[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2790-2792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-670]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
for the New Job Corps Center in Long Beach, CA
agency: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.
action: Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the New Job Corps
Center in Long Beach, California.
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summary: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations
(40 CFR Part 1500-08) implementing procedural provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Job Corps, in
accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d), gives notice that an Environmental
Assessment (EA) has been prepared and the proposed plans for the
establishment of a Job Corps Center in Long Beach, California, will
have no significant environmental impact. Pursuant to 29 CFR
11.11(d)(1), this Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact will be
made available for public review and comment for thirty (30) days.
dates: Comments must be submitted by February 10, 1995.
addresses: Any comment(s) are to be submitted to Lynn Kotecki,
Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-5468.
for further information contact: Copies of the EA and additional
information are available to interested parties by contacting Marta
Aguilar-Duggan, Director, Office of Job Corps, 71 Stevenson Street,
Suite 1015, San Francisco, California, (415) 744-6658.
supplementary information: The Proposed Action includes development and
operation of a new Job Corps Center proposed on a 17-acre portion of an
existing 90.8 acre federally-owned site containing 110 recently
decommissioned U.S. Naval Cabrillo family housing units located in the
City of Long Beach. This new Job Corps Center will serve 300
residential students and 20 non-resident students, for a total of 320
students, as well as approximately 70 full-time, day and night staff.
Development of the proposed Job Corps Center will require
demolition of the 110 decommissioned units of approximately 151,250
square feet for construction of approximately 160,100 square feet of
new facilities. The new Job Corps Center facilities will feature one-
story buildings, including administrative and medical support
buildings; educational, library and instruction buildings; dormitory
buildings; a food service building and a one-story gymnasium structure.
The project site is accessible from the surrounding region via
Willow Street to the north, Pacific Coast Highway to the south, Long
Beach Freeway (Freeway 710) to the east, Terminal Island Freeway to the
west, as well as from the various existing, non-public internal
streets. The project site is located in a primarily residential section
of Long Beach, although there are several commercial developments along
Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Fe Avenue. Heavy industrial development
including railroad and oil refining operations are situated west and
adjacent to the Terminal Island Freeway.
The Long Beach project site is not located within an
environmentally sensitive area. The proposed action will not have any
significant adverse impacts on any prime agricultural lands, soils, or
related designated land conservation programs, development of mineral
resources, or on any unique topography.
There are no surface hydrological features present on the site such
as drainage swales, intermittent streams, wetlands, and/or ground water
production or related injection wells. The proposed action will not
involve the storage or on-site use of major quantities of hazardous
chemicals. Project development will not have any adverse impacts on
subsurface hydrogeological resources.
Project development will result in insignificant storm-water
related runoff. An on-site storm water discharge permit will be secured
to insure management in compliance with state and local requirements.
The proposed action is not expected to produce any significant adverse
drainage effect on adjacent property or any overloading of the public
storm water drainage system.
All new construction must conform to the Uniform Building Code
which includes establishing compatible building pad elevations and
structural designs which inherently mitigate seismic impacts, flood
hazards and related impacts to an acceptable risk. This is considered
to be a significant beneficial improvement over existing conditions. No
significant adverse flood-related impacts or geologic-related impacts
are anticipated.
Based on historic aerial photographs, personal interviews, visual
site reconnaissance, and reviews of available public and EPA-required
listings of hazardous sites, there appears to be no current or past
hazardous waste sources within the Long Beach site.
Existing structures have asbestos, lead paint, and potential PCB's
present on-site. However, all contaminated materials will be removed
and disposed of in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal
laws.
The development of the Proposed Action will generate approximately
25 percent less vehicular trips and associated automobile emissions
than that of recent conditions, which is considered to be a significant
beneficial improvement over existing conditions. Metropolitan bus
service has sufficient capacity to handle any increase in public
transit generated by the proposed action.
Demolition and development will generate temporary short-term
adverse dust and particulate matter during project construction
activities. However, maximum daily emission peaks would occur only
intermittently during the construction cycle and air emissions will
cease upon completion of the estimated 9-month construction period. All
applicable regulations will be complied with to insure specific
mitigation efforts.
Demolition, site preparation, and construction is expected to
generate average on-site noise levels of 65 to 95 dba with intervening
quieter periods. These levels are not considered to be severe or
present a health risk, as noise levels tend to reduce significantly at
distances greater than 100 feet. The presence of the existing 12-foot
high concrete wall lessens off-site construction noise for residential
properties located to the northeast of the project site. The proposed
action will comply with all City noise ordinances and related building
codes.
Due to a decrease in the number of vehicle trips because of a
reduced on-site population and the increased use of public transit and
car pooling over previous site area conditions, the new Job Corps
Center would generate significantly less peak and average noise
ambience levels over previously existing site conditions. This is
considered to be an improvement over previously
[[Page 2791]]
existing local noise ambience conditions.
There is existing area and security lighting on the project site,
which currently presents no significant light or glare effects because
of the site interior and the remote location within the Cabrillo family
housing area. The Job Corps Center will feature new facility area and
security lighting on the project site. Lighting impacts from the
proposed action upon off-site areas are expected to decrease over
existing conditions because the campus site design will feature more
modern, low intensity lighting fixtures. This is considered to be a
beneficial improvement over previously existing local lighting ambience
conditions.
There are no rare or endangered flora or fauna species known to
exist on the project site. Although development of the project will
remove existing non-native residential landscaping, forcing existing
urban animal species to relocate to adjacent areas, the proposed site
design will feature California native flora species designed to attract
desired fauna.
The proposed action will result in a 15.9 percent decrease in
population over previously existing conditions on site. This is
considered to be a beneficial reduction in population density of the
Long Beach site and surrounding community area. The affected source of
demolition and related construction is considered non-public (formerly
military) housing, and will have no impact on pricing in the local
housing market. No significant adverse population or housing resource
related project impacts are anticipated.
Development of the proposed site is estimated to generate a total
of 256 direct and indirect job opportunities in the City of Long Beach
and surrounding regions. The proposed action will not have any adverse
effect on the local job market, given the relatively high unemployment
rates in all sectors, including the local construction industry.
The proposed action is exempt from State property taxation.
However, construction material purchases are subject to both State
Sales and Use-related taxes. Accordingly, public tax revenues, expected
to increase as a result of project development, are considered to be a
beneficial improvement over existing local and regional employment and
economic conditions.
There is no evidence of any prehistoric archaeological or
historical sites on the Long Beach project site.
The existing family housing units at Cabrillo do not constitute
sufficient historical or architectural qualities to meet the criteria
for eligibility in the National Register of Historical Sites.
The proposed action is not expected to have an adverse impact on
established area facilities and opportunities including, but not
limited to, recreational and community services or public educational
services.
Although there are no on-site stormwater management-related
retention basins, or related treatment facilities, existing runoff and
related drainage patterns on- and off-site are not expected to be
significantly impacted by the project's minor surface paving. Provision
of on-site storm-water management facilities, as well as use of
intensive site landscaping, will minimize potential off-site stormwater
impacts.
Project development will have no adverse direct impact on City of
Long Beach street maintenance including any capital improvement
expenditures or other related public fiscal effects.
Security services are currently provided by the U.S. Navy Military
Police. This will become the responsibility of the Job Corps Center,
which will maintain access control and provide site security. The city
of Long Beach provides police services to the surrounding community
from the central station located 1.5 miles away. The public police
services are adequate for the project area and surrounding community
area. Project development will have no significant, adverse impact on
public services.
The fire-suppression services on-site are currently provided by the
U.S. Navy and will become the responsibility of the Job Corps Center.
The final site design will provide adequate fire suppression and
control features, including installation of automatic sprinkler fire
suppression systems, for all proposed construction. The site and
surrounding community are served by a Long Beach City Fire Station
located 1.0 mile away. Project development is not anticipated to have a
significant, adverse impact on existing public services.
Primary medical and paramedic services on-site will be the initial
responsibility of the Job Corps Center, with emergency backup provided
by the city of Long Beach. The closest hospital services are within 1.5
miles of the project site. The proposed project will have no
significant, adverse impact upon existing community emergency or
medical services.
None of the existing site facilities including family housing units
has radon levels above EPA's Radon Action Level of four picocuries per
liter (0.4 pCi/L). Appropriate building design will ensure safe radon
levels are maintained on the project site.
There would be no problem with lead in drinking water via the on-
site distribution systems since there are no old pre-1965 pipes. New
construction would eliminate any related problems in the future.
Appropriate demolition and legal disposal of all lead or lead alloy/
solders, as well as appropriate building design will ensure that safe
drinking water is maintained on the project site.
The project site does not appear to be subject to any significant
natural hazards. The project site is located above the 100-year flood
plain, and is not within a designated special hazard zone.
No significant adverse, long-term irreversible environmental
resource losses are associated with the proposed action. Accordingly it
is concluded that the proposed action will not result in any
significant adverse site specific and/or cumulative environmental
resource impacts.
A public meeting regarding the location of the new Job Corps Center
at the proposed site was held on February 7, 1994 at the Naval Housing
Cabrillo in Long Beach. Representatives from the city of Long Beach and
the Office of Job Corps presented a description of the proposed
project, a discussion of the reuse of Naval properties, the benefits to
the youth of the area and general community benefits as a result of
siting a Job Corps in Long Beach. Community leaders as well as the
general public were given an opportunity to comment on the project and
ask questions. All of the responses were positive, with community
organizations addressing the benefits that the proposed Job Corps
Center would have on employment opportunities for the youth in the
area.
The project alternatives reviewed and considered in this EA
included: (1) the ``No Build'' alternative; (2) the ``Alternative
Sites'' alternative; and (3) the ``Continue as Proposed'' alternative.
Choosing the ``No Build'' alternative implies that the U.S. Department
of Labor would not proceed with the proposed construction and operation
of a new Job Corps Center in the Long Beach area. Under this
alternative, existing Job Corps Center facilities in Los Angeles would
be used to provide current limited services. The existing facilities
are at a maximum capacity and do not offer any opportunity to provide
expanded and up-graded Job Corps Center training facilities and related
community-based employment development services.
[[Page 2792]]
The U.S. Department of Labor conducted a qualitative evaluation of
potential new Job Corps Center sites criteria as required by the
standard Federal Facility Acquisition criteria. The Federal Related
Program Design Criteria was used to establish a shortlist of
alternative project sites within the region. The project was selected
after having undergone detailed, comparative Facility Utilization
Evaluation studies and a related review of shortlisted site
alternatives, in accordance with facility use requirements including
location, suitability and availability of campus scale land
requirements.
The Job Corps site review teams identified alternative potential
project sites. These included the Park Plaza Hotel site in Los Angeles,
and available Federally-owned surplus sites including: U.S. Navy White
Point family housing area in San Pedro, California; Cabrillo family
housing area, Seabright family housing area, and Savannah Substandard
housing in Long Beach, California; as well as a Reserve Center housing
area in Los Alamitos, California.
To Continue as Proposed with the Long Beach Site would eliminate
costly and unnecessary acquisition of private land for public uses.
Development of this preferred site would also provide for continued
government ownership, maintenance and economic reuse of existing
federal properties.
Based on the information gathered during the preparation of the EA
for the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration,
Office of Job Corps finds that the proposed new Job Corps Center in
Long Beach, California, will not cause any significant adverse impact
of the environment; and, therefore, recommends that the project
continue as proposed. This Proposed Action is not considered to be
highly controversial.
Dated at Washington, DC., this 23rd day of December, 1994.
Peter E. Rell,
Director of Job Corps.
[FR Doc. 95-670 Filed 1-10-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M