[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7829-7830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3994]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Bureau of Prisons


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Construction of a Federal Correctional 
Facility in the Northern Panhandle Region of West Virginia

AGENCY: Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice.

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

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SUMMARY:

[[Page 7830]]

    Proposed Action. The U. S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of 
Prisons has determined that, in order to meet increasing demands for 
additional inmate capacity, a new Federal correctional facility is 
needed in its system.
    The Bureau of Prisons proposes to construct and operate either a 
high security United States Penitentiary or a medium security Federal 
Correctional Institution, both with an adjacent minimum security 
satellite camp, in the Northern Panhandle region of West Virginia. The 
high security facility would have a rated capacity of approximately 
1,000 inmates. The medium security facility would be designed to have a 
rated capacity of approximately 1,200 inmates, and the minimum security 
component would house approximately 150-300. Sites currently under 
consideration are located in Ohio County and Tyler County, West 
Virginia. The potential site also would be used for road access, 
administration, programs and services, parking, and support facilities.
    In the process of evaluating potential sites, several aspects will 
receive a detailed examination including utilities, traffic patterns, 
noise levels, visual intrusions, threatened and endangered species, 
cultural resources, and socio-economic impacts.
    Alternatives. In developing the DEIS, the options of ``no action'' 
and ``alternative sites'' for the proposed facility will be fully and 
thoroughly examined.
    Scoping Process. Informal discussions and meetings with local 
economic development staff have already been held on the proposed 
project, and during the preparation of the DEIS, there will be numerous 
other opportunities for public involvement. The public scoping meeting 
will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 1998, at the Northern 
West Virginia Community College (B & O Auditorium) located at 1704 
Market Street, Wheeling, West Virginia. The meeting has been well 
publicized and is scheduled at a time that will make the meeting 
possible for the public and interested agencies or organizations to 
attend.
    DEIS Preparation. Public notice will be given concerning the 
availability of the DEIS for public review and comment.

ADDRESSES: Questions concerning the proposed action and the DEIS can be 
answered by: David J. Dorworth, Chief, Site Selection & Environmental 
Review Branch, Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First Street, N.W., 
Washington, D. C. 20534, Telephone: (202) 514-6470, Telefacsimile: 
(202) 616-6024, [email protected].

    Dated: February 12, 1998.
David J. Dorworth,
Chief, Site Selection and Environmental Review Branch.
[FR Doc. 98-3994 Filed 2-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-05-P