[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 249 (Thursday, December 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 68014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32778]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy


Notice of Availability and Public Hearings for the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Base Realignment Action for 
the Naval Sea System Command Relocation to the Washington Navy Yard, 
Washington, DC

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy (DoN) prepared and filed with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency a DEIS evaluating the environmental 
effects of relocating the Naval Sea System Command Headquarters 
(NAVSEA) from leased space in Arlington, Virginia to the Washington 
Navy Yard or other government-owned property in the metropolitan 
Washington, DC area.
    In response to the recommendations of the 1995 Department of 
Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC-95) and 
legislative requirements of the 1990 Base Realignment and Closure Act 
(Pub. L. 101-510), the Navy will relocate approximately 4,100 NAVSEA 
personnel to the Washington Navy Yard (WNY) in Washington, DC. The 
Navy's DEIS addresses the environmental impacts associated with an 
increase of personnel at the WNY, as well as, renovation, demolition 
and new construction of facilities at the installation necessary to 
accommodate relocated personnel.
    The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) occupies 68 acres along the 
Anacostia River in southeast Washington, DC. Development at the 
installation began in the early 1800's and continued in response to 
National defense efforts. Little if any undeveloped land is currently 
available for new construction at the WNY. The four alternatives 
considered in the DEIS center around a small group of existing 
structures and involve variations of renovation and/or demolition and 
new construction. The BRAC-95 relocation of NAVSEA corresponds to the 
current use of the WNY as an administrative center and long range plans 
to convert underutilized facilities at the installation into office 
space.
    The DEIS has been distributed to various Federal, state, and local 
agencies, elected officials, special interest groups, and three local 
libraries. A limited number of single copies are available, and may be 
obtained by contacting the Navy representative listed at the end of 
this notice. A public hearing to inform the public of the DEIS findings 
and to solicit comments will be held on January 23, 1997, in Building 
101 at the WNY. The meeting facilities will be open at 6:30 PM with the 
Navy's formal presentation beginning at 7:00 PM.
    Interested parties are invited to attend and participate in the 
Public Hearing. Oral statements will be heard and transcribed by a 
stenographer; however, to ensure accuracy of the record, all statements 
should be submitted in writing. In the interest of available time, each 
speaker will be asked to limit his/her comments to five minutes. If 
longer statements are to be presented, they should be summarized for 
the public hearing and submitted in long-form at the hearing or mailed 
to the address listed at the end of this announcement. All statements, 
both oral and written, will become part of the public record.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS should be mailed to: Department 
of the Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Engineering Field 
Activity--Chesapeake, Mr. Hank Riek (Code 20E), 901 M Street SE, 
Building 212, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC 20374-5018. Comments 
must be received no later than February 10, 1997. Additional 
information concerning this notice may be obtained by contacting the 
Navy at (202) 685-3064, facsimile (202) 685-3350.

    Dated: December 20, 1996.
D.E. Koenig,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-32778 Filed 12-24-96; 8:45 am]
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