[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1414-1416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30791]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-FAS-2014-02; Docket: 2014-0002; Sequence: 39]


Notice of Public Meeting for the Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement for the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs 
Security Training Center in Nottoway County, Virginia

AGENCY: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

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ACTION: Meeting Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has prepared 
and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a 
Supplement to the 2012 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Bureau of Diplomatic Security, 
Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC). GSA is the lead 
agency; cooperating agencies are DOS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(ACE), EPA, and National Guard Bureau (NGB). The Supplemental Draft EIS 
was prepared to evaluate the environmental impacts of site acquisition 
and development of FASTC at the Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver 
Training Center (VA ANG MTC) at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County's 
Local Redevelopment Authority area in Nottoway County, Virginia.

DATES: Comment date: The public may submit comments on the Supplemental 
Draft EIS during a 45-day public review and comment period beginning 
January 9, 2015 with publication of this notice and ending on February 
23, 2015. Instructions for submitting comments may be found under the 
heading SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION in this notice.
    Public Meeting: A public information meeting is scheduled for 
January 26, 2015, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard 
Time, in the Auditorium at the Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center 
located at 707 Fourth Street, Blackstone VA 23824.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments by email to FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov, or 
U.S. Postal Service to: Ms. Abigail Low, GSA Project Manager, 20 N. 8th 
Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abigail Low, GSA Project Manager; 20 
N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-446-4815, or email at 
FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The purpose of the proposed 
FASTC in Nottoway County is to consolidate existing dispersed hard 
skills training functions into a single suitable location to improve 
training efficiency and enhance training operations. The proposed FASTC 
is needed to meet the increased demand for well-trained security 
personnel. A Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft EIS was 
published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 52336 on September 3, 2014. 
A public scoping period and public scoping meeting for the proposed 
action were held in October 2011 in relation to the 2012 Draft EIS. 
Additionally, the public was invited to submit comments concerning the 
proposal for 30 days from publication of the September 3, 2014 Notice 
of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft EIS.
    The alternatives fully evaluated in the Supplemental Draft EIS 
include the No Action Alternative and Build Alternative 3. Build 
Alternative 3 was developed based on the 2014 Master Plan Update that 
incorporates the adjustments in the FASTC program. The Preferred 
Alternative is Build Alternative 3.
    The Supplemental Draft EIS incorporates by reference and builds 
upon the analyses presented in the 2012 Draft EIS and documents the 
Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act of 
1966, as amended (36 CFR part 800). The Supplemental Draft EIS 
addresses substantial changes to the proposed action that are relevant 
to environmental concerns and assesses any new circumstances or 
information relevant to potential environmental impacts.
    In early 2013, all efforts on the Final EIS and work on the 
proposed site at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County's LRA area were put 
on hold pending additional due diligence and reviews at an existing 
federal training site in Georgia. As part of this due diligence effort, 
DOS conducted site visits to the Federal Law Enforcement Training 
Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. During this time period, DOS also 
assessed the scope and size of the FASTC project and determined a 
smaller platform was more fiscally prudent.
    In April 2014, the earlier DOS selection of the proposed site for 
FASTC at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County was reaffirmed. Planning for 
the site resumed based on a reduced scope of requirements compared with 
the 2012 plan. The project would now proceed as a hard skills only 
facility, which consists of driving tracks, firing ranges, a mock urban 
environment, explosives ranges, and associated classrooms and 
administrative functions. Several hard skills training venues have been 
consolidated. Soft skills training, such as simulation labs, and life 
support functions, such as dormitories and dining facilities have been 
eliminated from the program. More information on the proposed FASTC 
program is available at http://www.state.gov/recovery/fastc.
    The Supplemental Draft EIS has been distributed to various federal, 
state, and local agencies. The Supplemental Draft EIS is available for 
review on the project Web site http://www.state.gov/recovery/fastc. A 
printed copy of the Supplemental Draft EIS is available for viewing at 
the following libraries:
     Nottoway County Library--Louis Spencer Epes Memorial 
Library, 415 South Main St., Blackstone, VA
     Amelia County--James L. Hamner Public Library, 16351 Dunn 
Street, Amelia, VA
     Brunswick County--Brunswick County Library, 133 W. Hicks 
Street, Lawrenceville, VA
     Dinwiddie County--Dinwiddie Library, 14103 Boydton Plank 
Road, Dinwiddie, VA
     Lunenburg County--Ripberger Library, 117 South Broad St., 
Kenbridge, VA
     Prince Edward County--Farmville--Prince Edward Community 
Library, 1303 West 3rd Street, Farmville, VA
     Chesterfield County--Central Library, 9501 Lori Road, 
Chesterfield, VA
     Mecklenburg County--Southside Regional Library, 316 
Washington Street, Boydton, VA
    Federal, state, and local agencies, and other interested parties, 
are invited and encouraged to be present or represented at the public 
meeting on January 26, 2015. All formal comments will become part of 
the public record and substantive comments will be responded to in the 
Final EIS.
    Public Comments: Comments on the Supplemental Draft EIS can be 
submitted three ways: (1) Submit comments via the FASTC email address: 
FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov, (2) provide written comments during the public 
meeting, or (3) mail a comment form or letter to: Ms. Abigail Low, GSA 
Project Manager, 20 N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Written 
comments postmarked by February 23, 2015 will become part of the 
official public record.
    Public Meeting: An informational presentation will be followed by 
an informal question and answer session. Informational posters will be 
on display, and representatives from GSA and DOS will be available to 
explain the proposed project, answer questions, and receive comments 
from the public.
    Comment forms will be available for the public to provide formal 
written comments.


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    Dated: December 24, 2014.
Myles Vaughan,
NEPA Program Manager, Facilities Management & Services Programs 
Division, U.S. GSA, Mid-Atlantic Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-30791 Filed 1-8-15; 8:45 am]
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