Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a Floodplain

Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a Floodplain

Town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont

To: All interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals

The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) intends to fund the following Proposed Action under the Catalyst Program. NBRC will prepare an 8-Step Decision-Making Process review in compliance with Executive Order (EO) 11988 (Floodplain Management), to ensure federally funded projects consider floodplain impacts and avoid unnecessary risks, as well as to avoid direct or indirect support of new construction in floodplains where there is a practicable alternative.

Proposed Action: The purpose of the Proposed Action is to address the lack of a dedicated bicycle/pedestrian connection between the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) and St. Johnsbury’s Designated Downtown. The Proposed Action would enhance safety and accessibility for trail users by connecting the LVRT to the Three Rivers Path and St. Johnsbury’s downtown riverfront area to enhance recreational opportunities and promote the economic revitalization of St. Johnsbury. Specifically, the Proposed Action includes the construction of an approximately 2,600-foot-long multi-use path extension along the western side of Bay Street. Lighting would be installed along this length as well as the portion of the previously constructed path to the existing trailhead. The proposed path extension would begin at the Main Street LVRT Trailhead at 493 Main Street in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at the approximate geographic coordinates of 44.4097081, -72.0181651. After crossing Main Street to Bay Street, the proposed path would continue along Bay Street to extend to the southern terminus of the existing Three Rivers Path just south of the Green Mountain Power (GMP) Bay Street Substation at 311 Bay Street.

It has been determined by a review of Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Panel Number 5000310015B that portions of the Proposed Action would be located within a 100-year floodplain (Zone A7), warranting analysis under the 8-Step Decision-Making Process. Most of the land between the existing Three Rivers Path and the LVRT trailhead at Main Street lies within the 100-year floodplain of the Passumpsic River. The calculated fill volume for all new material being placed below the base flood elevation is approximately 978 cubic yards. The Proposed Action is subject to local review and approval per the Town of St. Johnsbury Flood Hazard Regulation, which includes review by the Rivers Program of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.

This notice provides people who may be affected by the Proposed Action and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment with an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate impacts.

Comments should be submitted by email to nepa@nbrc.gov. NBRC is accepting comments on this notice for 15 days from August 8, 2026, through the end of the day of August 23, 2026.

Date of Publication: August 7, 2026