I-70 EAST ROD 1: Phase 1 (Central 70 Project) January 2017 I-70 East ROD 1: Phase 1 (Central 70 Project) STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS The Federal Highway Administration may publish a notice in the Federal Register, pursuant to 23 United States Code (USC) Section 139(l), when the Record of Decision is approved. If such notice is published, a claim arising under federal law seeking judicial review of a permit, license, or approval issued by a federal agency for a highway or public transportation capital project shall be barred unless it is filed within 150 days after publication of a notice in the Federal Register announcing that the permit, license, or approval is final pursuant to the law under which judicial review is allowed. If no notice is published, then the periods of time that otherwise are provided by the federal laws governing such claims will apply. INFORMATION AVAILABILITY The following individuals may be contacted for additional information regarding the I-70 East Record of Decision 1: Phase 1 (Central 70 Project): Chris Horn, P.E. Federal Highway Administration 12300 West Dakota Avenue, Suite 180 Lakewood, CO 80228 720-963-3017 Anthony R. DeVito, P.E. Colorado Department of Transportation 2000 South Holly Street, I-70 East Project Office Denver, CO 80222 303-512-5900 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AVAILABILITY The Draft, Supplemental Draft, and Final Environmental Impact Statements of the I-70 East Project, along with the Record of Decision for the Central 70 Project, are available on the project website for review and download at www.i-70east.com. ii January 2017 I-70 East ROD 1: Phase 1 (Central 70 Project) Table of Contents Table of Contents Chapter/Section Page # Decision ............................................................................................................................. i List of Exhibits ......................................................................................................................... v List of Attachments ............................................................................................................. viii Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................................................................. ix Chapter 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Final EIS Preferred Alternative and Multiple ROD Approach .................................. 2 1.2 Purpose and Need ......................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Project Limits ................................................................................................................ 4 1.4 Compliance with 23 USC 109(h) .................................................................................. 4 1.5 Document Organization ............................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2 Alternatives Considered ................................................................................. 7 2.1 Alternatives Evaluated in the Final EIS ..................................................................... 9 2.2 Final EIS Preferred Alternative ................................................................................ 12 2.3 Environmentally Preferable Alternative ................................................................... 17 2.4 Identification of the Preferred Alternative ................................................................ 18 2.5 Design Refinements to the Preferred Alternative .................................................... 22 2.6 Selection of the Central 70 Project ............................................................................ 23 Chapter 3 Measures to Minimize Harm ........................................................................ 25 Chapter 4 Central 70 Project .......................................................................................... 29 4.1 Central 70 Project Funding Scenario ........................................................................ 29 4.2 Description of the Central 70 Project ........................................................................ 30 4.3 Logical Termini and Independent Utility.................................................................. 35 4.4 Responsiveness to Purpose and Need ........................................................................ 36 4.5 Central 70 Project Environmental Impacts .............................................................. 38 Chapter 5 Central 70 Mitigation Measures .................................................................. 43 Chapter 6 Federal, State, and Local Permits and Approvals .................................. 67 6.1 Air Quality Transportation Conformity .................................................................... 67 6.2 Section 106 Consultation ............................................................................................ 69 6.3 Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act .................................... 70 6.4 Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 ................................. 70 6.5 Environmental Justice ............................................................................................... 71 6.6 Other Determinations ................................................................................................ 71 6.7 Monitoring and Enforcement ..................................................................................... 71 January 2017 iii Table of Contents I-70 East ROD 1: Phase 1 (Central 70 Project) Table of Contents Chapter/Section Page # Chapter 7 Community Outreach and Agency Involvement ..................................... 75 7.1 Community Outreach since the Final EIS ................................................................ 75 7.2 Future Outreach Plans ............................................................................................... 76 Chapter 8 Comments on the Final EIS and Air Quality Documents ..................... 79 8.1 Overview of Comments Received on the Final EIS .................................................. 79 8.2 Overview of Comments Received on the Air Quality Documents ............................ 81 8.3 Substantive Comments .............................................................................................. 81 8.4 Approach Used to Summarize and Respond to Comments ...................................... 81 8.5 Responses to Substantive Comments Received ........................................................ 84 Chapter 9 Updates and Clarifications since the Publication of the Final EIS . 135 9.1 Transportation .......................................................................................................... 136 9.2 Social and Economic Conditions .............................................................................. 137 9.3 Environmental Justice ............................................................................................. 138 9.4 Land Use ................................................................................................................... 139 9.5 Relocations and Displacements ............................................................................... 139 9.6 Historic Preservation ................................................................................................ 140 9.7 Visual Resources and Aesthetic Qualities ............................................................... 149 9.8 Parks and Recreational Resources........................................................................... 150 9.9 Air Quality ................................................................................................................ 155 9.10 Noise .......................................................................................................................... 161 9.11 Biological Resources ................................................................................................. 173 9.12 Floodplains and Drainage/Hydrology ...................................................................... 174 9.13 Wetlands and Other Waters of the U.S. .................................................................. 179 9.14 Water Quality ........................................................................................................... 181 9.15 Hazardous Materials ................................................................................................ 185 9.16 Utilities ...................................................................................................................... 187 9.17 Human Health .......................................................................................................... 187 9.18 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................. 187 Chapter 10 Section 4(f) Evaluation Updates ............................................................... 189 10.1 Updates to the Final EIS Section 4(f) Evaluation .................................................. 189 10.2 Changes to the Final EIS Text of the Section 4(f) Evaluation ............................... 206 10.3 Central 70 Section 4(f) Evaluation .......................................................................... 232 Chapter 11 References ...................................................................................................... 233 iv January 2017