[Federal Register: March 22, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 55)]
[Notices]
[Page 13482]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22mr07-41]
[[Page 13482]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Actions at
Fort Sam Houston, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of an
FEIS which evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated
with realignment actions directed by the BRAC Commission at Fort Sam
Houston and Camp Bullis, Texas.
DATES: The waiting period for the FEIS will end 30 days after
publication of an NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
ADDRESSES: For more information or to obtain a copy of the FEIS, please
contact: Mr. Phillip Reidinger, Public Affairs Office, Building 124,
1212 Stanley Road, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234; e-mail
Phillip.Reidinger@samhouston.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phillip Reidinger at (210) 221-
1151.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject of the FEIS and the Proposed
Action are the construction and renovation activities, and movement of
personnel associated with the BRAC directed realignment of Fort Sam
Houston. The FEIS also evaluates effects of Army Modular Force
transformation activities that will occur at Fort Sam Houston at the
same time that the BRAC actions are being implemented.
To implement the applicable portions of the BRAC recommendations,
Fort Sam Houston will be receiving personnel, equipment, and missions
from various realignment and closure actions within the Department of
Defense. Additionally, the Army had planned to conduct a series of non-
BRAC transformations to position its forces strategically for the
future. These transformations require consideration in conjunction with
the BRAC initiatives at Fort Sam Houston. Additionally, permanent
facilities will be constructed or renovated to house the 470th Military
Intelligence Brigade and various Headquarters units of the new Army
North and Sixth Army (U.S. Army South or USARSO), which are currently
located in a mix of temporary and existing facilities.
To enable implementation of the BRAC Commission recommendations and
accommodation of the concurrent Army initiatives, the Army must provide
the necessary facilities/buildings and infrastructure to support the
changes in force structure.
Following a rigorous examination of all implementation
alternatives, those alternatives found not to be viable were dropped
from further analysis in the Fort Sam Houston FEIS. Alternatives
carried forward include (1) The Preferred Alternative and (2) a No
Action Alternative. The Preferred Alternative includes construction,
renovation, and operation of proposed facilities to accommodate
incoming military missions at Fort Sam Houston. Minor siting variations
of proposed facilities were also evaluated.
Planned undertakings within the National Historical Landmark (NHL)
District, including the demolition of existing buildings and
construction of new buildings, will be reviewed using the Installation
Design Guide historic review requirements and the Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) in the Historic Properties Component (HPC) of the
Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan. If demolition cannot be
avoided, the determination of effects to cultural resources of the NHL
District and required mitigation will be determined per the HPC SOPs.
Implementation of the preferred alternative will have no long-term,
significant impacts on other environmental resources of Fort Sam
Houston or Camp Bullis or their surrounding areas.
The FEIS analyses indicate that implementation of the preferred
alternative would have no long-term, significant impacts on the other
environmental resources of Fort Sam Houston or Camp Bullis or their
surrounding areas. Potential minor impacts to visual resources from
implementation of the preferred alternative would generally occur only
within the physical boundaries of Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis. No
long-term significant impacts to earth (geology, topography, caves,
karst features or soils) or wetlands will occur at either installation.
Potential land use impacts are expected at Fort Sam Houston. Use of
utilities and generation of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes will
likely increase at both installations, but not in significant amounts.
Minor air, noise and transportation impacts would also occur during
short-term construction activities under the preferred alternative at
both installations and continue after final construction and occupancy.
No significant impacts to biological resources (vegetation, wildlife,
and threatened and endangered species) are expected from the
implementation of the preferred alternative. Alternative siting
variations would result in similar impacts and benefits as compared to
the preferred alternative.
An electronic version of the FEIS can be viewed or downloaded from
the following Web site: http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsimweb/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm
.
Dated: March 15, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-1393 Filed 3-21-07; 8:45 am]
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