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February 27, 1998
The Coalfields Expressway Authority met at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 26, 1998 for its regular monthly meeting
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The Coalfields Expressway Authority met at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 26, 1998, for its regular monthly meeting.
Chairman D. Michael Goode opened the meeting. The minutes of the January 22, 1998, meeting of the Coalfields Expressway Authority were approved with an editorial change proposed by James Colby, West Virginia Division of Highways member on the board. Chairman Goode then turned the meeting over to Richard Browning, Executive Director of the Coalfields Expressway Authority.
Mr. Browning introduced the newest member of the Coalfields Expressway Authority, Mr. Tony Politino, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources representative on the Authority. Mr. Browning also introduced the guests at the meeting, Pastor Jake May and Jim Shelton of the Lester Baptist Church.
Mr. Browning reported on the status of the public hearings for the highway and asked James Colby, West Virginia Division of Transportation member of the Authority, to give an update on his meeting with Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) officials concerning the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Coalfields Expressway Authority, which FWHA has to approve in order for the hearings to be held. Mr. Colby stated that FHWA is requiring additional work to be done on the Cultural Resource section of the document, as well as additional work the section of the document pertaining to executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice. Mr. Colby stated that this could possibly delay the public hearings, originally scheduled for January, 1998, from four to six months, depending on how long it takes the WVDOT consultant Michael Baker Jr. to conduct the additional studies necessary for approval by FHWA.
Mr. Browning stated that he became aware of this decision by FHWA officials on Monday, Feb. 23, 1998. He stated that he has written letters to Congressman Rahall, Senator Rockefeller, and Senator Byrd appealing to them for help in resolving this impasse. Browning stated to the Authority that the additional studies will eventually have to be done, but did not have to be done on all three proposed routes of the highway. The additional work should only be done on the WVDOT designated route of the highway after the public hearings are held to give WVDOT public input in selecting the final route. The additional work could be done concurrently with the Final Environmental Impact Statement originally due in May, 1998.
Browning reported that his lobbying efforts in Charleston have been directed toward a resolution of this problem and a plan to acquire the $5 million state share of funding necessary to build the announced Welch Interchange of the Coalfields Expressway and King Coal Highway on Indian Ridge at the border of Wyoming and McDowell Counties. Browning has asked members of the legislature to include the $5 million state share in the proposed road bond sale later this year. For the federal share of the project, the state will use the remaining $46 million from the original $50 million given to the state under the federal ISTEA legislation in 1991 for the Coalfields Expressway and the $19 million left from the King Coal Highway given to the state under the same legislation.
Browning then reported on a meeting held in McDowell County with Senator Rockefeller and his staff, McDowell County officials, Wyoming County officials and other interested parties on efforts to locate a federal prison at the border of Wyoming and McDowell Counties on Indian Ridge near the Welch Interchange. Other discussions will be held in the future, as necessary information becomes available.
In other business, Browning reported on data currently being compiled by Andrew Boyd, West Virginia Development Office representative on the Coalfields Expressway Authority. Browning has asked Mr. Boyd and the Development Office to research economic development associated with highway location and construction in West Virginia. Mr. Boyd is compiling the information and reports it should be ready by the March meeting.
The next meeting of the Coalfields Expressway Authority will be at 10:00 AM on March 26, 1998 at the Coalfields Expressway Office in Pineville, West Virginia.
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