Environmental Impact Statement: Contra Costa, Alameda, & San Joaquin Counties, California Publication: Federal Register Agency: Federal Highway Administration Byline: Antonio Johnson Date: 22 November 2022 Subjects: American Government , The Environment, Roads & Highways

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71397-71398]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25444]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Contra Costa, Alameda, & San 
Joaquin Counties, California

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public 
that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) will be 
prepared for the proposed State Route (SR) 239 highway project 
(Project) in Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Joaquin Counties, 
California.

DATES: This notice will be accompanied by a 62-day public scoping 
comment period from Friday, November 18, 2022, to January 18, 2023. The 
deadline for public comments is 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Wednesday, January 
18, 2023. Because COVID-19 social distancing advisories are still in 
effect, no physical public meetings will be held during the public 
scoping comment period. Instead, Caltrans will hold an online public 
scoping meeting on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 
p.m. The link to the public scoping meeting will be posted on the 
project website at www.SR239project.net in advance of the meeting. 
Additional project information will also be made available on the 
project website throughout the entire public comment period. The 
project website at www.SR239project.net can also be accessed through 
the Caltrans website at https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/. Project materials that will be posted on the 
www.SR239project.net website will include project background, project 
schedule, frequently asked questions, archival information from prior 
public outreach presentations, newly developed narrated presentation 
slides about the SR 239 Project's purpose and need, the alternatives 
currently being considered, the alternatives previously considered, 
etc. A poster gallery will also be available that features project 
alternatives and other key project information.
    The website and scoping meeting will enable the public to share 
thoughts on the project material, the project alternatives under 
consideration and alternatives previously considered but rejected, and 
suggest other alternatives. The public can submit formal scoping 
comments through the www.SR239project.net website via an electronic 
comment submission form, via email at info@SR239project.net, via the 
project telephone line at (925) 255-5466, or via postal mail at the 
contact information listed below. Comments received through these 
methods will become part of the public record. In addition to email 
notifications, Caltrans will mail notification postcards via USPS to 
the public, based on information collected from early public outreach 
efforts, and to city, county and state officials with jurisdiction in 
the project area. Postcards provide contact information for requesting 
information in alternative formats or alternative language translation 
services.
    More information can also be found at the project website at 
www.SR239project.net or https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caltrans District 4, P.O. Box 23660, 
MS-8B, Oakland, CA 94623-0660, ATTN: Lily Mu, Environmental Scientist.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) assigned, and the California Department of 
Transportation (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 in partnership 
with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) as the project 
sponsor, will prepare a Draft EIS on a proposal for construction of a 
new highway, SR 239, in Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Joaquin 
Counties, California. The project limits extend from SR 4 near Marsh 
Creek Road in eastern Contra Costa County to Interstate 580 in Alameda 
County or to Interstate 205 in San Joaquin County. This new route is 
needed to ultimately improve the transportation network for an area 
that has few north-south roadway connections between eastern Contra 
County and the western San Joaquin Valley. The SR 239 Project is 
particularly important as it would provide relief from increasing 
commute traffic through the town of Byron, enhance mobility in eastern 
Contra Costa County, and improve access to the Byron Airport. Caltrans 
and CCTA are also considering multimodal alternatives for the State 
Route 239 Project, such as transit and active transportation 
improvements. Project objectives include: improving access and mobility 
between eastern Contra Costa County and western San Joaquin County, 
supporting inter-regional north-south goods movement operations, 
reducing regional/non-local traffic through the Town of Byron, 
improving access to Byron Airport to support planned development and as 
an emergency logistics hub, providing improvements for regional and 
sustainable alternative modes of travel, and providing an enhanced 
evacuation route in the event of major disasters.
    Caltrans and CCTA are evaluating the overall State Route 239 
corridor at both a Tier I (program) level and a Tier II (project) 
level. The Tier I programmatic-level study will evaluate and analyze 
alternatives that cover the entire SR 239 corridor and will consist of 
a broad and general assessment used to establish and consider the types 
of environmental impacts that could occur as a result of the ultimate 
construction and operation of the entire project. Caltrans and CCTA are 
also evaluating an initial phase of the State 239 Project at a Tier II 
project-level of evaluation. The Tier II evaluation will consist of a 
detailed, site-specific analysis that allows for project approval, 
design and construction of the initial phase.
    Currently, the range of alternatives being considered include 
either taking no action on the proposed new SR 239 (No-Build 
Alternative) or proceeding with one of two potential build alternatives 
for the Tier I corridor. Alternative A would be a four-lane highway 
with an alignment generally east of the Byron Airport that proceeds 
southward and towards the west of Mountain House that then connects to 
the I-580/I-205 interchange. Alternative B would be a four-lane highway 
with an alignment east of the Byron Airport that would become parallel 
to and west of Byron Highway before joining Byron Road and connecting 
to I-205 west of Tracy. With respect to Tier II, this initial phase is 
proposed to be a two-lane facility (one lane in each direction) between 
State Route 4 near Marsh Creek Road and the Byron Airport. This initial 
phase would constitute an initial fundable and operable project segment 
to connect Vasco Road and Byron Highway and would be common to both 
build alternatives.
    The Tier I (program) and Tier II (project) evaluations will be 
included in a single combined document, a Tier I/Tier II EIR/EIS, 
consistent with the requirements of CEQA and NEPA. Later

[[Page 71398]]

phases, beyond the initial phase, would require future separate Tier II 
(project-level) environmental documents before they are programmed for 
design and construction.
    Federal permits and approvals are anticipated from the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS), and the U.S. Department of the Interior under Section 4(f) of 
the Department of Transportation Act (1966).
    Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments will 
be sent to appropriate Federal, State, Cooperating and Participating 
Agencies, local agencies, Tribal governments including the Costanoan, 
Me-Wuk, Miwok, Costanoan Northern Valley Yokut, Pomo, Foothill Yokut 
Mono, Bay Miwok Ohlone Patwin Plains Miwok, and Bay Miwok Ohlone Delta 
Yokut tribes, as well as to private organizations and citizens who have 
previously expressed or are known to have interest in this proposal. 
The project team anticipates reviewing all public comments received 
during the public scoping period and circulating a Draft EIS. In 
addition, a public hearing will be held once the Draft EIS is 
completed. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the 
meeting and 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 are addressed 
and all significant issues identified, comments, and suggestions are 
invited from all interested parties. Comments or questions concerning 
this proposed action and the Draft EIS should be directed to Caltrans 
at the address provided above.

(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, Planning, Environment, and Right of Way, Federal Highway 
Administration, California Division.
[FR Doc. 2022-25444 Filed 11-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P