[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28434]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 17, 1994]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

 

Finding of No Significant Impact; Proposed Federal Building--
Courthouse, Central Islip, NY

Description of Action

    The proposed action involves the construction and operation of a 
new Federal Building--Courthouse complex on a 29-acre site in Central 
Islip, Long Island, New York by the United States General Services 
Administration (GSA). The complex will be developed in two phases and 
will provide space for the Untied States Courts for the Eastern 
District of New York and other Federal agencies. The first phase of the 
development is scheduled for completion by 1998 and will contain 
approximately 900,000 gross square feet of floor area, with 450,000 
occupiable square feet allocated to U.S. Courts and office space and 
170,000 square feet (480 spaces) to covered parking. The second phase 
of the development, depending upon future needs, is anticipated to be 
completed between the years 2006 and 2011, and would consist of an 
additional building with a floor area of approximately 200,000 
occupiable square feet.
    The site of the proposed development is the former grounds of the 
Central Islip State Psychiatric Hospital, located at exit 43A of the 
Southern State (Heckscher) Parkway on Long Island. The site is bounded 
by North Spur Drive to the south, Carleton Avenue to the west, the John 
P. Cohalan, Jr. County Courts Complex to the north, and the cemetery of 
the Central Islip State Psychiatric Hospital to the east. The site 
contains a pond and landscaped grounds associated with the recently 
completed County complex, as well as surface parking for the complex 
and a groundwater recharge basin. The site is owned by Suffolk County.

Finding

    Pursuant to the provisions of GSA Order ADM P 100.2B and the 
Regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality, November 
29, 1978, and based upon the Environmental Assessment and review of the 
air quality analysis conducted for the proposed action, the proposed 
action is not considered a major federal action significantly affecting 
the quality of human environment.

Basis for Finding

    The findings are presented in the Environmental Assessment, 
entitled New Federal Building--Courthouse, Central Islip, New York, 
dated June 1994.
    Construction and operation of the proposed Federal Building--
Courthouse Complex would result in less than significant impacts to the 
immediate project site and surrounding community. Less than significant 
adverse impacts would occur to utility services, traffic and 
transportation movements to and from the site, noise, and air quality.
    The General Services Administration reviewed the air quality 
analysis conducted for this project consistent with the requirements of 
40 CFR Part 93: ``Determining Conformity of General Federal Actions to 
State or Federal Implementation Plans (SIP)'', issued on November 30, 
1993. This ruling seeks to conform federal actions, such as the 
construction of the Federal Building--Courthouse, to the purpose of the 
State Implementation Plan to reduce or eliminate violations of the 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Criteria contained in 40 CFR 
Part 93 were applied to the air quality analysis for the proposed 
project to determine the need to conduct a conformity analysis for the 
proposed action.
    Suffolk County, in which the project is located, is in attainment 
with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for carbon monoxide 
levels. Therefore, federal conformity criteria contained in the general 
conformity rule for this pollutant do not apply to the project. 
However, Suffolk County is in severe non-attainment with NAAQS for 
ozone levels, and conformity criteria for this pollutant therefore do 
apply. The air quality analysis conducted for the proposed action 
indicated that the combined predicted direct and indirect emissions for 
ozone precursors VOC's and NOX are 6.9 tons/year, and 16.1 tons/
year, respectively. This is below the de minimus level of 25.0 tons/
year for either pollutant, as identified in the general conformity rule 
40 CFR Part 93. Since the proposed facility conforms with the allowed 
emissions limitations, no further conformity determination was deemed 
necessary.
    Beneficial impacts would be realized through the increased 
efficiency of the Federal justice system. Beneficial impacts upon the 
region's economy would also be realized by virtue of the construction 
and operating budgets associated with the Federal Building--Courthouse 
Complex. Cumulative and secondary impacts would be controlled, 
mitigated or avoided to the maximum extent possible.

    Dated: October 26, 1994.

    Recommended:
William B. Jenkins,
Assistant Regional Administrator, Region 2, Public Buildings Service, 
General Services Administration.

    Dated: October 26, 1994.

    Approved:
Karen R. Adler,
Regional Administrator, Region 2, General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 94-28434 Filed 11-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-23-M