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Environmental Impact Statement: Jefferson, Clear Creek, Summit, Eagle, and Garfield Counties, Colorado

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

 [Federal Register: January 25, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 16)]
[Notices]
[Page 4014-4015]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja00-91]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Jefferson, Clear Creek, Summit,
Eagle, and Garfield Counties, Colorado

AGENCY:  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY:  The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a
programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for
the I-70 Mountain Corridor from the intersection of State Highway C470
in Jefferson County to Glenwood Springs in Garfield County, a distance
of approximately 140 miles crossing five counties in Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mr. Scott Sands, FHWA Colorado
Division, 555 Zang Street, Room 250, Denver, CO 80228, Telephone: 303/
969-6730, extension 362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and as
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and FHWA regulations (23 CFR part 771), the
FHWA, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation
(CDOT), is issuing this notice of intent to prepare a programmatic Tier
1 EIS. The EIS will be prepared in compliance with CEQ regulations at
40 CFR 1501.7 and as authorized by 40 CFR 1502.20 and 23 CFR
771.111(g), to take a broad view of the transportation issues and
alternative solutions to assist in identifying needed safety and
mobility improvements and reducing congestion on the I-70 Mountain
Corridor. The Federal Railroad Administration, though not having
jurisdiction over the project, will serve as a cooperating agency,
providing technical assistance on rail technology.

[[Page 4015]]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also will serve as a
cooperating agency. In addition, FHWA and CDOT will coordinate closely
with the U.S. Forest Service, Federal Transit Administration, and other
federal, state, and local agencies throughout the preparation of the
programmatic EIS.
    Recognizing the need to act on projected increases in congestion
and other mobility problems that have been forecasted over a period of
the next 20 years, CDOT commissioned the I-70 Mountain Corridor Major
Investment Study (MIS), which was completed in late 1998. The
recommended improvements resulting from the MIS address alternatives
for increased safety and to accommodate existing and future traffic
demand. Reference is made to such MIS, which is available for
examination at the Colorado Department of Transportation, Region One,
18500 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80011.
    As the next step and to meet objectives in the MIS, CDOT planned to
prepare a site-specific EIS to address a 16-mile-long corridor between
U.S. 40 and Floyd Hill, Clear Creek County (Federal Register Vol. 64,
No. 103, pages 29079-29080, May 28, 1999), an area in need of immediate
improvements, in conjunction with a secondary and cumulative impact
study of the entire I-70 Mountain Corridor. However, in response to
public concern, CDOT will postpone the preparation of the site-specific
EIS and begin preparation of the programmatic EIS.
    The programmatic EIS will enable CDOT and FHWA to address the
transportation problems of the I-70 Mountain Corridor comprehensively
as part of the overall I-70 Mountain Corridor transportation system.
The overall project termini will extend from C470 to Glenwood Springs
in order to assess the transportation problems within the I-70 Mountain
Corridor. While the project termini are proposed to match the problem
area, some of the proposed solutions will extend into other major
locales or corridors (e.g., metropolitan Denver area). The
transportation elements identified in the MIS include fixed guideway
transit, improved rubber tire transit, highway improvements, aviation,
and alternate routes. These and any other reasonable alternatives
identified through public comment during scoping will be addressed. The
programmatic EIS will develop a 20-year transportation plan and a 50-
year vision for the I-70 Mountain Corridor with the intent to balance
competing interests and uses of the corridor. The 20-year plan will be
a cost-constrained plan that will prioritize improvements and establish
procedures for site-specific environmental studies. The programmatic
EIS will identify the locations, modes of transportation, critical
environmental resources, and general mitigation policy for the
preferred alternative.
    The approach to the assessment of environmental impacts will begin
with agency and public scoping to identify the issues and concerns
associated with the corridor. The results of scoping will help define
the alternatives and the scope of the environmental studies to be
conducted. Alternatives proposed in the MIS and identified through
scoping will be evaluated and screened to narrow the range of
alternatives considered for the I-70 Mountain Corridor programmatic
EIS. Alternatives examined will be eliminated either through screening
or advanced to environmental analysis for the programmatic EIS. The
assessment will focus on cumulative environmental impacts. The studies
and assessment will be documented in the draft programmatic EIS. After
its publication, the draft programmatic EIS will be available for
agency and public review and comment, and public hearings will be held.
On the basis of the draft programmatic EIS and the comments received, a
preferred alternative 20-year plan and 50-year vision will be selected
and preparation of the final programmatic EIS and Record of Decision
will proceed.
    The Record of Decision for the programmatic EIS will not result in
the environmental clearance of any I-70 transportation-related
improvements. However, individual projects could proceed for I-70
improvements if they comply with 23 CFR 771.111(f) criteria: (1)
Connect logical termini and be of sufficient length to address
environmental issues on a broad scope, (2) have independent utility or
independent significance, and (3) not restrict consideration of
alternatives for other reasonably foreseeable transportation
improvements. To date, projects that comply with 23 CFR 771.111(f)
include the Eagle County Airport Interchange, Hogback Park-n-Ride,
Georgetown Rockslide Mitigation Project, Colorado Intermountain Fixed
Guideway Authority Demonstration and Testing Project, Intermountain
Connection Project, and Eisenhower Tunnel Lighting Improvements. If any
other projects emerge during the programmatic EIS that comply with 23
CFR 771.111(f), they will be noticed publicly in advance. At present,
it is anticipated that the I-70 Mountain Corridor programmatic EIS
process will be completed in late 2002.
    Integral with the programmatic EIS process, CDOT and FHWA will
conduct an extensive and broad public involvement program to keep
federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, and interested
individuals informed and to provide ample opportunities for such
agencies, organizations, and the public to participate throughout the
three-year process. To ensure that the full range of issues and
alternatives related to this proposed action are identified and
addressed, written comments, suggestions, or questions should be
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above or directed to:
    Ms. Cecelia Joy, Planning and Environmental Manager, Colorado
Department of Transportation-Region 1, 18500 East Colfax Avenue,
Aurora, Colorado 80011, Telephone: 303/757-9112.
    Information describing the purpose of the project, proposed
alternatives, area to be evaluated, public involvement program, and
preliminary project schedule will be available upon request by
contacting Cecelia Joy at the address and telephone number noted above.
Scoping comments may be made verbally or in writing to Ms. Joy and at
future public meetings, the locations, dates, and times of which will
be announced through public notice (newspaper advertisements and other
means), as contemplated by 40 CFR 1506.6 and the following CDOT public
notice procedure for comparable actions.

(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)

    Issued on: January 13, 2000.
Ronald A. Speral,
Program Team Leader, Colorado Division, Federal Highway Administration,
Lakewood, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 00-1710 Filed 1-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M

 
 

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