[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 119 (Thursday, June 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34229-34230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3056]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Base Realignment and Closure 
(BRAC) Actions at Fort Sam Houston, TX

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of a ROD 
which documents the potential environmental impacts associated with 
realignment actions directed by the BRAC Commission at Fort Sam 
Houston, TX and Camp Bullis, TX.

ADDRESSES: For more information or to obtain a copy of the ROD, please 
contact Mr. Phillip Reidinger, Public Affairs Office, Building 124, 
1212 Stanley Road, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234; e-mail 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phillip Reidinger at (210) 221-
1151.

[[Page 34230]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject of the ROD, EIS and Proposed 
Action are the construction and renovation activities and movement of 
personnel associated with the BRAC directed realignment of Fort Sam 
Houston. The documents also evaluate effects of Army Modular Force 
(AMF) transformation activities that will occur at Fort Sam Houston at 
the same time that the BRAC actions are being implemented.
    To implement the applicable portions of the BRAC recommendations, 
Fort Sam Houston will be receiving personnel, equipment, and missions 
from various realignment and closure actions within the Department of 
Defense. Additionally, the Army had planned to conduct a series of non-
BRAC transformations to position its forces strategically for the 
future. Additionally, permanent facilities will be constructed or 
renovated to house the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade and various 
Headquarters units of the new Army North and Sixth Army that are 
currently located in a mix of temporary and existing facilities.
    To enable implementation of the BRAC Commission recommendations and 
accommodation of the concurrent Army initiatives, the Army must provide 
the necessary facilities/buildings and infrastructure to support the 
changes in force structure.
    Following a rigorous examination of all implementation 
alternatives, those alternatives found not to be viable were dropped 
from further analysis in the EIS. Alternatives carried forward included 
(1) The Preferred Alternative and (2) a No Action Alternative. The 
Preferred Alternative included construction, renovation, and operation 
of proposed facilities to accommodate incoming military missions at 
Fort Sam Houston. Minor siting variations of proposed facilities were 
also evaluated.
    Planned undertakings within the National Historical Landmark (NHL) 
District, including the demolition of existing buildings and 
construction of new buildings, will be reviewed using the Installation 
Design Guide historic review requirements and the Standard Operating 
Procedures (SOPs) in the Historic Properties Component (HPC) of the 
Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan. If demolition cannot be 
avoided, the determination of effects to cultural resources of the NHL 
District and required mitigations will be determined per the HPC SOPs.
    The EIS analyses indicated that implementation of the preferred 
alternative would have no long-term, significant impacts on the other 
environmental resources of Fort Sam Houston, Camp Bullis or their 
surrounding areas. Potential minor impacts to visual resources from 
implementation of the preferred alternative would generally occur only 
within the physical boundaries of Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis. No 
long-term significant impacts to geology, topography, caves, karst 
features, soils or wetlands will occur at either installation. 
Potential land use impacts are expected at Fort Sam Houston. Use of 
utilities and generation of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes will 
likely increase at both installations but not in significant amounts.
    Minor air, noise and transportation impacts would also occur during 
short-term construction activities under the preferred alternative at 
both installations and continue after final construction and occupancy. 
No significant impacts to biological resources (vegetation, wildlife, 
and threatened and endangered species) are expected from the 
implementation of the preferred alternative. Alternative siting 
variations would result in similar impacts and benefits as compared to 
the preferred alternative.
    The ROD has considered the results of the analyses presented in the 
Final EIS and has determined that the EIS adequately addresses the 
impacts associated with implementation of the Army's proposed action. 
As a result of this ROD, the Army will proceed with implementation of 
the Realignment Alternative as presented Final EIS, with all or any of 
its assessed siting variations, if required to implement the BRAC 
Commission's recommendations at Fort Sam Houston. In making this 
decision, a 30-day waiting period for comments on the Final EIS was 
observed. No new issues that would require modifying or supplementing 
the EIS were identified. The Fort Sam Houston ROD also takes into 
consideration transcripts of scoping and Draft EIS public meetings, 
oral and written comments received during the public comment periods, 
and provisions of relevant statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders 
that bear on the installation disposal process and environmental 
stewardship responsibilities of the Army.
    An electronic version of the ROD can be viewed or downloaded from 
the following Web site: http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm.

    Dated: June 15, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-3056 Filed 6-20-07; 8:45 am]
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