[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 134 (Friday, July 16, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37755-37756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15139]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2018-0057]


Final Environmental Impact Statement; Acquisition of Site for 
Development of a Replacement Underground Safety Research Program 
Facility for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH) in Mace, West 
Virginia; Availability and Public Information Meeting

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in cooperation with 
the General Services Administration (GSA), announces the availability 
of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed 
acquisition of a site in Mace, West Virginia, and the development of 
this site into a replacement for the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Underground Safety Research 
Program facility (Proposed Action). The proposed acquisition and 
development would replace the former Lake Lynn Experimental Mine in 
Fayette County, Pennsylvania and would support research programs 
focused on miner health and safety issues. The site being considered 
for acquisition and development includes 461.35 acres located off U.S. 
Route 219 in Randolph and Pocahontas Counties near Mace, West Virginia 
(Site). The Final EIS and this notice are published pursuant to the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as 
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations 
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508). In parallel with the NEPA process, CDC also 
completed consultation with the West Virginia State Historic 
Preservation Office under Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act to evaluate the potential effects, if any, of the 
Proposed Action on historic properties.

DATES: 
    Public Information Meeting: The public meeting will be held on 
August 5, 2021 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held via 
Zoom. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for more information.
    If you have any questions or comments that you would like to see 
addressed during the virtual information meeting, please email those to 
[email protected] no later than July 26, 2021.
    Deadline for Requests for Special Accommodations: Persons wishing 
to participate in the public meeting who need special accommodations 
should contact Sam Tarr at 770-488-8170 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, July 
26, 2021.
    CDC will issue a final decision on the Proposed Action on or after 
August 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES: 
    Copies of the Final EIS can be obtained at:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov 
(reference Docket No. CDC-2018-0057)
     Linwood Community Library, 72 Snowshoe Drive, Slatyfork, 
West Virginia 26291.
     Elkins Randolph County Public Library, 416 Davis Ave, 
Elkins, WV 26241.
     By written request (electronic copies only) to: [email protected].
    An electronic copy of the public information meeting materials can 
be obtained after 6:00 p.m., July 30, 2021 at:
     https://gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-midatlantic-region-3/buildings-and-facilities/west-virginia/cdc-niosh-mine-site-selection-acquisition-environmental-impact-statement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sam Tarr, Office of Safety, Security, 
and Asset Management (OSSAM), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, H20-4, Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4027, 
phone: (770) 488-8170, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Public Information Meeting:
    Public participation is an essential part of the NEPA process. 
Therefore, although CDC has fulfilled the public meeting requirements 
under NEPA, due to the changes in the Final EIS that have resulted from 
stakeholder input and to ensure that the stakeholders have the 
opportunity to learn of the changes and mitigation measures, CDC is 
holding an information meeting to discuss the key changes in the Final 
EIS. The information meeting will be virtual due to COVID-19 
restrictions. The virtual information meeting will be held on:
    August 5, 2021 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Zoom Webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83943045020 Or Telephone: +1 312 626 6799, Webinar 
ID: 839 4304 5020.
    CDC has taken into consideration the limited internet availability 
in the project vicinity. The PowerPoint presentation will be available 
for download in advance of the meeting here: [https://gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-midatlantic-region-3/buildings-and-facilities/west-virginia/cdc-niosh-mine-site-selection-acquisition-environmental-impact-statement]. Those with limited internet connectivity can 
download the presentation in advance and then call into the meeting 
using the Zoom phone number. Electronic materials will be available for 
download by close of business on July 30, 2021.
    Should you need a hardcopy of the PowerPoint presentation, please 
email your request, including name and address, to [email protected] no later than July 26, 2021. Representatives of CDC and GSA 
will not be taking questions during the meeting and request questions 
be submitted in advance of the meeting so the agencies can incorporate 
those questions into the presentation so that all participants receive 
the same hardcopy information. If you have any questions or comments 
that you would like to see addressed during the virtual information 
meeting, please email those to [email protected] no later than 
July 26, 2021.
    Background: CDC is dedicated to protecting health and promoting 
quality of life through the prevention and control of disease, injury, 
and disability. NIOSH, one of CDC's Centers, Institute, and Offices, 
was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. 
NIOSH plans, directs, and coordinates a national program to develop and 
establish recommended occupational safety and health standards, conduct 
research and training, provide technical assistance, and perform 
related activities to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for 
every working person in the United States.
    In 1997, when the mine safety and health function was transferred 
from the Bureau of Mines (BOM) to NIOSH, NIOSH took over the lease for 
a facility referred to as the Lake Lynn Experimental Mine (LLEM). BOM 
had leased the LLEM facility since 1982. The LLEM is located 60 miles 
south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The LLEM and its aboveground fire 
testing facility were primarily used for studies and research on mine 
explosions, mine seals, mine rescue, ventilation, diesel exhaust, new 
health and safety technologies, ground control, and fire suppression. 
After December 2012, the

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property was no longer available for long-term leasing. CDC attempted 
to purchase the underlying property on which LLEM is located, but NIOSH 
vacated the LLEM after market-based purchase offers were rejected by 
the property owners.
    In 2013, CDC completed a Project Development Study to outline a 
design solution to replace the LLEM. The study presented the facility 
and site requirements and design concepts for the replacement 
facilities. In 2016, to identify potentially available locations that 
could accommodate the space requirements defined in the 2013 study, GSA 
issued (on behalf of CDC) two separate Requests for Expressions of 
Interest (REOI) for a site, developed or undeveloped, that could be 
used for the new underground safety research facility. The first REOI, 
advertised in June 2016, contained a limited delineated area within a 
200-mile radius of the LLEM. The REOI set forth criteria that would be 
used to evaluate the suitability of the submitted sites. One expression 
of interest that had the potential to meet the minimum criteria was 
received. After further evaluation, however, the site was found to be 
non-viable.
    The second REOI was issued in October 2016 and expanded the 
delineated area to the entire contiguous United States. Three 
expressions of interest were received for sites in Kentucky, Missouri, 
and West Virginia. The Kentucky site did not meet the minimum criteria, 
and the Missouri site expression of interest did not contain all 
necessary information to evaluate. The offeror of the Missouri site did 
not respond to subsequent GSA inquiries.
    The potential site in West Virginia met the minimum criteria and 
was determined to be a viable site. The site is located near Mace, West 
Virginia, and straddles the Randolph and Pocahontas County lines.
    In accordance with NEPA, as implemented by the CEQ regulations (40 
CFR parts 1500-1508), with GSA as a cooperating agency, CDC prepared a 
Draft EIS for the proposed acquisition of the Site and construction of 
a new underground safety research facility on the Site. Under NEPA, 
federal agencies are required to evaluate the environmental effects of 
their proposed actions and a range of reasonable alternatives to the 
proposed action before making a decision. On February 14, 2019, in 
accordance with NEPA, CDC published a Notice of Availability announcing 
that a Draft EIS for the proposed acquisition and development had been 
prepared. The Draft EIS evaluated two alternatives: The Proposed Action 
Alternative (acquisition of the Site and construction of a new 
underground safety research facility) and the No Action Alternative. No 
other alternatives were considered because only one qualifying site was 
identified through the site selection process discussed above.
    Publication of the Draft EIS notice initiated a 51-day review 
period, which ended on April 5, 2019. During this period, CDC received 
comments from government agencies, a Native American tribe, and the 
public. These comments pertained to the proposed action in general, 
including the purpose and need; water quality/groundwater impacts; 
traffic impacts; tourism impacts; noise and vibration impacts; viewshed 
impacts; and wildlife impacts.
    All comments were considered when preparing the Final EIS and 
responses to the comments are provided in the Final EIS. The Final EIS 
identifies the Proposed Action Alternative as CDC's Preferred 
Alternative.
    CDC will make a decision on whether to proceed with the Proposed 
Action on or after August 16, 2021. At that time, CDC will issue a 
Record of Decision documenting and explaining its decision based on the 
Final EIS.

    Dated: July 13, 2021.
Sandra Cashman,
Executive Secretary, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2021-15139 Filed 7-15-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P