Environmental Impact Statement: Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah

Ivan Marrero
Federal Highway Administration
9 March 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 47 (Friday, March 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10545-10546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04808]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt 
Lake County, Utah

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: FHWA, on behalf of the Utah Department of Transportation 
(UDOT), is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed 
transportation improvements in and near Little Cottonwood Canyon in 
Salt Lake County, Utah.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brandon Weston, Environmental Services 
Director, Environmental Services Division, UDOT 4501 South 2700 West, 
P.O. Box 141265, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-1265; Telephone: (801) 965-
4603, email: brandonweston@utah.gov. John Thomas, PE, Little Cottonwood 
Canyon Project Manager, UDOT Region 2, 2010 South 2760 West, Salt Lake 
City, UT 84104-4592; Telephone: (801) 550-2248, Email: 
johnthomas@utah.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental review, consultation, and 
other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for 
this project are being or have been carried out by UDOT pursuant to 23 
U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated January 17, 2017, 
and executed by FHWA and UDOT. UDOT, as the assigned National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency, will prepare an EIS for 
proposed improvements to SR-210, a two-lane roadway, in Little 
Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake County, Utah. The proposed project study 
area extends from the intersection of SR-210 and SR-190/Fort Union 
Boulevard in Cottonwood Heights, Utah to the terminus of SR-210 in the 
town of Alta, Utah. Transportation improvements are needed to address 
congestion, improve safety for all users, and enhance the availability 
of public transportation options in the canyon. To address these needs, 
UDOT is proposing to make operational improvements, introduce demand-
management measures, and support efforts by transit providers to 
implement increased transit service in the project study area. UDOT has 
developed this proposal based on numerous previous studies and public 
involvement efforts carried out by a range of agencies and stakeholders 
regarding the need for potential transportation improvements in the 
project study area. The project may require FHWA to appropriate 
National Forest System lands and transfer such lands to UDOT for 
highway use, pursuant to authority under 23 U.S.C. 317. The project may 
also require approvals by the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, and/or other agencies.
    UDOT will consider a range of alternatives based on the purpose of 
and need for the project and taking into account agency and public 
input. The currently contemplated alternatives include: (1) Taking no 
action; (2) multiple, combined actions, including:
     Transportation System Management (TSM);
     Making operational improvements;
     Introducing demand-management measures;
     Tolling and/or high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) programs;
     Facilitating implementation of improved public transit 
service;
     Enhancing safety, access, and mobility in the area through 
improved information sharing and adding designated parking areas; and
     Roadway improvements;

(3) different combinations of any of the above; and (4) other 
alternatives if identified during the scoping process. Alternatives 
that do not meet the project purpose and need or that are otherwise not 
reasonable will not be carried forward for detailed consideration.
    A Coordination Plan is being prepared to define the agency and 
public participation procedure for the environmental review process. 
The plan will outline (1) how agencies and the public will provide 
input during the scoping process; (2) the development of the purpose 
and need; and (3) alternatives development. UDOT anticipates that the 
USDA Forest Service will be invited to serve as a cooperating agency in 
the NEPA process.
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, state, and local agencies as well as to 
Native American tribes and to private organizations and citizens who 
have previously expressed, or who are known to have, an interest in 
this proposal. A public scoping meeting will be held on April 10, 2018 
from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cottonwood Heights City Hall, 2277 East 
Bengal Boulevard, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121. Public notices 
announcing the meeting will be published in the region. Information 
regarding this meeting and the project may also be obtained through a 
public website maintained by UDOT at www.udot.utah.gov/littlecottonwoodeis.
    During the NEPA process, other public meetings will be held as 
appropriate to allow the public, as well as Federal, state, and local 
agencies, and tribes, to provide comments on the purpose of and need 
for the project, potential alternatives, and social, economic, and 
environmental issues of concern.
    In addition, a public hearing will be held following the release of 
the Draft EIS. Public notice advertisements and direct mailings will 
notify interested

[[Page 10546]]

parties of the time and place of the public meetings and the public 
hearing. The Draft EIS will be available for public and agency review 
and comment prior to the public hearing.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to this proposed 
action is addressed and all significant issues are identified, comments 
and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Written 
comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS 
should be directed to UDOT representatives at the mail or email 
addresses provided above by May 4, 2018. For additional information 
please visit the project website at www.udot.utah.gov/littlecottonwoodeis. Information requests or comments can also be 
provided by email to littlecottonwoodeis@utah.gov.

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

    Dated: March 5, 2018.
Ivan Marrero,
Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Salt Lake City, 
Utah.
[FR Doc. 2018-04808 Filed 3-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P