For Immediate Release: Tuesday, August 18, 2020
The Council and Executive will review feedback and plans to develop a joint position by Tuesday, Oct. 6.
ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 18, 2020—The Montgomery County Council and County Executive Marc Elrich jointly are seeking public input on the I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Study’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The DEIS includes traffic, environmental, engineering and financial analyses of the Build Alternatives and the No Build Alternative. The DEIS process provides an opportunity for residents, interest groups and other agencies to review and provide comment on the proposed federal action and the adverse and beneficial environmental impacts and proposed mitigation for unavoidable impacts.
The Council and County Executive Elrich ask County residents who are testifying at the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) public hearings scheduled in August and September or sending correspondence to the SHA to also send copies and any attachments to County representatives no later than Monday, Sept. 14. Information submitted to the County will be reviewed by both the legislative and executive branches of County government to guide feedback and inform the development of a detailed position by Tuesday, Oct. 6. County residents can submit feedback and testimony here. Residents without access to the internet can mail their testimony or comments to the attention of Glenn Orlin at the Council Office Building (100 Maryland Ave., 4th floor, Rockville, Md., 20850). (Note: The County Executive has requested that the deadline for comments be extended for 30 additional days, at least; if this request is granted, the deadline for sending testimony and correspondence here will be extended commensurately.)
Residents can provide comments to the SHA on the DEIS until Oct. 8. The SHA has scheduled four virtual hearings in August and two in-person hearings for September, including one in-person event in Montgomery County on Thursday, Sept. 10. Documents available for review are detailed and lengthy. Interested parties are encouraged to view information as soon as possible in order to allow time for review and consideration.
More information about the DEIS and the link to sign up for the hearings can be found here.
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Release ID: 20-351