Environmental Statements; Availability, etc.: Southern Terminus (Section 3X), Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Environmental Statements; Availability, etc.: Southern Terminus

(Section 3X), Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi

AGENCY: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Environmental Impact

Statement, Southern Terminus (Section 3X), Natchez Trace Parkway,

Natchez, Mississippi.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Final

Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Southern Terminus

(Section 3X), of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

DATES: A 30-day no-action period will follow the Environmental

Protection Agency's publication of the Notice of Availability of the

Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Public reading copies of the Natchez Trace Parkway Southern

Terminus (Section 3X) Final Environmental Impact Statement will be

available for public review at the following locations:

1. Natchez Trace Parkway Headquarters, 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway,

Tupelo, Mississippi 38801, (601) 680-4005

2. Natchez National Historical Park, Post Office Box 1208, Natchez,

Mississippi 39121, (601) 442-7047

3. Judge George W. Armstrong Library, 220 South Commerce Street,

Natchez, Mississippi 39120, (601) 445-8862

4. Jackson/Hinds Library System, Eudora Wetly Library, 300 North State

Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39201, (601) 968-5809 (This is the

Headquarters or main library in Jackson).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final Environmental Impact Statement

(FEIS) for the Southern Terminus (Section 3X) of the Natchez Trace

Parkway is presented in abbreviated form. The abbreviated FEIS includes

responses to public comments, errata, and a Statement of Findings, for

Wetlands. The abbreviated FEIS, when combined with the Draft

Environmental Impact Statement, Natchez Trace Parkway, Section 3X,

Southern Terminus (May 8, 1998), comprises the complete Final

Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Only minor revisions to the DEIS

were necessary.

The FEIS presents a proposal and two alternative locations for the

Southern Terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Alternative 1, the no

action alternative, would construct an interchange at U.S. 84/98 and

make that point the southern terminus of the parkway. The proposal,

alternative 2, would extend the parkway another 4.2 miles from U.S. 84/

98 toward Natchez to terminate at Liberty Road, where an interchange

would be constructed. Alternative 3 would extend the parkway about 4.3

miles from U.S. 84/98 to terminate with an interchange at Sargent

Prentiss Drive. Alternative 3 is the only alternative which would not

require the acquisition of some additional property. In every

alternative, parkway users would enter or exist the parkway utilizing

existing city streets to reach the city center or other locations.

The FEIS evaluates the environmental consequences associated with

the proposed action and the other alternatives on local traffic and

transportation routes, cultural resources, wetland, visual quality,

visitor experience, economics and land use, and nearby residents and

businesses, amount other topics.

Dated: September 16, 1998.

Daniel W. Brown,

Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.

[FR Doc. 98-25648 Filed 9-24-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-70-M