[Federal Register: May 22, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 29780-29781]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22my08-76]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Notice of the Availability of the Record of Decision Concerning a
Proposal To Award a Contract to House Federal Detainees Within a
Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated Detention Facility in the Las
Vegas, NV, Area
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Federal Detention
Trustee.
ACTION: Notice of a Record of Decision.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Federal
Detention Trustee (OFDT) announces the availability of the Record of
Decision (ROD) concerning the Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for a proposal to award a contract to house federal detainees
within a Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated detention facility in the
Las Vegas, Nevada, area.
Background Information
Pursuant to section 102, 42 U.S.C. 4332, of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended and the Council of
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the OFDT,
together with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), prepared Draft and
Final EISs concerning a proposal to award a contract to house federal
detainees within a Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated detention
facility in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.
Project Information
During the past two decades, the federal detainee population has
experienced unprecedented growth as a result of expanded federal law
enforcement initiatives and resources. During this time, the federal
detainee population has increased by over 1,000 percent from
approximately 3,000 in 1981 to 55,000 to 60,000 today with continued
growth in the federal detainee population expected for the foreseeable
future. These prisoners are housed in a combination of local, state,
federal and private facilities around the country. The growth in the
detainee population is occurring at the same time that available
bedspace in local jails is decreasing. Local jail space is increasingly
needed to house local offenders, leaving less space available for the
contractual accommodation of federal detainees. These trends are
expected to continue and present a major challenge for those federal
agencies responsible for detaining prisoners.
Housing the growing number of federal detainees within the Las
Vegas, Nevada, area is considered to be an especially important
priority. The high level of federal law enforcement activity in the
western United States in general and the Las Vegas metropolitan area in
particular requires more beds than are readily available in local or
state facilities. Compounding the challenge faced by the USMS is the
need for detention facilities to be located near federal courthouses so
as to allow the USMS to transport detainees accused of violating
federal laws for court appearances. In response to this need, the OFDT,
with the support and assistance of the USMS, is seeking to contract for
a Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated facility to house detained
individuals charged with federal offenses and while awaiting trial or
sentencing.
In 2007, in response to the need, the OFDT solicited proposals from
contractors interested in housing individuals charged with federal
offenses and while awaiting trial or sentencing. At that time,
preparation of a Draft EIS to analyze the potential environmental
consequences of such an action was also undertaken. A Draft EIS was
subsequently published on December 23, 2007 which assessed the
environmental consequences associated with housing approximately 1,000
to 1,500 federal detainees within a Contractor-Owned/Contractor-
Operated detention facility in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.
Implementation of the proposed action would allow federal detainees to
be housed at a facility located in proximity to the United States
Courthouse in Las Vegas while meeting the need for expanded bedspace
capacity. Alternative actions have been evaluated, including the No
Action alternative, as stipulated by the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended.
Five prospective detention contractors initially offered 11
alternative sites in Nevada and Arizona for development of a
Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated detention facility with several of
the alternative sites offered by more than one contractor. Ten of the
11 sites were found to be located within a 75-mile radius of the United
States Courthouse in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The 75-mile radius was
among several minimum solicitation requirements and, hence, one of the
11 sites, located near the City of Kingman in Mohave County, Arizona,
was eliminated from further consideration. Prior to preparation of the
Draft EIS, six of the 10 alternative sites located within the 75-mile
radius were subsequently withdrawn from further consideration by the
prospective contractors. Four sites (the 630 East Parque Avenue Site,
the 2250 East Mesquite Avenue Site, the Apex Industrial Use Zone Site
A, and the Moapa Site) were determined to be alternatives worthy of
consideration and were evaluated in the Draft EIS. Following
publication of the Draft EIS, the Apex Industrial Use Zone Site A was
also withdrawn from further consideration to house federal detainees,
leaving three prospective contractors and three alternative sites.
The agency preferred alternative is to contract for provision of a
Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated detention facility to house
approximately 1,000 to 1,500 federal detainees at the 2250 East
Mesquite Avenue Site located in Pahrump, Nevada. Implementation of the
proposed action to award a contract to house federal detainees is
expected to result in less-than-significant impacts to the project site
and the community surrounding the selected site. Beneficial impacts
would be derived from the proposed action, including contributions
toward protecting society and achieving the goals of the U.S.
Department of Justice.
A Draft EIS was issued on December 23, 2007, coinciding with
publication of the Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register
(72 FR 72707). The NOA provided for a 45-day public comment period
which began on December 23, 2007, and ended on
[[Page 29781]]
February 4, 2008. Along with publication in the Federal Register,
written notice of the availability of the Draft EIS was also published
in four local and regional newspapers (in English and Spanish) and over
200 copies of the document were distributed to federal, state and local
government agencies, elected officials, public libraries, interested
organizations, and individuals. Public hearings concerning the proposed
action and the Draft EIS were held during the public comment period on
January 16, 2008, in Moapa, Nevada, and January 17, 2008, in Pahrump,
Nevada, with approximately 60 individuals attending the two hearings.
The Final EIS addressed comments received on the Draft EIS and
publication of the NOA in the Federal Register concerning the Final EIS
occurred on March 28, 2008 (73 FR 16672). The 30-day review period for
receipt of public comments concerning the Final EIS ended on April 28,
2008. Less than 60 comment letters were received during the Final EIS
public review period. The comment letters received on the Final EIS are
similar to comments received concerning the Draft EIS and were
considered in the decision presented in the ROD.
Availability of the Record of Decision
The ROD and other information regarding this project are available
upon request by contacting: Scott P. Stermer, Assistant Federal
Detention Trustee, Office of the Federal Detention Trustee, 4601 North
Fairfax Drive, 9th Floor, Arlington, Virginia 22203; or Tel: 202-353-
4601/Fax: 202-353-4611/E-mail: Scott.Stermer2@doj.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott P. Stermer, Assistant Federal
Detention Trustee.
Dated: May 13, 2008.
Scott P. Stermer,
Assistant Federal Detention Trustee, Office of the Federal Detention
Trustee.
[FR Doc. E8-11291 Filed 5-21-08; 8:45 am]
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