[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 244 (Friday, December 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66605-66606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32880]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability for the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Disposal and Reuse of Fort McClellan, Alabama

agency: Department of the Army, DoD.

action: Notice of availability.

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summary: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 and the President's Council on Environmental Quality, 
the Army has prepared a DEIS for the Disposal and Reuse of Fort 
McClellan (FMC), Alabama. The approved 1995 base closure and 
realignment actions required by the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 
1990 (Pub. L. 101-510), and subsequent actions in compliance wit this 
law, mandated the closure of FMC. It is Department of Defense (DoD) 
policy to dispose of property no longer needed by DoD. Consequently, as 
a result of the mandated closure of FMC, the Army is disposing of 
excess property at FMC.
    The DEIS analyzes three disposal alternatives: (1) The no action 
alternative, which entails maintaining the property in caretaker status 
after closure; (2) the encumbered disposal alternative, which entails 
transferring the property to future owners with Army-imposed 
limitations, or encumbrances, on the future use of the property; and 
(3) the unencumbered disposal alternative, which entails transferring 
the property to future owners with fewer or no Army-imposed 
restrictions on the future use of the property. The preferred action 
identified in this DEIS is encumbered disposal of excess property at 
FMC. Based upon the analysis contained in the DEIS, encumbrances and 
deed restrictions associated with the Army's disposal actions for FMC 
will be mitigation measures.
    Planning for the reuse of the property to be disposed of is a 
secondary action resulting from closure. The local community has 
established the Fort McClellan Reuse and Redevelopment Authority 
(FMRRA) to produce a reuse development plan for the surplus property. 
The impacts of reuse are evaluated in terms of land use intensities. 
This reuse analysis is based upon implementing one of three reuse 
alternatives, all of which are based upon the FMRRA draft reuse plan. 
The Army has not selected one of these three alternatives as the 
preferred action. Selection of the preferred reuse plan is a decision 
that will be made by the FMRRA.


[[Page 66606]]


dates: The review period for the DEIS will end 45 days after 
publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the EPA. Comments on 
the DEIS will be used in preparing the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement and a Record of Decision for the Army action.

copies: Copies of the DEIS have been forwarded to the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), other Federal, state and local agencies, 
public officials; and organizations and individuals who previously 
requested copies of the DEIS. Copies of the DEIS and related support 
studies are available for review at the following FMC libraries: Abrams 
(Fort McClellan Community) Library, Building 2102, Fort McClellan, 
Alabama 36205-5020; Fischer Library, U.S. Army Chemical School, Fifth 
Avenue, Building 1081, Fort McClellan, Alabama 36205; and the Military 
Police School Library, U.S. Army Military Police School, Building 3181, 
Fort McClellan, Alabama 36205; as well as the following public and 
other libraries: Anniston-Calhoun County Public Library, 108 East 10th 
Street, Anniston, Alabama 36202; Cole Library, Jacksonville State 
University, 700 Pelham Road, North, Jacksonville, Alabama 36265; 
Jacksonville Public Library, 200 Pelham Road, North, Jacksonville, 
Alabama 36205; Oxford Public Library, 213 Choccolocco Street, Oxford, 
Alabama 36203; and Mobile District, Army Corps of Engineers, 109 Saint 
Joseph Street, Mobile, Alabama 36628.

addresses: Questions and/or written comments regarding the DEIS, or a 
request for a copy of the document may be directed to Mr. Curtis Flakes 
at the Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ATTN: CESAM-PD-
EC), P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36602-3630; phone: 334-690-2693 and 
telefax: 334-690-2727.

supplementary information: A public meeting will be held during the 45-
day comment period to afford the public the opportunity to provide oral 
and written comments on the DEIS. The location and time of the meeting 
will be announced in local newspapers at least 15 days prior to the 
meeting. Interested persons are invited to attend this public meeting. 
Verbal comments at the public meeting will be limited to 5 minutes per 
person. Individuals desiring to make longer statements may provide 
written comments to the address above.

    Dated: December 9, 1997.
Gary W. Abrisz,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 97-32880 Filed 12-18-97; 8:45 am]
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