Environmental Impact Statement: Dallas County, Texas, 14274-14275 [2017-05370]

Agencies

• Federal Highway Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 51 (Friday, March 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14274-14275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05370]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Dallas County, Texas

AGENCY: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Federal notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, is issuing this notice to advise the 
public that an EIS will be prepared for a proposed transportation 
project to construct State Highway (SH) 190, from Interstate Highway 
(IH) 30 to IH 20, within southeast Dallas County.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Travis Owens, P.E., Transportation 
Engineer, 4777 E. Highway 80, Mesquite, Texas 75150; telephone: (214) 
320-6625; email: travis.owens@txdot.gov. TxDOT's normal business hours 
are 8:00 a.m.--5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and 
other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for 
this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 
23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16, 
2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT. TxDOT will prepare an EIS for the 
proposed SH 190, from IH 30 at the President George Bush Turnpike 
interchange south to IH 20 within southeast Dallas County. The proposed 
SH 190 project is listed in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan of the 
North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), Mobility 2040, as 
a new location six-lane tolled facility.
    Previously, a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published on 
July 1, 2005, in the Federal Register and the Texas Register and 
notification letters were sent to Federal, State and Tribal agencies to 
inform them of the study and to request information. From 2005-2014, 
TxDOT conducted planning studies that developed and evaluated several 
tolled project alternatives along the 11-mile corridor. This effort has 
included the involvement of the public, local municipalities, and 
resource agencies, the sharing of information through stakeholder and 
agency meetings, the creation of a project Web site 
(www.theeastbranch.org), and conducting four public meetings. The new 
NOI signifies that TxDOT will restart the work preparing the EIS. The 
EIS may use and rely on the planning studies already prepared.
    The project is needed to address north/south system linkage between 
IH 30 and IH 20 in southeast Dallas County. Currently, the only major 
transportation facility within a reasonable distance connecting these 
two interstates is IH 635, which is

[[Page 14275]]

inadequate to meet future traffic volumes, resulting in congestion and 
reduced north/south mobility. In addition, regional population growth 
continues to increase demand for additional capacity and access in this 
corridor and the region. The purpose of the project is to provide a 
facility that would reduce congestion and improve mobility between IH 
30 and IH 20 in southeast Dallas County, while contributing to improved 
system linkage.
    The EIS will develop and evaluate a range of Build Alternatives and 
a No-Build Alternative within the study corridor, generally bounded to 
the east by the Dallas/Kaufman County Line, and to the west by Bobtown 
Road in Garland, Collins Road and Clay Road in Sunnyvale, and Clay-
Mathis Road and Lawson Road in Mesquite. The EIS will include an 
analysis of tolled lanes. The EIS will analyze potential impacts from 
construction and operation of the proposed roadway including, but not 
limited to, the following: Transportation impacts, air quality and 
noise impacts; water quality impacts including storm water runoff; 
impacts to waters of the United States, including wetlands; impacts to 
floodplains; impacts to historic and archeological resources; 
socioeconomic impacts, including Environmental Justice and Limited 
English Proficiency populations; impacts to land use, vegetation, and 
wildlife, including threatened and endangered species; impacts to or 
potential displacement of residents and businesses; and impacts to 
aesthetic and visual resources.
    TxDOT will issue a single Final Environmental Impact Statement and 
Record of Decision document pursuant to Public Law 112-141, 126 Stat. 
405, Section 1319(b) unless TxDOT determines statutory criteria or 
practicability considerations preclude issuance of the combined 
document pursuant to section 1319.
    Anticipated state and federal permits, pending selection of 
alternatives and field surveys, may include, but are not limited to, 
the following: United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 
404 permit; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Section 
401 Water Quality Certification; TCEQ Texas Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (TPDES) permit.
    Public involvement is a critical component of the project 
development process and will continue throughout the development of the 
EIS. A draft Project Coordination Plan has been developed in accordance 
with 23 U.S.C. 139, Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project 
Decision Making, to identify and document opportunities for project 
involvement by the public and other agencies. The Project Coordination 
Plan will promote involvement from stakeholders, agencies, and the 
public as well as describe the proposed project, the roles of the 
agencies and the public, the project purpose and need, schedule, level 
of detail for alternatives analysis, and the proposed process for 
coordination and communication. The Project Coordination Plan will be 
available for public review, input, and comments at the public 
meetings, including scoping meetings, and hearing held in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and upon request at 
the TxDOT Dallas District Office.
    In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139, cooperating agencies, 
participating agencies, and the public will be given an opportunity for 
continued input on project development. Agency meetings are ongoing and 
a public scoping meeting is planned for late spring of 2017. The 
purpose of the public scoping meeting is to present the project studies 
completed to date and identify significant and other relevant issues 
related to the proposed SH 190 corridor as part of the NEPA process. 
The scoping meeting will provide an opportunity for participating 
agencies, cooperating agencies, and the public to review and comment on 
the draft Project Coordination Plan, the project purpose and need, and 
the range of alternatives developed to date to be considered and 
evaluated in the EIS.
    In addition to the agency and public scoping meetings, a public 
hearing will be held. Public notice will be given of the time and place 
of the meetings and hearing. To ensure that the full range of issues 
related to this proposed action is addressed and all significant issues 
are identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all 
interested parties. Such comments or questions concerning this proposed 
action should be directed to TxDOT at the address provided above.


(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction.)

    Issued on: March 13, 2017.
Michael T. Leary,
Director, Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-05370 Filed 3-16-17; 8:45 am]
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