[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12622-12623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6623]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Warfare 
Center, Aircraft Division, Trenton, Ewing Township, NJ

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40

[[Page 12623]]

CFR Parts 1500-1508), implementing procedural provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Navy 
announces its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) for the proposed disposal and reuse of Naval Air Warfare Center, 
Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Trenton, Ewing Township, New Jersey.
    In 1993, the Congressional Committee on Base Realignment and 
Closure (BRAC) recommended the closure of NAWCAD Trenton and the 
subsequent relocation of functions, personnel, equipment, and support 
to the Arnold Engineering Center, Tullahoma, Tennessee and the Naval 
Air Warfare Center Patuxent River, Maryland. This recommendation was 
approved by President Clinton and accepted by the One Hundred Third 
Congress in 1993. The BRAC legislation also identified the requirements 
for compliance with NEPA stating that the provisions of NEPA shall 
apply during the process of property disposal. Accordingly, with this 
notice, the Navy has initiated the process to prepare a DEIS to 
evaluate the environmental effects of the disposal and likely reuse of 
this property.
    The proposed action to be considered and evaluated in the DEIS is 
the disposal and reuse of the NAWCAD property determined surplus to the 
needs of the federal government. Other Department of Defense 
activities, and other federal government activities including 
consideration of the homeless have been screened in order to determine 
possible reuse.
    NAWCAD Trenton, located in Mercer County, New Jersey, consists of 
about 66 acres with a total of 96 buildings and structures. As a result 
of the federal land disposal screening process, a portion of the 
property (about 25 acres) has been identified for possible transfer to 
the Mercer County airport Authority under a Federal Aviation 
Administration conveyance. The US Postal Service may also be a 
recipient of about 3 acres of the 66 acre site for use as regional post 
office. The remainder will be available for development through 
acquisition by public auction. The NAWCAD Reuse Committee acting as the 
Local Reuse Authority, has prepared a reuse plan for the NAWCAD 
property. The plan represents a reasonable and likely redevelopment 
scenario based on the proposed zoning of the site. The DEIS will 
evaluate environmental impacts of the reuse plan as well as of other 
reasonable possible redevelopment scenarios under current or other 
zoning classifications. Navy will also evaluate the no action 
alternative, defined as the retention of NAWCAD Trenton by the federal 
government. According to the State Historic Preservation Officer, the 
jet engine test cells complex, located in three buildings on the 
southern portion of the site, are eligible for listing in the National 
Register of Historic Places.

ADDRESSES: Navy will hold a public meeting to further identify the 
scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. The NAWCAD Reuse Committee 
will also solicit public input on its proposed reuse plan. The meeting 
will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 1997, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at 
the Ewing Township Municipal Building, 2 Municipal Drive, Ewing 
Township, New Jersey. Navy representatives will make a brief 
presentation, then members of the public will be asked to provide their 
comments. Agencies and the public are encouraged to provide written 
comments in addition to, or, in lieu of, oral comments at the scoping 
meeting. To be most helpful, comments should clearly describe specific 
issues of topics which the EIS should address. Written comments must be 
postmarked by April 15, 1997, and should be mailed to Commanding 
Officer, Northern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Attn. 
Mr. Bob Ostermueller (Code 202), 10 Industrial Highway, MSC 82, Lester, 
PA 19113. All statements, both oral and written, will become part of 
the public record on this action and will be given equal consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning this 
notice may be obtained by contacting Mr. Bob Ostermueller at (610) 595-
0759, facsimile (610) 595-0788.

    Dated: March 13, 1997.
M.A. Waters,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-6623 Filed 3-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M