[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 71 (Monday, April 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 18101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9537]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
The Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Station South Weymouth, 
Massachusetts

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 
CFR Parts 1500-1508), implementing procedural provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Navy 
announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the proposed disposal and reuse of Naval Air Station (NAS) South 
Weymouth, Massachusetts.
    In 1995, President Clinton and Congress accepted the 
recommendations of the Congressional Committee on Base Realignment and 
Closure (BRAC) to close NAS South Weymouth, Massachusetts. The proposed 
action to be considered and evaluated in the EIS is the disposal and 
reuse of the NAS South Weymouth property determined surplus to the 
needs of the federal government.
    NAS South Weymouth, located in both Plymouth and Norfolk counties 
in Massachusetts, consists of approximately 1417 acres. It is situated 
in the three communities of Weymouth, Rockland, and Abington. A family 
housing area and a ten-acre parcel on the main base have been 
transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard. The remainder of NAS South 
Weymouth main base property will be available for redevelopment by the 
local communities.
    Two off-base family housing areas are located in the city of 
Quincy. The disposal and reuse of these sites will be addressed in a 
separate environmental document. In addition, NAS South Weymouth owns 
and maintains a bombing target range on No Man's Island located 
approximately three miles from Martha's Vinyard in the Atlantic Ocean. 
No Man's Island will be transferred to the Department of the Interior 
for continued use as a natural wildlife area.
    The NAS South Weymouth Reuse Committee acting as the Local 
Redevelopment Authority (LRA) has prepared a reuse plan for the NAS 
property. The plan represents a reasonable and likely redevelopment 
scenario based on the proposed zoning of the site. The EIS will 
evaluate environmental impacts or reuse, 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 NAS South Weymouth by the federal 
government. Environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS 
include air quality, water quality, wetland impacts, endangered species 
impacts, cultural resource impacts, and socioeconomic impacts.

ADDRESSES: The Navy will hold a public meeting to further identify the 
scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. The meeting will be co-
chaired by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 
which is a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. The 
meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 29, 1997, beginning at 7:30 
p.m., at Hangar 1, NAS South Weymouth. 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 or topics which the EIS should address. Written 
comments must be postmarked by May 15, 1997, and should be mailed to 
Commanding Officer, Northern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering 
Command, Attn. Mr. Kurt Frederick (Code 202KF), 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. Kurt Frederick at (610) 595-
0728, facsimile (610) 595-0778.

    Dated: April 9, 1997.
D.E. Koenig,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-9537 Filed 4-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M