[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9328-9329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03632]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Proposed Land Acquisition for the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, 
District of Columbia, and To Announce Virtual Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations, the DoN announces its intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects 
associated with the acquisition of land at the Southeast Federal Center 
(SEFC), for the Washington Navy Yard (WNY), Washington, District of 
Columbia (D.C.). The DoN is initiating a 30-day public scoping process 
to identify potential alternatives, information and analysis relevant 
to the proposed action, and to solicit input on specific resources and 
issues the public would like to see addressed in the EIS.

DATES: The public 30-day scoping period begins on February 18, 2022 and 
extends to March 21, 2022. Comments must be postmarked or submitted 
electronically via email no later than March 21, 2022 for consideration 
in the Draft EIS.
    Due to current Federal and State guidance on social distancing in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DoN will hold two virtual public 
scoping meetings to receive comments on the scope of the EIS. The 
meetings will be held on the following days and times:

1. March 8, 2022, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
2. March 9, 2022, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

    Information on how to participate in the meetings is available on 
the DoN website at: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/wny_land_acquisition. 
Notices of the virtual public scoping meetings will also be published 
in ``The Washington Post'' and through press releases.
    Concurrent with the NEPA public involvement process, the DoN is 
conducting National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultations 
regarding potential effects of the Proposed Action on historic 
properties. Historic properties include districts, sites, buildings, 
structures, or objects listed or eligible for listing in the National 
Register of Historic Places. The public will have the opportunity to 
participate in the Section 106 process through verbal comments 
presented during each of the two virtual public scoping meetings, 
written comments mailed via U.S. Postal Service, and electronic 
comments via email.

ADDRESSES: The DoN invites all interested parties to submit scoping 
comments on the Land Acquisition for the Washington Navy Yard EIS by 
mail to the physical and email addresses listed in the section below. 
Please visit the project website at https://www.cnic.navy.mil/wny_land_acquisition for further information.
    Comments may be received:
     At the virtual public meetings;
     electronically via email: [email protected]; or
     by mail, postmarked no later than March 21, 2022 to the 
following address: Naval Facilities Engineering System Command 
Washington, Washington Navy Yard, ATTN: EIS Project Manager, 1314 
Hardwood Street SE, Washington, DC 20374.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems 
Command Washington, Washington Navy Yard, ATTN: Nik Tompkins-Flagg, 
Navy EIS Project Manager, 1314 Hardwood Street SE, Washington, DC 
20374, [email protected], 202-685-8437.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DoN proposes to obtain six acres of land 
on the SEFC (the SEFC E Parcels) to improve the overall antiterrorism/
force protection (AT/FP) posture of the WNY. Obtaining the SEFC E 
Parcels would improve the WNY AT/FP posture by reducing the 
encroachment threat posed by existing development rights on the SEFC E 
Parcels, protecting mission-critical activities conducted at the WNY 
from encroachment and enhancing the overall safety of personnel, 
facilities, and infrastructure at the WNY. Obtaining the SEFC E Parcels 
would additionally permit increased physical security and antiterrorism 
mitigation measures to protect mission-critical activities from visual 
surveillance and acoustic and electronic eavesdropping.

[[Page 9329]]

    After obtaining ownership of the SEFC E Parcels, the DoN proposes 
three alternative uses for the acquired property which support the 
DoN's AT/FP requirements and military mission.
    An EIS is considered the appropriate document for comprehensively 
analyzing the proposed action to acquire land through an exchange or 
direct purchase and analyzing potential uses of the proposed acquired 
land.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to improve the overall WNY 
AT/FP posture (i.e., increase physical security and antiterrorism 
mitigation measures), as well as protect mission-critical activities 
from visual surveillance and acoustic and electronic eavesdropping. The 
need for the Proposed Action is to protect mission-critical activities 
conducted at the WNY from encroachment that could result from proposed 
private development adjacent to the WNY northwest perimeter on SEFC E 
Parcels, while enhancing the overall safety of personnel, facilities, 
and infrastructure at the WNY.
    Comprehensive AT/FP programs that integrate physical security, law 
enforcement, and emergency management are routinely implemented at 
military installations across the country. These programs also prepare 
military installations to plan for, defend against, and respond to 
terrorist incidents. Periodic evaluations of AT/FP programs are 
conducted to determine their effectiveness in mitigating the risk of 
injury, death, or damage resulting from physical security breaches and 
terrorist activities at military installations. Naval Facilities 
Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic and NAVFAC Washington 
Structural Engineering and AT/FP Subject Matter Experts performed an 
AT/FP conformance evaluation of buildings in the northwest area of the 
WNY. This evaluation informed the DoN that acquisition of the SEFC E 
Parcels is recommended to protect the buildings in the northwest area 
of the WNY and the activities it hosts. Additionally, the DoN will 
analyze alternative uses for the acquired property which support the 
DoN's AT/FP requirements and military mission.
    The DoN has identified two preliminary action alternatives, each 
with three sub-alternatives that meet the purpose of and need for the 
Proposed Action, as well as a no action alternative.
    Under Alternative 1 (Land Acquisition through Land Exchange), the 
DoN would enter into a real estate agreement with the owner of the SEFC 
E Parcel development rights (``developer'') to acquire the development 
rights to the approximately 6.3-acre SEFC E Parcels adjacent to the 
northwestern perimeter of the WNY. In exchange, the DoN would transfer 
and/or lease underutilized assets at the southeast corner of the WNY to 
the developer. Concurrent with this exchange of the development rights 
and assets, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) would transfer 
ownership of the SEFC E Parcels to the DoN through a federal-to-federal 
transfer. The proposed DoN use of the SEFC E Parcels that would be 
evaluated includes the following sub-alternatives: (a) Construct a new 
National Museum of the United States Navy; (b) incorporate the parcels 
within the WNY fence line and construct DoN administrative facilities; 
or (c) incorporate the parcels within the WNY fence line but leave 
parcels in their current underdeveloped state, with no foreseeable 
development planned.
    Under Alternative 2 (Direct Land Acquisition), the DoN would 
purchase the SEFC E Parcel development rights outright from the 
developer and obtain the SEFC E Parcels from GSA through a federal-to-
federal transfer. No land exchange would occur. The proposed DoN use of 
the SEFC E Parcels to be evaluated would be the same three sub-
alternatives discussed under Alternative 1.
    Under the No Action Alternative, the Proposed Action would not 
occur, and the developer could exercise its development rights to 
construct several multi-story buildings, up to approximately 110 feet 
in height, on the SEFC E Parcels. As a result, mission-critical 
activities would operate inconsistently with AT/FP requirements, and 
the safety of personnel, facilities, and infrastructure on the WNY 
adjacent to the SEFC E Parcels would be degraded, thereby threatening 
national security.
    Environmental resources to be examined and addressed in the EIS 
include, but are not limited to: Utilities and Infrastructure; Cultural 
Resources; Construction Noise; Geological Resources; Air Quality; Water 
Resources; Land Use/Zoning; Transportation; Socioeconomics; 
Environmental Justice; Hazardous Materials and Waste; and Cumulative 
Effects. The EIS will also analyze measures that would avoid or 
mitigate environmental effects.
    The DoN will confer or consult with: The U.S. Air Force; White 
House Communications Agency; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; National Park Service; 
National Capital Area; National Capital Parks--East; DC State Historic 
Preservation Office; DC Department of Transportation; DC Department of 
Energy and Environment; DC Office of Planning; National Capital 
Planning Commission; U.S. Commission on Fine Arts; GSA; Advisory 
Neighborhood Commissions; Capitol Hill Restoration Society; and Capitol 
Riverfront Business Improvement District regarding this Proposed 
Action. Identification of other agencies and/or community groups during 
public scoping is possible. The DoN will conduct all coordination and 
consultation activities required by the National Historic Preservation 
Act.
    The DoN encourages interested persons to submit comments concerning 
potential alternatives, information and analysis for study in the EIS. 
Federal and local agencies, and interested persons are encouraged to 
provide comments to the DoN to identify specific environmental 
resources or topics of environmental concern that the DoN should 
consider when developing the Draft EIS. Additionally, the DoN 
encourages interested persons to submit comments concerning historic 
resources under Section 106 of the NHPA. All comments received during 
the public scoping period will be considered during the Draft EIS 
preparation.
    Additional opportunities for public comment will occur after the 
release of the Draft EIS. The DoN anticipates releasing the Draft EIS 
October 2022, a Final EIS in March 2023, and a Record of Decision by 
April 2023.

    Dated: February 15, 2022.
J.M. Pike,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Liaison 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-03632 Filed 2-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P