So much information, so little time

Opponents of the planned extension of Interstate 69 from Indianapolis to Evansville said they are angry that they will only have a few weeks to review an environmental report on the proposed routes that was 30 months in the making.\nOpponents said they expected the Federal Highway Administration to release the environmental impact report this week, but that the public was not being given enough time to educate themselves on its findings.\nThe impact statement is expected to examine anticipated environmental effects of extending Interstate 69 on five proposed routes.\nThe Indiana Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration both said the public would have a 60-day period to respond to the report, which is believed to be between 800-1,000 pages long.\nAndy Knott of the Hoosier Environmental Council said federal officials told him public hearings on the issue have been scheduled for mid-August. State highway department spokesman Roger Manning said public hearings had not yet been scheduled, although they will be soon.\nThe agency has already extended by 15 days the public-comment period required by federal law, Manning said.