[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 84 (Monday, May 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 24533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10751]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the
Short Term Sentences Acquisition Procurement
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons.
ACTION: Public Comment on Environmental Assessment.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons
(BOP) announces the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA)
prepared for the proposed contract to secure additional inmate bed
space for the BOP's growing inmate population.
As part of this action, known as the Short Term Sentences
Acquisition procurement, the BOP has identified a specific requirement
to confine an aggregate population of approximately 3,000 low-security
adult male inmates (with one year or less remaining to serve) that are
primarily criminal aliens. The BOP is seeking to accommodate the
growing federal inmate population by requesting additional contract
beds.
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts
1500-1508), and the Department of Justice procedures for implementing
NEPA (28 CFR 61), the BOP published an EA on January 28, 2011 which
described the potential environmental and other impacts associated with
the proposed action to award a contract to one or more private
correctional contractors to house a population of approximately 3,000
federal, low-security, adult male inmates that are primarily criminal
aliens with one year or less to serve on their sentences. Copies of the
EA were distributed to federal, state, regional and local officials,
agencies, organizations and the public. Publication of the EA initiated
a public comment period lasting no less than 30 days and during that
comment period, which ended on February 28, 2011, comments were
received from several government agencies and a member of the public.
With the passage of time since the EA was first published, and
following a thorough review of all public comments and environmental
documentation amassed in support of the proposed action, the BOP
determined that it was appropriate and in the best interests of the
public to prepare a new EA. This new EA incorporates additional
information prepared in response to public comments received by the BOP
along with the most current information regarding the alternative
facilities. The BOP's EA evaluates the potential environmental
consequences of three action alternatives and the No Action
Alternative. Natural, cultural, and socioeconomic resource impacts
associated with the implementation of the proposed action at each of
the alternative locations were analyzed to determine how these
resources may be affected by the proposed action.
The alternatives considered in the EA include the use of the
following privately-owned and operated facilities: Diamondback
Correctional Center, Watonga, Oklahoma; Great Plains Correctional
Facility, Hinton, Oklahoma; and Willacy County Processing Center,
Raymondville, Texas. The EA also includes information concerning the
BOP's preferred alternative. Inmates housed in one or more of these
facilities would be primarily criminal aliens who have less than one
year remaining to serve of their sentences.
Request for Comments
The BOP invites your participation and is soliciting comments on
the EA. The EA will be the subject of a 30-day comment period which
begins May 2, 2011 and ends May 31, 2011. Comments concerning the EA
and the proposed action must be received during this time to be assured
consideration. All written comments received during this review period
will be taken into consideration by the BOP. Copies of the EA are
available for public viewing at: Watonga Public Library, 301 N. Prouty,
Watonga, OK; Norman Smith Memorial Library, 115 E. Main Street, Hinton,
OK; and Reber Memorial Library, 193 N. 4th Street, Raymondville, TX.
The EA is available upon request. To request a copy of the EA,
please contact: Richard A. Cohn, Chief, or Issac J. Gaston, Site
Selection Specialist, Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch,
Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 20534
Tel: 202-514-6470, Fax: 202-616-6024/e-mail: [email protected] or
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard A. Cohn, or Issac J. Gaston,
Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Dated: April 26, 2011.
Richard A. Cohn,
Chief, Capacity Planning and Site Selection Branch.
[FR Doc. 2011-10751 Filed 4-29-11; 8:45 am]
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