[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1991-1992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1000]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs

[OJP(OJP)-1341]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Construction and 
Operation of a Juvenile Justice Campus in Fresno County, California

AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, Justice.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), codified at 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the U.S. 
Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Corrections Program 
Office (OJP/CPO) announces the Notice of Intent (NOI) for the 
preparation of an EIS/EIR for the Construction and Operation of a 
Juvenile Justice Campus (JJC) in Fresno County, California. The 
construction and operation of the JJC is being proposed by Fresno 
County which is applying for OJP/CPO grants funds obtained by the 
California Board of Corrections (BOC) through the Violent Offender 
Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) Incentive Grants Program. 
This project is subject to NEPA review because it may be funded in part 
with federal funding available under the VOI/TIS Grant Program. The 
EIS/EIR is being prepared as a joint document so as to satisfy the 
requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in 
addition to NEPA.

DATES: During the preparation of the draft EIS/EIR, there will be 
opportunities for public involvement in order to determine the issues 
to be examined. Public scoping meetings will be held at the Fresno 
County Plaza, 8th floor, Conference Room ``A'', 2220 Tulare Street, 
Fresno, CA 93721, within thirty days of the date of this publication, 
to solicit input on the scope of the EIS/EIR to be conducted, and to 
identify significant issues related to the proposed action. Although 
the purpose of the agency Scoping Meeting will be to gather comments 
from interested and affected agencies, the public is invited to attend. 
Maps and information on the proposed action will be available beginning 
at 6:00 PM immediately prior to the formal portion of the meeting. The 
meeting location, date, and time will be well publicized and arranged 
to allow for the public as well as interested agencies and 
organizations to attend. The scoping meeting is being held for 
individuals to formally express their views on the proposed action and 
to

[[Page 1992]]

identify those environmental issues or concerns with respect to the 
implementation of the proposed action and its alternatives so that 
these issues can be analyzed in depth in the draft EIS/EIR. Community 
input will be solicited throughout this process, and community comments 
will be incorporated into the decision-making process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public notice will be given concerning 
the availability of the draft EIS/EIR for public review and comment. 
Questions concerning the proposed action and the draft EIS/EIR may be 
directed to: Jill Young, Environmental Coordinator, Corrections Program 
Office, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 7th 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531, Telephone: 202.307-3914, 
Telefacsimile: 202.307-2019, or Michael A. Houghtby, Field 
Representative, State of California Board of Correction, Corrections 
Planning and Programs Division, 600 Bercut Drive, Sacramento, CA 95814, 
Telephone: 916.322.7085, Telefacsimile: 916.445.5796.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

    Fresno County is proposing to build and operate the JJC to better 
serve the community and the existing and future juvenile justice 
populations. The need for this action is based on the conditions of 
existing juvenile justice facilities, additional space requirements 
needed to accommodate projected growth rates in the youth population 
that will enter the juvenile justice system, and the County's desire to 
increase efficiency by concentrating all main functions of the juvenile 
justice system at a site close to downtown Fresno. The Proposed Action 
would include the acquisition of an approximately 210-acre site that 
would be capable of accommodating up to 1,400 beds in addition to the 
related functions that would be located on the campus. Related 
functions would include courts, offices, medical and mental health 
facilities, probation department offices, group homes, and related 
schooling, recreational, and community based programs. The Proposed 
Action would also include amending the Fresno County General Plan by 
redesignating the preferred site to Public Facility and rezoning to the 
AL-20 Zoning District.

Alternatives

    The draft EIS/EIR will address the potential impacts of the ``no 
action'' alternative and the construction and operation of the JJC at 
alternative sites. Practicable alternative sites have been identified 
by Fresno County that include: Site #1b located at the northeast corner 
of W. Jensen and S. Grantland Avenues; Site #3 located at the northwest 
corner of the intersection of E. Jensen and S. Fowler Avenues; and Site 
#6 (the preferred site) located at the southwest quadrant of Highway 99 
and E. American Avenue.

    Dated: January 10, 2002.
Deborah J. Daniels,
Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-1000 Filed 1-14-02; 8:45 am]
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