[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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