[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34359-34360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9251]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Consolidation of the Two Existing NIOSH Facilities in
Cincinnati, Ohio
AGENCY: Public Buildings Service, GSA
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare EIS
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and the President's Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), as implemented by General
Services Administration (GSA) Order PBS P 1095.4D, GSA announces its
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the proposed consolidation of the two existing NIOSH
facilities, the Robert A. Taft Laboratory and the Alice Hamilton
Laboratory buildings, into a single consolidated facility at a new
location in Ohio.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The delineated area for this project is
defined as follows; starting at Exit 54 on Interstate Highway I-275
northeast of Cincinnati; then running clockwise along a line
approximately two miles east and parallel to Interstate Highway I-275
south to the Ohio River; then west along the Ohio River to a point
where it intersects with Interstate Highway I-75; then north and
northeast along Interstate Highway I-75 until it intersects with Ohio
State Highway 126 at Exit 104; then east along Ohio State Highway 126
until it intersects with US Highway 22 (Montgomery Rd.); from this
point east along a line back to Exit 54 on Interstate Highway 275.
The purpose of this proposed action is to consolidate these
facilities, which have been occupied for the past 50 years and are
outdated and inefficient, into a new consolidated facility. The need
for this action is for NIOSH to collocate operational functions into a
single location to eliminate the inherent inefficiencies associated
with the current separated and outdated facilities.
The EIS will examine the impacts of this proposed development on
the natural and human environment to include impacts to wetlands,
floodplains, traffic, historic resources, and other potential impacts
identified by the community through the scoping process.
The consolidated facility will be acquired by the Government, and
may be an existing facility, or may be property acquired for the
construction of a new facility. GSA, as agent for CDC, will develop a
list of alternate site locations based on the criteria for the project.
The site and must be large enough to accommodate the needed 350,000
square feet of usable space with 1100 employees. The minimum site size
needed will by approximately 14 acres. The technical site evaluation
criteria are:
GENERAL
[[Page 34360]]
The property owner(s) must have sole, legally documented
authority to represent the property or facility or assemblage for the
Government's consideration. No speculative offers will be considered.
The site must be within an approximately 25 minute or 30
mile distance from the Cincinnati airport.
The site must have reasonably direct access from the
Interstate(s) or other major roadway arteries.
The site must be proximate to existing support services
such as restaurants/ eateries, hotels/ motels or other approved retail
and/or commercial uses to support the Government's workforce.
Existing facilities must comply with, or must be capable
of being upgraded to, the most current versions of the Unified
Facilities Criteria (UFC), the Department of Defense (DoD) Minimum
Anti-terrorism Standards for Buildings and the ISC Security Design
Criteria for Federal Buildings with CDC project specific planning
criteria, to be considered.
Only property within the State of Ohio will be considered.
SITE
The site must encompass a minimum of 14 developable acres
with the following characteristics:
No deed restrictions or encumbrances that may
potentially restrict the Government's use of the developable
portion(s) of the site.
Soil type and subsurface conditions suitable for low-
and mid-rise development consistent with that described in the
solicitation.
Appropriate zoning or other land use control
designation that would allow research/office uses as specified in
the Government's solicitation.
The site must be contiguous.
Preference shall be given to sites that have favorable
configuration in shape and dimensions so as to afford the most
flexibility for site planning for the proposed development.
The site must be served by or proximate to basic utilities
including, but not limited to, water, sanitary and storm sewer, natural
gas, and electricity.
The property owner(s) must either certify in writing that
no environmental condition exists or is pending, as defined by Federal,
State or local jurisdiction law, regulation or ordinance that would
potentially restrict the Government's use of the site as stated in the
NOI, or identify any such condition(s), if known. The Government would
keep this information confidential to the extent allowed under Federal
law.
The property owner(s) must identify any Federal, State or
locally documented historic, archaeological or cultural resources
located on or immediately adjacent to the site, if known.
The property owner(s) must provide a certified ALTA/ ACSM
Boundary, Topographical and Utility (BTU) survey of the site, prepared
by a qualified, licensed surveyor, that identifies the legal dimensions
and boundaries of the site, all lakes, stream or other bodies of water,
all major natural features of the site such as hills and ravines,
public or private roads, power transmission, natural gas, electric
distribution, or other utility lines below ground, on-grade, or
suspended, and any-and-all other encumbrances to the site.
The property owner(s) must identify any existing buildings
or other improvements on the site, and if such improvements would be
demolished by the Property owner(s) or the Government prior to
development of the site; or if the Government is to evaluate the
improvements for future NIOSH occupancy and use.
GSA will first identify sites that can meet these basic criterions
for the project, and will then use the NEPA process analyze the impacts
of the potential sites that have been screened down to a short list for
final consideration. GSA will solicit community input throughout this
process, and will incorporate community comments into the decision
process before any decisions are made. As part of the Public Scoping
process, GSA will solicit comments in writing through advertisements in
the local newspapers and public meetings once potential sites have been
identified. Comments will be directed to: Mr. Phil Youngberg,
Environmental Manager (4PT), General Services Administration (GSA), 77
Forsyth Street, Suite 450, Atlanta, GA 30303.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phil Youngberg via FAX: 404-562-
0790, or Email: [email protected].
Signed:
June 6, 2006.
Philip B. Youngberg,
Environmental Manager 4PHD
[FR Doc. E6-9251 Filed 6-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-DN-S