[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63754-63755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18248]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearing of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for an Annex to the Fort Rosecrans 
National Cemetery at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), as implemented 
by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), the Department of the Navy (DON), Marine Corps Air Station 
Miramar (MCAS Miramar), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
announce the availability of the Draft Environmental

[[Page 63755]]

Impact Statement (DEIS) that evaluates the potential environmental 
effects of the land use agreement between the DON and the VA National 
Cemetery Administration (NCA) for the proposed annex to the existing 
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at Point Loma in San Diego, CA. The 
DEIS also evaluates the potential effects of construction and operation 
of the proposed cemetery annex. The annex would be located at MCAS 
Miramar, in San Diego, CA.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to provide needed burial 
space on federal land for military veterans in the San Diego area. The 
DEIS addresses the proposed site (Site 2), one on-site development 
alternative (Site 4), and the No Action Alternative.
    The DEIS evaluates the potential environmental effects associated 
with each of the alternatives. Issues addressed in the DEIS include 
land use, socioeconomics/environmental justice, utilities, public 
services, visual resources, cultural resources, biological resources, 
soils and geology, water resources, public health and safety, traffic/
circulation, air quality, and noise. Impact analyses include an 
evaluation of direct, indirect, short-term, and cumulative impacts.

DATES: All written comments must be received on or before December 11, 
2006. A public meeting will be held on Thursday, November 16, 2006, 
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select Miramar, 9335 Kearny 
Mesa Road, San Diego, CA.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be directed to: Ms. Hiphil S. 
Clemente (Code OPCE.HC), Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 
Southwest, 1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92132.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Hiphil S. Clemente, Naval 
Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest at telephone 619-532-3781, 
fax 619-532-4160, or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The VA operates the Fort Rosecrans National 
Cemetery, located on the Point Loma Submarine Base. It is the only 
national cemetery in San Diego County and has been closed to casketed 
burials since 1966. It is scheduled to be closed to cremated remains 
burials by 2008 and has no additional land available for expansion. The 
NCA has identified a need for additional burial space option for 
253,000 San Diego-area eligible military veterans for the next 20 to 30 
years.
    A Notice of Intent to prepare the DEIS was published in the Federal 
Register on October 4, 2005. A public scoping meeting was held on 
November 2, 2005, at the Holiday Inn Select located at 9335 Kearney 
Villa Road in San Diego, CA.
    The DEIS addresses the proposed site (Site 2), one on-site 
development alternative (Site 4), and the No Action Alternative. The 
Site 2 Alternative is located in the northwestern corner of MCAS 
Miramar. This site is approximately 323 acres and has access to Miramar 
Road to the north and Nobel Drive to the northwest. The site is bounded 
by Miramar Road to the north, the commuter/freight railway to the south 
and east, and the western boundary of MCAS Miramar to the west. The 
Site 4 Alternative is located in the south-central portion of MCAS 
Miramar in the former Camp Elliott area and is approximately 175 acres. 
The site is completely surrounded by freeways with State Route 163 to 
the west, State Route 52 to the south, and Interstate 15 to the east. 
Kearny Villa Road traverses the site in a north-south direction. The 
DEIS identifies the Site 2 Alternative as the Preferred Alternative.
    The DEIS has been distributed to various federal, state, and local 
agencies, elected officials, special interest groups, and interested 
parties. The DEIS is also available for public review at the following 
local libraries:

Scripps Miramar Ranch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive, San Diego, CA.
Mira Mesa Branch Library, 8405 New Salem Drive, San Diego, CA.
San Diego Central Library, 820 E Street, San Diego, CA.

    The public review period begins with the publication of this Notice 
of Availability and ends 45 days after. All comments must be received 
on or before December 11, 2006. A public meeting will be held on 
Thursday, November 16, 2006, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn 
Select Miramar, 9335 Kearny Mesa Road, San Diego, California. The 
public meeting will follow an informal open house format. The public is 
invited to attend the meeting at their convenience during the meeting 
hours and can view project-related displays and speak with DON and VA 
representatives. A court reporter will be available at the meeting to 
accept oral comments.

    Dated: October 26, 2006.
Lynette M. Breutzman,
Paralegal Specialist, Judge Advocate General's Office, Alternate 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-18248 Filed 10-30-06; 8:45 am]
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