Notice of Availability for the Sonoran Valley Parkway Project Final Environmental Impact Statement, Maricopa County, AZ, 10834-10835 [2019-05290]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10834-10835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05290]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZP02000.L14400000.ER0000.19X.AZA-34177]


Notice of Availability for the Sonoran Valley Parkway Project 
Final Environmental Impact Statement, Maricopa County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lower Sonoran 
Field Office has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the Sonoran Valley Parkway Project (Parkway) and by this notice is 
announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS are available for public inspection 
at the following locations: BLM Lower Sonoran Field Office, 21605 North 
7th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85027; Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 
Civic Center Drive, Avondale, AZ 85323; Sam Garcia Western Avenue 
Library, 495 E Western Avenue, Avondale, AZ 85323; Goodyear Branch 
Library, 14455 W Van Buren Street C-101, Goodyear, AZ 85338; and 
Maricopa Public Library, 2700 N Central Avenue Suite 700, Phoenix, AZ 
85004. It may also be reviewed on the BLM ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xP9zF.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward J Kender, Lower Sonoran Field 
Manager, at the previously listed address, telephone 623-580-5500, or 
email ekender@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-
8339 to contact Mr. Kender during normal business hours. The FRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question 
for Mr. Kender. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The City of Goodyear has requested a 250-
foot-wide right-of-way (ROW) from the BLM to construct an approximately 
15- to 18-mile long, two- to six-lane Parkway in Rainbow Valley, in 
Maricopa County, Arizona. The project is primarily located on BLM-
administered land with smaller sections on State and private land. The 
BLM's purpose and need for the project is to respond to the application 
for a ROW grant and decide whether to approve, approve with 
modifications, or deny the project ROW.
    The Parkway would be constructed in phases, beginning with two 
lanes, with potential future expansions to four and six lanes. 
Expansion beyond a two-lane Parkway would require further 
authorizations from the BLM and would be subject to additional 
environmental review.
    The Parkway will provide a direct route in southern Goodyear 
connecting Rainbow Valley Road to the community of Mobile and State 
Route 238, and will improve emergency response times. The BLM Preferred 
and the Applicant

[[Page 10835]]

Proposed Alternatives are located almost entirely within the El Paso 
Natural Gas multi-use utility corridor. The Final EIS addresses in 
detail the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts for a suite of 
alternatives. The BLM identified a portion of Alternative A, the 
applicant proposed action, in combination with Sub-Alternative G, as 
the BLM Preferred Alternative. It would be approximately 15 miles long; 
and include approximately 10 miles of BLM-administered land, 1 mile of 
State land, and 4 miles of private land.
    Sub-Alternative G provides an alternative alignment for 
approximately 3 miles of Alternative A at the south end of the Parkway. 
It is the route that has the least impact on resources and 
infrastructure in the area.
    Best management practices, standard operating procedures and 
application proposed measures to avoid and minimize impacts would be 
implemented by the applicant during construction, reclamation, and 
operation of the Parkway. To comply with Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act, the BLM consulted with the Arizona State 
Historic Preservation Office and potentially affected Indian tribes, 
and executed a Programmatic Agreement to address possible adverse 
effects from the Parkway.
    Comments on the Draft EIS pertained to a variety of issues 
including: Potential impacts from groundwater drawdown, possible 
socioeconomic impacts to the local communities, and impacts to wildlife 
and other natural resources. Substantive comments are addressed in the 
Final EIS. Public comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, 
but did not substantially change the proposed project or alternatives 
between the Draft and Final EIS.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

Edward J. Kender,
Field Manager, Lower Sonoran Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-05290 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
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