SECTION 7: COORDINATION AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Involvement and participation by community development. It was emphasized that early leaders, federal and state resource agencies, identification of environmental concerns maximized Native American tribes, and the public throughout the ability to avoid and minimize impacts to these the study process was an integral part of the I-69 resources during alternatives development. project. The outreach program was specifically On July 20, 2000, a notice of intent was published designed to address stakeholder concerns and in the Federal Register (Vol. 65, Number 140) to encourage written comments. This section prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) discusses these efforts from project initiation (see Appendix C, page C-1). In April 2001, through the publication and distribution of the the DOTD initiated studies to prepare the EIS. Draft EIS. Tables at the end of this section provide information on meeting and Hearing locations, Solicitation of views and requests for relevant dates, and the approximate number of attendees information concerning the study were sent to the (see Tables 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 and 7-4). Minutes and resource agencies, Native American tribes and attendance records are on file at the DOTD. local officials and responses were received (see Agency, tribal and local official correspondence is Appendix C, pages C-3 to C-33). All other agency, included in Appendices D, E and F. tribal and local official correspondence is included in Appendices D, E and F. 7.1 SCOPING PROCESS The objective of the scoping process was to identify 7.1.1 Metropolitan Planning Organization environmental, socioeconomic, engineering or Involvement other issues that should be considered during the A scoping meeting was held with the Northwest study. The local Metropolitan Planning Louisiana Council of Government’s Transportation Organization (MPO), local elected officials, federal Planning Committee (Shreveport-Bossier City area and state resource agencies and Native American Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)) on tribes were invited to participate in a series of May 4, 2001 at the DOTD District 04 office in meetings in May and June 2001. These meetings Bossier City, Louisiana, to initiate early MPO provided an opportunity for participants to gain an involvement and cooperation in the study. The understanding of the Study Process, discuss meeting presented an overview of the I-69 Study project benefits and concerns, and identify key Process and the proposed Study Area, and issues to be considered during alternatives discussed the transportation alternatives to be INTERSTATE 69 – SIU 15 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT considered. The MPO indicated that only the Build threatened and endangered species, specifically Alternative satisfies, and is consistent with their the Interior least tern, Wetland Reserve Program regional transportation plan. An April 27, 2001 and Conservation Reserve Program areas, and Resolution adopted by the MPO supports the Build wetland resources. Alternative as the best possible solution to meet the 7.1.4 Native American Tribal Involvement transportation need (see Appendix F, page F-1). Representatives from the Caddo Nation of 7.1.2 Local Officials Involvement Oklahoma, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw A scoping meeting was held with local officials on Indians, and the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma were June 7, 2001 at the DOTD District 04 office in invited to participate in the June 6, 2001 agency Bossier City, Louisiana. The meeting presented an scoping meeting to discuss the I-69 project Study overview of the Study Process and the proposed Process and to identify any issues or areas of Study Area. Issues raised during the meeting traditional religious and cultural importance that included the desire for intermodal connectivity with should be considered during both the corridor and the proposed highway, rail and the Port of alignment phases of study. No correspondence Shreveport-Bossier, and the consideration of a was received from any tribe identifying specific future heavy rail line within the same transportation concerns, but the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma did corridor. The Mayors of Stonewall and Haughton request government-to-government coordination both indicated that their communities would benefit because of their prior predominant occupation of from the proposed highway but noted that the Study Area. residential and business impacts should be A separate scoping meeting was held with the minimized to the extent possible. Caddo Nation of Oklahoma on November 2, 2001 7.1.3 Agency Involvement in Binger, Oklahoma to discuss the I-69 project A scoping meeting was held with federal and state Study Process and any issues or areas of resource and regulatory agencies on June 6, 2001 traditional religious and cultural importance that in Shreveport, Louisiana to initiate early agency should be considered during both the corridor and involvement and cooperation in the study. The subsequent alignment development. The Caddo objective of the meeting was to discuss the I-69 Nation indicated that the archaeological sites on project Study Process and to identify key record at the Louisiana Department of Culture, environmental issues to be considered during both Recreation and Tourism, Division of Archaeology the corridor and alignment phases of study. Issues were a good source of known Caddoan sites in the identified and discussed included Federally listed Study Area. The Tribe also indicated their desire to 7-2 COORDINATION AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT INTERSTATE 69 – SIU 15 be consulted on Caddo Indian matters throughout 7.2 CORRIDOR STUDIES OUTREACH the Study Process, especially during the Phase I MPO, local official, resource agency, Native Cultural Resources Survey of the Preferred American tribe, and public involvement during the Alignment. Corridor Studies focused on identifying a Preferred Corridor for the proposed highway. As discussed All tribal correspondence is included in Appendix E. in Section 2, the objective of this study phase was 7.1.5 Public Involvement to identify a corridor that provided the best Public scoping meetings were held in Haughton, opportunity to develop specific highway alignments Louisiana on June 6, 2001 and in Stonewall, within it that avoid and minimize overall project Louisiana on June 7, 2001 to present an overview impacts. of the Study Process and the proposed Study Area 7.2.1 Public Involvement and to receive comments on the project. Open forum public meetings were held in Haughton Information on meeting dates, locations, times, and and Stonewall, Louisiana on December 11 and content was publicized through area newspapers. December 12, 2001, respectively. Information on Project flyers announcing the meetings were also meeting dates, locations, times, and content was sent to local officials for posting in public places publicized through area newspapers. Project flyers throughout the Study Area. announcing the meetings were also sent to those The Study Process flowchart and proposed Study on the project mailing list and to all local officials for Area map were displayed. The Study Area map posting in various business establishments used a DOTD parish highway mapping background throughout the Study Area. The public meetings to display the Study Area relative to the area road allowed the public to review the corridor locations network. at their convenience and talk with project representatives. The Study Process flowchart and Study Area map were distributed along with a comment form that The corridors were displayed in two formats. Both requested environmental information, and visually presented the environmental inventory proposed highway usage information. information contained in the Project GIS and used Approximately 200 people attended the public for the corridor comparative analysis. Sensitive meetings and 35 comment forms were received. information such as endangered species locations Public concern was the highway’s potential and known archaeological sites were not displayed proximity to and potential loss of personal property. to the public. The first format used DOTD parish highway mapping background to display the COORDINATION AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 7-3 INTERSTATE 69 – SIU 15 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT corridors relative to the area road network. The areas and the Port of Shreveport-Bossier, second used a 1998 and 1999 black and white compatibility with existing rail lines, corridor aerial photograph background (approx. 1”=3,000’) preservation and project cost. where land cover, timber and farming operations, 7.2.3 Agency Involvement and clusters of residential development were Federal and state agencies were invited to visible. participate in a December 11, 2001 agency Several handouts including a corridor location map coordination meeting to review the environmental and comparative analysis table were distributed inventory and the corridors developed. The U.S. along with a comment form that requested Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated additional environmental information, proposed that Corridor C appeared the most favorable, while highway usage information, and preferences on Corridor D the least. corridor locations. Approximately 200 people 7.2.4 Native American Tribal Involvement attended the public meetings and over 80 comment Representatives from the Caddo Nation of forms were received. Most comments favored Oklahoma, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw either Corridor