[Federal Register: October 24, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 60972]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24oc03-70]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Update of the Fort Belvoir Real Property Master Plan
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army intends to prepare an EIS pursuant
to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act and
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1500-1508).
The EIS will evaluate potential environmental, transportation, and
socioeconomic effects associated with implementation of the Army's
proposed revision and update of the Fort Belvoir Real Property Master
Plan. In addition to evaluation of a no action alternative, the EIS
will consider a range of alternatives based on various development
scenarios to accommodate the installation's current and projected
missions and requirements.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the EIS must be received within
30 days from the date of this Notice to be considered in the
preparation of the draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to: Mr. Patrick McLaughlin,
Directorate of Public Works and Logistics, 9430 Jackson Loop, Suite
107, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, or via e-mail to environmental@belvoir.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Patrick McLaughlin at (703) 806-
4007 during normal working business hours, Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or via e-mail to environmental@belvoir.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Belvoir, comprising 8,419 acres
(excluding the Engineer Proving Ground), is approximately 18 miles
southwest of Washington, DC, and serves as a strategic sustaining base
for America's Army. The post is home to one Army major command
headquarters and elements of 10 others, 2 Direct Reporting Units, 19
agencies of the Department of Army, 8 elements of the U.S. Army Reserve
and the Army National Guard, and numerous Department of Defense and
other Federal agencies. Tenant organizations perform work vital to the
success of the goals and objectives of the Nation's defense strategy.
Fort Belvoir contributes to the Nation's defense by efficiently and
effectively supporting the various Army and DoD elements in the
performance of their missions.
A Real Property Master Plan is an installation's strategy for the
orderly management and development of its real property assets,
including land, facilities, resources, and infrastructure. The Real
Property Master Plan forms the foundation for the development of an
installation, provides the framework for analyzing resource
allocations, and aids the management of peacetime and mobilization
construction and development activities.
Army Regulation 210-20, Installation Master Planning, provides that
an installation's Real Property Master Plan shall consist of four major
components: Long-Range Component, Capital Investment Strategy, Short-
Range Component, and Mobilization Mission Planning Component.
Contributory plans support and accompany the four major components. The
Long-Range Component provides the ``big picture'' and long-range real
property management for an installation.
In 1993, Fort Belvoir prepared a comprehensive update to the Real
Property Master Plan. Over the past decade, numerous developments have
resulted in a need for Fort Belvoir to provide support to a growing
number of Army and Department of Defense entities. Further expansion of
Fort Belvoir's critical role in supporting the national defense is
likely to occur.
Alternative potential development scenarios for EIS analysis are
under development. Preference will be given to alternative development
plan scenarios that afford operational efficiency, minimize
environmental and community impacts, and provide flexibility to respond
to changes in future installation mission requirements. The potential
for alternatives to provide for sustainable, long-term use of resources
will be central to their selection for evaluation in detail.
The Army solicits input in the scoping process to identify issues
of concern, identify information sources bearing on evaluation of
impacts, and to obtain public input on the range and reasonableness of
alternatives.
The Army recognizes numerous resource areas and issues that will
require consideration in the EIS. These include, but are not limited
to: Air quality; surface water quality; cultural resources;
transportation system; environmentally sensitive areas such as wildlife
corridors, wetlands, floodplains, wildlife refuges, Chesapeake Bay
Protection Areas; biological resources, to include, in particular,
protected fauna and flora species; site topography and soils;
socioeconomic conditions; land use; and community facilities and
services. Additional resources and conditions may be identified as a
result of the scoping process initiated by this Notice.
The general public, local governments, other Federal agencies, and
state agencies are invited to submit written comments or suggestions
concerning the scope of the analysis and issues and alternatives to be
analyzed. The Army will host a scoping meeting to enable the submission
of oral or written comments by interested parties. Comments, whether
provided orally or in writing, will be considered in determining the
scope of the EIS. The scoping meeting will be held near Fort Belvoir
with the time and place of the scoping meeting being announced in local
media not less than 15 days before the event.
In addition, the Army will provide direct notification of the time
and location of the scoping meeting to individuals, community
organizations, local government personnel, state agencies, Federally
recognized Indian tribes, and other Federal agencies that so request it
as a result of this Notice. Requests must be addressed to the
individual and office shown in the ADDRESSES section above.
Dated: October 20, 2003.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health), OASA(I&E).
[FR Doc. 03-26834 Filed 10-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M