[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 129 (Tuesday, July 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 36664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17833]



[[Page 36664]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Marine Corps Heritage Center at Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA

    Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act as implemented by 
the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-
1508), the U.S. Marine Corps intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental effects of constructing 
and operating a Heritage Center complex at or adjacent to Marine Corps 
Base (MCB) Quantico for Marine Corps personnel, their families and the 
general public. This Center would consolidate existing interpretive and 
curatorial functions that are located at MCB Quantico, VA, and the 
Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.
    The Marine Corps Air Ground Museum, located at MCB Quantico, holds 
many of the items in the Marine Corps collections and also provides 
items to other DOD museums, the Smithsonian Museum, and other civilian 
museums. The proposed Heritage Center would facilitate and enhance the 
presentation of Marine Corps artifacts and history, promote 
professional military educational opportunities and accommodate unique 
military events and conferences. Currently, the dispersed locations 
used to protect the heritage of the Marine Corps do not have adequate 
facilities for preservation of artifacts or adequate space for displays 
and historic interpretation presentations.
    Locations on and off-base that meet requirements for siting the 
Heritage Center will be evaluated in the EIS. The siting criteria 
includes sufficient size and suitability in order to accommodate 
facilities (e.g., buildings, parking, roads), and provide visual and 
noise buffers; proximity to Interstate 95 and/or U.S. Route 1 in order 
to facilitate traffic to/from the site; and proximity to MCB Quantico 
in order to support educational requirements of the Base and obtain 
educational and facility support from the Base.
    Environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS include: geological 
resources, biological resources, water resources, noise, air quality, 
land use compatibility, cultural resources, socioeconomics, 
environmental justice, public health and safety, transportation/
circulation, aesthetics, utilities, hazardous materials, and solid 
waste.
    The Marine Corps will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of 
determining the extent of issues to be addressed and identifying the 
significant issues related to this action. The Marine Corps will a hold 
public scoping meeting to assist in identification of important issues 
associated with the general development plan of the Heritage Center and 
alternative sites. The time and location of this meeting will be 
announced at a later date and advertised in local area newspapers. 
Questions regarding the scoping process should be mailed to: Commanding 
Officer, Engineering Field Activity Chesapeake, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Building 212, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC 
20374-2121 (Attn: Mr. Matthew Hess, code 20E), telephone (202) 685-
3062.

    Dated: June 29, 1998.
Duncan Holaday,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
Lou Rae Langevin,
LT, JAGC, USN, Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-17833 Filed 7-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M