[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70155-70156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28408]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Disposal and Reuse of the Former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve
Base Willow Grove, Horsham, PA, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the
Department of the Navy (DoN) announces its intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential
environmental consequences of the disposal and reuse of the former
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) Willow Grove, Horsham,
Pennsylvania, per Public Law 101-510, the Defense Base Closure and
Realignment Act of 1990, as amended in 2005 (BRAC Law). Potential
impacts associated with reuse of NAS JRB Willow Grove, including the
change in land use and traffic patterns, will be evaluated and will
contribute to the alternatives considered.
DATES: The DoN will conduct public scoping meetings in Horsham Township
[[Page 70156]]
in Montgomery County, PA to receive comments on the environmental
concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. Both public scoping open
houses will be held at the Horsham Township Community Center located at
1025 Horsham Road, Horsham, PA. Schedule will be as follows:
1. Open House: Thursday, December 13, 2012, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
2. Open House: Friday, December 14, 2012, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
The previously announced public scoping meetings scheduled for
October 29 and October 30, 2012 were cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, BRAC Program Management
Office Northeast, 4911 Broad Street, Building 679, Philadelphia, PA
19112-1303, telephone 215-897-4900, fax 215-897-4902, email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC)
Commission was established by Public Law 101-510, the BRAC Law, to
recommend military installations for realignment and closure.
Recommendations of the 2005 BRAC Commission were included in a report
presented to the President on September 8, 2005. The President approved
and forwarded this report to Congress on September 16, 2005, which
became effective as public law on November 9, 2005, and must be
implemented in accordance with the requirements of the BRAC Law. In
2005, NAS JRB Willow Grove, PA was designated for closure under the
authority of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990,
Public Law 101-510, as amended (the Act). Pursuant to this designation,
on January 8, 2010, land and facilities at this installation were
declared excess to the DoN and made available to other DoD components
and other Federal agencies. The DoN has evaluated all timely Federal
requests and made a decision to close the former NAS JRB Willow Grove
on September 15, 2011.
The proposed action for this EIS is to accommodate the BRAC 2005
law. The BRAC-directed action includes disposal and reuse of NAS JRB
Willow Grove and its excess properties. Upon completion of the
disposal, the property will be redeveloped in accordance with the
Horsham Township Authority (HLRA) Redevelopment Plan.
The EIS will consider the alternatives that are reasonable to
accomplish the proposed action. Alternatives to be considered include:
(1) Disposal of the property by the DoN and reuse in accordance with
the HLRA's Preferred Land Use Plan; (2) Disposal of the property by the
DoN with a higher-density reuse scenario; (3) Disposal of the property
by the DoN and reuse as an airport; and (4) No Action in which the DoN
would retain the property in a caretaker status and no reuse or
development would occur.
Alternative 1 would meet the requirements of the BRAC Law by
allowing for the disposal and reuse of NAS JRB Willow Grove. Reuse
would be conducted in accordance with the HLRA Plan. The Plan provides
a mix of land uses based on existing conditions on the installation and
in the community, guiding principles for development established by the
HLRA, and public participation. It is anticipated that full build-out
of the Plan would be implemented over a 20-year period. The Reuse Plan
calls for the development of approximately 444 acres (52%) of the total
base property. In addition, approximately 418 acres (48%) would be
dedicated to a variety of active and passive land uses, including
recreation, open space, and natural areas. The plan also incorporates
elements based on smart-growth principles, including pedestrian-
friendly transportation features (e.g., walkable neighborhoods, bike
lanes, and compact development), open spaces, and a mix of land use
types.
Alternative 2 would also meet the requirements of the BRAC Law by
allowing for disposal and reuse of NAS JRB Willow Grove. This
alternative features a higher density of residential and community
mixed-use development. Similar to Alternative 1, this alternative
includes a mix of land use types, preserves open space and natural
areas, and incorporates elements based on smart-growth principles,
including pedestrian-friendly transportation and compact development.
It is anticipated that full build-out of the higher-density scenario
would be implemented over a 20-year period. The higher density
alternative calls for the development of approximately 576 acres (67%)
of the total base property. In addition, approximately 280 acres (32%)
of the base would be dedicated to a variety of active and passive land
uses, including recreation, open space, and natural areas.
Alternative 3 would maintain and reuse the existing airfield for
private aviation purposes. The plan reuses the existing airfield and
its supporting infrastructure (i.e., taxiways, parking aprons and
hangar facilities). After accounting for the area being reused for
aviation purposes, the remaining land available for development would
be approximately 380 acres. This would be developed in a mix of land
use types and densities, and preserves open space and natural areas.
New development would be airport related industry and businesses.
Alternative 4 is required by NEPA and is the No Action Alternative.
Under this alternative, NAS JRB Willow Grove would be retained by the
U.S. government in caretaker status. No reuse or redevelopment would
occur at the facility.
The EIS will address potential direct, indirect, short-term, long-
term, and cumulative impacts on the human and natural environments,
including potential impacts on topography, geology and soils, water
resources, biological resources, air quality, noise, infrastructure and
utilities, traffic, cultural resources, land use, socioeconomics,
environmental justice, and waste management. Known areas of concern
associated with the BRAC action include impacts on socioeconomics due
to loss of the military and civilian workforce, impacts on local
traffic patterns resulting from reuse scenarios, and the clean-up of
installation remediation sites.
The DoN is initiating the scoping process to identify community
concerns and issues that should be addressed in the EIS. Agencies and
the public are encouraged to provide written comments at scheduled
public scoping meetings. Comments should clearly describe specific
issues or topics that the EIS should address. Written comments must be
postmarked or emailed by midnight December 31, 2012, and should be sent
to: Director, BRAC Program Management Office Northeast, 4911 South
Broad Street, Building 679, Philadelphia, PA 19112-1303, telephone 215-
897-4900, fax 215-897-4902, email: [email protected].
Requests for special assistance, sign language interpretation for
the hearing impaired, language interpreters, or other auxiliary aids
for scheduled public scoping meetings must be sent by mail or email by
November 30, 2012, to Mr. Matt Butwin, Ecology and Environment, Inc.,
348 Southport Circle, Suite 101, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23452,
telephone 757-456-5356, ext. 2811, email: [email protected].
Dated: November 16, 2012.
C.K. Chiappetta,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-28408 Filed 11-21-12; 8:45 am]
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