[Federal Register: March 22, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 55)]
[Notices]
[Page 13482-13483]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22mr07-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and Enhanced
Use Lease (EUL) Actions at Fort Meade, MD
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 the
DEIS which evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated
with realignment actions directed by the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Commission and Army Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) Actions at Fort
Meade, Maryland.
DATES: The public comment period for the DEIS will end 45 days after
publication of an NOA in the Federal Register by the Environmental
Protection Agency.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments on the DEIS to: Ms. Melanie
Moore at Fort Meade, Public Affairs Office, 4550 Pershing Hall, Room
102, Fort Meade, MD 20755 or via e-mail at melanie.moore@us.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melanie Moore at (301) 677-1301
during normal business hours Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action and subject of the DEIS
covers the construction activities, and movement of personnel
associated with the BRAC realignment activities. The DEIS also covers
the proposed Army EUL actions that will occur at Fort Meade at the same
time that the BRAC action is being implemented.
To implement the BRAC recommendations, Fort Meade will be receiving
personnel, equipment, and missions from various realignment and
[[Page 13483]]
closure actions within the Department of Defense. Additionally, Fort
Meade plans to use the EUL program to implement projects that would
allow the installation to better execute its comprehensive master plan
and would support the proposed BRAC-directed projects. The EUL actions
are considered concurrently with the BRAC initiatives at Fort Meade. To
implement the BRAC Commission recommended initiatives, the Army will
provide the necessary facilities/buildings and infra-structure to
support the changes as recommended. Permanent facilities will be
constructed to house the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the
DoD Media Activities (DMA), and the Adjudication and Office of Hearing
and Appeals Offices, which are currently located in a mix of leased
facilities and at government installations.
To implement the EUL action, Fort Meade proposes to lease to a
private developer approximately 173 acres in two parcels for a term of
50 years. The installation would receive in-kind development of a 367-
acre parcel. Because the development of these three parcels would have
potential impacts in the same region as the BRAC realignment actions,
it is considered in this DEIS. The two EUL parcels that will be leased
are located on installation property outside the fence line. The parcel
for in-kind development is located within the fence line along the
perimeter of the installation.
Following an examination of all implementation alternatives, those
alternatives found not to be viable were dropped from further analysis
in the Fort Meade DEIS. Alternatives carried forward include: (1) The
Preferred BRAC Realignment and EUL Action Alternative, (2) BRAC
Realignment without EUL and associated construction, and (3) a No
action Alternative. The Preferred Alternative includes construction and
operation of proposed facilities to accommodate incoming military
missions at Fort Meade as mandated by the 2005 BRAC recommendations and
Army EUL actions. Alternative siting variations of proposed BRAC
facilities were also evaluated.
The DEIS analyses indicate that implementation of the preferred
alternative, BRAC and EUL Actions Alternative, would have long-term,
significant impacts on transportation, land use, socioeconomics
(demographics and schools), visual and aesthetic resources, biological
(vegetation and wildlife), utilities (wastewater and storm water
drainage). Implementation of the preferred alternative would have
short-term significant impacts to noise, energy sources, and solid
waste disposal; and short-term minor effects to surface water during
construction activities. Implementation of the preferred alternative
would have no significant impacts to air quality, geology and soils;
water resources (ground-water, floodplains, and coastal zones);
biological (rare, threatened, and endangered species and aquatic
species); socioeconomics (economic development, housing, and law
enforcement); utilities (potable water, energy sources-operations,
solid waste-operations); and hazardous and toxic substances. There
would be no impacts to cultural resources, socioeconomics
(environmental justice or protection of children) from implementation
of the BRAC and EUL Actions Alternative. Alternative siting variations
would provide similar impacts and benefits as compared to the preferred
alternative. The no action alternative provides the baseline conditions
for comparison to the preferred alternative.
The Army invites the general public, local governments, other
Federal agencies, and state agencies to submit written comments or
suggestions concerning the alternatives and analyses addressed in the
DEIS. The public and government agencies are invited to participate in
a public meeting where oral and written comments and suggestions will
be received. The public meeting will be held on April 18, 2007 from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the School-Age Services Building, 1900 Reece Road,
Fort Meade, MD 20755. The DEIS is available at 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. 07-1394 Filed 3-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M