administration, Indiana Division, 575 North
Pennsylvania Street, Room 254, Indianapolis, IN 46204-1576; telephone:
(317) 226-7344; email: Michelle.Allen@dot.gov. The FHWA Indiana
Division Office's normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., e.t.
For the USACE: Mr. Greg Mckay, Chief, North Section Regulatory Branch,
Louisville District, United States Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box
59, Louisville, KY 40201-0059; telephone: (502) 315-6685; email:
gregory.a.mckay@usace.army.mil. Normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5
p.m., e.t. You may also contact Mr. Thomas Seeman, Project Manager,
Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), 100 North Senate Avenue,
Indianapolis, IN 46204; telephone: (317) 232-5336; email:
TSeeman@indot.IN.gov. Normal business hours for the Indiana Department
of Transportation are: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that the FHWA and
other Federal agencies have taken final agency actions by issuing
licenses, permits, and approvals for the highway project in the State
of Indiana listed below. The
[[Page 68198]]
actions by the Federal agencies on the project, and the laws under
which such actions were taken, are described in the Record of Decision
(ROD), Reevaluation Documents to the final environmental impact
statements (FEIS) issued in connection with the project, Section 404
Discharge of Dredged or Fill Material Permit, and in other documents in
the FHWA administrative record for the project. The ROD and other
documents from the FHWA administrative record files for the listed
project are available by contacting the FHWA or the Indiana Department
of Transportation (INDOT) at the addresses provided above. Project
information may also be available through the INDOT I-69 Project Web
site at https://www.i69indyevn.org/. People unable to access the Web
site may contact FHWA or INDOT at the addresses listed above. This
notice applies to all Federal agency decisions on the listed project as
of the issuance date of this notice and all laws under which such
actions were taken, including but not limited to: 1. National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C. 4321-4351]. 2. Endangered
Species Act [16 U.S.C. 1531-1544]. 3. Federal-Aid Highway Act [23
U.S.C. 109 and 23 U.S.C. 128]. 4. Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401-
7671(q). 5. Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of
1966 [49 U.S.C. 303]. 6. Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, as amended [16 U.S.C. 470(f) et seq.]. 7.
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act [16 U.S.C. 688-688d]. 8. Clean
Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251-1377 (Section 404, Section 402, Section 401,
Section 319). Previous actions taken by the USFWS for the Tier 1, I-69
project, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544,
included its concurrence with the FHWA's determination that the I-69
project was not likely to adversely affect the eastern fanshell mussel
(Cyprogenia stegaria) and that the project was likely to adversely
affect, but not jeopardize, the bald eagle. The USFWS also concluded
that the project was not likely to jeopardize the continued existence
of the Indiana bat and was not likely to adversely modify the bat's
designated Critical Habitat. These USFWS decisions were described in
the Programmatic Biological Opinion issued on December 3, 2003, the
Revised Programmatic Biological Opinion issued on August 24, 2006, and
other documents in the Tier 1 project records. A Notice of Limitation
on Claims for Judicial Review of these actions and decisions by the
USFWS, DOI, was published in the Federal Register on April 17, 2007.
The USFWS affirmed its decisions in the Amendment to the Revised
Programmatic Biological Opinion issued on May 25, 2011. A Notice of
Limitation on Claims for Judicial Review of these actions and decisions
by the USFWS, DOI, was published in the Federal Register on July 20,
2011. A claim seeking judicial review of the Amendment to the Revised
Programmatic Biological Opinion must have been filed by January 17,
2012, to avoid being barred under 23 U.S.C. 139(l).
The project subject to this notice is Section 4 of the I-69 highway
project from Evansville to Indianapolis, which extends from U.S. 231
(near Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center) to near the intersection of
State Road 37 and Victor Pike Road. Notice is hereby given that,
subsequent to the earlier FHWA notice, the FHWA has taken final agency
actions within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1) by approving five (5)
Reevaluations of the Tier 2, Section 4 Record of Decision issued on
September 8, 2011. Section 4 of the I-69 project extends from U.S. 231
just north of the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center to S.R. 37 south
of the City of Bloomington. Section 4 is a new alignment, fully access-
controlled highway. As approved in the Tier 1 ROD, the corridor is
generally 2000-feet wide. The ROD selected Refined Preferred
Alternative 2 for Section 4, as described in the I-69 Evansville to
Indianapolis, Indiana, Tier 2 Final Environmental Impact Statement,
Crane NSWC to Bloomington, Indiana (FEIS), available at https://www.i69indyevn.org/section-4-feis. The ROD also approved the locations
of the interchanges, grade separations, and access roads (which include
new roads, road relocations, and realignments). On September 29, 2011,
the FHWA published a ``Notice of Limitation on Claims for Judicial
Review of Actions by FHWA and United States Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS), DOI'' in the Federal Register at (76 FR 60583-01) for the
Section 4, 26.7 mile segment of I-69 in the Counties of Greene and
Monroe. A claim seeking judicial review of the Tier 2, Section 4
decisions must have been filed by March 27, 2012, to avoid being barred
under 23 U.S.C. 139(l). The five (5) Reevaluations of the Tier 2,
Section 4 ROD include: (1) The November 4, 2011 Reevaluation, which was
prepared to evaluate the impacts of additional temporary right-of-way
areas (including temporary right-of-way required to accommodate
demolition activities for building removal) made necessary based on
final design that were not analyzed in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS
(approved July 13, 2011); (2) the June 12, 2012 Reevaluation, which was
prepared to evaluate the effects of additional right-of-way and
improvements (including right-of-way required to decrease bank slopes
in an area of inadequate soil conditions) made necessary based on final
design that were not analyzed in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS
(approved July 13, 2011); (3) the July 11, 2012 Reevaluation, which was
prepared to evaluate the impacts of additional right-of-way areas
(including temporary right-of-way required to accommodate demolition
activities for building removal and filling the remaining portion of an
impacted pond) made necessary based on final design that were not
analyzed in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS (approved July 13, 2011);
(4) the July 31, 2012 Reevaluation, which was prepared to evaluate the
impacts of additional right-of-way areas (including temporary right-of-
way required to accommodate demolition activities for building removal,
temporary right-of-way required for construction of a private drive,
and permanent right-of-way required for construction of a cul de sac.)
made necessary based on final design that were not analyzed in the Tier
2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS (approved July 13, 2011); and (5) the October
11, 2012 Reevaluation, which was prepared to evaluate the impacts of
additional right-of-way areas (including temporary right-of-way and
permanent right-of-way required for construction a modified
interchange) made necessary based on final design that was not analyzed
in the Tier 2 Section 4 ROD or FEIS (approved July 13, 2011). The
analysis in each of the Reevaluations supports the FHWA's conclusions
that none of the changes examined will have impacts sufficient to
require preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
(SEIS) or an additional Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for
Section 4, and therefore that the Tier 2 Section 4 FEIS and ROD remain
valid. The detailed analysis of the reevaluation documents along with
the federal decision of minimal impact can be found on the project Web
site at https://www.i69indyevn.org/reevaluation-documents/.
In addition, notice is hereby given that, subsequent to the earlier
FHWA notice, the USACE has taken final agency actions within the
meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1) by issuing permits and approvals for the
highway project. The actions by the USACE, related final actions by
other Federal agencies, and the laws under which such actions were
[[Page 68199]]
taken, are described in the USACE decisions and its project records,
referenced as Department of the Army (DA) Permit, Number LRL-2011-0041-
djd. That information is available by contacting the USACE at the
address provided above.
On September 22, 2011, INDOT filed an application with the USACE
for authorization under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C.
1344, to construct the 26.7 mile Section 4 I-69 project. On October 1,
2012, the USACE took final action in issuing the Department of the Army
(DA) Permit for the Section 4 I-69 project, Number LRL-2011-0041-djd,
as described in the USACE decision and its administrative record for
the project. As part of the Section 4 project, which begins at the
northern terminus of the Section 3 project in Greene County and
terminates at S.R. 37 and Victor Pike Road in Monroe County, there are
18 crossings of water resources requiring individual permits from the
USACE, including streams, open water and emergent, scrub-shrub and
forested wetlands. Subject to the permit conditions, INDOT is permitted
to discharge 34,154 cubic yards of fill material below the Ordinary
Highway Water Mark of 88,462 linear feet of stream channels, and to
discharge 190,215 cubic yards of fill material into 9.42 acres of open
water and emergent, scrub-shrub, and forested wetlands in constructing
these 18 crossings.
The actions by the Federal agencies on the project, and the laws
under which such actions were taken, are described in the Reevaluation
documents, the Department of the Army (DA) Permit (LRL-2011-0041-djd),
and in other documents in the FHWA administrative record for the
project. The ROD and other documents from the FHWA administrative
record files for the Section 4 projects are available by contacting
FHWA, USACE or INDOT at the addresses provided above. Project
information may also be available through the INDOT I-69 Project Web
site at https://www.i69indyevn.org/.
(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.)
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1)
Richard Marquis,
Acting Division Administrator, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[FR Doc. 2012-27617 Filed 11-14-12; 8:45 am]
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