Notice of Availability for a Joint Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Last Chance Grade Permanent Restoration Project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County, California, 86442-86443 [2023-27287]

Agencies

• Federal Highway Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86442-86443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27287]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice of Availability for a Joint Draft Environmental Impact 
Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Last Chance Grade 
Permanent Restoration Project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County, 
California

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

ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA) of a draft environmental impact 
report/environmental impact statement (Draft EIR/EIS) for the Last 
Chance Grade Permanent Restoration Project.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public 
that a joint Draft EIR/EIS is available for review for the Last Chance 
Grade Permanent Restoration Project (project), a proposed roadway 
improvement project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County, 
California. A separate Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIR/
EIS has been issued by Caltrans to meet the requirements of the 
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

DATES: This notice will be accompanied by a 60-day public comment 
period from December 15, 2023, to February 13, 2024. The deadline for 
public comments is 5:00 p.m. (PST) on February 13, 2024. Caltrans will 
be holding a Virtual Public Open House from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PST 
on January 24, 2024. The Virtual Open House link and a downloadable 
version of the Draft EIR/EIS can be found at the project website: 
www.lastchancegrade.com. Questions and comments during the virtual 
meeting will not be considered public comments on the Draft EIR/EIS. 
Public comments on the Draft EIR/EIS must be submitted in writing to 
the email or address listed below. Comments received in writing during 
the public comment period will become part of the project 
administrative record and will be addressed in the Final EIR/EIS, 
scheduled for Winter 2025.
    The Draft EIR/EIS discloses the range of alternatives considered, 
those that were eliminated from further study, and the Build 
Alternatives being considered along with the No-Build Alternative. The 
Draft EIR/EIS details the public scoping process and provides a summary 
of the scoping comments received including information relative to the 
comments. The Draft EIR/EIS also discloses potential impacts, including 
cumulative impacts to environmental resources; avoidance and 
minimization measures to reduce potential impacts; and proposed 
mitigation measures to offset environmental impacts.
    A public Notice of Availability for the Draft EIR/EIS will be 
printed in a local newspaper, a copy of which will also be available on 
the project website. In addition, notifications will be distributed to 
the public based on information collected during the Notice of Intent 
(NOI) public scoping process and on other previous outreach efforts. 
The newspaper ad, email notifications to interested parties, and 
project website will provide information on the Virtual Public Open 
House.
    The public can submit formal comments on the Draft EIR/EIS through

[[Page 86443]]

email at [email protected], or via USPS letter to P.O. 
Box 3700, Eureka, CA 95502-3700 with Attention to Steve Croteau, Senior 
Environmental Scientist.
    To request the Draft EIR/EIS in alternative formats or alternative 
language translation services, please call or leave a voicemail message 
with Myles Cochrane, Public Information Officer, at (707) 498-4272.

ADDRESSES: The Draft EIR/EIS is available for review on the project 
website, www.lastchancegrade.com, and at the following locations:
     California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 
District 1 Office, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501 between 8:00 
a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
     Main Library--Crescent City Branch, 190 Price Mall, 
Crescent City, CA 95531.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jaime Matteoli, Project Manager, 
Caltrans District 1, P.O. Box 3700, Eureka, CA 95502-3700, telephone 
707-498-0961, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the FHWA assigned, 
and Caltrans assumed, environmental responsibilities for this project 
pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327. Caltrans, as the assigned National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency and CEQA lead agency, prepared a 
joint Draft EIR/EIS on a proposal for improvements along a portion of 
U.S. Highway 101 (U.S. 101) in Del Norte County, California known as 
``Last Chance Grade''.
    Last Chance Grade is the 3.5-mile-long section of U.S. 101 (post 
miles [PMs] 12.7 to 16.5) located approximately 10 miles south of 
Crescent City. The project area is almost entirely within portions of 
Redwood National and State Parks.
    The project would realign the highway in response to landslide and 
roadway failures which have caused damage for decades. The purpose of 
the project is to:
     Provide a more reliable connection.
     Reduce maintenance costs.
     Protect the economy, natural resources, and cultural 
resources.
    Last Chance Grade is located in an area of geologic instability; 
there is a landslide complex that is approximately 3 miles long with 
more than 30 active landslides. This instability has required 
significant expenditures of tax dollars on emergency construction 
projects and maintenance activities to keep the highway open and safe. 
Between 1997 and 2021, landslide mitigation efforts, including 
retaining walls, drainage improvements, and roadway repairs, cost more 
than $85 million. There is no foreseeable end to such expenditures, and 
effects of climate change may exacerbate conditions. A long-term 
sustainable solution at Last Chance Grade is needed to address:
     Economic ramifications of a long-term failure and closure.
     Risk of delay/detour to traveling public.
     Increasing maintenance and emergency project costs.
     Increase in frequency and severity of large storm events 
caused by climate change.
    Over the past several years, with input from numerous project 
partners, Caltrans has considered multiple alignment alternatives in 
seeking a long-term feasible and sustainable solution suitable for the 
unique geologic and natural features of the project area. As a result 
of these past alternatives screening processes, Caltrans has elected to 
move forward with the environmental review of two action alternatives. 
The Draft EIR/EIS evaluates either taking no action (No-Build 
Alternative) or proceeding with one of the two build alternatives (X 
and F).
    Alternative X would involve reengineering and partially realigning 
a 1.6-mile-long section of the existing highway to minimize the risk of 
landslides. Main project components would include 1.6 miles of 
retaining walls along the roadway, an underground drainage system to 
help reduce landslide risk by capturing groundwater, and strategic 
eastward retreats from the existing roadway.
    Alternative F would involve constructing a 1.1-mile-long tunnel 
east of the existing highway to avoid the most intense areas of known 
landslides and geologic instability. Main components would include a 
tunnel and associated portals, a bridge from the northern portal to 
reconnect to existing U.S. 101, and an on-site Operations and 
Maintenance Center (OMC) for tunnel support.
    Notifications describing the proposed action and soliciting 
comments will be sent to the appropriate federal, state, participating 
agencies, tribal governments, and local agencies, and to private 
organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known 
to have interest in this proposal.
    To ensure interested parties have the opportunity to comment and 
provide suggestions on the full range of potential issues related to 
this proposed action, the Draft EIR/EIS will be available for public 
and agency review and comment over a 60-day circulation period, 
starting on December 15, 2023. Caltrans will respond in the Final EIR/
EIS (expected in winter 2025) to all the public comments received in 
writing during the public comment period.
    Following circulation for public review and consideration of 
comments received, Caltrans will issue a combined Final EIR/EIS and 
Record of Decision document unless statutory criteria or practicability 
considerations preclude such issuance.
    Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the Draft 
EIR/EIS should be directed to Caltrans at the address indicated above 
(under Further Information).

(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.)

Antonio Johnson,
Director of Planning, Environment and Right of Way, Federal Highway 
Administration, California Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-27287 Filed 12-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P