[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 118 (Monday, June 21, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35089-35090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-14743]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Bureau of Prisons


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for Proposed 
Contract Award to House District of Columbia-Sentenced Felons and 
Criminal Aliens Within a Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated 
Correctional Facility

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons.

ACTION: Notice of a Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons 
(BOP) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) 
concerning the proposed award of a contract to house approximately 
1,380 federal, low-security, adult male District of Columbia (DC)-
sentenced felons and criminal aliens within a Contractor-Owned/
Contractor-Operated correctional facility.

[[Page 35090]]

Background Information

    Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the BOP has prepared Draft and Final 
Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for the proposed award of a 
contract to house approximately 1,380 federal, low-security, adult male 
DC-sentenced felons and criminal aliens within a Contractor-Owned/
Contractor-Operated correctional facility.

Project Information

    The BOP faces unprecedented growth in its inmate population 
resulting from federal law enforcement programs. Federal Correctional 
Institutions housing low-security inmates are especially impacted 
because DC-sentenced felons and criminal aliens are typically housed at 
the low-security level. Due to the current shortage of beds within the 
federal prison system, particularly at the low-security level, the BOP 
is managing the federal inmate population by assigning minimum and 
medium-security level institutions as low-security institutions. This, 
in turn, impacts other security levels by reducing the availability of 
beds to accommodate minimum- and medium-security inmates. The projected 
growth in the number of sentenced felons and aliens resulting from 
increased law enforcement efforts will further exacerbate these 
population pressures. The DC III procurement serves to address these 
growth issues on a national basis.
    The BOP requires flexibility in managing the shortage of beds at 
the low-security level as well as the anticipated future increases at 
this security level. Such management flexibility, involving the use of 
Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated correctional facilities when 
appropriate, would help to meet population capacity needs in a timely 
fashion, conform to federal law, and maintain fiscal responsibility 
while successfully meeting the mission of the BOP. That mission is to 
protect society by confining offenders in the controlled environments 
of prison and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-
efficient and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other 
self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-
abiding citizens.
    The proposed action is to award a contract to house approximately 
1,380 federal, low-security, adult male, DC-sentenced felons and 
criminal aliens within a Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated 
correctional facility. Under the proposed action, the contractor 
selected would be responsible for ensuring that the correctional 
facility is operated in a manner consistent with the mission of the BOP 
and in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. In 
addition, the facility selected would be within the proximity of, and 
have access to, emergency services including medical care, fire 
protection and law enforcement.
    It is anticipated that the BOP will assign a population of 
approximately 1,380 low-security, adult male inmates, predominantly DC-
sentenced felons and criminal aliens, to the selected facility. 
However, the BOP may designate any inmate within its custody utilizing 
the same designation criteria as are used at other BOP facilities. All 
inmate services and programs would be developed and implemented to 
comply with the BOP's contract requirements and all applicable federal, 
state and local laws and regulations.
    The BOP issued a DEIS in January 2010 with publication of the 
Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register on January 22, 
2010. The NOA provided a start date for the 45-day public comment 
period beginning on January 22, 2010, and ending on March 8, 2010. 
During the public comment period public hearings concerning the 
proposed action and the DEIS were held on February 10, 2010 in Winton, 
North Carolina and February 24, 2010 in Princess Anne, Maryland.
    The FEIS addressed comments received on the DEIS and publication of 
the NOA in the Federal Register concerning the FEIS occurred on May 7, 
2010. The 30-day review period for receipt of public comments 
concerning the FEIS ended on June 7, 2010, during which time comment 
letters and similar forms of communication were received by the BOP. 
Each of the comment letters are similar to comments received on the 
DEIS and were considered in the decision presented in the ROD.
    BOP provided written notices of the availability of the DEIS and 
FEIS in the Federal Register, two newspapers with local and regional 
circulations, and through two local public libraries. The BOP also 
distributed approximately 175 copies (each) of the DEIS and FEIS to 
federal agencies, state and local governments, elected officials, 
interested organizations, and individuals.
    The BOP evaluated alternatives as part of the EIS including the No 
Action Alternative; implementation of the proposed action at the 
Winton, North Carolina site (involving use of the Rivers Correctional 
Institution) to house the federal inmate population; and implementation 
of the proposed action at the Princess Anne, Maryland site (involving 
development of a new Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated correctional 
facility) to house the federal inmate population. Each of the 
alternative sites in Winton, North Carolina and Princess Anne, Maryland 
is examined in detail in the Draft and Final EISs with contract award 
to the Winton site in North Carolina identified in the ROD as the 
Preferred Alternative.

Availability of Record of Decision

    The ROD and other information regarding this undertaking are 
available upon request. To request a copy of the ROD, please contact: 
Richard A. Cohn, Chief, or Issac J. Gaston, Site Selection Specialist, 
Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch, Federal Bureau of Prisons, 
320 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 20534/Tel: 202-514-6470/Fax: 202-
616-6024/E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Richard A. Cohn, or Issac J. Gaston, Federal Bureau of Prisons.

    Dated: June 11, 2010.
Issac Gaston,
Site Specialist, Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch.
[FR Doc. 2010-14743 Filed 6-18-10; 8:45 am]
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