[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31556]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 23, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy

 

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Naval Base Philadelphia, PA

    Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as 
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations 
(40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy announces its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate 
the potential environmental effects of the disposal and reuse of Naval 
Base Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Naval Base, as defined here, 
includes the Naval Station, those portions of the Naval Shipyard on 
League Island that are not being retained by Navy, and the Capehart 
Family Housing complex located a half-mile to the north of League 
Island. League Island is located at the confluence of the Delaware and 
Schuylkill Rivers in the southern portion of the City of Philadelphia.
    As directed by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act (DBCRA) 
(PL 101-510), as implemented by the 1991 BRAC process, the Navy plans 
to close and dispose of portions of the Naval Base. The Naval Station 
and portions of the Naval Shipyard will be closed in late 1995.
    The proposed action to be analyzed in the EIS involves the disposal 
of land, buildings, and infrastructure for subsequent reuse. The Navy 
will retain ownership of a portion of the Shipyard for possible future 
use by the Navy. The Navy will continue to operate the Naval Surface 
Warfare Center, the Propeller Shop and Foundry, and the Naval Inactive 
Ship Maintenance Facility. This retained land on the Shipyard totals 
approximately 300 acres. Other elements of the Shipyard, including five 
dry docks and over 2.5 million square feet of building space may be 
made available to lease for other purposes, but Navy will retain 
ownership. The remainder of the Naval Base, approximately 800 acres, 
would be disposed of by the Navy.
    A Naval Base redevelopment/reuse plan developed by the Mayor of 
Philadelphia's Commission on Defense Conversion will be the preferred 
alternative presented in the EIS. The proposed reuse plan comprises 
over 3.2 million square feet of heavy industrial functions; 2.2 million 
square feet of light industrial, warehousing, and distribution 
facilities; 1.4 million square feet of administrative and research/
development space; approximately 650,000 square feet of commercial 
services; a 35-acre institutional campus; a 330-acre future development 
site; and over 70 acres of common access open space.
    The ``no action'' alternative (Navy retention of Naval Base 
Philadelphia land and infrastructure in caretaker status) will be 
addressed in the EIS. However, because of the process mandated by the 
DBCRA, selection of the ``no action'' alternative would be considered 
impracticable for the Navy to implement.
    The EIS to be prepared by the Navy will address the following known 
areas of concern: effects of new development at the Base on the 
regional socioeconomic environment, potential effects on infrastructure 
and transportation systems, and the effects of reuse on any historic 
properties on-site. Preliminary studies indicate that areas within the 
Naval Base are eligible for listing on the National Register of 
Historic Places as historic districts, with several other potentially 
significant archaeological resources also present. Additionally, 
potential impacts to the natural environment that will be addressed in 
the EIS include, but are not limited to, air quality, water quality, 
hazardous materials, wetlands, and endangered species.
    The Navy will initiate a scoping process for the purposes of 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying 
significant issues related to proposed reuse. Navy will hold a public 
scoping meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 1995, beginning at 7:30 p.m., 
at the South Philadelphia Community Center, 2600 South Broad Street 
(corner of South Broad Street and Oregon Avenue), Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania. Should inclement weather preclude holding the public 
scoping meeting on this date, the alternate date for the meeting will 
be Thursday, January 12, 1995 (meeting to be held at the same 
location). If there is any question of meeting date in the event of 
inclement weather, contact the person listed at the end of this notice 
for confirmation. This notice will also appear in local papers.
    A brief presentation will precede a request for public comment and 
will include a presentation on the proposed reuse plan. Navy 
representatives will be available at this meeting to receive comments 
from the public regarding issues of concern to the public. It is 
important that federal, state, and local agencies and interested 
individuals take this opportunity to identify environmental concerns 
that should be addressed during the preparation of the EIS. In the 
interest of available time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral 
comments to five minutes.
    Agencies and the public are also invited and encouraged to provide 
written comment in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the 
public meeting. To be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly 
describe specific issues or topics which the commenter believes the EIS 
should address. Written statements and/or questions regarding the 
scoping process should be mailed no later than January 27, 1995, to: 
Commanding Officer, Northern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering 
Command, 10 Industrial Highway, Lester, Pennsylvania 19113 (Attn: Mrs. 
Tina Deininger, Code 202), telephone (610) 595-0759.

    Dated: December 20, 1994.
L.R. McNees,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-31556 Filed 12-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M