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Environmental Impact Statement: Chittenden County, Vermont

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.


 

Environmental Impact Statement: Chittenden County, Vermont

[Federal Register: April 21, 1995]


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement: Chittenden County, Vermont

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.


SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Chittenden County, Vermont.

[[Page 19983]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald J. West, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Building, Montpelier, VT 05601, Telephone (802)828-4423.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, will prepare a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to focus on a proposed temporary project change for a portion of the previously approved Burlington Southern Connector/Champlain Parkway Project. The entire project involves the construction of approximately 2.5 miles of a four lane, access controlled highway known as the Southern Connector, commencing at the interchange of I-189 with Shelburne Street (US Route 7), and extending westerly and northerly to the intersection of Battery and King Streets in the Burlington Central Business District. A draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project was completed in 1977, and a final EIS (FHWA-VT-EIS-77-02-F) was completed and approved in 1979. A portion of the original proposed project has been constructed. Final design for an additional portion has been completed. The remaining segment has been delayed due to the fact that it traverses an EPA Superfund Site. Resolution of issues on the cleanup of the Superfund Site have prohibited the entire project from being constructed. The proposed temporary project change would involve the construction of improvements to detour around the Superfund Site to allow the collector to function as intended and provide traffic relief until the Superfund Site issues are resolved. The draft SEIS will summarize issues for the entire project, as covered in the original draft and final EIS. Additional information and impact analysis will be presented for a temporary detour around the Superfund Site, which will generally follow existing streets (Lakeside Avenue and Pine Streets); however, an approximately .5 mile section of the detour will involve new route location. Alternatives under consideration are: (1) Taking no action (i.e., no changes from the approved project); and (2) a range of alternatives for making a temporary connection via use of Lakeside Avenue and Pine Street to avoid the Superfund Site.
Impacts anticipated with the project change would be focused on right-of-way and possible section 106 and section 4(f) issues, primarily concerned with the northern portion of the temporary detour. Impacts of the project change on wetlands, if any, are expected to be minimal. Secondary and cumulative impacts of the project change will also be addressed.
No formal scoping meeting will be held. However, comments will be solicited from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and State Agency of Natural Resources (ANR). Also, a public informational meeting will be held in the project area early in the document development. The draft SEIS is expected to be filed on or about June 1, 1995, and will be sent to appropriate federal, state and local agencies, and to private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed interest in this project for their comments. A public hearing will be held following the filing of the draft SEIS. Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed action are addressed and that all significant issues are identified. Comments or questions concerning this proposal action and the SEIS should be directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Research, Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental coordination consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this program)

Issued on: April 13, 1995.
William K. Fung,
Engineering Coordinator, Montpelier.
[FR Doc. 95-9845 Filed 4-20-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-22-P

 
 


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