[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83582-83583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28212]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2020-11; Docket No. 2020-0002; Sequence No. 41]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Master Plan for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
Muirkirk Road Campus (Prince George's County, Laurel, MD)

AGENCY: National Capital Region, General Services Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations, GSA Order, ADM 1095.1F, Environmental Considerations in 
Decision Making, dated October 19, 1999, and the GSA Public Buildings 
Service NEPA Desk Guide, GSA plans to prepare an EIS for a proposed 
Master Plan for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Muirkirk 
Road Campus (MRC), in Laurel, Maryland, located in Prince George's 
County. The Master Plan will provide FDA with a structured framework 
for developing the MRC over the next 20 years.

DATES: Applicable: December 22, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Marshall Popkin, Office of Planning 
and Design Quality, Public Buildings Service, GSA, National Capital 
Region, at 202-919-0026.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GSA intends to prepare an EIS to analyze 
the potential impacts resulting from the proposed Master Plan to 
support the FDA MRC, in Laurel, Maryland, located in Prince George's 
County. GSA will analyze four alternatives for the proposed MRC Master 
Plan: (1) No Action Alternative; (2) Development at the Mod 1/Mod 2 
site; (3) Hybrid of Alternatives 2 and 4; and (4) Development at the 
Beltsville Research Facility site. The proposed action is anticipated 
to impact soils and topography; traffic and transit; water resources; 
vegetation; wildlife; air quality; greenhouse gases and climate; 
utilities; and waste management. No permits are required to adopt the 
Master Plan. Implementation of the Master Plan in the future could 
require the following permits and authorizations:

 Dredge or fill permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act
 Coastal Zone Management Consistency Determination
 State and local permits, including water and wastewater 
permits,

[[Page 83583]]

building permits, sediment and erosion control permits, grading 
permits, and stormwater management permits.

Background

    In 1981, GSA completed an EIS that analyzed the impacts from the 
construction of new laboratory space at the MRC and the consolidation 
of four facilities in the Washington, DC, metro area and other sites in 
St. Louis, MO, and Cincinnati, OH. In 1990, Congress enacted the Food 
and Drug Revitalization Act that gave GSA the authority to grant 
contracts to consolidate FDA facilities. To accommodate future growth 
and further consolidate FDA operations, GSA is preparing an EIS to 
assess the impacts of development on the MRC and an increase in the 
employee population of up to approximately 1,800 employees, over a 
period of 20 years.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to provide a Master Plan for 
the MRC to guide future site development. The proposed action is needed 
to accommodate projected growth at the MRC and provide the necessary 
office and laboratory space for FDA to conduct complex and 
comprehensive research and reviews.

Schedule for Decision-Making

    A Draft EIS is expected to be released for public review in June 
2021. The GSA will hold a public hearing on the impacts of the proposed 
action in July 2021, and will seek preliminary approval of the MRC 
Master Plan from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) at 
NCPC's September 2021 hearing. A Final EIS will be prepared that will 
take into consideration all comments received on the Draft EIS, and a 
Record of Decision is anticipated in spring 2022. Pending completion of 
NEPA compliance and review by NCPC, GSA anticipates adopting the MRC 
Master Plan in spring 2022.

Scoping Process

    In accordance with NEPA, a scoping process will be conducted to aid 
in determining the alternatives to be considered and the scope of 
issues to be addressed, as well as for identifying the significant 
issues related to the proposed MRC Master Plan. Scoping will be 
accomplished through a virtual public scoping meeting; direct mail 
correspondence to potentially interested persons, agencies, and 
organizations; and meetings with agencies having an interest in the 
Master Plan. It is important that Federal, regional, State, and local 
agencies, and interested individuals take this opportunity to identify 
environmental concerns that should be addressed during the preparation 
of the EIS.

Public Scoping Meeting

    Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and state/local requirements 
for social distancing, a pre-recorded presentation will be available at 
www.gsa.gov/ncrnepa in lieu of a traditional in-person public scoping 
meeting. A project phone line [410-777-9537] has also been set up to 
listen to the presentation and to leave comments on the proposed Master 
Plan. The pre-recorded presentation and phone line will be available 
from January 4, 2021, through February 11, 2021. The GSA is publishing 
notices in the Washington Post and Prince George's Post announcing the 
meeting.

Written Comments

    Agencies and the public are encouraged to provide comments on 
identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses 
relevant to the proposed action. Comments may be provided in writing 
via mail or email. Verbal comments may also be provided via the project 
phone line. Written comments regarding the environmental analysis for 
the proposed MRC Master Plan must be postmarked by February 11, 2021, 
and sent to the following: Mr. Marshall Popkin, NEPA Compliance 
Specialist, Office of Planning and Design Quality, Public Buildings 
Service, U.S. General Services Administration, 1800 F Street NW, Room 
4400, Washington, DC 20405.
    Email: [email protected] using the subject line: FDA MRC 
Master Plan EIS Comment.

Kristi Tunstall Williams,
Deputy Director, Office of Planning and Design Quality, Public 
Buildings Service, National Capital Region, U.S. General Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-28212 Filed 12-21-20; 8:45 am]
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