[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 183 (Friday, September 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 54391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21807]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Disposal and Reuse of Fort Monroe, VA, Resulting From the 
2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission's Recommendations

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army intends to prepare an EIS for the 
disposal and reuse of Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia. Pursuant to the 
BRAC law, Fort Monroe is to close by September 14, 2011. Other actions 
included in the closing of Fort Monroe are relocating the Headquarters, 
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC); the Installation 
Management Command (IMCOM) Northeast Region; the U.S. Army Network 
Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) Northeast Region; and the Army 
Contracting Agency Northeast Region Office to Fort Eustis, Virginia. 
The U.S. Army Accessions Command and the U.S. Army Cadet Command will 
be relocated to Fort Knox, Kentucky. These relocations have been or 
will be addressed in separate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
documents for those locations.

DATES: The scoping meeting for the EIS will be held on October 28, 
2008, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Northampton Community Center, 1435 Todds Lane, 
Hampton, VA 23666.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jennifer Guerrero; phone: (757) 
788-5363; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Monroe is a 570-acre U.S. Army Garrison 
located at the southeastern tip of the Virginia Lower Peninsula between 
Hampton Roads and the Lower Chesapeake Bay. The hallmark of Fort Monroe 
is its stone fortress and moat.
    The proposed action (Army primary action) is to dispose of the 
surplus property generated by the BRAC-mandated closure of Fort Monroe. 
Reuse of Fort Monroe by others is a secondary action resulting from 
disposal. The Army has identified two disposal alternatives (early 
transfer and traditional disposal), a caretaker status alternative, and 
the no action alternative (as required by NEPA). The EIS will analyze 
the impact of each reuse alternative upon a wide range of environmental 
resource areas including, but not limited to, air quality, traffic, 
noise, biological resources, water resources, geology and soils, 
cultural resources, socioeconomic, utilities, land use, aesthetics and 
visual resources, hazardous and toxic substances, and cumulative 
environmental effects.
    The Army will conduct an environmental impact analysis that will 
focus on the effects of closure and reuse. One preliminary finding is 
that transportation impacts will have the most significant effect, with 
or without a major tourism component in the reuse plan. Also, at this 
early stage, impacts to air quality, infrastructure, and land use are 
not considered significant. With respect to cultural resources, 
significant adverse impacts are possible, but these can be mitigated by 
provisions contained in the Programmatic Agreement between the Army and 
the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
    Additional resources and conditions may be identified as a result 
of the scoping process initiated by this NOI. Other opportunities for 
public participation will be announced in the respective local news 
media. The public will be invited to participate in scoping activities 
for the EIS and comments from the public will be considered before any 
action is taken to implement the disposal and reuse of Fort Monroe.

    Dated: September 12, 2008.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. E8-21807 Filed 9-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M