[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15335-15336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7059]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION


Notice of Second Public Scoping Meeting for an Environmental 
Impact Statement and the Announcement of Alternative Sites

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, DC.

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SUMMARY:  The General Services Administration (GSA), which previously 
announced 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, DC, at this time announces its intent to conduct a second 
public scoping 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, and 
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, DC, and the Transpoint Building at 2100 2nd Street, SW, 
Washington, DC. In addition, DOT occupies smaller blocks of leased 
space in other buildings in Washington, DC. All of these locations are 
proposed to be consolidated into the new headquarters. DOT also 
utilizes FOB 10A as the headquarters for 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. The Transpoint Building was first 
occupied by DOT in 1973. The current lease expires in May 15th, 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 is being 
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 is conducting 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.

Public Scoping

    GSA and DOT determined that a comprehensive EIS is the appropriate 
means of identifying the potential adverse impacts from this proposed 
Federal action. A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS and conduct an 
initial public scoping meeting was issued on June 30, 1999. The initial 
public scoping meeting was held on July 29, 1999 to assist GSA in 
determining the significant issues related to this project prior to the 
submittal of offers. The subject of this notice is a second public 
scoping meeting that will be held to solicit input from agencies and 
the public relating to the alternative site locations that will be 
included in the EIS.
    This second public scoping will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 
11, 2000, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. 
The meeting will be advertised in local and regional newspapers as the 
date of the meeting approaches. At the meeting, a short formal 
presentation will precede the request for public comments. GSA 
representatives will be available to receive comments from the public 
regarding issues of concern, including comments on the potential 
impacts of the proposed project, means of mitigating those impacts, and 
project alternatives. 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.
    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.
    Written comments will be accepted through April 24, 2000. The 
comments received during the scoping process will be considered in 
preparing the Draft EIS. 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 Spring of 2000.
    Topics for environmental analysis include the short-term impacts of 
construction and the long-term impacts of site operations and 
maintenance on land use, historic resources, visual resources, physical 
and biological resources, public transportation, traffic and parking, 
public services and utilities, and socio-economic conditions. The 
environmental analysis

[[Page 15336]]

will also address cumulative impacts associated with this and other 
future projects in the CEA of the District of Columbia.

Project Information

    An informational packet regarding this project will be available 
for review at the April 11, 2000 public scoping meeting 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.
    The five (5) action alternative under consideration by GSA as 
possible locations for the consolidated DOT headquarters complex 
include the following:

Alt. #1--801 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Alt. #2--400 7th Street, SW
Alt. #3--1200 Maryland Avenue, SW
Alt. #4--Southeast Federal Center Site, Option A
Alt. #5--Southeast Federal Center Site, Option B

TIME AND LOCATION OF MEETING:  The public meeting will be held: At 7:00 
p.m., Tuesday, April 11, 2000 at the Ronald Reagan Building and 
International Trade Center Horizon Ballroom, (Ground Level, 13\1/2\ 
Street Entrance), 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, 
DC 20004.

DATES:  Written comments regarding environmental review of the proposed 
DOT headquarters project must be postmarked no later than April 24, 
2000, to the following address: General Services Administration, Attn: 
Mr. John Simeon, Portfolio Development Division (WPC), 7th and D 
Streets, SW., Suite 2002, Washington, DC 20407.

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

    Dated: March 17, 2000.
Anthony E. Costa,
Assistant Regional Administrator Public Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 00-7059 Filed 3-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-23-M