Final EIS Supplemental Information Reports Comment Period
March 19 – April 18, 2023
LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) began an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in the spring of 2018 for Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) and Wasatch Boulevard in partnership with Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to provide an integrated transportation system that improves the reliability, mobility and safety for residents, visitors, and commuters who use S.R. 210.
Ultimately, the partners seek to deliver transportation options that meet the needs of the community while preserving the value of the Wasatch Mountains.
As a result of public and agency input, UDOT has issued two Supplemental Information Reports (SIR) to evaluate applicability and potential impacts to Inventoried Roadless Areas and for additional air quality analysis. UDOT is accepting comments on the analysis contained in these reports, as comments received in this comment period that are unrelated to the supplemental information reports will not be addressed in the Record of Decision (ROD).
STUDY AREA MAP
STUDY PROCESS AND TIMELINE
PUBLIC SCOPING
Public Comment Period: Mar. 9 - May 4, 2018
REVISED PUBLIC SCOPING
Public Comment Period: Mar. 5 - Jun. 14, 2019
Public Comment Period: Nov. 4 - Dec. 13, 2019
DRAFT PURPOSE AND NEED AND ALTERNATIVE SCREENING CRITERIA
ALTERNATIVES DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT
Public Comment Period: Jun. 8 - Jul. 10, 2020
DRAFT EIS
Public Open House & Hearing: Jul. 13, 2021
Virtual Public Hearing: Jul. 20, 2021
Public Comment Period: Jun. 25 - Sept. 3, 2021
Public Comment Period: Dec. 10, 2021 - Jan. 10, 2022
Final EIS
Public Comment Period: Sept. 2 - Oct. 17, 2022
IRA/Air Quality SIR Public Comment Period: Mar. 19 - Apr. 18, 2023
View all Final EIS Information >
Record of Decision
CURRENT PHASE
Revised 3/17/2023
Project Update
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Little Cottonwood Canyon in August of 2022 and held a public comment period, with the project team receiving over 13,000 comments.
As a result of the comments received, the project team determined additional analysis was warranted regarding the impacts of the Final EIS alternatives to Inventoried Roadless Areas under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (RACR) and the Forest Plan. The RACR required the USDA Forest Service to conduct an inventory of roadless areas for their potential to be designated as wilderness based on size (at least 5,000 acres) or location (contiguous to an existing Wilderness Area). If an area meets these criteria, it becomes an “Inventoried Roadless Area” (IRA) and, in general, the RACR prohibits road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting (cutting, sale, or removal) in IRAs unless certain exceptions or circumstances exist. Little Cottonwood Canyon contains the White Pine IRA and portions of the Twin Peaks and Lone Peak IRAs.
Also following publication of the Final EIS, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requested that UDOT complete additional air quality analysis. In particular, FHWA requested evaluation of a scenario under the existing modeling where all ski buses would be powered by diesel fuel rather than the model default which consisted of diesel, compressed natural gas, and gasoline powered buses; and that all transit buses be evaluated at the maximum expected service life of 14 years rather than a variable age bus fleet.
As a result of public and agency input, UDOT has issued two supplemental information reports to evaluate applicability of the RACR and the potential impacts to inventoried roadless areas and for additional air quality analysis.
Public Comment Period
The public review and comment period for the supplemental information reports is open from March 19 to April 18, 2023 and the project team is accepting comments on the analysis contained in these reports. Comments received in this comment period that are unrelated to the supplemental information reports will not be addressed in the Record of Decision (ROD). Formal comments can be submitted through the project website, email, voicemail, and text messages. This information is listed on the Contact section of the website.
**Please note that as the public had the opportunity to comment on the entire Final EIS, comments unrelated to the supplemental information reports will not be addressed in the Record of Decision (ROD).
Final EIS Supplemental Information Reports Comment Period
March 19 – April 18, 2023
SUBMIT COMMENTS
UDOT is currently accepting comments on the analysis and potential impacts described in the Supplemental Information Report – Assessment of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule for the Final EIS Alternatives and the Air Quality Supplemental Information Technical Report. Please note that as the public had the opportunity to comment on the entire Final EIS, comments received during this comment period that are unrelated to the supplemental information reports will not be addressed in the Record of Decision (ROD).
Comments provided to the project team outside of formal comment periods will be reviewed and considered by UDOT as it develops the project but will not be included in the NEPA document. All comments received will be documented in the project record. The study team will contact you if they need additional information or clarification.
Comments provided during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to UDOT are a matter of public record and subject to public release, if requested. For more information, see the Terms of Use at the bottom of the Utah.gov website.
Comments that are publicly displayed through online tools must follow our UDOT Social Media Policy Participant Code of Conduct. Comments that are unacceptable under that policy may be removed at the administrator’s discretion.
CONTACT US
For more information on the transportation planning efforts underway on S.R. 210 and in Little Cottonwood Canyon or to share your ideas, please send the project team an email, give us a call or join the Facebook Group.
Write Us A Letter
Little Cottonwood Canyon EIS
c/o HDR
2825 E Cottonwood Parkway, Suite 200
Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121
