[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55754-55755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26760]



[[Page 55754]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) 
for the New Job Corps Center Located off of Schoolland Woods Road in 
Exeter, RI

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 
New Job Corps Center to be located off of Schoolland Woods Road in 
Exeter, Rhode Island.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulation 
(40 CFR Part 1500-08) implementing procedural provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Job Corps, in 
accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d), gives notice that an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) has been prepared and the proposed plans for a new Job 
Corps Center will have no significant environmental impact. This 
Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will be made 
available for public review and comment for a period of 30 days.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by November 15, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Any comment(s) are to be submitted to Michael O'Malley, 
Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-4659, Washington, DC, 20210, (202) 219-
5468 ext. 115 (this is not a toll-free number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the EA and additional 
information are available to interested parties by contacting Marcus 
Gray, Regional Director, Office of Job Corps--Region I, JFK Federal 
Building, Room E-350, Boston, MA 02203, (617) 565-2179 (this is not a 
toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Environmental Assessment (EA) addresses 
the proposed re-use of a small portion of the former Ladd Center for 
the proposed Exeter Job Corps Center. The EA identifies the subject 
property for the proposed facility as an approximately 19.65-acre site 
located on Schoolland Woods Road, west of South County Trail Route 2, 
in Map ID 67, Block 4, Lot 1, in the City of Exeter, Washington County, 
Rhode Island. The proposal is to refurbish selected buildings of the 
former Ladd Center and construct additional buildings to create a 
campus setting in a rural location. The remainder portion of the former 
Ladd Center (approximately 270 acres) is targeted for commercial 
property development by the Rhode Island Economic Development 
Corporation (EDC).
    The site of the proposed Exeter Job Corps Center is located in a 
rural area in northern Washington County, which lies in the southern 
portion of the State of Rhode Island. The site is currently developed 
with facilities from the former Ladd Center, which served as an 
institution for the care and rehabilitation of developmentally disabled 
persons of the State of Rhode Island. The State of Rhode Island has 
owned the site since at least 1907. The facilities were constructed 
between the years of 1914 and 1965. All of the buildings have been 
abandoned for the past eight to ten years. These buildings will require 
extensive renovation but were built for specific uses that will mirror 
the Job Corps' needs.
    The proposed Exeter Job Corps Center will be a partially new and 
partially refurbished facility utilizing a campus setting. The facility 
will consist of several buildings which will support a proposed 
capacity of 200 Resident Students. The buildings will include 
dormitories, vocational shops, maintenance and warehouse facilities, a 
cafeteria, a physical fitness center, administration and support 
facilities, and classroom facilities. The gross area of the facility 
will be approximately 111,110 square feet (This square footage does not 
include the proposed outdoor recreation areas). The developed site will 
be approximately 19.65-acres of land, which will be leased for a 50-
year term by the Department of Labor from the State of Rhode Island.
    The construction/renovation of the Job Corps Center on this 
abandoned, developed site would be a positive asset to the area in 
terms of environmental and socioeconomic improvements, and long-term 
productivity. The proposed Job Corps Center will be a new source of 
employment opportunity for people in the Exeter, Rhode Island area. The 
Job Corps program provides basic education, vocational skills training, 
work experience, counseling, health care and related support services. 
This program is designed to graduate students who are ready to 
participate in the local economy.
    The proposed project will not have any significant adverse impact 
on any natural system or resource. All construction or development 
activities that will possibly impact jurisdictional wetland areas will 
be in compliance with all federal and state requirements. No state or 
federal, proposed or listed, threatened or endangered species have been 
located on the subject property.
    The site will require an archaeological assessment in order to 
conform with the National Historic Preservation Act. According to the 
Rhode Island Historic Preservation & Heritage Commission, the site lies 
in a very sensitive area concerning cultural resources. One (1) known 
pre-colonial Indian site (RI-931) is located at the northwest corner of 
the Former Ladd Center parcel. Another known site, (RI-962), lies 
nearby. Neither of these known historic sites is located on or adjacent 
to the proposed Job Corps Center. The environmental characteristics of 
the location (well-drained soils, level topography and abundance of 
freshwater wetlands) strongly suggest the presence of additional 
archaeological sites. The EDC is currently conducting an archeological 
assessment for the overall Ladd Center redevelopment. The construction 
and operation of the proposed facility will be conducted to minimize 
adverse impacts to historically significant or archeologically 
sensitive areas. The Department of Labor will design and develop the 
project in compliance with all State and Tribal Historic Preservation 
requirements.
    Air quality and noise levels should not be affected by the proposed 
development project in this Special Zoning District in Exeter, Rhode 
Island. Due to the nature of the proposed project, it would not be a 
source of air pollutants or additional noise, except possibly during 
construction of the facility. The proposed Job Corps Center will not 
significantly increase the vehicle traffic in the vicinity. If air and 
noise pollution permits are required, all pollution sources will be 
permitted in compliance with applicable pollution control requirements.
    The proposed project will not have any significant adverse impact 
on the surrounding water utility infrastructure, represented by water, 
sewer, and storm water systems. Water will be provided by the existing 
on-site wells and distribution system. The Rhode Island Department of 
Health provides water quality testing of public drinking water. The 
groundwater classification is GA/GAA groundwater, which is suitable for 
direct human consumption. On-site systems include three (3) wells, two 
(2) pumping stations and two (2) storage tanks. The site is currently 
equipped with an eight (8) inch loop that is reportedly adequate for 
the proposed usage. The condition of the distribution systems will 
require testing and possible upgrading by the EDC as necessary.
    The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)

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has indicated to the Department of Labor that an on-site sewage 
treatment and disposal system will be required for the proposed Job 
Corps Center. The sewage treatment and disposal system for the Job 
Corps Center will be constructed in accordance with all applicable 
RIDEM design, permitting, and modeling requirements. The sewage 
treatment and disposal system will be designed and constructed to 
minimize impacts to the local ground water overlay district. The EDC 
has indicated that the abandoned off-site sewage digester will be de-
commissioned as necessary to comply with all applicable State and 
Federal regulations.
    Storm water runoff from parking lots, sidewalks, and other 
structures will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the 
RIDEM Office of Water Resources/Permitting and the EPA program, and is 
not anticipated to adversely impact area surface-water quality. 
Currently, the proposed site is minimally equipped with storm sewers 
and catch basins. The majority of the site is composed of a natural 
surface (unpaved) which does not contribute significant run-off to the 
nearby jurisdictional wetlands. Additional storm sewers will be built 
as necessary to manage storm water flow from the Job Corps Center.
    The State of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery 
Inc. jointly operate the State Central Landfill. The State of Rhode 
Island is in the process of closing the smaller local landfills and 
centralizing all solid waste to the Central Landfill location. 
Representatives of the RIDEM Solid Waste Program reported that the 
Central Landfill has no specific estimated remaining life due to phased 
expansions of the landfill. Each city, such as the City of Exeter, has 
transfer stations where private citizens must bring all solid waste. 
Private transporters can be hired to transport waste to these stations 
or the Central Landfill. The majority of commercial operations hire 
private transporters and this will be the case for the proposed Job 
Corps facility.
    The State of Rhode Island has a current recycling program called 
the ``OSCAR'' or ``Blue-Basket `` Program. Statewide participation in 
the recycling program is mandatory. The above-mentioned private 
transporters will also transport recyclable materials. The Job Corps 
Center will participate in all mandated recycling programs.
    Narragansett Electric provides electric service to the project 
area. Providence Gas Company provides natural gas to the area, and 
Diamond State Telephone Company provides telephone service. All of 
these utilities have facilities in the vicinity, which are adequate to 
provide the required service. The proposed demands on the building 
utilities are not expected to have a significant adverse affect on the 
environment.
    This portion of Washington County has a variety of transportation 
resources. Three interstate highways, U.S. Interstate-95, U.S. 
Interstate-4, and U.S. Interstate-1, and a system of state highways 
serve the subject property area. The West Kingston Amtrak Station is 
located approximately three (3) miles from the subject property. 
Commercial air service is found at the T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, 
Rhode Island, which is approximately twelve (12) miles from the subject 
property. The Rhode Island Public Transit (RIPT) which operates a bus 
system statewide provides public transportation. Seven days a week 
service is provided on one of the routes running along Route 2, which 
is a state route with a boarding point approximately 0.7-miles from the 
proposed center.
    The proposed project will have no significant adverse affects on 
the local medical, emergency, fire and police services. The primary 
medical provider located closest to the subject property is South 
County Hospital. This facility is located approximately ten (10) miles 
from the subject property. Security services at the Exeter Job Corps 
will be provided by the center's staff with two (2) personnel on the 
day shift, three (3) on evening shift, and two (2) on the night shift. 
The proposed Center will be between the cities of Exeter and 
Fisherville, Rhode Island. The police department providing police 
services to the proposed subject property is the Rhode Island State 
Police, which is located approximately five (5) miles from the subject 
property.
    The closest fire station to the project site is Station #1, located 
approximately one (1) mile south of the subject property on State Route 
2. The Exeter Fire Department is a full time emergency response agency 
providing 24-hour service. The Exeter area utilizes the 911 emergency 
call system for all emergencies including fire and police. All 
emergency services are adequate for the project.
    The alternatives considered in the preparation of the EA were as 
follows: (1) No Action; (2) Construction at an Alternate Site; and (3) 
Continue Construction as Proposed. The ``No Action'' alternative was 
not selected. The ``Alternate Site'' alternative was not selected. The 
U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOL/
ETA) solicited proposals for alternative properties on March 10, 1998, 
and received five proposals. Of the five proposed sites evaluated by 
the Department of Labor, the subject property off of Schoolland Woods 
Road was the only site within the state of Rhode Island. Due to the 
adaptability of the existing structures on the site, the lack of 
alternative construction sites, and the absence of any identified 
adverse environmental impacts from locating a Job Corps Center at the 
subject property, the ``Continue Construction as Proposed'' alternative 
was selected.
    Based on the information gathered during the preparation of the EA, 
no environmental liabilities, current or historical, were found to 
exist on the proposed Job Corps Center site. The construction of a Job 
Corps Center on the undeveloped parcel located off of Schoolland Woods 
Road in Exeter, Rhode Island will not create any significant adverse 
impacts on the environment.

    Dated at Washington, DC, this 6th day of October, 1999.
Mary Silva,
Director of Job Corps.
[FR Doc. 99-26760 Filed 10-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P