Environmental Impact Statement; Nueces County, TX

Gregory S. Punske
Federal Highway Administration
November 3, 2010

[Federal Register: November 3, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 212)]
[Notices]               
[Page 67806-67807]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03no10-121]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
Environmental Impact Statement; Nueces County, TX

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Rescind Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS.

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SUMMARY: FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the NOI 
to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for proposed 
improvements to United States Highway 181/State Highway 286 (Crosstown 
Expressway), in Nueces County, Texas, is being rescinded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory S. Punske, P.E. District 
Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Texas Division, 300 East 8th 
Street, Room 826, Austin, Texas 78701, Telephone (512) 536-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 6, 2007, TxDOT and FHWA announced 
their revised Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS pursuant to 40 CFR 
1508.22 and 43 TAC Sec. 2.5 (e) (2) for a proposal to replace the 
existing US 181 Harbor Bridge and construct improvements to SH 286, in 
Nueces County, Texas. The project limits were defined as the limits of 
the schematic design. The project limits were as follows: The northern 
limit was the US 181 and Beach Avenue interchange located north of the 
Corpus Christi Ship Channel but south of the Nueces Bay Causeway; the 
southern limit was the SH 286 and SH 358 (South Padre Island Drive) 
interchange; the eastern limit was the Interstate Highway (IH) 37/US 
181 intersection with Shoreline Boulevard; and the western limit was 
the IH 37 and Nueces Bay Boulevard interchange. The project limits 
totaled approximately 7.5 miles in length from north to south along US 
181 and SH 286, and 2.1 miles in length from east to west along IH 37. 
The study limits were defined as the limits of potential impacts from 
the proposed action. The study limits were as follows: the northern 
limit was the US 181 and SH 35 interchange just south of Gregory; the 
southern limit was the SH 286 and SH 358 (South Padre Island Drive) 
interchange; the eastern limit was Shoreline Boulevard; and the western 
limit was the IH 37 and SH 358 (North Padre Island Drive) interchange. 
The EIS was in the preliminary stages of development. Scoping meetings 
were held for representatives from various cooperating agencies and for 
the public. The scoping meeting for the representatives from various 
cooperating agencies was held May 17, 2007, at the TxDOT Corpus Christi 
District Office in Corpus Christi, Texas. The scoping meeting for the 
public was held May 17, 2007, at the Oveal Williams Senior Activity 
Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
    FHWA and TxDOT have decided to rescind the revised Notice of Intent 
because of changes in the scope (managed toll lanes) and limits. We 
intend to publish a new NOI in the future, which will describe the new 
project scope and limits. The review of the project under the new NOI 
will also comply with the requirements of the Safe, Accountable, 
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users 
(SAFETEA-LU) Section 6002 environmental review process. All 6002 
procedures for the proposed project will be followed in the future as 
the project proceeds with a new scope and limits. Comments or questions 
concerning the rescission of this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the FHWA at the address provided above.


[[Page 67807]]


(Catalog of Federal 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.)

    Issued on: October 27, 2010.
Gregory S. Punske,
District Engineer, Austin, Texas.
[FR Doc. 2010-27719 Filed 11-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P