[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 183 (Friday, September 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54013-54014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4665]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) 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 
FEIS 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 waiting period for the FEIS will end 30 days after 
publication of an NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the FEIS contact the Public Affairs 
Office, Fort George G. Meade, 4550 Pershing Hall, Room 120, Fort Meade, 
MD 20755-5025. Send e-mails to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melanie Moore at (301) 677-1361 
during normal business hours Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action, and subject of the 
FEIS, covers the movement of personnel associated with the BRAC 
realignment activities and associated construction activities. The FEIS 
also covers the impacts from the proposed federal real estate lease 
which would result in development to Army lands at Fort Meade under the 
Army's EUL program.
    To implement the BRAC Commission recommended initiatives, Fort 
Meade will be receiving personnel, equipment, and missions from various 
realignment and closure actions within the U.S. Department of Defense. 
The Army will provide the necessary facilities/buildings and 
infrastructure to support the changes as recommended. Permanent 
facilities will be constructed to house the Defense Information

[[Page 54014]]

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.
    Additionally, Fort Meade plans to issue a real estate lease that 
allows the development of certain parcels through the Army's EUL 
program to help support mission-oriented uses on post, to derive value 
from underutilized property, to build future land value, and to enhance 
the installation's ability to implement its comprehensive master plan. 
Fort Meade proposes to lease to a private developer about 173 acres in 
two parcels for a term of 50 years and 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 FEIS. The two parcels that will be 
leased are located on installation property outside the fence line. The 
third parcel proposed for in-kind development is located within the 
fence line along the perimeter of the installation.
    The FEIS addresses alternatives that include: (1) a No Action 
Alternative, (2) BRAC-Directed Realignment and EUL Actions, and (3) 
BRAC-Directed Actions. The Preferred Alternative is Alternative 2 which 
includes construction and operation of proposed facilities to 
accommodate incoming military missions at Fort Meade as mandated by the 
2005 BRAC Commission recommendations and Army's EUL actions. 
Alternative sites on Fort Meade for placement of proposed BRAC 
facilities have also been evaluated. 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.
    As stated in the FEIS, implementation of the BRAC-Directed 
Realignment and EUL Actions, which is the Preferred Alternative, will 
result in long-term environmental impacts on transportation, land uses, 
socioeconomics areas (demographics, schools, and law enforcement), 
visual and aesthetic resources, biological (vegetation and wildlife), 
and utilities (wastewater and storm water drainage). Implementation of 
the Preferred Alternative would have short-term environmental impacts 
to visual and aesthetic resources, noise, energy sources, and solid 
waste disposal; and potential short-term indirect 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 (groundwater, floodplains, and coastal 
zones); biological (rare, threatened, and endangered species and 
aquatic species); socioeconomics areas (economic development and 
housing); utilities (potable water, energy sources operations, solid 
waste operations); and hazardous and toxic substances. There would be 
no adverse impacts to surrounding land uses, cultural resources, 
socioeconomics areas (environmental justice, recreation, or protection 
of children), utilities (communications), and hazardous waste disposal 
from implementation of the BRAC and EUL Actions Alternative.
    An electronic version of the FEIS can be viewed or downloaded from 
the following URL: http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm.

    Dated: September 11, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-4665 Filed 9-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M