[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62402-62403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26706]


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

PRESIDIO TRUST


Presidio Theatre (Building 99), The Presidio of San Francisco, 
California, Notice of Termination of Environmental Impact Statement 
Process

AGENCY: The Presidio Trust.

ACTION: Notice of termination of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
process for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Presidio Theatre 
(Building 99) within The Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, 
California (Presidio).

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

RATIONALE: The Presidio Trust (Trust) is terminating the EIS process 
for the Presidio Theatre in order to complete an update of the 1994 
General Management

[[Page 62403]]

Plan Amendment (GMPA) for Area B of the Presidio and associated EIS as 
noticed on June 30, 2000 (65 FR 40707-40708) and amended on October 11, 
2000 (65 FR 60477-60478). It is expected that this plan update, known 
as the Presidio Trust Implementation Plan (PTIP) will provide a 
comprehensive planning framework within which future projects for the 
Presidio would proceed. Following the completion and adoption of the 
PTIP and associated EIS and if appropriate within the adopted 
comprehensive planning framework, the Trust expects to re-propose and 
reinitiate a project related to the Presidio Theatre, and will inform 
the public of its intent at that later date. As a result of this notice 
of termination, the Presidio Theatre project is no longer being treated 
as an assumption common to all alternatives (i.e., as a ``given'') in 
the PTIP NEPA process.

Background

    On April 14, 2000, the Trust announced in the Federal Register (65 
FR 20218) its intention to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for 
rehabilitating the existing 15,140-square-foot Presidio Theatre and 
adding up to 45,000 square feet of new construction for theater uses, a 
restaurant, retail museum and library store (project). On May 10, 2000, 
the Trust held a public scoping workshop to solicit public comment 
regarding the range of alternatives and the specific impacts to be 
evaluated in the EA. Following the workshop, the Trust determined based 
upon public comment that an EIS rather than an EA, as previously 
noticed, would better serve the agency's compliance with the NEPA's 
requirements. Therefore, on June 9, 2000, pursuant to 40 CFR 1508.22, 
the Trust published a notice of intent to prepare an EIS (65 FR 36746) 
and to extend the public scoping period to provide additional time for 
the public to make views known on the project. In response to public 
input at the May 10, 2000 scoping workshop, the Trust held a second 
public scoping workshop on June 19, 2000, at which time the public was 
able to tour Building 99 and neighboring Building 100 and to comment on 
revised project alternatives. Shortly after the end of the public 
comment period on July 24, 2000, the Trust had received 11 comment 
letters on NEPA issues and concerns regarding the project from seven 
agencies, two commenting organizations (one organization submitted two 
letters), and one individual. An additional 15 organizations and 
individuals also submitted letters expressing either their support or 
opposition to the project.
    Termination of the Presidio Theatre project EIS at this time is 
with the mutual agreement of both the Trust and San Francisco Film 
Centre (project proponent). Independent of the Presidio Theatre EIS 
process, the Trust initiated the review and update of the GMPA. The 
PTIP and associated EIS will provide a comprehensive planning framework 
for Area B of the Presidio. Therefore, the Trust and the Presidio 
Theatre project proponent have determined to terminate the Presidio 
Theatre EIS process until completion of the PTIP and PTIP EIS process. 
A complete administrative record, including all public and agency 
comments received and all work completed or underway on the Presidio 
Theatre project, will be maintained by the Trust pending reinitiation, 
if appropriate, of a Presidio Theatre project following adoption of a 
governing comprehensive plan for Area B of the Presidio.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Pelka, NEPA Compliance 
Coordinator, The Presidio Trust, 34 Graham Street, P.O. Box 29052, San 
Francisco, CA 94129-0052. Telephone: 415-561-5300.

    Dated: October 12, 2000.
Karen A. Cook,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 00-26706 Filed 10-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-4R-P