[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6974-6975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4167]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021596A]


Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed 
Consolidation of NOAA Facilities in Juneau, AK

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an EIS; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces its intention to prepare an EIS in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for the proposed 
consolidation of NOAA/NMFS facilities in Juneau, AK. The University of 
Alaska may also develop facilities as part of the proposed 
consolidation.

DATES: Written comments on the intent to prepare and EIS will be 
accepted on or before March 25, 1996. Scoping meetings are scheduled as 
follows:
    1. March 29, 1996, 1 p.m., Federal Building, Juneau, AK.
    2. May 24, 1996, 1 p.m., Federal Building, Juneau, AK.
    3. May 24, 1996, 5 p.m., Centennial Hall, Juneau, AK.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on suggested alternatives and potential 
impacts should be sent to John Gorman, Responsible Program Manager, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau, AK 99802-1668 or to Robb Gries, Contract Office Technical 
Representative, NOAA, Facilities and Logistics Division, 7600 Sand 
Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Seattle, WA 98115.

Scoping meetings will be held as follows:

    1. NOAA/NMFS personnel - Friday, March 29, 1996, 4th Floor 
Conference Room, Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK, 1-4 
p.m.
    2. NOAA/NMFS personnel - Friday, May 24, 1996, 4th Floor Conference 
Room, Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK, 1-4 p.m.
    3. Open to the public - Friday, May 24, 1996, Centennial Hall, 101 
Egan Drive, Juneau, AK, 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The proposed action would involve consolidation of NOAA/NMFS 
offices, laboratory, and enforcement facilities in Juneau, AK. NOAA 
operations are currently in four space assignments in the Federal 
Building and at an aging, overcrowded Commerce-owned laboratory 
facility at Auke Bay. The NOAA/NMFS portion of the facility will be 
about 91,628 net square ft (8,512.5 square meters) in size and 
constructed on 28 acres (11.3 hectares (ha)) of Commerce-owned property 
at Auke Cape. The 28 acre (11.3 ha) site is situated on saltwater (Auke 
Bay) and will require access and utility improvements. Approximately 
273 NOAA/NMFS related personnel would be housed in the consolidated 
facilities. The University of Alaska School of Fisheries and Ocean 
Sciences is interested in collocating 22,000 net square ft (2,044 
square meters) of laboratory, classroom, and office space with NOAA/
NMFS at Auke Cape. The University of Alaska space would house about 90 
faculty, staff, and students. The EIS will examine three alternative 
locations for the proposed consolidation and also evaluate the proposed 
action with and without University of Alaska participation. The no 
action alternative will also be evaluated. The agency's preferred 
alternative is to locate on approximately 28 acres (11.3 ha) of agency-
owned land at Auke Cape/Indian Point on Auke Bay.
    To identify the scope of issues that will be addressed in the EIS 
and to identify potential impacts on the quality of the human 
environment, public participation is invited by providing written 
comments to NMFS and attending the scoping meeting.
    Public Information Meetings:
    Additional public information meetings and community workshops on 
the proposed project will be held in Juneau beginning in March. These 
meetings will be held in various locations and will be advertised in 
local Juneau newspapers.

Special Accommodations

    The meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to John Gorman or Robb Gries (see ADDRESSES) at 
least 5 days prior to the meeting date.


[[Page 6975]]

    Dated: February 15, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-4167 Filed 2-22-96; 8:45 am]
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