[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33357-33358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12869]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Bureau of Prisons


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for development of a medium-security or high-security 
federal correctional facility in Fresno County, California.

AGENCY: Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice.

[[Page 33358]]


ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS).

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SUMMARY

Proposed Action

    The mission of the United States Department of Justice, Federal 
Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) is to protect society by confining offenders 
in the controlled environments of prison and community-based facilities 
that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and 
that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist 
offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens. The Bureau accomplishes its 
mission through the appropriate use of community correction, detention, 
and correctional facilities that are either: Federally-owned and 
operated; Federally-owned and non-Federally operated; and non-Federally 
owned and operated.
    The Bureau is facing a period of unprecedented growth in its inmate 
population. Projections show the federal inmate population increasing 
from approximately 120,000 inmates to 205,000 inmates by 2007. As such, 
the demand for bedspace within the federal prison system will continue 
to grow at a significant rate. To accommodate a portion of the growing 
inmate population, the Bureau has determined that an additional medium-
security Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) or a high-security 
United States Penitentiary (USP) is needed in its system. Therefore, 
the Bureau is proposing to build and operate a medium-security FCI or 
high-security USP, with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp, in 
Fresno County, California. The main medium-security facility would 
provide habitation for approximately 1,200 inmates, and a high-security 
USP would provide habitation for approximately 1,000 inmates. An 
additional 150-300 inmates will be housed (at the USP or FCI) in an 
adjacent minimum-security satellite camp.
    Several sites in Fresno County, California have been offered to the 
Bureau for consideration in developing a medium-security FCI or high-
security USP and satellite camp. The Bureau has preliminarily evaluated 
these sites and determined that the prospective sites appear to be of 
sufficient size to provide space for housing, programs, administrative 
services and other support facilities associated with the correctional 
facility. The DEIS to be prepared by the Bureau will analyze the 
potential impacts of correctional facility construction and operation 
at these sites.

The Process

    In the process of evaluating the sites, several aspects will 
receive detailed examination including, but are not limited to: 
topography, geology/soils, hydrology, biological resources, utility 
services, transportation services, cultural resources, land uses, 
socio-economics, hazardous materials, air and noise quality, among 
others.

Alternatives

    In developing the DEIS, the options of ``no action'' and 
``alternative sites'' for the proposed facility will be fully and 
thoroughly examined.

Scoping Process

    During the preparation of the DEIS, there will be opportunities for 
public involvement in order to determine the issues to be examined. A 
public Scoping Meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 13, 
2000 at the Victor P. Lopez Rural Development Job Training Center 
located at 1705 Archor Avenue, Orange Cove, California. There will also 
be a public Scoping Meeting held at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, 
2000, at the Mendota High School, located at 1200 Belmont Avenue in 
Mendota, California. The meeting locations, date, and time will be well 
publicized and has been arranged to allow for the public as well as 
interested agencies and organizations to attend. The meetings are being 
held to allow interested persons to formally express their views on the 
scope and significant issues to be studied as part of the DEIS process. 
The Scoping Meeting is being held to provide for timely public comments 
and understanding of federal plans and programs with possible 
environmental consequences as required by the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the National Historic Preservation 
Act of 1966, as amended. In addition, public information meetings will 
continue to be held in Fresno County by representatives of the Bureau 
with interested citizens, elected officials, and community leaders.

DEIS Preparation

    Public notice will be given concerning the availability of the DEIS 
for public review and comment.
Addresses:
    Questions concerning the proposed action and the DEIS may be 
directed to: David J. Dorworth, Chief, Site Selection and Environmental 
Review Branch, Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20534, Telephone (202) 514-6470, Telefacsimile (202) 
616-6024, E-Mail: [email protected].

    Dated: May 17, 2000.
David J. Dorworth, Chief,
Site Selection and Environmental Review Branch.
[FR Doc. 00-12869 Filed 5-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-05-U