[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71420-71421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29460]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


Department of the Navy

Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Station Brunswick, ME

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, as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy (DoN) with the Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA) acting as a cooperating agency, has prepared and filed the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating the potential 
environmental consequences associated with the disposal and reuse of 
Naval Air Station (NAS) Brunswick, Maine. The DoN is required to close 
NAS Brunswick per Public Law 101-510, the Defense Base Closure and 
Realignment Act of 1990, as amended in 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, BRAC Program Management 
Office Northeast, 4911 South Broad Street, Building 679, Philadelphia, 
PA 19112-1303, telephone 215-897-4900, fax 215-897-4902, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DoN acting as a lead agency with the FAA 
acting as a cooperating agency had prepared and filed the Notice of 
Intent for the EIS, published in the Federal Register on October 24, 
2008, and the Draft EIS published in the Federal Register on May 5, 
2010, in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Sections 4321-4345) and its 
implementing regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508). The purpose of the 
proposed action is to dispose of NAS Brunswick, Maine in a manner 
consistent with the Brunswick Naval Air Station Reuse Master Plan as 
developed by the Brunswick Local Redevelopment Authority (BLRA) in 
December 2007. The DoN is required to close NAS Brunswick, Maine in 
accordance with Public Law 101-510, the Defense Base closure and 
Realignment Act of 1990, as amended in 2005. NAS Brunswick must be 
closed on or before September 15, 2011. This EIS has indentified and 
considered two alternatives for the disposal and reuse of NAS 
Brunswick, and the no-action alternative.
    Alternative 1 includes the disposal of NAS Brunswick and its 
outlying properties by the DoN and its reuse in a manner consistent 
with the Brunswick Naval Air Station Reuse Master Plan. This 
alternative would maintain the existing airfield for private aviation 
purposes. It is anticipated that full build-out of the Plan would be 
implemented over a 20-year period. The Brunswick Naval Air Station 
Reuse Master Plan calls for the development of approximately 1,630 
acres (51%) of the total base property. In addition, approximately 
1,570 acres (49%) of the base would be dedicated to a variety of active 
and passive land uses, including recreation, open space, and natural 
areas. The plan reuses the existing airfield and its supporting 
infrastructure, provides a mix of land use types and densities, and 
preserves open space and natural areas. The DoN has recognized 
Alternative 1 as the preferred alternative.
    Alternative 2 includes the disposal of NAS Brunswick and its 
outlying properties by the DoN and its reuse in a manner that features 
a higher density of residential and community mixed-use development and 
does not include reuse of the airfield. Similar to Alternative 1, this 
alternative includes a mix of land use types, preserves open space and 
natural areas. It is anticipated that full build-out of the high-
density scenario would be implemented over a 20-year period. Under 
Alternative 2 there would be development of approximately 1,580 acres 
(49%) of the total base property. In addition, approximately 1,620 
acres (51%) of the base would be dedicated to a variety of active and 
passive land uses, including recreation, open space, and natural areas. 
Although this alternative would have less developable acres than 
Alternative 1, the density of residential and community mixed-uses 
would be higher.
    Alternative 3 is required by NEPA and evaluates the impacts at NAS 
Brunswick in the event that the property is not disposed. Under this 
alternative, existing mission and support operations would be 
relocated; however, the installation would be retained by the U.S. 
government in caretaker status. No reuse or redevelopment would occur 
at the facility. The Final EIS addresses environmental impacts of each 
alternative pertaining to the disposal and reuse of the NAS Brunswick 
property.
    The Final EIS addresses any potential environmental impacts under 
each alternative associated with: water resources; air quality; 
biological resources; soils, topography, and geology; land use; noise 
exposure levels; socioeconomic resources; community facilities; 
transportation; environmental management; infrastructure; and cultural 
resources. The analyses includes direct and indirect impacts, and 
accounts for cumulative impacts from other foreseen Federal, State, or 
local activities at and around NAS Brunswick. The Final EIS has been 
distributed to various Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as 
other interested individuals and organizations. In addition, copies of 
the Final EIS have been distributed to the following libraries and 
publicly accessible facilities for public review:
1. Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME 04011-
2261.

[[Page 71421]]

2. Town of Brunswick--Department of Planning and Development. 28 
Federal Street. Brunswick, ME 04011.
3. Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road, Topsham, ME 04086-1832.

    An electronic copy of the Final EIS is available for public viewing 
at http://www.bracpmo.navy.mil/. Federal, State, and local agencies, as 
well as interested parties, are invited to review this Final EIS. 
Comments can be submitted in writing or e-mailed to: Director, BRAC 
Program Management Office (PMO) Northeast, 4911 South Broad Street, 
Building 679, Philadelphia, PA 19112-1303, telephone 215-897-4900, fax 
215-897-4902, e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: November 16, 2010.
D. J. Werner,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-29460 Filed 11-22-10; 8:45 am]
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