Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in North Carolina

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of Limitation on Claims for Judicial Review of Actions by FHWA and Other Federal Agencies.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(I)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project (TIP# U-5526A, Federal-Aid Project No. FSTRNHPP-0074(153)), U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) Managed Toll Lanes, from I-277 (Brookshire/Belk Freeway) to Wallace Lane, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

DATES:

By this notice, the FHWA is advising the public of final agency actions subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(I)(1). A claim seeking judicial review of the Federal agency actions on the highway project will be barred unless the claim is filled on or before June 13, 2016. If this date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, parties are advised to file their claim no later than the business day preceding this date. If the Federal law that authorizes judicial review of a claim provides a time period of less than 150 days for filing such claim, then that shorter time period still applies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Clarence W. Coleman, P.E., Preconstruction and Environment Director, Federal Highway Administration, 310 New Bern Avenue, Suite 410, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601-1418; Telephone: (919) 747-7014; email: clarence.coleman@dot.gov. FHWA North Carolina Division Office's normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern Time). Mr. Richard W. Hancock, Project Development and Environmental Analysis Unit Manager, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), 1548 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1548; Telephone: (919) 707-6000, email: rwhancock@ncdot.gov. NCDOT—Project Development and Environmental Analysis Unit's Office's normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern Time).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice is hereby given that the FHWA and other Federal agencies have taken final agency actions by issuing licenses, permits, and approvals for the following highway project in the State of North Carolina: U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) Managed Toll Lanes, Federal Aid No. FSTRNHPP-0074(153), from I-277 (Brookshire/Belk Freeway) to Wallace Lane in the City of Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The project is also known as State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Project U-5526A. The project is approximately 5.8 miles long and includes the following actions:

(1) Convert existing bus lanes to managed toll lanes from I-277 to NC 27 (Albemarle Road).

(2) Convert under-construction bus lanes to managed toll lanes from NC 27 (Albemarle Road) to Wallace Lane.

(3) Designation of the managed toll lanes as HOT 3+.

Additional information can be found on the project Web site: http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/U-5526.

The actions by the Federal agencies, and the laws under which such actions were taken, are described in the Categorical Exclusion (CE) for the project, approved on August 21, 2015, and in other documents in the FHWA administrative record. The CE and other documents in the FHWA administrative record file are available by contacting the FHWA or NCDOT at the addresses provided above.

This notice applies to all Federal agency decisions as of the issuance date of this notice and all laws under which such actions were taken, including but not limited to:

1. General: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C. 4321-4351]; Federal-Aid Highway Act [23 U.S.C. 109].

2. Air: Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. 7401-7671(q)].

3. Wildlife: Endangered Species Act [16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 and Section 1536], Marine Mammal Protection Act [16 U.S.C. 1361], Anadromous Fish Conservation Act [16 U.S.C. 757(a)-757(g)], Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act [16 U.S.C. 661-667(d)], Migratory Bird Treaty Act [16 U.S.C. 703-712], Magnuson-Stevenson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, as amended [16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.].

4. Historic and Cultural Resources: Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended [16 U.S.C. 470(f) et seq.]; Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16 U.S.C. 470(aa)-11]; Archeological and Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 469-469(c)]; Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) [25 U.S.C. 3001-3013].

5. Social and Economic: Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000(d)-2000(d)(1)]; American Indian Religious Freedom Act [42 U.S.C. 1996]; Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C. 4201-4209].

6. Wetlands and Water Resources: Clean Water Act [33 U.S.C. 1251-1377 (Section 404, Section 401, Section 319)]; Coastal Barrier Resources Act [16 U.S.C. 3501-3510]; Coastal Zone Management Act [16 U.S.C. 1451-1465]; Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) [16 U.S.C. 4601-4604]; Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) [42 U.S.C. 300(f)-300(j)(6)]; Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 [33 U.S.C. 401-406]; Wild and Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C. 1271-1287]; Emergency Wetlands Resources Act [16 U.S.C. 3921, 3931]; TEA-21 Wetlands Mitigation [23 U.S.C. 103(b)(6)(m), 133(b)(11)]; Flood Disaster Protection Act [42 U.S.C. 4001-4128].

7. Hazardous Materials: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) [42 U.S.C. 9601-9675]; Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) [42 U.S.C. 6901-6992(k)].

8. Executive Orders: E.O. 11990 Protection of Wetlands; E.O. 11988 Floodplain Management; E.O. 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low Income Populations; E.O. 11593 Protection and Enhancement of Cultural Resources; E.O. 13007 Indian Sacred Sites; E.O. 13287 Preserve America; E.O. 13175 Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments; E.O. 11514 Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality; E.O. 13112 Invasive Species.

(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.)

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(I)(1).