[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16838-16839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6819]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Bureau of Prisons


Finding of No Significant Impact; Notice of Availability of the 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Concerning a Proposal To Award 
a Contract for New Low Security Beds to One Private Contractor To House 
Approximately 1,000 Federal, Low-Security, Adult Male, Non-US Citizen, 
Criminal Aliens at a Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated Correctional 
Facility

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

ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons 
(BOP) announces the availability of the Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) concerning the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the 
proposal to award one or more contracts to house approximately, 1,000 
federal, low-security, adult males, criminal aliens within one existing 
contractor owned, contractor operated facility.

Background Information

    Growth of the federal inmate population has been substantial over 
the last two decades. Currently, the increased federal inmate 
population exceeds the combined rated capacities of the 116 BOP 
facilities. It is projected that this growth will continue as a result 
of actions and programs implemented by the U.S. Department of Justice 
and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding sentenced and 
unsentenced criminal aliens.
    In response, the BOP is seeking flexibility in managing its current 
shortage of beds by contracting for those services with non-federal 
facilities to house federal inmates. This approach provides the BOP 
with flexibility to meet population capacity needs in a timely fashion, 
conform to federal law, and maintain fiscal responsibility, while 
successfully attaining the mission of the BOP.
    The BOP proposed action is to award one contract to house 
approximately 1,000 federal low-security, adult male, non-U.S. citizen, 
criminal aliens at an existing privately owned and privately operated 
correctional facility. Under the Proposed Action, the selected 
contractor would be required to operate the facility in a manner 
consistent with the mission and requirements of the BOP. All inmate 
services would be developed in a manner that complies with the BOP's 
contract requirements, as well as applicable federal, state, and local 
laws and regulations. The contract also requires that no new 
construction or expansion of the existing facility occur. In addition, 
the facility will be within proximity, and have access to, ambulatory, 
fire and police protection services. The federal inmates assigned to 
this facility would consist primarily of inmates with sentences of 90 
months or less remaining to be served. As described previously these 
inmates are anticipated to be low-security, adult male, non-U.S. 
citizen, criminal aliens, however the BOP may designate any inmate 
within its custody to serve their sentence in this facility. The 
contract awarded for this action would have one four-year base period 
and three, two-year option periods, for a maximum term of ten years.
    Five existing privately owned and operated correctional facilities 
in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas have been offered in response to the 
BOP's nationwide solicitation from which the BOP will award one 
contract to one of the five facilities offered. Each of the following 
existing facilities has been evaluated in this EA. In addition, the No 
Action Alternative is evaluated, to determine baseline conditions and 
comply with the provisions of NEPA.
     Lee Adjustment Center. Located on an approximately 90 acre 
parcel in Beattyville, Kentucky.
     Limestone County Detention Center. Located on a 293 acre 
parcel in Groesbeck, Texas.

[[Page 16839]]

     Jackson Parish Correctional Center. Located on 
approximately 20 acres in Jonesboro, Louisiana.
     Pine Prairie Correctional Center. Located on an 
approximately 15 acre parcel in Pine Prairie, Louisiana.
     Jack Harwell Detention Center. Located on an approximately 
20 acre parcel in Waco, Texas.
    No other facilities are under consideration by the BOP

Project Information

    Pursuant to Section 102, 42 U.S.C. 4332, of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended and the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the BOP 
published an EA concerning a proposal to award one contract to house 
approximately 1,000 Iow-security, adult male, criminal aliens within 
one existing contractor-owned and contractor-operated correctional 
facility.
    Under the current solicitation, the BOP required that, prior to 
contract award, offerors provide information regarding past 
environmental activities and the environmental condition of the 
proposed sites and institutions. The EA, which is incorporated by 
reference describes the potential environmental impacts associated with 
the Action Alternatives, as well as the No Action Alternative. The 
stated purpose and need was the provision of approximately 1,000 beds 
although the overall system need is far greater. The document describes 
baseline environmental conditions, including the natural and human 
environments, addresses potential environmental impacts of the No 
Action Alternative and Action Alternatives, and includes appropriate 
mitigation measures.
    Further, as required by the solicitation, the BOP has taken several 
steps regarding offerors environmental documentation. First, the BOP 
has independently evaluated and verified the accuracy of the offerors 
environmental documentation. Second, the BOP has given greater 
consideration to the proposal which represents the preferred 
alternative. Third, the BOP reserved the right to eliminate proposals 
based on the adequacy of the documentation provided by the offeror(s) 
or the potential impact to the quality of the human environment. Last, 
the BOP reserved the right to disclose or make public any environmental 
documentation or other environmental information.
    An impact analysis of the alternatives was prepared as part of the 
EA. The analysis evaluated natural, cultural, and socioeconomic impacts 
of the Proposed Action for each of the Action Alternatives. The 
analysis included the environmental information provided by the 
offerors, as well as site visits. The BOP published the EA on January 
28, 2011 and published a Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal 
Register and in local newspapers associated with each of the five 
proposed alternative locations. The NOA provided a 30-day public 
comment period which began on January 28, 2011 and ended on February 
28, 2011. The BOP also distributed copies of the EA to federal, state 
and local officials, resource agencies, and other interested parties. 
No comments were received regarding the EA during the 30-day comment 
period. However, the BOP did receive a letter from an individual after 
the end of the comment period containing several comments related to 
the Lee Adjustment Center alternative in Beattyville, Kentucky. 
Although this comment letter was received after the comment period 
ended, the BOP reviewed and considered comments on the Lee Adjustment 
Center alternative in the NEPA process.
    The Limestone County Detention Center in Groesbeck, Texas is the 
selected alternative that best meets BOP's needs and has no significant 
impact on the human, natural or cultural environment. Mitigation for 
the project is not required due to the lack of impacts to natural, 
cultural, and socioeconomic resources. Implementation of the proposed 
action at the Limestone County Detention Center in conjunction with 
past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future actions, is not 
anticipated to result in major adverse cumulative impacts to natural, 
cultural or socioeconomic resources in the area.

Availability of Finding of No Significant Impact

    Pursuant to the requirements of the NEPA and subsequent guidelines 
for preparing environmental documents, including 40 CFR 1506.5(b), the 
BOP has conducted its own evaluation of the environmental issues and 
takes responsibility for the scope and content of the EA prepared for 
New Low Security Beds, January 2011. The BOP has determined that the 
selected action does not significantly impact the quality of the human 
environment.
    The FONSI and other information regarding the proposed action are 
available upon request by contacting: Richard A. Cohn, Chief, or Issac 
J. Gaston, Site Specialist Capacity Planning and Site Selection, 
Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 20534 
Tel: 202-514-6470, Fax: 202-616-6024/E-mail: [email protected] 
[email protected]

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

    Dated: March 16, 2011.
Richard A. Cohn,
Chief, Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch.
[FR Doc. 2011-6819 Filed 3-24-11; 8:45 am]
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