[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 55 (Thursday, March 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13482-13483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1394]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and Enhanced 
Use Lease (EUL) Actions at Fort Meade, MD

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the 
DEIS which evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated 
with realignment actions directed by the Base Realignment and Closure 
(BRAC) Commission and Army Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) Actions at Fort 
Meade, Maryland.

DATES: The public comment period for the DEIS will end 45 days after 
publication of an NOA in the Federal Register by the Environmental 
Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments on the DEIS to: Ms. Melanie 
Moore at Fort Meade, Public Affairs Office, 4550 Pershing Hall, Room 
102, Fort Meade, MD 20755 or via e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melanie Moore at (301) 677-1301 
during normal business hours Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action and subject of the DEIS 
covers the construction activities, and movement of personnel 
associated with the BRAC realignment activities. The DEIS also covers 
the proposed Army EUL actions that will occur at Fort Meade at the same 
time that the BRAC action is being implemented.
    To implement the BRAC recommendations, Fort Meade will be receiving 
personnel, equipment, and missions from various realignment and

[[Page 13483]]

closure actions within the Department of Defense. Additionally, Fort 
Meade plans to use the EUL program to implement projects that would 
allow the installation to better execute its comprehensive master plan 
and would support the proposed BRAC-directed projects. The EUL actions 
are considered concurrently with the BRAC initiatives at Fort Meade. To 
implement the BRAC Commission recommended initiatives, the Army will 
provide the necessary facilities/buildings and infra-structure to 
support the changes as recommended. Permanent facilities will be 
constructed to house the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the 
DoD Media Activities (DMA), and the Adjudication and Office of Hearing 
and Appeals Offices, which are currently located in a mix of leased 
facilities and at government installations.
    To implement the EUL action, Fort Meade proposes to lease to a 
private developer approximately 173 acres in two parcels for a term of 
50 years. The installation would receive in-kind development of a 367-
acre parcel. Because the development of these three parcels would have 
potential impacts in the same region as the BRAC realignment actions, 
it is considered in this DEIS. The two EUL parcels that will be leased 
are located on installation property outside the fence line. The parcel 
for in-kind development is located within the fence line along the 
perimeter of the installation.
    Following an examination of all implementation alternatives, those 
alternatives found not to be viable were dropped from further analysis 
in the Fort Meade DEIS. Alternatives carried forward include: (1) The 
Preferred BRAC Realignment and EUL Action Alternative, (2) BRAC 
Realignment without EUL and associated construction, and (3) a No 
action Alternative. The Preferred Alternative includes construction and 
operation of proposed facilities to accommodate incoming military 
missions at Fort Meade as mandated by the 2005 BRAC recommendations and 
Army EUL actions. Alternative siting variations of proposed BRAC 
facilities were also evaluated.
    The DEIS analyses indicate that implementation of the preferred 
alternative, BRAC and EUL Actions Alternative, would have long-term, 
significant impacts on transportation, land use, socioeconomics 
(demographics and schools), visual and aesthetic resources, biological 
(vegetation and wildlife), utilities (wastewater and storm water 
drainage). Implementation of the preferred alternative would have 
short-term significant impacts to noise, energy sources, and solid 
waste disposal; and short-term minor effects to surface water during 
construction activities. Implementation of the preferred alternative 
would have no significant impacts to air quality, geology and soils; 
water resources (ground-water, floodplains, and coastal zones); 
biological (rare, threatened, and endangered species and aquatic 
species); socioeconomics (economic development, housing, and law 
enforcement); utilities (potable water, energy sources-operations, 
solid waste-operations); and hazardous and toxic substances. There 
would be no impacts to cultural resources, socioeconomics 
(environmental justice or protection of children) from implementation 
of the BRAC and EUL Actions Alternative. Alternative siting variations 
would provide similar impacts and benefits as compared to the preferred 
alternative. The no action alternative provides the baseline conditions 
for comparison to the preferred alternative.
    The Army invites the general public, local governments, other 
Federal agencies, and state agencies to submit written comments or 
suggestions concerning the alternatives and analyses addressed in the 
DEIS. The public and government agencies are invited to participate in 
a public meeting where oral and written comments and suggestions will 
be received. The public meeting will be held on April 18, 2007 from 6 
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the School-Age Services Building, 1900 Reece Road, 
Fort Meade, MD 20755. The DEIS is available at http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsimweb/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm.

    Dated: March 15, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-1394 Filed 3-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M