[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 241 (Monday, December 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87493-87494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27713]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Scoping Notice for Preparation of a Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment for the National Cemetery Administration

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is preparing a 
programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) in accordance with the 
regulations implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council 
on Environmental Quality regulations, and VA's NEPA Implementing 
Regulations.

[[Page 87494]]


DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 17, 2024. VA 
anticipates releasing the draft PEA for a 30-day public review and 
comment period in the first quarter of calendar year 2024. VA will 
notify stakeholders via email/mail, publish a notice of availability of 
the draft PEA in the Federal Register and solicit comments at that 
time. The draft PEA will be available for review via the VA website: 
www.cfm.va.gov/environmental/.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted through www.regulations.gov. 
Except as provided below, comments received before the close of the 
comment period will be available at www.regulations.gov for public 
viewing, inspection, or copying, including any personally identifiable 
or confidential business information that is included in a comment. We 
post the comments received before the close of the comment period on 
the following website as soon as possible after they have been 
received: http://www.regulations.gov. VA will not post on 
Regulations.gov public comments that make threats to individuals or 
institutions or suggest that the commenter will take actions to harm 
the individual. VA encourages individuals not to submit duplicative 
comments. We will post acceptable comments from multiple unique 
commenters even if the content is identical or nearly identical to 
other comments. Any public comment received after the comment period's 
closing date is considered late and will not be considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Fernando Fernandez, Environmental 
Engineer, Office of Construction and Facilities Management (003C2), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 876-7608 
(this is not a toll-free number), [email protected]. Reference 
``National Cemetery Expansion PEA'' in your correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The VA National Cemetery Administration 
provides burial services, including gravesites, grave markers, and 
gravesite maintenance for eligible Veterans, spouses, and dependents. 
The National Cemetery Administration currently operates 155 National 
Cemeteries in 42 states and Puerto Rico and 34 soldiers' lots and 
monument sites across the United States. The PEA will evaluate VA's 
Proposed Action to undertake future expansions and/or infrastructure 
and building improvements at all VA National Cemeteries with the sole 
intent to maintain and improve the service to Veterans and their family 
and loved ones. The PEA aims to provide a streamlined NEPA compliance 
process for future National Cemetery expansion projects that would 
result in less than significant environmental impacts.
    This notice initiates the scoping process for the PEA and invites 
the public, government agencies, and other interested persons and 
organizations to provide comments on the scope of issues for analysis, 
input on potential alternatives, or information/analyses relevant to 
the proposed action.
    Use of the PEA would decrease the time and cost associated with 
having to prepare stand-alone NEPA documentation for those future 
National Cemetery projects that would meet the conditions of the PEA 
while ensuring that the environment is preserved. VA would complete 
additional NEPA compliance as required for projects outside the 
parameters of the PEA.
    The proposed action supports burial requests for eligible 
individuals and provides sufficient infrastructure to support the needs 
of Veterans, spouses, dependents, and staff at existing National 
Cemeteries. The proposed action is needed to provide burial benefits 
and services to Veterans, spouses, and dependents.
    The PEA will evaluate the potential direct and indirect impacts on 
the human environment from the proposed action and alternatives. VA 
will make the draft PEA available for a public comment period following 
its completion.

Signing Authority

    Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved and signed 
this document on December 11, 2023, and authorized the undersigned to 
sign and submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

Luvenia Potts,
Regulation Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & 
Management, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-27713 Filed 12-15-23; 8:45 am]
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