TITLE Publication: Federal Register Agency: Federal Highway Administration Byline: Richard J. Marquis Date: 14 April 2022 Subjects: American Government , The Environment, Roads & Highways Topic: United States Numbered Highways

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 22281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07981]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Rescission of the Notice of Intent for a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement: Erie and Cattaraugus Counties, NY

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that we 
are rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the highway improvement 
project: US Route 219 Springville to Salamanca, NY Route 39 to NY Route 
17 (Interstate 86), Erie and Cattaraugus Counties, New York [New York 
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Project Identification 
Number 5101.84].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard J. Marquis, Division 
Administrator, FHWA, New York Division, Leo W. O'Brien Federal 
Building, 11A Clinton Avenue, Suite 719, Albany, New York 12207, 
Telephone: (518) 431-4127; or Francis P. Cirillo, Regional Director, 
New York State Department of Transportation, 100 Seneca Street, 
Buffalo, New York 14203, Telephone: (716) 847-3238.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA issued a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the US Route 219 
Springville to Salamanca project in 2003. The FHWA, in cooperation with 
the NYSDOT, subsequently intended to prepare a SEIS to supplement the 
2003 FEIS. The NOI to prepare a SEIS was published in the Federal 
Register on August 18, 2009, at 74 FR 41781.
    The purpose of the project, as presented in the 2003 FEIS, was to 
improve capacity, address safety deficiencies, and eliminate a two-lane 
corridor gap between Springville and Salamanca. The SEIS would have 
evaluated the effects of a proposal to improve the US Route 219 highway 
between the Town of Ashford and I-86 near the City of Salamanca, all in 
Cattaraugus County, New York. As stated in the NOI to prepare the SEIS, 
alternatives under consideration included: (1) The Null Alternative, 
taking no action; (2) the Upgrade Alternative, widening the existing 
two-lane highway to four lanes with the possible inclusion of 
population center by-passes; and (3) the Freeway Alternative, 
constructing a four-lane limited access freeway on new location. As 
stated in the NOI, the proposed improvement would have involved the 
construction of a new route or the upgrade and rehabilitation of the 
existing route for a distance of about 25 miles.
    Due to economic considerations and the increased demand for funding 
of vital infrastructure improvement projects in the region, the NOI to 
prepare a SEIS is hereby rescinded. In accordance with 23 CFR 771.129, 
the FHWA and NYSDOT will re-evaluate the 2003 FEIS and ROD to determine 
whether or not the conclusions in the approved NEPA Document and final 
project decision remain valid. Comments and questions concerning the 
proposed action should be directed to the NYSDOT or FHWA at the 
addresses provided above.

Richard J. Marquis,
Division Administrator, HDA-NY, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-07981 Filed 4-13-22; 8:45 am]
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