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How Can I Stay Informed?
You can sign up to receive periodical newsletters by filling out the form to the right and clicking the "Sign Up" button. Information regarding public meetings and other study activities is posted below. Details from study meetings will be updated as they become available so be sure to check this page frequently for the most recent information.
A public hearing was held to collect comments on the DEIS on May 2nd, 2012. Hearing transcript
You can navigate directly to subsections of this page using the links below.
- Summary of Interagency Coordination Meetings and Results during Preparation of the EIS
- Meetings with Federal Cooperating Agencies
- Summary of Interagency Coordination Meetings and Results during Preparation of the EA
- Public Meetings
- Public Advisory Committee (PAC) Meetings
The following is a list of agencies who participated in interagency coordination during preparation the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
MASC Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission
MDEP Maine Department of Environmental Protection
MDIFW Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
MDMR Maine Department of Marine Resources
MDOC Maine Department of Conservation
MHPC Maine Historic Preservation Commission
MNAP Maine Natural Areas Program
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Summary of Interagency Coordination Meetings and Results during Preparation of the EIS
Interagency Meeting |
Discussion and Results |
| December 13, 2011 | The administrative DEIS/Section 404 permit application supporting information was distributed to the Federal Cooperating Agencies for review and comment. The Federal Cooperating Agencies present provided a synopsis of their review of the administrative DEIS/Section 404 permit application supporting information so far. The USACE and the USFWS reported that their review of the administrative DEIS/Section 404 permit application supporting information was almost complete and no major gaps in material were found. Moving forward, the joint lead agencies – the FHWA and MaineDOT – discussed circulating the DEIS/Section 404 permit application supporting information and holding a joint public hearing with the USACE. A list of attendees can be found here. The meeting minutes can be found here.
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| October 11, 2011 | An update to the design criteria and conceptual design of the build alternatives retained for further consideration and the alternatives analysis and the resultant impacts was presented. The agencies concurred with identifying Alternative 2B-2 as the Preferred Alternative for satisfying the study purpose and need and satisfying the USACE's overall and basic project purpose with the least adverse impact to the environment. It was agreed that Route 9 has sufficient capacity and would operate at comparable speeds in the design year and no improvements to Route 9 would be considered reasonably foreseeable. The MaineDOT would update the list of opportunities for compensatory wetland mitigation and include it in the DEIS that is circulated for public review to allow an opportunity to comment on mitigation. A Transcript of the meeting minutes can be found here. A set of preliminary drawings for the highway design can be found here. A handout illustrating the alternatives and select impacts can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USEPA, USFWS, NMFS, FHWA, MDMR, MDEP, MDIFW |
| January 12, 2010 | The alternatives in the Family of 5s was presented and discussed. Alternative 2B-2 is proximate to the family of 5s and shares partial alignment with one of the 5s. In light of the EO on floodplains, the MaineDOT suggested that Alternative 5B2E3K-1 could be dismissed from further consideration because of its potential impacts to floodplains; according to the EPA, the potential impacts to floodplains are not a sufficient reason to dismiss an alternative from further consideration because lost flood storage area can be replaced. Alternative 5B2E3K-1 should be retained for further consideration because of part of its alignment is adjacent to a Bangor Hydro-Electric utility easement. The Bangor Hydro-electric utility easements are disturbed and the resources within them are of lesser value than those in undisturbed locations. The Bangor Hydro-Electric utility easements are used for recreation and portions of them beneath the electrical lines are periodically mowed. A transcript of the meeting minutes can be found here. A memo on the comparison of select impacts for alternatives 2B-2 and 5A2E3K-1 can be found here. Attended by: |
| May 12, 2009 | An update to the alternatives analysis and the resultant impacts was presented. The agencies in attendance concurred with dismissing Alternatives 1 and 3A-3EIK-1 from further consideration. The agencies requested a new alternative to be considered: 2B-2 plus improvements to Route 9 to East Eddington with a section on new alignment to the north of the intersection of Routes 9 and 46. Two other changes to alternatives were requested: (1) for the alternatives that begin with 5A, develop a partial cloverleaf interchange with Route 1A; and (2) for Alternative 3EIK-2, move a portion of the alternative closer to Clark Hill Road. Presentation slides illustrating the alternatives, connections, and interchanges can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USEPA, USFWS, NMFS, FHWA, MDEP, and MDOC |
December 9, 2008 |
An update to the alternatives analysis was presented. The update consisted of results of the six "connectors" between the three westernmost alternatives. The agencies in attendance concurred in continuing to study:
A map of the range of reasonable alternatives with connections and displacements can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USFWS, NMFS, FHWA, and MDIFW |
| October 9, 2007 | An update to the study was provided. The update consisted of changes in land use in the study area since 2003 and the current range of reasonable alternatives being considered and analyzed for obtaining the USACE Phase I approval. Presentation slides accompanying the discussion on changes in select features since 2003 and the range of alternatives in request for USACE Phase I signoff can be found here.
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Meetings with Federal Cooperating Agencies
During the preparation of the DEIS / Section 404 permit application, MaineDOT and FHWA met with the Federal Cooperating agencies on several occasions to discuss the study are plan the next steps.
December 14, 2010: A copy of the meeting agenda, meeting minutes, a summary of the range of alternatives, and an illustration showing indirect impacts within road-effect zones can be found by clicking the links below:
Meeting Agenda | Meeting Minutes | Summary of the Range of Alternatives | Indirect Impacts within Road Effect Zones
September 21, 2010: A copy of the meeting minutes, a summary of the range of alternatives and a summary of traffic flow on Route 9, can be accessed by clicking the links below:
Meeting Minutes | Summary of the Range of Alternatives | Summary of Traffic Flow on Route 9
December 4, 2009: A copy of the meeting agenda, a chart of the alternatives selection process, and a drawing of the diamond/partial cloverleaf interchange with Route 1A can be accessed by clicking the links below:
Meeting Minutes | Meeting Agenda | Alternatives Selection | Diamond/Partial Cloverleaf Interchange
Summary of Interagency Coordination Meetings and Results during Preparation of the EA
Interagency Meeting |
Discussion and Results |
| November 14, 2003 | A modification of Alternative 2B-1 was discussed. It was agreed by the agencies in attendance that this modification should be dismissed from further consideration. Attended by: USACE, USFWS, MDEP, and MDOC |
| May 13, 2003 | The agencies in attendance concurred with dismissing the remaining build alternatives except Alternative 3EIK-2, pending review of the "Transportation Improvement Strategies and Alternatives Analysis Technical Memorandum and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Highway Methodology Phase I Submission"–a document that summarizes and presents results of the alternatives-analysis process. A summary of the dismissal of Alternatives 2B-1, 2C-1, 2C-1/2B-1, 3A-3EIK-1, and the retention of Alternative 3EIK-2 can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USEPA, USFWS, MDEP, MDIFW, MASC, and MHPC |
| March 11, 2003 | The agencies in attendance concurred with dismissing Alternative 2C-2 due to its greater impacts to farmlands and farming operations than other alternatives. Attended by: USACE, USEPA, USFWS, MDEP, MDIFW, and MASC |
October 8, 2002
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An update to the alternatives analysis and the direction of the study were presented. The agencies in attendance concurred with the range of alternatives considered and the direction of the study. A memo summarizing the progress of the alternatives analysis can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USFWS, NMFS, and MASC |
| March 12, 2002 | An update to the alternatives analysis was presented. The agencies in attendance concurred with the range of alternatives considered but stated that Alternative 2B was practicable. The agencies requested that additional impacts to people living along Route 9 be quantified. A memo detailing the rationale for alternatives retained four further discussion can be found here. The handout accompanying discussion on highway capacity analysis can be found here. A summary of the alternatives analysis can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USFWS, and MDEP |
| October 9, 2001 | The alternatives-analysis information to date was presented. The agencies in attendance concurred with the range of reasonable alternatives considered and the preliminary screening of alternatives to date. A transcript of the interagency meeting minutes can be found here. Presentation slides accompanying the review of study purpose, review of study needs, evolution of the build alternatives, and future activities can be found here. Attended by: USACE, USEPA, USFWS, NMFS, MDEP, MDIFW, MASC, and MDMR |
| February 13, 2001 | The needs for the study, its purpose, and the natural resource and social environmental features in the study area were presented. The agencies in attendance concurred with the information presented. Presentation slides accompanying the discussion on the study needs, purpose, and features information can be found here. |
November 14, 2000 |
The study was introduced and an overview of activities was provided. |
Public Meetings
June 2008. A Public Scoping Meeting was held on June 4, 2008.
- Read the Public Notice (Acrobat PDF file 91 KB).
- View the Presentation (Acrobat PDF file 14 MB).
- View a Map of the Alternatives Discussed (Acrobat PDF file 706 KB)
- View a copy of the Displays (Acrobat PDF file 5 MB)
In 2001, two public meetings were held.
- Public Meeting 1 -- Introduction and scoping
- Read the transcript (Acrobat PDF file 5.2 MB).
- Public Meeting 2 -- Review of alternatives and preliminary screening
- Read the minutes (Acrobat PDF file).
Public Advisory Committee (PAC) Meetings
- Project Advisory Committee High Level Summary (Acrobat PDF File 94 KB).
- List of PAC members and their contact information
- PAC Meeting -- April 15, 2009
- Read the agenda (Acrobat PDF file 46 KB).
- Read the meeting summary (Acrobat PDF file 71 KB).
- View the handout distributed at the meeting (Acrobat PDF file 16.7 MB).
- PAC Meeting -- November 19, 2008
- Read the agenda (Acrobat PDF file 48 KB).
- Read the meeting summary (Acrobat PDF file 368 KB).
- View the handout distributed at the meeting (Acrobat PDF file 6.26 MB).
- PAC Meeting -- August 20, 2008
- Read the agenda (Acrobat PDF file 71 KB).
- Read the meeting minutes (Acrobat PDF file 66 KB).
- Read an overview of the study (Acrobat PDF file 1.5 MB).
- View the maps distributed at the meetings (Acrobat PDF file 1 MB).
Between 2001 and 2003, 17 public advisory committee meetings were held.
- PAC Meeting #17, April 30, 2003
- PAC Meeting #16, January 15, 2003
- PAC Meeting #15, November 20, 2002
- The meeting agenda.
- A handout showing year 2030 vehicle miles traveled, vehicle hours traveled, and the cost savings over the no-build alternative..
- A handout explaining the reasons for dismissing a number of alternatives.
- A map showing the "Corporate Boundary Corridor" proposed by Holden for consideration by MaineDOT.
- PAC Meeting #14, September 18, 2002
- The meeting agenda.
- The handout from that meeting with: (1) a matrix showing preliminary impacts and the feasibility of the alternatives retained to this point, (2) a map of the alternatives retained, (3) plan views of the four modifications to alternatives 1 and 1-4B, and (4) an explanation of the study purpose and needs.
- PAC Meeting #13, July 24, 2002
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout #1: Map of the alternatives currently under consideration (Adobe Acrobat file)
- Handout #2: A matrix showing the preliminary impacts from the alternatives under consideration (Adobe Acrobat file).
- Meeting #12, May 22, 2002
- The meeting agenda.
- Meeting #11, February 20, 2002
- The meeting agenda.
- A handout explaining the rationale for alternatives retained for further consideration.
- Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System presentation (Adobe Acrobat file).
- Holden Comprehensive Plan presentation (Adobe Acrobat files).
- Meeting #10, December 19, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- PowerPoint presentation with traffic data (Adobe Acrobat file).
- Handout: A matrix comparing the preliminary impacts and the feasibility of the range of reasonable alternatives retained for continued study (Adobe Acrobat file).
- Meeting #9, October 23, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- PowerPoint presentation with traffic data (Adobe Acrobat file).
- Meeting #8, July 18, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout: A matrix showing the summary of preliminary impacts and the feasibility of the range of reasonable alternatives retained for continued screening (Adobe Acrobat File).
- Graphic: Range of Reasonable Alternatives Retained for Continued Screening (300K).
- Meeting #7, June 27, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout #1: Summary of the Potential Impacts and Feasibility of the Range of Reasonable Alternatives.
- Handout #2: A matrix showing the summary of preliminary impacts and the feasibility of the range of reasonable alternatives.
- Meeting #6, May 2, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout: Alternatives Identification and Evaluation
- View a copy of the traffic presentation given at that meeting.
- Meeting #5, February 28, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout: Traffic summary from Feb. 22, 2001.
- Meeting #4, January 17, 2001
- The meeting agenda.
- Meeting #3, November 15, 2000
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout: The proposed table of contents for the environmental assessment.
- Meeting #2, October 2, 2000
- The meeting agenda.
- Handout: An explanation of the project purpose and needs.
- Handout: Information on commercial vehicle crashes.
- Handout: Rt. 46 Safety Analysis.
- Handout: Safety Field Review.
- Meeting #1, September 11, 2000
- Handout: An explanation of the NEPA process.
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