[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16142-16143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8166]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Relocation of
the U.S. Army Military Police School and the U.S. Army Chemical School
to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) and the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ),
the Army has prepared an FEIS for the directed relocation of the U.S.
Army Chemical School and U.S. Army Military Police School from Fort
McClellan, Alabama, to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The relocation is
part of the approved 1995 Base Closure and Realignment actions mandated
by the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-510), and
subsequent actions in compliance with this law. Therefore, the FEIS
focuses on alternative methods of implementing these BRAC actions at
Fort Leonard Wood. The FEIS describes the proposed action which
involves the relocation of military mission activities, construction of
support facilities, and relocation of personnel to Fort Leonard Wood.
Alternatives considered for realignment of the BRAC training
missions include the: No. Action Alternative; Relocate Current Practice
(RCP) Alternative; Optimum Training Method (OPTM) Alternative; and the
Environmentally Preferred Training Method (EPTM) Alternative.
Alternatives considered for providing required support facilities
include the No Action Alternative, and three land use and facility
siting implementation alternatives. The final element of the planned
action, realignment of associated personnel, is considered in the
context of a: No Action Alternative; and Total Early, Total Late, and
Phased Move Alternatives. The Army has identified their Preferred
Action in the FEIS which includes implementation of the OPTM
Alternative for realigning training missions, the Combined Headquarters
and Instruction Land Use and Facility Plan Alternative to provide
required support facilities, and the Phased Move Alternative to
relocate personnel from Fort McClellan.
Based on the analysis included in this FEIS, adverse impacts that
would occur as a result of implementing the Army's proposed BRAC
actions at Fort Leonard Wood include: A reduction of air quality as a
result of fog oil obscurant training; training activities and tree
clearing that result in a ``may effect'' finding to Federally listed
threatened and endangered species; the potential for loss of soil
resources and accelerated erosion resulting from BRAC construction
projects; the release of unburned fuel that could impact soil and water
resources at the expedient flame range; and human health risks for
trainers and military students involved with obscurant training.
Beneficial impacts include increased operational efficiency and
training effectiveness associated with the collocation of the Engineer
School, the Military Police School and the Chemical School; short-term
economic gains associated with BRAC construction activities; and long-
term economic gains associated with the transfer of the Chemical School
and Military Police School missions to Fort Leonard Wood.
FEIS Distribution and Waiting Period
Copies of the FEIS have been forwarded to Federal, State and local
agencies; organizations; and individuals who provided substantive
comments on the Draft EIS, or who previously requested a copy of the
FEIS. These copies were distributed prior to, or simultaneously with,
the filing of this Notice of Availability for the FEIS with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. Copies of the FEIS are available for
review at the following public and other libraries: Kinderhook Regional
Library, Lebanon, Missouri; Kinderhook Regional Library, Waynesville,
Missouri; Rolla Public Library, Rolla, Missouri; Kansas City Public
Library, Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis County Library, Main Branch,
St. Louis, Missouri; Clarke Engineer School Library, Fort Leonard Wood,
Missouri; Texas County Library, Houston, Missouri; Daniel Boone
Regional Library, Columbia, Missouri; Missouri River Regional Library,
Jefferson City, Missouri; Springfield-Greene County Library,
Springfield, Missouri; and Fisher Library, Fort McClellan, Alabama.
Following a 30-day post-filing
[[Page 16143]]
waiting period, the Department of the Army will complete a Record of
Decision (ROD).
Questions and Requests for FEIS
Questions regarding the FEIS, or a request for a copy of the
document may be directed to Mr. Alan Gehrt at the Kansas City District,
Corps of Engineers, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2896;
phone: (816) 983-3142 or Telefax: (816) 426-2142.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health) OASA(I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 97-8166 Filed 4-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M