[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 84 (Thursday, May 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23766-23767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11354]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042197B]


Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed 
Consolidation of NOAA Facilities in Juneau, AK

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (SDEIS).

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces its intention to prepare an SDEIS in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for the proposed 
consolidation of NOAA/NMFS facilities in Juneau, AK. The University of 
Alaska may also jointly develop facilities as part of the proposed 
consolidation. NOAA will be considering five alternatives in the SDEIS: 
No action, expand Auke Bay Laboratory, North Mendenhall site, Auke Cape 
site, and the new Lena Point site. The purpose of issuing a SDEIS is to 
evaluate an additional project siting alternative at Lena Point in the 
City and Borough of Juneau, AK.

DATES: Written comments on the intent to prepare a SDEIS will be 
accepted on or before June 2, 1997. Scoping meetings are scheduled as 
follows:
    1. May 21, 1997, 1 p.m., Federal Building, Juneau, AK.

[[Page 23767]]

    2. May 21, 1997, 5 p.m., Travel Lodge, Juneau, AK.
    3. May 22, 1997, 5 p.m., Chapel by The Lake, Juneau, AK.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on suggested alternatives and potential 
impacts should be sent to John Gorman, Responsible Program Manager, 
NMFS, Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 99802-1668 or to Robb 
Gries, Contract Office Technical Representative, NOAA, Facilities and 
Logistics Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Seattle, WA 
98115.
    Scoping meetings will be held as follows:
    1. Scoping Session for Agencies--Wednesday, May 21, 1997, 1-4 p.m., 
4th floor, Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. (Note: 
security screening is necessary for access to the Federal Building.)
    2. Public Scoping Session--Wednesday, May 21, 1997, 5-7 p.m. open 
house, 7-9 p.m. formal public scoping comments, Travel Lodge, 9200 
Glacier Highway, Juneau, AK.
    3. Public Scoping Session--Thursday, May 22, 1997, 5-7 p.m. open 
house, 7-9 p.m. formal public scoping comments, Chapel by The Lake, 
11024 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Gorman, 907-586-7641 or Robb 
Gries, 206-526-6018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action involves consolidation 
of NOAA/NMFS office, laboratory, and enforcement facilities in Juneau, 
AK. The University of Alaska may also jointly develop facilities as 
part of the proposed consolidation. NOAA operations are currently in 
four space assignments in the Federal Building and at an aging 
overcrowded Commerce-owned laboratory facility (Auke Bay Laboratory). 
The NOAA/NMFS portion of the facility would be about 91,628 net square 
ft (8,512.5 square meters (m)) in size. With the addition of Lena 
Point, NOAA/NMFS will be considering five alternatives in the SDEIS: No 
action, expand Auke Bay Laboratory, North Mendenhall site, Auke Cape 
site, and the new Lena Point site. Proposed actions will also be 
evaluated with and without the University of Alaska being part of the 
project. Approximately 273 NOAA/NMFS related personnel would be housed 
in the consolidated facilties. The University of Alaska School of 
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is interested in collocating 22,000 net 
square ft (2,044 square m) of laboratories, classrooms, and office 
space with NOAA/NMFS at Auke Cape. The University of Alaska space would 
house about 90 faculty, staff, and students. NOAA/NMFS has received 
numerous comments on the DEIS issued in September 1996. Many of the 
comments provided useful information and will be responded to in the 
final environmental impact statement. Therefore, there is no need to 
resubmit comments on the September 1996 DEIS. NOAA/NMFS will accept 
comments as part of the SDEIS for evaluation and response in the final 
environmental impact statement. NOAA/NMFS is especially interested in 
receiving comments on the new Lena Point alternative site, which will 
be useful in the agency decision making process. Additional details on 
the meetings will be published in the local newspaper.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to John Gorman or Robb Gries (see addresses) at 
least 5 days prior to meeting date.

    Dated: April 25, 1997.
Nancy Foster,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-11354 Filed 4-30-97; 8:45 am]
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