[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 91 (Friday, May 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31791-31793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11773]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Public Hearing for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) for Disposal and Reuse of Naval Station Treasure Island (NSTI), 
San Francisco, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with the United 
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the DEIS for Disposal and 
Reuse of NSTI. A public hearing will be held to receive oral and 
written comments on the DEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and 
interested individuals are invited to be present or represented at the 
hearing.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 11, 
2002, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Nimitz Conference Center, 
Building 140, corner of ``D'' and ``California'' streets, Treasure 
Island, San Francisco, CA 94130 for the purpose of receiving oral and 
written comments on the DEIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Timarie Seneca, Community Planner, 
BRAC Operations Office at (619) 532-0955, by fax at (619) 532-0940 or 
write to Commander, Southwest Division, Naval Facilities Engineering 
Command, Attn: Ms. Timarie Seneca, Code 06CM.TS, 1230 Columbia Street, 
Suite 1100, San Diego, CA 92101-8517.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS has been prepared in accordance 
with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 
2687) and the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and 
Realignment Commission approved by the President and accepted by 
Congress in 1991, 1993, and 1985.
    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the DEIS was published in the 
Federal Register at 61 FR 50004, Sep. 24, 1996. A public scoping 
meeting was held on October 9, 1996, at the San Francisco Ferry 
Building.
    The meeting was advertised in the San Francisco Chronicle, Marin 
Independent Journal, San Jose Mercury

[[Page 31792]]

News, and Oakland Tribune on Sunday, September 29, 1996, and Tuesday, 
October 1, 1996.
    The proposed action is the disposal of Navy property for subsequent 
reuse and redevelopment, in accordance with the 1990 Defense Base 
Closure and Realignment Act, and the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure 
Commission recommendations. NSTI was operationally closed on September 
30, 1997. NSTI is located on two islands in the San Francisco Bay 
approximately midway between the shores of the cities of San Francisco 
and Oakland. The larger island, called Treasure Island, consists of 402 
acres (160 hectare (ha)) of dry land created with artificial fill in 
the 1930s. Approximately 681 acres (276 ha) of dry and submerged land 
are available for disposal on Treasure Island. Yerba Buena Island is a 
natural island connected to Treasure Island by a causeway. 
Approximately 239 acres (97 ha) of dry and submerged land are available 
for disposal on Yerba Buena Island. Approximately 36 acres (14 ha) of 
land on Treasure Island have been transferred to the Department of 
Labor, approximately 97 acres (39 ha) on Yerba Buena Island have been 
transferred to Caltrans, and a total of 22 acres (9 ha) are ultimately 
scheduled for transfer to the Coast Guard.
    The DEIS evaluates three reuse alternatives. Navy disposal is 
assumed as part of each of the reuse alternatives. Alternative 1 
represents full implementation of the development scenario described in 
the Naval Station Treasure Island Draft Reuse Plan developed by the 
Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA). Alternative 2 is based on comments 
received during the scoping process, including the recommendations of 
an Urban Land Institute advisory panel. Alternative 3 represents a 
lower level of redevelopment than proposed in the Draft Reuse Plan. A 
fourth alternative, No Action, assumes no disposal of property and 
retention of the property by the Navy in an inactive or caretaker 
status. Under the No Action Alternative, existing leases would continue 
until they expire or are terminated, no new leases would be entered 
into, and all buildings and other facilities would remain vacant and 
unused.
    Alternative 1 (Preferred Alternative) features a combination of 
publicly oriented development, open space and recreation, and extensive 
residential development at full build out. Under Alternative 1, 
publicly oriented development on Treasure Island would include a theme 
attraction similar to Disneyland; with lighting displays, some tall 
structures, such as a roller coaster, and at least one landmark 
structure assumed to be up to 100 feet (305 meters (m)) tall. 
Development would also include a 300-room hotel and a 1,000-room hotel 
with three restaurants and offices. Publicly oriented uses on Yerba 
Buena Island would include a 150-room hotel, conference facilities, and 
a restaurant. Clipper Cove Marina would also be expanded and a new 
yacht club would be developed. Community uses on both islands would 
include public parks and open space, schools, a bikeway and pedestrian 
path. Industrial uses would include a new wastewater treatment plant, a 
new police station, and a new fire station on Treasure Island; these 
facilities and an existing fire station on Yerba Buena Island would be 
staffed with fire, paramedic, and police personnel. The elementary 
school, child development center, fire training school, and brig would 
be retained and reused for their original uses, with some 
modifications. Residential housing use would include reuse of existing 
housing as well as construction of new housing on both islands. No 
decision on the proposed action will be made until the NEPA process has 
been completed.
    Potential impacts evaluated in the DEIS include, but are not 
limited to: Land use, visual resources, socio-economics, public 
services, utilities, cultural resources, biological resources, geology 
and soils, water resources, traffic and circulation, air quality, 
noise, and hazardous materials and waste. Potentially significant 
impacts that can be mitigated include: land use impacts related to 
inconsistencies with the general plan designation and zoning 
classification; traffic impacts to westbound and eastbound on and off 
ramps on Yerba Buena Island under Alternative 1; impacts to transit 
operations due to lack of bus service between NSTI and the East Bay 
under all alternatives; biological impacts to mudflats, wading 
shorebirds and essential fish habitat due to increased pedestrian and 
boating activities under all alternatives; potential exposure of 
individuals and property to ponding under Alternatives 1 and 3 and 
flooding hazards under all alternatives; and potential health and 
safety implications from future development activities interfering with 
remedial actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act. The one significant impact that cannot 
be mitigated would be to cultural resources from demolition of two 
buildings on Treasure Island eligible for listing on the National 
Register of Historic Places under Alternative 2.
    The DEIS has been distributed to affected Federal, state, and local 
agencies and other interested parties. In addition, copies of the DEIS 
are available for review at the following public libraries:

--San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin St (at Grove), San Francisco, 
CA 94102, (415) 557-4400
--Bayview/Waden Branch Library, 5075 3rd St (at Revere Ave), San 
Francisco, CA 94124, (415) 715-4100
--Potrero Branch Library, 1616 20th St (between Arkansas and 
Connecticut St), San Francisco, CA 94107, (415) 695-6640
--Chinatown Branch Library, 1135 Powell St (near Jackson St), San 
Francisco, CA 94108, (415) 274-0275
--North Beach Branch Library, 2000 Mason St (at Columbus Ave), San 
Francisco, CA 94133, (415) 274-0270
--Oakland Public Library (Main Branch), 125 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612, 
(510) 238-3134
--Oakland Library (Eastmont Branch), Eastmont Mall--2nd Flr, 7200 
Bancroft Ave, Ste 211, Oakland, CA 94605, (510) 615-5726

    A public hearing will be held to inform the public of the DEIS 
findings and to solicit and receive oral and written comments. Federal, 
state, and local agencies and interested parties are invited to be 
present at the hearing. Oral comments will be heard and transcribed by 
a court recorder; written comments are also requested to ensure 
accuracy of the record. Agencies and the public are also invited and 
encouraged to provide written comments in addition to, or in lieu of, 
oral comments at the public hearing. All comments, both oral and 
written, will become part of the official record. Comments should 
clearly describe specific issues or topics with the DEIS. In the 
interest of allowing everyone a chance to participate, speakers will be 
requested to limit their oral comments to five (5) minutes. Longer 
comments should be summarized at the public hearing and submitted in 
writing either at the hearing or mailed to: Commander, Southwest 
Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Attn: Ms. Timarie 
Seneca, Code 06CM.TS, 1230 Columbia St, Suite 1100, San Diego, CA 
92101-8517. Comments must be postmarked by June 24, 2002, to be 
considered in this environmental review process.


[[Page 31793]]


    Dated: May 2, 2002.
R.E. Vincent II,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-11773 Filed 5-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P