[Federal Register: November 21, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 224)]
[Notices]
[Page 65567]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21no07-47]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision (ROD) for Base
Realignment and Closure Actions and Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) Actions at
Fort Meade, MD
AGENCY: Department of the Army,DoD.
ACTION: Record of decision.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of a ROD
which summarizes the decision for implementing realignment actions as
directed by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission and
Department of Defense (DoD) EUL actions at Fort Meade, Maryland.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the ROD, contact the Public Affairs
Office, Fort George G. Meade, 4550 Pershing Hall, Room 120, Fort Meade,
MD 20755-5025; e-mail meade.pao@conus.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melanie Moore, Public Affairs
Office, at (301) 677-1361 during normal business hours Monday through
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army has decided to proceed with
implementing the Proposed Action consistent with the analysis in the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) dated August 2007, supporting
studies and comments provided during formal comment and review periods.
The Proposed Action includes construction and operation of proposed
facilities to accommodate incoming military missions at Fort Meade. To
implement the BRAC recommendations, Fort Meade will be receiving
personnel, equipment, and missions from various closure and realignment
actions within the DoD. To implement the BRAC Commission
recommendations, the Army will provide the necessary facilities,
buildings, and infrastructure to support incoming military missions and
a net gain of about 5,700 personnel as mandated by the 2005 BRAC
Commission's recommendations at Fort Meade. In addition, the Army will
implement the DoD EUL actions which will include issuing a 50-year
lease to a private developer for development of office and
administrative buildings for an estimated 10,000 personnel on two
parcels of land. In consideration, the developer will develop and
construct two 18-hole golf courses on a third parcel of land. The No
Action Alternative would not meet the Army's purpose and need for the
Proposed Action as the BRAC realignment is required by Congress and
needed for Army transformation to be effective.
Special consideration was given to the effect of the Proposed
Action on natural resources, cultural resources, and traffic. All
practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the
selected alternative have been adopted. The Army will minimize effects
on all environmental and socioeconomic resources by implementing best
management practices as described in the EIS. Mitigation measures, as
described in the ROD, will be implemented (subject to the availability
of funding) to minimize, avoid, or compensate for the adverse effects
identified in the EIS for water resources, biological resources, and
transportation. The EIS also identifies transportation projects that
could minimize adverse impacts from implementing the Proposed Action.
The ROD describes the approach the Army will take to mitigate traffic
concerns.
The ROD determines that implementing the Proposed Action reflects a
proper balance between initiatives for protection of the environment,
appropriate mitigation, and actions to achieve the Army's requirements.
An electronic version of the ROD can be viewed or downloaded from
the following Web site: http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm
.
Dated: November 13, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-5770 Filed 11-20-07; 8:45 am]
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