SDDOT Seeks Public Comment on Draft Section 4(f) De Minimis Evaluation for Proposed Project on S.D. Highway 15 in Deuel County
For Immediate Release:
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Contact:
Chad Babcock, Environmental Manager, at 605-773-3721
DEUEL COUNTY, S.D. - The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) has proposed a project to reconstruct S.D. Highway 15 from Clear Lake to the junction of U.S. Highway 212 to increase the shoulder width, re-establish ditch section, and flatten out deficient vertical curves. Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. 303) requires a special effort be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. In accordance with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) implementing regulations found at 23 CFR Part 774, comments are being solicited regarding the effects this project would have on the Lake Sutton game production area, managed by South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (SDGF&P).
The Lake Sutton game production area is considered a section 4(f) property because of its designation as a game production area and its intended use as a public recreation area. The project will include the acquisition of a minor amount permanent easement and temporary easement on the Lake Sutton game production area by SDDOT for the intended purpose of maintaining the inslope of Highway 15, which is prone to a high level of erosion due to it passing directly through Lake Sutton. The proposed project will result in approximately one acre of permanent incorporation of the Lake Sutton game production area into a transportation facility (Highway 15). The proposed project will also result in approximately one acre of temporary easement which will last for the duration of the project. The minor amount of permanent incorporation will not adversely affect the recreational use of the game production area.
The following measures to minimize harm will be incorporated into the plans as plan notes and as environmental commitments in the environmental document:
• Appropriate signage shall be installed to alert users of Lake Sutton game production area of construction activities, access restrictions, or closures, and to direct users to secondary access points;
• The staging and/or storage of construction equipment or materials shall not take place outside proposed construction limits that are within the defined boundaries of the 4(f) property; and
• The contractor shall be required to closely coordinate the construction schedule with SDDOT and the SDGFP Habitat Program Administrator prior to the start of construction activities.
The SDDOT and the FHWA intend to make a section 4(f) de minimis impact finding regarding the effects of the proposed Highway 15 project on the Lake Sutton game production area. This finding is based upon the following assessment:
• All possible planning to minimize harm has been incorporated into project development;
• The nature and magnitude of changes will not adversely affect the recreational activities, features, or attributes that qualify the property for Section 4(f) protection; and
• Proposed measures to minimize harm and resulting mitigation, in regard to protecting the Section 4(f) property and maintaining access and safety, are considered to be reasonable and acceptable.
The public is invited to review materials and comment on the draft section 4(f) de minimis evaluation at https://dot.sd.gov/doing-business/environmental/public-involvement/.
Public comments will also be accepted via email to chad.babcock@state.sd.us or by postal service to Chad Babcock, Environmental Manager, South Dakota Department of Transportation 700 E. Broadway Ave. Pierre, SD 57501. Public comment will be received through Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.
For further information, please contact Chad Babcock, SDDOT Environmental Manager, at 605-773-3721.
About the SDDOT:
The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to provide a safe and efficient public transportation system.
Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.
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