[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41046-41047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14710]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2020-06; Docket No. 2020-0002; Sequence No. 23]


Notice of Availability and Announcement of Meeting for the Chet 
Holifield Federal Building Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Laguna 
Niguel, California

AGENCY: Public Buildings Service (PBS), General Services Administration 
(GSA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability; Announcement of Meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which examines the potential 
impacts of a proposal by the General Services Administration (GSA) to 
address long-term housing for the tenants of the Chet Holifield Federal 
Building (CHFB). The building is owned and managed by GSA and is 
occupied by various federal agency tenants, with the United States 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) serving as the largest 
tenant. The DEIS describes the reason the project is being proposed, 
the alternatives being considered, the potential impacts of each of the 
alternatives on the existing environment, and avoidance, minimization, 
and/or mitigation measures related to those alternatives. GSA is 
serving as the lead agency in this undertaking, and acting on behalf of 
its tenants at this facility.

DATES: GSA will hold a virtual public meeting for the DEIS on Tuesday, 
August 4, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Pacific Time (PT). 
Interested parties are encouraged to join and provide comments on the 
DEIS. The public comment period for the DEIS ends Friday, September 4, 
2020. After this date, GSA will prepare the Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: Comments will be accepted during the meeting, by mail, and 
by email. Questions or comments concerning the DEIS should be directed 
to:
     Email: [email protected].
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Potomac-Hudson 
Engineering, Inc., ATTN: CHFB Draft EIS, 77 Upper Rock Circle Suite 
302, Rockville, MD 20850.
All comments received written or oral will become public and part of 
the Administrative Record.
    Further information, including an electronic copy of the DEIS, may 
be found online on the following website: https://www.gsa.gov/ChetHNEPA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Osmahn A. Kadri, Regional 
Environmental Quality Advisor/NEPA Project Manager, GSA, at 415-522-
3617. Please also call this number if special assistance is needed to 
attend and participate in the public meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CHFB is located on a 92-acre site in 
Laguna Niguel, California, between Los Angeles and San Diego, and 
approximately 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean coastline. Construction of 
the building was completed in 1971 by the Aerospace and Systems Group 
of North American Rockwell Corporation, although it was never occupied 
by them. The building and site were transferred to the Federal 
Government in March of 1974. Since that time the CHFB has been utilized 
as office space for government agencies. The USCIS is currently the 
largest tenant in the CHFB, with 12 other agencies also currently 
located the building. There are currently approximately 3,000 employees 
working in the building.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to accommodate the long-term 
office space requirements for the current tenants located at the CHFB 
that would meet applicable building code, accessibility, and security 
standards. The purpose is also to make such accommodations primarily 
within the Orange County, California market in a cost-effective manner 
that would minimize personnel relocations and disruptions to the 
federal tenants and their agency missions.
    The project is needed because the current working space does not 
meet GSA's current federal building, accessibility, and security 
standards. There have been no modifications to the CHFB since the 
1980s, other than some energy-related modifications. Most of the 
building's infrastructure is beyond its useful life and deficiencies 
have been documented in all major mechanical and electrical systems, 
including life-safety, fire protection, and fire sprinkler systems. 
Additionally, numerous issues exist, including the presence of asbestos 
containing materials and the need to improve the building's response to 
future seismic events.
    The DEIS considers two ``action'' alternatives and one ``no 
action'' alternative. One action alternative consists of relocation of 
current tenants into lease space primarily throughout the Orange 
County, California market. Some tenants may be relocated outside of 
Orange County. The existing CHFB and surrounding government property 
would be reported as excess and turned over to the GSA Real Property 
Utilization Disposal Division for disposal.
    The other action alternative consists of construction of a new 
federal office building directly south of the CHFB on a 27.15-acre 
portion of the existing 92-acre site for the USCIS, and relocating all 
other tenants into lease space primarily within the Orange County 
market. The existing building and the remainder of the property not 
retained for construction of the new federal office building 
(approximately 64.85 acres) would be turned over to the GSA Real 
Property Utilization Disposal Division for disposal.
    Future development of the site is not part of GSA's Proposed 
Action, nor would it be within the control of GSA. If the property 
remains in federal ownership following disposal out of GSA ownership, 
the appropriate level of NEPA analysis would be required by a future 
federal proponent. If the property is transferred out of federal 
ownership, the City of Laguna Niguel would require the new owner to 
complete the appropriate level of documentation under the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and all necessary land use approvals 
would be issued for any proposed future use of the site. Development of 
the site and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and 
regulations would be the responsibility of the future landowner, not 
GSA.
    The ``no action'' alternative assumes that tenants would remain 
within the existing CHFB and no new construction or relocation would 
occur. Minor repairs would occur as needed and maintenance and 
operation of the existing facilities would continue.
    Public Comments: GSA will host a virtual public meeting during the 
public comment period as listed under DATES to solicit public comment. 
The purpose of the meeting is to collect public comments on the DEIS. 
The virtual public meeting will begin with presentations on the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and the proposed 
project. A copy of the presentation slideshow will be made available 
prior to the meeting at https://www.gsa.gov/ChetHNEPA.

[[Page 41047]]

    Following the presentations, there will be a moderated session 
during which members of the public can provide oral comments on the 
DEIS. Commenters will be allowed three minutes to provide comments. 
Comments will be recorded. Refer to the end of this notice for 
instructions on how to access the online public meeting.
    Virtual Public Meeting Information: Members of the public may join 
the DEIS public meeting by entering the following information--Meeting 
ID: 986 1911 2163; Password: CHFBEIS, using any of the below methods. 
Note that the meeting is best viewed through the Zoom app, and 
attendees are encouraged to download the app at the Zoom website 
(https://zoom.us) or on their mobile device, and test their connection 
prior to the meeting to ensure best results.
     From their personal computer by launching the Zoom app (if 
already installed), and clicking `Join a Meeting' and entering the 
above Meeting ID and Password. Attendees should follow the prompts to 
input their name and email address to access the meeting.
     From their personal computer, by going to the Zoom website 
at http://zoom.us/join, entering the Meeting ID and Password, and 
following the prompts to download and install the Zoom app.
     From their mobile device through the Zoom mobile app, by 
entering the above Meeting ID and Password.
     For attendees who do not have the Zoom app or do not wish 
to download the app, visit http://zoom.us/join using your computer's 
browser, enter the Meeting ID, and click the `Join from your browser' 
link that is displayed on the landing page. Then, follow the prompts to 
enter your name and the meeting Password.
    Whether joining through the Zoom app or web browser, attendees 
should follow the prompts to connect their computer audio. Attendees 
are encouraged to connect through the `Computer Audio' tab and click 
`Join Audio by Computer' under the `Join Audio' button on the bottom of 
their screen. Users who do not have a computer microphone and wish to 
provide public comment during the meeting may connect by following the 
prompts under the `Phone Call' tab under the `Join Audio' button.
    For members of the public who do not have access to a personal 
computer, they may join the meeting audio by dialing the following 
number: 669-900-9128. When prompted, enter the following information: 
Meeting ID--986 1911 2163, followed by the pound (#) key; press pound 
(#) again when prompted for a participant ID; then enter Password--
629071 followed by the pound (#) key. Note, dialing in to the meeting 
is only necessary if you are not accessing the meeting through your 
computer or mobile app, or if you would like to provide oral comments 
during the meeting but do not have a computer microphone. The public 
meeting will be recorded, and all comments provided will become part of 
the formal record.

Jared Bradley,
Director, Portfolio Management Division, Pacific Rim Region, Public 
Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-14710 Filed 7-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-YF-P