[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28588-28589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13429]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for the Lease of Fleet and Industrial Supply 
Center Property to the Port of Oakland for Development of Intermodal 
Rail Facilities and Maritime Cargo-Related Tenant Uses at Oakland, CA

    Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations on 
Implementing NEPA Procedures (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy announces its decision to implement the preferred alternative 
presented in the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIR/EIS) for the Lease of Fleet and Industrial Supply 
Center property to the Port of Oakland for development of intermodal 
rail facilities and maritime-related tenant uses at Oakland, 
California. This decision fulfills Navy responsibility in compliance 
with NEPA process. The Port of Oakland will make its decision in 
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
    In response to 10 U.S.C. 2667 and Public Law 102-484 (Section 
2834(b)) of the Fiscal Year 1993 Defense Authorization Act, as amended, 
the Navy is authorized to lease to the Port of Oakland, real property, 
together with improvements thereon, at the Fleet and Industrial Supply 
Center, Oakland (FISCO), Alameda County, California.
    The action is granting of a lease of up to 220 acres of the FISC 
Oakland property to the Port of Oakland for expansion of their existing 
intermodal rail facilities and maritime-related tenant activities. In 
addition, the proposed development includes another 87 acres of the 
Port of Oakland's and Union Pacific Railroad's properties directly 
south of the Supply Center. The Port of Oakland proposes to establish 
maritime and transportation activities and to redevelop the site for 
port operations in support of the Oakland Harbor Area.
    The 307 total acres have been divided into six areas for planning 
purposes. Development of Area A (83 acres of the Center) would include 
demolition of most of the existing facilities and construction of new 
intermodal railtracks and associated appurtenances, such as straddle 
carrier runways and container staging support areas. Development of 
Area B (40 acres of the Center) would include demolition of existing 
facilities and construction of new container transfer and storage areas 
and a transloading facility. The transloading facility would be a 
narrow, dock-high platform with rail tracks on one side and truck 
spaces on the other side. Development of Area C (67 acres of the 
Center) would include demolition of some existing facilities, 
construction of an entrance for the intermodal rail facility (including 
a gatehouse and maintenance and repair building) and maintenance of 
existing warehouses for continued warehousing and/or distribution uses. 
Development of Areas D and E (87 acres of Port and Union Pacific 
Railroad properties) would include demolition of existing facilities 
and construction of a new terminal expansion area to be used for 
development of Area F (20 to 30 acres of the Center) may be included in 
the lease, depending on the results of discussions between the Port of 
Oakland and the Center. If the agreement is reached, the additional 
area would be used for warehousing and/or distribution.
    The alternatives, including the preferred alternative, may be 
categorized as four development alternatives and the ``no action'' 
alternative. The development alternatives vary from extensive 
[[Page 28589]] intermodal rail facilities to increased maritime 
related/industrial tenant activities. The lease and development 
alternatives would introduce major changes in scale and character of 
the Historic District at FISCO. In compliance with Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. Section 470(f)), the Navy 
has consulted the State Historic Preservation Officer, and a Memorandum 
of Agreement has been reached regarding mitigation for adverse effects. 
The action will result in net air pollution emissions that will be 
below established threshold levels. A record of non-applicability for 
the proposed action has been prepared pursuant to 40 CFR Parts 51 and 
93 and no Clean Air Act Conformity determination is necessary. There 
will not be any disproportionately high and adverse human health or 
environmental effects from the action on minority and low-income 
populations.
    A Draft EIR/EIS was prepared by the Port and the Navy, and 
distributed to agencies and officials of federal, state and local 
governments, citizen groups and associates, public libraries, and other 
interested parties for review and comment. A public hearing to inform 
the public of the DEIR/EIS findings and to solicit comments was held on 
September 19, 1994. Public comments concentrated on existing adverse 
commercial truck traffic conditions in the West Oakland neighborhood. 
The Port of Oakland has been working with community-based organizations 
to arrive at appropriate and reasonable measures to ease these existing 
conditions. Copies of all comments received were included in the Final 
EIR/EIS. Six sets of written comments were received in response to the 
FEIR/EIS during the 30-day public review period. Two sets of these 
comments focused on technical questions pertaining to FISCO biological 
resources, and the asbestos survey at the site. The organizations 
making these comments will be directed to the appropriate sections of 
the FEIR/EIS that addressed their concerns. The principal emphasis of 
the remaining four sets of comments was regarding the action and its 
relationship to the Port's broader long-term expansion plan, including 
associated impacts--especially from increased commercial truck traffic. 
As part of the Port's ``Vision 2000'' long-term conceptual plan, the 
Port is investigating the feasibility of leasing an additional 200 
acres of FISCO property for future expansion and development of 
maritime and rail facilities beyond the action. The Port will prepare a 
separate or supplemental NEPA/CEQA document that will suitably evaluate 
the environmental impacts of such future expansion plan, as components 
of the plan become reasonably foreseeable.
    Questions regarding the Draft and Final Environmental Impact 
Report/Environmental Impact Statement prepared for this action may be 
directed to: (1) Mr. Raymond Chiang, Environmental Planning Branch, 
Engineering Field Activity West, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 
P.O. Box 727, San Bruno, California 94066, FAX (415) 244-3737 for 
questions pertaining to the Navy action; and (2) Mr. Charles Schwarz, 
Environmental Department, Port of Oakland, 530 Water Street, Oakland, 
California 94607, FAX (510) 465-3755 for questions pertaining to the 
Port of Oakland action.

    Dated: May 25, 1995
Robert B. Pirie, Jr.,
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installation and Environment).
[FR Doc. 95-13429 Filed 5-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M