
[Federal Register: February 17, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 30)]
[Notices]
[Page 7458-7459]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17fe09-113]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2009-0093]


Announcement of Public Meeting Regarding the Ambassador Bridge
Enhancement Project, Detroit River, Detroit, MI and Windsor, ON, Canada

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The United States Coast Guard (USCG), as lead federal agency
under the National Environmental Policy Act, will hold a public meeting
for citizens to provide oral comments relating to the Ambassador Bridge
Enhancement Project (ABEP) across the Detroit River between Detroit, MI
and Windsor, ON, Canada. The project entails construction of a
companion bridge adjacent to the existing Ambassador Bridge. This
meeting will serve to update the public on the USCG coordination
efforts with other expert agencies that have occurred since the ABEP
draft Environmental Assessment was published for comment in May 2007.
The meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: The meeting will be held on March 17, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 8
p.m. If you would like to submit written materials as part of the
meeting record or request to make an oral presentation at the meeting
please provide your information to the Docket Management Facility no
later than March 12, 2009. All comments you wish to incorporate as part
of the meeting record must be received by March 23, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Earhart Middle School
located at 1000 Scotten Street, Detroit, Michigan 48209.
    You may send written material, comments and requests to make oral
presentation and all other comments and materials, under the Coast
Guard docket number USCG-2009-0093, to the Docket Management Facility
at the U.S. Department of Transportation using any one of the following
methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is 202-366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods.
Our online docket for this meeting is available on the Internet at
http://www.regulations.gov under docket number USCG-2009-0093.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions regarding this
notice call Ms. Hala Elgaaly, Administrator, Bridge Program, 202-372-
1511. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the
docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations,
telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On July 13, 2006, the Detroit International Bridge Company
submitted a bridge permit application to the USCG for construction of a
new companion bridge adjacent to the existing Ambassador Bridge between
Detroit, MI and Windsor, ON, Canada. The new bridge will provide six
lanes of travel, three in each direction. One lane in each direction
will be dedicated to low-risk commercial traffic and the other lanes
will be open to general automobile and commercial traffic. The existing
bridge, which is approximately 80 years old, will be closed to general
traffic and used in the event of an emergency that results in the new
bridge becoming unavailable, as well as for official government
vehicles, bridge company vehicles, and special occasions. A draft
Environmental Assessment was issued by the USCG for this project in May
2007. Since May 2007, substantial coordination has taken place with
other expert agencies including, but not limited to, the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation, Transport Canada, the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Agency, representatives from the Michigan
State Legislature, Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, the
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, and the Michigan Department
of Transportation. As a result of this coordination, a Memorandum of
Agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act has been executed and a Final Environmental Assessment/Draft
Finding of No Significant Impact has been prepared.
    The meeting is being held at the request of Congressman John
Dingell, Michigan's 15th District Representative, to update the public
on the proposed project, the environmental document and the USCG bridge
permitting process.
    You may view all written material and comments submitted for the
meeting record in our online docket by going to http://
www.regulations.gov. Once there, select the Advanced Docket Search
option on the right side of the screen, insert USCG-2009-0093 in the
Docket ID box, press Enter, and then click on the item in the Docket ID
column. If you do not have access to the internet, you may view the
docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-
140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We
have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the
Docket Management Facility.
    We encourage you to participate in this meeting by submitting oral
or written comments and any related materials. All comments received
will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will
include

[[Page 7459]]

any personal information you have provided.
    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008 issue of the
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Procedural

    The meeting is open to the public. Attendees at the meeting, who
wish to present testimony and have not previously made a request to do
so, will follow those having submitted a request, as time permits. All
oral presentations will be limited to three minutes. The public meeting
may end early if all present wishing to speak have done so. A
stenographer will be present to record this meeting. We will provide a
copy of the meeting transcript and any additional relevant material
obtained at the meeting to the docket.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section as
soon as possible.

    Dated: February 11, 2009.
Hala Elgaaly,
Administrator, Bridge Program, U.S. Coast Guard, By direction of the
Commandant.
 [FR Doc. E9-3324 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-15-P
