[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 55978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27790]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Disposal; and Reuse of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Santa Ana, 
California

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act as 
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 
Parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Marine Corps intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental 
effects of the disposal and reuse of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El 
Toro. Located in Orange County, MCAS El Toro is north and east of the 
City of Irvine and west of the City of Lake Forest.
    As a result of the 1993 Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 
process, MCAS El Toro was slated for closure by 1999. Orange County was 
designated as the federally recognized Local Redevelopment Authority 
for the development of the Community Reuse Plan at MCAS El Toro. 
Accordingly, Orange County is preparing the Community Reuse Plan 
simultaneously with an Environmental Impact Report required under the 
California Environmental Quality Act. An EIS, which is required for the 
disposal and reuse of MCAS El Toro, is being prepared by the Marine 
Corps in accordance with NEPA. The Community Reuse Plan will be the 
basis for the proposed action and the alternatives analyzed in the EIS. 
The Federal Aviation Administration is a cooperating agency for this 
EIS.
    Environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS include: geological 
resources, biological resources, water resources, noise, air quality, 
land use compatibility, cultural resources, socioeconomics, 
environmental justice, public health and safety, transportation/
circulation, aesthetics, utilities, hazardous materials, and solid 
waste.
    The Marine Corps will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of 
determining the extent of issues to be addressed and identifying the 
significant issues related to this action. The Marine Corps will hold 
two public scoping meetings. The first will be on November 13, 1996, 
beginning at 5:30 pm, at Mission Viejo High School, 25025 Chrisanta 
Drive, Mission Viejo, California; and the second will be on November 
14, 1996, beginning at 7:00 pm at Irvine City Hall, 1 Civic Center 
Plaza, Irvine, California. These meetings will be advertised in area 
newspapers.
    A brief presentation will precede request for public comment. 
Marine Corps representatives will be available at these meetings 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 
their oral comments to five minutes.
    Agencies and the public are also invited and encouraged to provide 
written comment on scoping issues 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 commentor 
believes the EIS should address. Written statements and or questions 
regarding the scoping process should be mailed to: Commanding Officer, 
Southwest Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 1220 Pacific 
Highway, San Diego, CA 92132-5190 (Attn: Mr. Dan Muslin, Code 232). All 
comments must be received no later than December 6, 1996.

    Date: October 24, 1996.
Lawrence L. Larson,
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, Head, Land Use and Military Construction 
Branch, Facilities and Services Division, Installations and Logistics 
Department, By direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
[FR Doc. 96-27790 Filed 10-29-96; 8:45 am]
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