[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35168-35169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16669]


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

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION


Notice of Public Meeting and Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement

AGENCY: General Services Administration, National Capital Region; 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Proposed lease acquisition of a new or renovated headquarters 
for the Department of Transportation in the Central Employment Area 
(CEA) of Washington, D.C.

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

SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) announces its intent 
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the lease 
acquisition of a new or renovated headquarters for the Department of 
Transportation (DOT), to be located in the CEA of Washington, D.C. GSA 
also announces its intent to conduct a public meeting to discuss the 
proposed action pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as implemented by the Council 
of Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and 
in accordance with the Environmental Policies and Procedures 
implemented by GSA.

Background Information

    DOT seeks to update its facilities, maximize efficiency, reorganize 
and consolidate its operations. To this end, Congress has authorized 
GSA, acting on behalf of DOT, to acquire up to 1.35 million rentable 
square feet of space under an operating lease for a term not to exceed 
twenty years. This procurement is designed to establish a competitive 
process to obtain a new or renovated headquarters for DOT.
    The DOT's headquarters operations are currently housed primarily in 
two leased locations: the Nassif Building at 400 7th Street, SW, 
Washington, D.C., and the Transpoint Building at 2100 2nd Street, SW, 
Washington, D.C. In addition, DOT occupies smaller blocks of leased 
space in other buildings in Washington, D.C. All of these locations are 
proposed to be consolidated into the new headquarters. DOT also 
utilizes FOB 10A as the headquarters of the Federal Aviation 
Administration, but these operations are not proposed as part of this 
consolidation.
    DOT first occupied the Nassif Building under a 20-year lease that 
commenced on January 2, 1970. A 10-year renewal commenced April 1, 1990 
and expires on March 31, 2000.

[[Page 35169]]

Transpoint was first occupied in 1973. The current lease expires on May 
15, 2003.
    Consolidation in a new or renovated headquarters will produce 
significant operating efficiencies in support of DOT's mission. This 
procurement is the result of a three-year collaborative effort by the 
DOT, GSA, the Executive Branch, and Congress.
    The lease acquisition for a DOT headquarters complex will be 
conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations 
pertaining to GSA's acquisition of lease space.
    These laws and regulations include, but are not limited to NEPA, 
the Competition in Contracting Act, the National Historic Preservation 
Act, the General Services Acquisition Regulations, and, where 
applicable, the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The Government plans to 
conduct this procurement as a negotiated, best value source selection. 
Under this approach, a panel of Government officials will select the 
proposal that satisfies all of the Government's minimum requirements as 
stated in the Solicitation For Offers (SFO), and presents the greatest 
overall value to the Government, considering price and technical 
factors stated in the SFO.

Notice of Intent

    This Notice of Intent (NOI) initiates the formal environmental 
review/scoping process for this proposed action. At this time, a 
comprehensive EIS is considered to be the appropriate means identifying 
the potential adverse impacts from this proposed Federal action. A 
public scoping meeting will be held to assist GSA in determining the 
significant issues related to this project. The public is encouraged to 
submit written comments on the potential impacts of the proposed 
project, means of mitigating those impacts, and project alternatives. 
The comments and responses received will be considered in preparing the 
environmental document. The public is encouraged to provide additional 
comments after the Draft EIS is released. GSA anticipates that the 
Draft EIS will be released in the Fall of 1999.
    Topics for environmental analysis include the short-term impacts of 
construction; the long-term impacts of site operations and maintenance 
on land use, historic resources, visual resources, physical-biological 
resources, public transportation, traffic and parking, public services 
and utilities, and socio-economic conditions within the project areas; 
and the cumulative impacts associated with this other future projects 
in the CEA of the District of Columbia.
    The public meeting will be advertised in local and regional 
newspapers. At the meeting, a short formal presentation will preclude 
the request for public comments. GSA representatives will be available 
to receive comments from the public regarding issues of concern. It is 
important that Federal, regional, state and local agencies, and 
interested individuals and groups take this opportunity to identify 
environmental concerns that should be addressed during the preparation 
of the Draft EIS. In the interest of available time, each speaker will 
be asked to limit oral comments to five (5) minutes. A document 
summarizing the written and oral comments received will be prepared and 
made publicly available.
    An informational packet regarding this project will be available 
for review at the public meetings or upon request to the GSA contact 
identified below. The informational packet and other information 
regarding this project will also be made available on the Internet. 
Agencies and the general public are encouraged to provide written 
comments on the scoping issues in addition to, or in lieu of, 
presenting oral comments at the public meeting. Environmental review/
scoping comments should clearly describe specific issues or topics that 
the community believes the EIS should address.

Time and Location of Meeting

    The public meeting will be held: At 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 29, 
1999 at the General Services Administration, 1st Floor Auditorium (D 
Street Entrance), 7th & D streets, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20407.

DATES: Written comments regarding environmental review of the proposed 
DOT headquarters project must be postmarked no later than August 6, 
1999, to the following address: General Services Administration, Attn: 
Mr. John Simeon, Portfolio Development Division (WPC), 7th and D 
Streets, S.W., Suite 2002, Washington, D.C. 20407.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Mr. John Simeon, General 
Services Administration, (202) 260-9586.

    Dated: June 25, 1999.
Anthony E. Costa,
Assistant Regional Administrator, Public Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 99-16669 Filed 6-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-23-M