[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 31639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13486]


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 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Bureau of Prisons


Notice of the Availability of the Finding of No Significant 
Impact Concerning a Proposal To Award a Contract to House Federal, Low-
Security, Criminal Aliens in 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 900 to approximately 
3,000 federal, low-security, adult male, non-U.S. citizen, criminal 
aliens within one or more existing contractor-owned and operated 
correctional facilities.

Background 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 or more contracts to 
house 900 to approximately 3,000 Federal, low-security, adult male, 
non-U.S. citizen, criminal aliens within one or more existing 
contractor-owned and operated correctional facilities.
    The 30-day public comment period began on January 28, 2011 and was 
extended by 10 days at the request of a member of the public in order 
to submit comments to the BOP concerning the EA. By March 9, 2011, the 
BOP received comment letters from several government agencies and a 
member of the public which raised technical and non-technical issues 
and questions.
    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. The new EA incorporated additional 
information prepared in response to public comments. The new EA also 
provided the most current information available regarding the 
alternative facilities as well as the BOP's Preferred Alternative.

Project Information

    Under the proposed action, the contractor(s) selected to house the 
approximately 3,000 Federal, low-security, adult male, criminal aliens 
would be responsible for ensuring that the correctional facility(s) is 
operated in a manner consistent with the mission of the BOP and state 
and federal laws and regulations. It is anticipated that the BOP will 
predominantly assign Federal, low-security, adult male, criminal aliens 
(comprised primarily of persons with a year or less remaining to serve) 
to the selected facility. However, the BOP may designate any inmate 
within its custody utilizing the same designation criteria as 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.
    Following publication of the solicitation for the Short Term 
Sentences procurement, the BOP received responses from contractors 
representing nine alternative facilities. Of the nine alternative 
locations, six were either withdrawn by contractor(s) or eliminated 
from consideration by the BOP on the basis of non-environmental 
criteria. Three existing correctional facilities, located in Oklahoma 
and Texas, were considered worthy of further consideration. Possible 
use of each of three existing facilities, in addition to the No Action 
alternative, were evaluated in an EA prepared by the BOP. The BOP would 
select one or more contractors for contract award from among the three 
offerors:

--Diamondback Correctional Center, Watonga, Oklahoma.
--Great Plains Correctional Facility, Hinton, Oklahoma.
--Willacy County Processing Center, Raymondville, Texas.

    No other facilities were under consideration by the BOP. The BOP 
reserves the right to make multiple awards. In the event it is in the 
Government's best interest, the BOP may make up to two (based on 
proposals received) contract awards as long as the total quantity is 
within the scope of approximately 3,000 beds.
    The BOP issued the EA on May 2, 2011, with publication of the 
Notice of Availability (NOA) in newspapers serving the area surrounding 
each of the alternative locations. The NOA included information 
concerning the 30-day public comment period which began on May 2, 2011, 
and ended on May 31, 2011. The BOP also distributed copies of the EA to 
federal agencies, state and local governments, elected officials, 
interested organizations, public libraries and individuals.

Availability of Finding of No Significant Impact

    The FONSI is available upon request. To request a copy of the 
FONSI, 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: May 24, 2011,
Richard A. Cohn,
Chief, Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch.
[FR Doc. 2011-13486 Filed 5-31-11; 8:45 am]
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