[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53945-53946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21072]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION


Notice of Availability; Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for the Proposed Master Development Plan for the 
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Gaithersburg, MD

AGENCY: Office of Portfolio Management, General Services 
Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration is publishing a Final 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) for the Proposed Master

[[Page 53946]]

Development Plan for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 
Gaithersburg, Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ernest Hall, Office of Portfolio 
Management, WPT, General Services Administration, NCR, 7th and D 
Streets, SW., Washington, DC, 20407; (202) 401-2354; e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of availability is as follows:

Notice of Availability; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact for the Proposed Master Development Plan for the 
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Gaithersburg, Maryland

    Reply to the Attention of: Mr. Ernest Hall, Office of Portfolio 
Management, WPT, General Services Administration, NCR, 7th & D Streets, 
SW., Washington, DC 20407. (202) 401-2354. E-mail: [email protected].
    The General Services Administration (GSA) is publishing a Final 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) for the Proposed Master Development Plan for the U.S. Consumer 
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Final 
EA will be available for public review at the following locations:

GSA National Capital Region, 301 7th Street, SW., Room 7600, 
Washington, DC 20407.
The Gaithersburg Library, 8660 Montgomery Village Avenue, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20877.
Gaithersburg City Hall, 31 South Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

    The GSA, acting as development manager for Federal facilities, 
proposed to adopt a Master Development Plan for the U.S. CPSC National 
Laboratory in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The plan includes a proposal to 
construct a Sample Storage Facility on the southeast quadrant of the 
site and to renovate and expand existing facilities. The proposed 
action would consist of constructing an 18,000 square foot Sample 
Storage Facility on the southeast quadrant of the site, and upgrading 
Buildings A, B, and C to meet CPSC specifications, including adding a 
connector between Buildings B and C. Interior renovations are required 
for Buildings E, F, G, and H to bring all aspects of the buildings up 
to current code requirements. Two additional small burn room areas will 
be added to the west end of Building G. The proposed action would also 
include relocating existing water lines, sewer lines, and electrical 
ducts.
    When compared to the other build alternatives in the Final EA, the 
proposed action would result in the least amount of changes to the 
site, is the least costly to implement, and best meets CPSC's long-
range needs. The proposed action will incorporate measures such as 
enhanced landscaping and a stormwater detention area to mitigate any 
permanent aesthetic or stormwater impacts of the proposed development 
and expansions/renovations.

Finding

    Pursuant to the provision of GSA Order ADM 1095.1F, the PBS NEPA 
Desk Guide, and the regulations issued by the Council of Environmental 
Quality, (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508), this is to advise you of our 
finding, based on the Final Environmental Assessment (EA), that the 
action described above is considered a major Federal action not 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

Basis for Finding

    The environmental impacts of constructing and operating the 
proposed facilities were considered in the Final EA pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Final EA, which is 
available for review at the locations listed on page 1, is incorporated 
by reference in the FONSI. Constructing and operating the proposed 
project will not have a significant adverse affect on the human 
environment.
    The EA documents the master planning process undertaken for the 
future use of the site. The direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of 
the three build alternatives and the no action alternative were 
analyzed in accordance with the NEPA, and the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA. The Final EA analyzes the 
reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts that could result from the 
three build alternatives and the no action alternative.
    Regardless of which build alternative is selected, all alternatives 
would involve temporary construction disturbances to the ambient air 
and noise environment, soils, and stormwater runoff from the site. 
However, Alternative 2 would involve substantially greater disruption 
affecting the entire site over a longer period of time. Alternative 3 
would involve reducing the existing landscaping. Under the preferred 
alternative, improvements would affect less than \1/4\ of the existing 
site and will incorporate measures such as enhanced landscaping and a 
stormwater detention area to mitigate any permanent aesthetic or 
stormwater effects of the proposed CPSC development and renovations. To 
mitigate potential impacts, GSA will implement the measures that are 
discussed in the Environmental Assessment.
    This Finding of No Significant Impact will become final thirty (30) 
days after publication in the Federal Register provided that no 
information leading to a contrary finding is received or comes to light 
during the 30-day public review period.

Donald C. Williams,
Regional Administrator, National Capital Region, U.S. General Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-21072 Filed 8-19-02; 8:45 am]
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