[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64811-64813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27347]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID: DOD-2018-OS-0033]


Notice of Availability for Finding of No Significant Impact for 
the Environmental Assessment Addressing Construction and Operation of a 
Fiscal Year 2019 General Purpose Warehouse at Defense Logistics Agency 
Distribution Red River, Red River Army Depot, Texas

AGENCY: Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Department of Defense.

[[Page 64812]]


ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: On June 8, 2018, DLA published an NOA in the Federal Register 
announcing the publication of the Environmental Assessment (EA) 
Addressing Construction and Operation of a Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) 
General Purpose Warehouse (GPW) at DLA Distribution Red River, Red 
River Army Depot, Texas. The EA was available for a 30-day public 
comment period that ended July 9, 2018. The EA was prepared as required 
under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. In 
addition, the EA complied with DLA and Army NEPA regulations. No 
comments from the public were received during the EA public comment 
period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ira Silverberg at 571-767-0705 during 
normal business hours Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m. (EST) or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DLA and Red River Army Depot (RRAD) 
consulted with the Texas State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) at 
the Texas Historical Commission; the Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department (TPWD); the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers of the 
Caddo Nation; the Comanche Nation; the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma; and the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes for this Proposed Action. The Texas SHPO 
stamped the Request for State Historic Preservation Office Consultation 
with a determination that no historic properties would be affected by 
the Proposed Action. The TPWD provided comments regarding state-listed 
species. DLA addressed TPWD's comments in the EA, as appropriate, and 
responded to the TPWD with an acknowledgment letter. The Kiowa Tribe of 
Oklahoma provided an approval to proceed with the Proposed Action with 
the understanding that the Kiowa Tribe Office of Historic Preservation 
be notified should any undiscovered properties be encountered. DLA and 
RRAD did not receive responses to the consultation requests with the 
other tribes. An appendix to the EA includes the agency and tribal 
consultation documents and the responses from the SHPO, the TPWD, and 
the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma. The revised EA is available electronically 
at the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov within 
Docket ID: DOD-2018-OS-0033.
    This Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) documents the 
decision of DLA to construct and operate an FY19 GPW at DLA 
Distribution Red River, Texas. DLA has determined the Proposed Action 
is not a major federal action the significantly affects the quality of 
the human environment within the context of NEPA, and no significant 
impacts on the human environment are associated with this decision.
    DLA completed an EA to address the potential environmental 
consequences associated with the proposed construction and operation of 
an FY19 GPW at DLA Distribution Red River, Texas. This FONSI 
incorporates the EA by reference and summarizes the results of the 
analyses in the EA.
    Purpose of and Need for Action: The purpose of the Proposed Action 
is to provide DLA Distribution Red River with sufficient warehouse 
space so that vehicle parts and other materiel can be stored in an 
appropriate manner. The Proposed Action is needed because DLA 
Distribution Red River has an immediate and long-term requirement for 
additional warehousing space. The shortfall of warehouse space has 
resulted in critical supplies being stored in unprotected outdoor 
settings. Storage of materiel outdoors has led to new and otherwise 
serviceable equipment being weathered and, in some cases, deteriorating 
to the point of inoperability. Additionally, placement of materiel 
adjacent to buildings also prevents fire fighting equipment from fully 
accessing the exterior of buildings.
    Proposed Action and Alternatives: Under the Proposed Action, DLA 
would construct and operate an FY19 GPW. The 445,500-square foot 
(ft\2\) GPW would include a 5,500-ft\2\ administrative area with an 
employee break room, locker rooms, restrooms, administrative offices, 
and mechanical and utility service areas. Other features of the 
proposed FY19 GPW include Early Suppression Fire Response fire 
protection, site information systems, weather sealed truck doors, 
loading docks, site lighting, storm drainage, paving (i.e., access 
roadways, aprons, parking, and walkways), and related site improvements 
such as landscaping. Additionally, all necessary utilities, including 
electric, water, wastewater, natural gas, and communication services, 
would be extended to the proposed FY19 GPW. Construction of the 
proposed FY19 GPW would disturb approximately 1,460,000 ft\2\ of 
currently undeveloped land.
    The proposed FY19 GPW would not eliminate the entire shortfall of 
GPW space at DLA Distribution Red River. Therefore, once constructed, 
DLA would transfer only the most sensitive and valuable materiel from 
the existing outdoor storage areas on the installation into the FY19 
GPW. Operation of the FY19 GPW would be consistent with existing and 
foreseeable future uses within RRAD as well as all applicable 
environmental policies and regulations.
    Description of the No Action Alternative: Under the No Action 
Alternative, DLA would not construct a new FY19 GPW at DLA Distribution 
Red River, Texas. No changes to materiel storage conditions would 
result. Critical materiel that should be stored in warehouses would 
continue to be stored outdoors, which would result in equipment and 
other materiel deteriorating from exposure to weather and installation 
personnel being exposed to safety hazards. The No Action Alternative 
would not meet the purpose of and need for the Proposed Action.
    Potential Environmental Impacts: No significant effects on 
environmental resources would be expected from the Proposed Action. 
Insignificant adverse effects on land use and recreation, noise, air 
quality, geological resources, water resources, biological resources, 
infrastructure and transportation, and hazardous materials and wastes 
would be expected. Insignificant, beneficial effects on land use, 
geological resources, water resources, and infrastructure and 
transportation also would be expected. Details of the environmental 
consequences are discussed in the EA, which is hereby incorporated by 
reference.
    Determination: DLA has determined that implementation of the 
Proposed Action will not have a significant effect on the human 
environment. Human environment was interpreted comprehensively to 
include the natural and physical environment and the relationship of 
people with that environment. Specifically, no highly uncertain or 
controversial impacts, unique or unknown risks, or cumulatively 
significant effects were identified. Implementation of the Proposed 
Action will not violate any federal, state, or local laws. Based on the 
results of the analyses performed during preparation of the EA and 
consideration of comments received during the public comment period, 
Mr. Gordon B. Hackett III, Director, DLA Installation Management, 
concludes that construction and operation of a FY19 GPW at DLA 
Distribution Red River, Texas, does not constitute a major federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment 
within the context of NEPA. Therefore, an environmental impact 
statement for the Proposed Action is not required.


[[Page 64813]]


    Dated: December 13, 2018.
Shelly E. Finke,
Alternate OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2018-27347 Filed 12-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P