A public Scoping Meeting for the RML Master Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be held on March 23, 2006 in Hamilton, Montana at the Hamilton High School from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

As part of the development of the RML Master Plan, the National Institutes of Health, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, will hold a public meeting to obtain comments on the scope of the Master Plan and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 23, 2006, in the Commons Room of Hamilton High School, Hamilton, Montana.  The meeting will begin with an “open house” or poster session from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at which NIH representatives will be available to answer general questions about the process.  From 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm will be an official Scoping Meeting for hearing comments on alternatives and issues the public believes NIH should address in the two documents.  The Office of Research Facilities (ORF) at the NIH is overseeing the RML Master Plan and EIS, and representatives will be accept comments at the meeting.

This public meeting is part of the 45-day public scoping period, which began with publication of a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS in the Federal Register on March 3, 2006 and will end on April 18, 2006.  If you are unable to attend the Scoping Meeting, written comments will be accepted throughout the comment period.  Please address comments to Valerie Nottingham, Chief of the Environmental Quality Branch, Division of Environmental Protection, Office of Research Facilities, NIH, B13/2W64 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD  20892.  She can also be reached by phone at 301-496-7775; by fax at 301-480-8056; or by email at nihnepa@mail.nih.gov.

The Scoping Meeting is an official National Environmental Policy Act proceeding and is the first opportunity for people to share their views about desired contents of the master plan and EIS.