[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 84 (Monday, May 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 24533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10751]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Bureau of Prisons


Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the 
Short Term Sentences Acquisition Procurement

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

ACTION: Public Comment on Environmental Assessment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons 
(BOP) announces the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) 
prepared for the proposed contract to secure additional inmate bed 
space for the BOP's growing inmate population.
    As part of this action, known as the Short Term Sentences 
Acquisition procurement, the BOP has identified a specific requirement 
to confine an aggregate population of approximately 3,000 low-security 
adult male inmates (with one year or less remaining to serve) that are 
primarily criminal aliens. The BOP is seeking to accommodate the 
growing federal inmate population by requesting additional contract 
beds.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 
1500-1508), and the Department of Justice procedures for implementing 
NEPA (28 CFR 61), the BOP published an EA on January 28, 2011 which 
described the potential environmental and other impacts associated with 
the proposed action to award a contract to one or more private 
correctional contractors to house a population of approximately 3,000 
federal, low-security, adult male inmates that are primarily criminal 
aliens with one year or less to serve on their sentences. Copies of the 
EA were distributed to federal, state, regional and local officials, 
agencies, organizations and the public. Publication of the EA initiated 
a public comment period lasting no less than 30 days and during that 
comment period, which ended on February 28, 2011, comments were 
received from several government agencies and a member of the public.
    With the passage of time since the EA was first published, and 
following a thorough review of all public comments and environmental 
documentation amassed in support of the proposed action, the BOP 
determined that it was appropriate and in the best interests of the 
public to prepare a new EA. This new EA incorporates additional 
information prepared in response to public comments received by the BOP 
along with the most current information regarding the alternative 
facilities. The BOP's EA evaluates the potential environmental 
consequences of three action alternatives and the No Action 
Alternative. Natural, cultural, and socioeconomic resource impacts 
associated with the implementation of the proposed action at each of 
the alternative locations were analyzed to determine how these 
resources may be affected by the proposed action.
    The alternatives considered in the EA include the use of the 
following privately-owned and operated facilities: Diamondback 
Correctional Center, Watonga, Oklahoma; Great Plains Correctional 
Facility, Hinton, Oklahoma; and Willacy County Processing Center, 
Raymondville, Texas. The EA also includes information concerning the 
BOP's preferred alternative. Inmates housed in one or more of these 
facilities would be primarily criminal aliens who have less than one 
year remaining to serve of their sentences.

Request for Comments

    The BOP invites your participation and is soliciting comments on 
the EA. The EA will be the subject of a 30-day comment period which 
begins May 2, 2011 and ends May 31, 2011. Comments concerning the EA 
and the proposed action must be received during this time to be assured 
consideration. All written comments received during this review period 
will be taken into consideration by the BOP. Copies of the EA are 
available for public viewing at: Watonga Public Library, 301 N. Prouty, 
Watonga, OK; Norman Smith Memorial Library, 115 E. Main Street, Hinton, 
OK; and Reber Memorial Library, 193 N. 4th Street, Raymondville, TX.
    The EA is available upon request. To request a copy of the EA, 
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: April 26, 2011.
Richard A. Cohn,
Chief, Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch.
[FR Doc. 2011-10751 Filed 4-29-11; 8:45 am]
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