[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 230 (Friday, November 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72459-72460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28327]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Hearing for the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Laurelwood Housing Area Access, Naval Weapons Station 
Earle, Colts Neck, NJ

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section (102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and regulations implemented by the Council 
on Environmental Quality (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Department of 
the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
which evaluates the potential environmental consequences of providing 
access between the Laurelwood housing area at Naval Weapons Station 
(NWS) Earle and an adjacent state primary or secondary road. The 
requirement for this access is a stipulation within the lease agreement 
between the Navy and the developer of Laurelwood that requires the Navy 
to provide unimpeded access to the property in 2010. This developer may 
construct necessary road improvements to obtain access and rent any 
housing units to the general public through the year 2040. A Notice of 
Intent for this EIS was published in the Federal Register on November 
9, 2007 (72 FR 63562).
    The Navy will conduct a public hearing to receive oral and written 
comments on the Draft EIS. Federal agencies, state agencies, local 
agencies, and interested individuals are invited to be present or 
represented at the public hearings. This notice announces the date and 
location of the public hearing for this Draft EIS.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: One public hearing will be held. The hearing will 
be preceded by an open house session to allow interested individuals to 
review information presented in the Draft EIS. Navy representatives 
will be available during the open house session to clarify information 
related to the Draft EIS. The open house session will occur from 4 p.m. 
to 5:30 p.m. followed by the formal public hearing from 6 p.m. to 10 
p.m. The public hearing is scheduled for the following date and 
location: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at the Monmouth Regional High 
School Performing Arts Center, One Norman J. Field Way, Tinton Falls, 
NJ 07724.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
(NAVFAC) Atlantic, Attn: Laurelwood Housing Area EIS Project Manager, 
Code EV21 Laurelwood PM, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, LRA Building A, 
Norfolk, VA 23508; http://www.laurelwoodeis.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed action is to 
provide unimpeded access in the year 2010 to the developer of the 
Laurelwood housing area across a portion of NWS Earle connecting the 
Laurelwood housing area with a state primary or secondary road. The 
requirement for this access in 2010 is part of an existing lease 
agreement between the Navy and the developer of Laurelwood.
    In 1988 the Navy contracted with a developer to construct, own, and 
operate 300 military family housing units at NWS Earle, now known as 
the Laurelwood housing area. A 52-year lease agreement for the 
underlying land was executed between the Navy and the developer which 
included an in-lease and out-lease period. During the in-lease period, 
which runs from 1988 until 2010, the Navy guarantees rent payments to 
the developer for the occupancy of all 300 Laurelwood units. Only 
military and their dependents are allowed to occupy these housing units 
during the in-lease period. During the out-lease period, which runs 
from 2010 until 2040 the developer may rent the units to the general 
public.
    However, the lease requires that the Navy provide ``reasonable 
access'' between the Laurelwood housing area and an adjacent state, 
primary, or secondary road. The lease agreement defines reasonable 
access as being on a paved road, constructed, operated, and maintained 
by the developer at its own cost. The Navy may satisfy this obligation 
by either (a) providing unimpeded access along existing roads of the 
installation or (b) providing an easement for alternate access adequate 
to allow the developer to construct a road from an adjacent primary or 
secondary road to Laurelwood that will provide unimpeded access.
    Road construction would be subject to federal, state and local laws 
and regulations. While the developer must pay for construction of a new 
road and necessary improvements, the Navy is required to finance the 
construction of any road enhancements necessary to meet their security 
or operational requirements (e.g., security fencing, gates). In 
addition, the Navy is required to obtain all necessary permits for road 
construction. In 2040, the lease agreement expires and the developer is 
obligated to demolish the 300 housing units.
    This Draft EIS reviews and assesses four action alternatives and 
the No Action alternative. The Draft EIS addresses potential 
environmental impacts on multiple resources, including but not limited 
to: Socioeconomic resources; community facilities and services; 
traffic; cultural resources; biological resources; environmental health 
and safety; and security. A preferred alternative has not been selected 
or identified in the Draft EIS. The Navy seeks comments from the public 
or interested parties regarding the sufficiency of the Draft EIS and 
the choice of alternatives.

[[Page 72460]]

    The Draft EIS has been distributed to various Federal, state, and 
local agencies, as well as other interested individuals and 
organizations. The public comment period will end on January 12, 2009. 
Copies of the Draft EIS are available for public review at the 
following libraries: Monmouth County Library (Eastern Branch), 1001 
Route 35, Shrewsbury, NJ; Monmouth County Library (Colts Neck), 1 
Winthrop Drive, Colts Neck, NJ; and Tinton Falls Public Library, 664 
Tinton Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ. An electronic copy of the Draft EIS is 
also available for public viewing at: http://www.laurelwoodeis.com.
    Federal, state, and local agencies, as well as interested parties 
are invited and encouraged to be present or represented at the public 
hearing. Oral statements will be heard and transcribed by a 
stenographer; however, to ensure the accuracy of the record, all 
statements should be submitted in writing. All statements, both oral 
and written, will become part of the public record on the Draft EIS and 
will be responded to in the Final EIS. Equal weight will be given to 
both oral and written statements. You do not need to attend the public 
hearing in order for your comments to be considered in the Final EIS.
    In the interest of available time, and to ensure all who wish to 
give an oral statement have the opportunity to do so, each speaker's 
comments will be limited to three (3) minutes. If a longer statement is 
to be presented, it should be summarized at the public hearing and the 
full text submitted in writing either at the hearing, or mailed to 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, Attn: 
Laurelwood Housing Area EIS Project Manager, Code EV21 Laurelwood PM, 
6506 Hampton Boulevard, LRA Building A, Norfolk, VA 23508. Comments can 
also be submitted via the project Web site: http://www.laurelwoodeis.com.
    All written comments postmarked or submitted to the project website 
by January 12, 2009, will become a part of the official public record 
and will be responded to in the Final EIS.

    Dated: November 14, 2008.
T. M. Cruz,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-28327 Filed 11-26-08; 8:45 am]
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