Notice2023-27287
Notice of Availability for a Joint Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Last Chance Grade Permanent Restoration Project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County, California
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 13, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Highway Administration
Abstract
The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public that a joint Draft EIR/EIS is available for review for the Last Chance Grade Permanent Restoration Project (project), a proposed roadway improvement project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County, California. A separate Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIR/ EIS has been issued by Caltrans to meet the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86442-86443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27287]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Notice of Availability for a Joint Draft Environmental Impact
Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Last Chance Grade
Permanent Restoration Project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County,
California
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of
Transportation (USDOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA) of a draft environmental impact
report/environmental impact statement (Draft EIR/EIS) for the Last
Chance Grade Permanent Restoration Project.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public
that a joint Draft EIR/EIS is available for review for the Last Chance
Grade Permanent Restoration Project (project), a proposed roadway
improvement project on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County,
California. A separate Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIR/
EIS has been issued by Caltrans to meet the requirements of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
DATES: This notice will be accompanied by a 60-day public comment
period from December 15, 2023, to February 13, 2024. The deadline for
public comments is 5:00 p.m. (PST) on February 13, 2024. Caltrans will
be holding a Virtual Public Open House from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PST
on January 24, 2024. The Virtual Open House link and a downloadable
version of the Draft EIR/EIS can be found at the project website:
<a href="http://www.lastchancegrade.com">www.lastchancegrade.com</a>. Questions and comments during the virtual
meeting will not be considered public comments on the Draft EIR/EIS.
Public comments on the Draft EIR/EIS must be submitted in writing to
the email or address listed below. Comments received in writing during
the public comment period will become part of the project
administrative record and will be addressed in the Final EIR/EIS,
scheduled for Winter 2025.
The Draft EIR/EIS discloses the range of alternatives considered,
those that were eliminated from further study, and the Build
Alternatives being considered along with the No-Build Alternative. The
Draft EIR/EIS details the public scoping process and provides a summary
of the scoping comments received including information relative to the
comments. The Draft EIR/EIS also discloses potential impacts, including
cumulative impacts to environmental resources; avoidance and
minimization measures to reduce potential impacts; and proposed
mitigation measures to offset environmental impacts.
A public Notice of Availability for the Draft EIR/EIS will be
printed in a local newspaper, a copy of which will also be available on
the project website. In addition, notifications will be distributed to
the public based on information collected during the Notice of Intent
(NOI) public scoping process and on other previous outreach efforts.
The newspaper ad, email notifications to interested parties, and
project website will provide information on the Virtual Public Open
House.
The public can submit formal comments on the Draft EIR/EIS through
[[Page 86443]]
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fcb8b9b89f9391919992888fbc909d8f889f949d929f999b8e9d9899d29f9391"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c88c8d8caba7a5a5ada6bcbb88a4a9bbbcaba0a9a6abadafbaa9acade6aba7a5">[email protected]</span></a>, or via USPS letter to P.O.
Box 3700, Eureka, CA 95502-3700 with Attention to Steve Croteau, Senior
Environmental Scientist.
To request the Draft EIR/EIS in alternative formats or alternative
language translation services, please call or leave a voicemail message
with Myles Cochrane, Public Information Officer, at (707) 498-4272.
ADDRESSES: The Draft EIR/EIS is available for review on the project
website, <a href="http://www.lastchancegrade.com">www.lastchancegrade.com</a>, and at the following locations:
<bullet> California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
District 1 Office, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501 between 8:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
<bullet> Main Library--Crescent City Branch, 190 Price Mall,
Crescent City, CA 95531.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jaime Matteoli, Project Manager,
Caltrans District 1, P.O. Box 3700, Eureka, CA 95502-3700, telephone
707-498-0961, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#18727971757d3675796c6c7d777471587c776c367b79367f776e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="375d565e5a52195a56434352585b5e7753584319545619505841">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the FHWA assigned,
and 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 CEQA lead agency, prepared a
joint Draft EIR/EIS on a proposal for improvements along a portion of
U.S. Highway 101 (U.S. 101) in Del Norte County, California known as
``Last Chance Grade''.
Last Chance Grade is the 3.5-mile-long section of U.S. 101 (post
miles [PMs] 12.7 to 16.5) located approximately 10 miles south of
Crescent City. The project area is almost entirely within portions of
Redwood National and State Parks.
The project would realign the highway in response to landslide and
roadway failures which have caused damage for decades. The purpose of
the project is to:
<bullet> Provide a more reliable connection.
<bullet> Reduce maintenance costs.
<bullet> Protect the economy, natural resources, and cultural
resources.
Last Chance Grade is located in an area of geologic instability;
there is a landslide complex that is approximately 3 miles long with
more than 30 active landslides. This instability has required
significant expenditures of tax dollars on emergency construction
projects and maintenance activities to keep the highway open and safe.
Between 1997 and 2021, landslide mitigation efforts, including
retaining walls, drainage improvements, and roadway repairs, cost more
than $85 million. There is no foreseeable end to such expenditures, and
effects of climate change may exacerbate conditions. A long-term
sustainable solution at Last Chance Grade is needed to address:
<bullet> Economic ramifications of a long-term failure and closure.
<bullet> Risk of delay/detour to traveling public.
<bullet> Increasing maintenance and emergency project costs.
<bullet> Increase in frequency and severity of large storm events
caused by climate change.
Over the past several years, with input from numerous project
partners, Caltrans has considered multiple alignment alternatives in
seeking a long-term feasible and sustainable solution suitable for the
unique geologic and natural features of the project area. As a result
of these past alternatives screening processes, Caltrans has elected to
move forward with the environmental review of two action alternatives.
The Draft EIR/EIS evaluates either taking no action (No-Build
Alternative) or proceeding with one of the two build alternatives (X
and F).
Alternative X would involve reengineering and partially realigning
a 1.6-mile-long section of the existing highway to minimize the risk of
landslides. Main project components would include 1.6 miles of
retaining walls along the roadway, an underground drainage system to
help reduce landslide risk by capturing groundwater, and strategic
eastward retreats from the existing roadway.
Alternative F would involve constructing a 1.1-mile-long tunnel
east of the existing highway to avoid the most intense areas of known
landslides and geologic instability. Main components would include a
tunnel and associated portals, a bridge from the northern portal to
reconnect to existing U.S. 101, and an on-site Operations and
Maintenance Center (OMC) for tunnel support.
Notifications describing the proposed action and soliciting
comments will be sent to the appropriate federal, state, participating
agencies, tribal governments, and local agencies, and to private
organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are known
to have interest in this proposal.
To ensure interested parties have the opportunity to comment and
provide suggestions on the full range of potential issues related to
this proposed action, the Draft EIR/EIS will be available for public
and agency review and comment over a 60-day circulation period,
starting on December 15, 2023. Caltrans will respond in the Final EIR/
EIS (expected in winter 2025) to all the public comments received in
writing during the public comment period.
Following circulation for public review and consideration of
comments received, Caltrans will issue a combined Final EIR/EIS and
Record of Decision document unless statutory criteria or practicability
considerations preclude such issuance.
Comments or questions concerning this proposed action and the Draft
EIR/EIS should be directed to Caltrans at the address indicated above
(under Further Information).
(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 of Planning, Environment and Right of Way, Federal Highway
Administration, California Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-27287 Filed 12-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-RY-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 13, 2023.
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