[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 115 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31529-31530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14695]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[CGD 95-049]


Consolidation of U.S. Coast Guard Training Centers; Environmental 
Assessment and Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has prepared a Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment (PEA) for the proposed consolidation of U.S. Coast Guard 
training centers. This may result in transfer of training activities 
from one training center to other centers. One or more of the five 
training centers may be closed or partially closed. Based on the 
information presented in the PEA, the Coast Guard finds that no 
significant impacts to the environment will result from the proposed 
implementation of several alternatives consolidating the training 
functions at the five facilities, and a proposed Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) has been prepared. The Coast Guard seeks 
comments from the public on the PEA and proposed FONSI. It will also 
hold a number of public meetings.

DATES: Written comments on the PEA and proposed FONSI should be 
received not later than July 17, 1995. Public meetings will be held as 
indicated below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the PEA and proposed FONSI are available for 
public review at the following libraries: Petaluma Library, 100 
Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA; Cape May Public Library, 110 Ocean 
Street, Cape May, NJ; Pasquotank-Camden Library, 205 East Main Street, 
Elizabeth City NC; Newport News Public Library, 2400 Washington Avenue, 
Newport News VA; and the New London Public Library, 63 Huntington 
Street, New London, CT. Written comments should be mailed to, and 
copies of the PEA and proposed FONSI may be obtained from, Ms. Susan 
Boyle, NEPA Branch Chief, U.S. Coast Guard Maintenance and Logistics 
Command Pacific, Coast Guard Island, Building #54D, Alameda, CA 94501-
5100, at (510) 437-3626. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to 
Ms. Boyle at (510) 437-5753.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Contact LT Jan Proehl, Public Affairs Staff, at (202) 267-2304. Persons 
requiring assistance for the public meetings described in Public 
Meetings below should call Ms. Boyle, at (510) 437-3626, by June 19, 
1995.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Coast Guard is proposing to consolidate training activities 
throughout the United States to reduce operational expenditures and 
achieve long-term savings. A PEA has been prepared which evaluates the 
potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts from consolidation 
alternatives.
    Five Coast Guard training centers may be directly affected by the 
proposed action: Training Center (TRACEN) Petaluma, California; TRACEN 
Cape May, New Jersey; Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) 
Elizabeth City, North Carolina; Reserve Training Center (RTC) Yorktown, 
Virginia; and the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Under 
the consolidation proposals, some installations may be expanded, some 
may be downsized, and some may be closed. [[Page 31530]] 

Alternatives

    Based on a detailed feasibility and streamlining study, the Coast 
Guard developed and considered three consolidation alternatives, in 
addition to a no action alternative. Under all consolidation 
alternatives, the Coast Guard Academy would experience minor expansion, 
receiving about 40 new staff members and 13000 square feet of new 
construction. This expansion represents a small change in the 
operational size of the academy that would be absorbed by refurbishing 
existing structures in developed areas. The action is not expected to 
result in any significant environmental impacts, therefore, the impact 
on the Academy is not analyzed in detail in the PEA.
    The four alternatives evaluated are summarized below. The Coast 
Guard has not yet identified a preferred alternative.
    1. Consolidate East Coast: TRACEN Petaluma would close and most of 
its training functions would be relocated to RTC Yorktown. ATTC 
Elizabeth City and TRACEN Cape May would not be significantly affected 
by this alternative.
    2. Consolidate Tidewater Area: TRACEN Petaluma and TRACEN Cape May 
would close and their functions would be relocated to RTC Yorktown and 
ATTC Elizabeth City.
    3. Consolidate to a DOD Facility: TRACEN Petaluma, TRACEN Cape May, 
and ATTC Elizabeth City would be closed and their functions relocated 
to an undetermined closed Department of Defense (DOD) military base. 
The impacts at TRACEN Petaluma and TRACEN Cape May for this alternative 
are the same as those under Alternative 2.
    4. No Action: The Coast Guard would continue to operate the 
training centers as they currently exist. However, this alternative 
would not achieve the Coast Guard's goal of long-term cost savings.
    The PEA evaluates the environmental impacts of each alternative, 
including: Land use; infrastructure/transportation; hazardous materials 
and waste management; biological resources; cultural resources; air 
quality; noise; water resources; and socioeconomics. Other 
environmental impacts, including impacts on geology, soils, and 
bathymetry, are not expected to be affected from the action and are not 
evaluated in detail. Environmental impacts related to potential reuse 
and disposal of facilities will be the subject of subsequent NEPA 
analyses.
    The PEA identifies no significant biophysical impacts under 
alternatives 1, 2, and 4, because the proposed action is relatively 
small in scale and is not expected to adversely affect sensitive 
resources. If a DOD facility is identified and alternative 3 is 
selected, an appropriate NEPA analysis will be conducted to address 
environmental impacts at the DOD facility.
    Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR Part 15); and the Coast Guard Implementing Procedures and 
Policies (COMDTINST M16475.1B), and based on this analysis, the Coast 
Guard finds that Alternatives 1, 2, and 4 will have no significant 
environmental effects and concludes that an EIS is not required.
    The Coast Guard recognizes that there may be potentially 
significant socioeconomic impacts. For example, closure of TRACEN 
Petaluma could have a significant socioeconomic impact on Two Rock 
Elementary School because the closure would reduce federal and state 
funding that is provided to the school on a per pupil basis. However, 
because there are no significant environmental impacts, the presence of 
a potential significant socioeconomic impact does not require the 
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Public Meetings

    Public meetings to discuss the proposed consolidation of training 
facilities and alternatives considered, present findings of the PEA, 
and to receive public comments have been scheduled for the following 
times and locations:

June 22, 1995 (7 to 10pm) at the Petaluma Community Center, 320 
North McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, CA;
June 26, 1995 (7 to 10pm) at the City Hall, 643 Washington Street, 
Cape May, NJ;
June 27, 1995 (7 to 10pm) at the Base Auditorium, Coast Guard 
Reserve Training Center, Yorktown, VA;
June 28, 1995 (7 to 10pm) at the Kerman E. White Grad Center, 
Elizabeth City State University, 1704 Weeksville Road, Elizabeth 
City, NC; and
June 29, 1995 (6:30 to 9pm) at the New London Public Library, 63 
Huntington Street, New London, CT.

    All interested persons will be given opportunity to express their 
views by making an oral statement or filing a written comment. The 
meetings will be recorded to help ensure that all comments will be 
considered.

Request for Comments

    Copies of the PEA and proposed FONSI are available as described 
under ADDRESSES. The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to 
comment on these documents. The Coast Guard will consider these 
comments prior to making a decision to implement a consolidation 
proposal.

    Dated: June 8, 1995.
Kent H. Williams,
Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 95-14695 Filed 6-12-95; 1:26 pm]
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