[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 193 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53645-53646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26755]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


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

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 
Chaffee, Arkansas. 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 with this law, 
mandated the closure of Fort Chaffee. It is Department of Defense (DOD) 
policy to dispose of property no longer needed by DOD.

[[Page 53646]]

Consequently, as a result of the mandated closure of Fort Chaffee, the 
Army is disposing of excess property at Fort Chaffee.

DATES: The public comment period for the DEIS will end 45 days after 
publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA).

ADDRESSES: Questions and/or written comments regarding the DEIS or a 
request for a copy of the document may be directed to Mr. Jim Ellis at 
the Little Rock District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ATTN: CESWL-PL-
A), PO Box 867, Little Rock, AR 72203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Ellis at (501) 325-5033 or 
telefax at (501) 324-5605.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 Fort Chaffee. Based upon the analysis contained in 
the DEIS, encumbrances and deed restrictions associated with the Army's 
disposal actions for Fort Chaffee 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 
established the Fort Chaffee Redeveloping Authority (FCRA) 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 FCRA reuse plan. The Army has not selected one of 
these three reuse alternatives as the preferred action. Selection of 
the preferred reuse plan is a decision that will be made by the FCRA.
    Copies of the DEIS have been forwarded to the EPA, other Federal, 
state, and local agencies; public officials; and organizations and 
individuals who previously provided substantive comments in the EIS 
scoping process. Copies of the DEIS are available for review at the 
following libraries: Arkansas River Valley Regional Library, 501 N. 
Front Street, Dardenelle, Arkansas 72834; Charleston Public Library, 
501 Main Street, Charleston, Arkansas 72933; Clarksville Public 
Library, 2 Taylor Circle, Clarksville, Arkansas 72830; Franklin County 
Library, 407 W. Market, Ozark, Arkansas 72949; Fort Smith Public 
Library, 61 S. 8th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901; Gattis--Logan 
County Library, 100 E. Academy, Paris, Arkansas 72855; Logan County 
Library, 419 N. Kennedy Street, Booneville, Arkansas 72927; Sebastion 
County Library, 18 North Adair, Greenwood, Arkansas 72936; Van Buren 
Public Library, 111 N. 12th Street, Van Buren, Arkansas 72956; Yell 
County Library, 901 Atlanta Street, Danville, Arkansas 72833; and 
Little Rock District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 700 West Capitol, 
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.
    A public meeting will be held during the 45-day DEIS 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 newspaper at least 15 days prior to the meeting. 
Verbal comments made at the public meeting and written comments 
received during the comment period will be used in the preparation of 
the FEIS and ROD.

    Dated: September 30, 1998.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA (I,L&E).
[FR Doc. 98-26755 Filed 10-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M