[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61373-61375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24205]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Animal Center Master Plan Record of Decision
SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services, the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), has decided, after completion of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and a thorough consideration of
the public comments on the Draft EIS, to implement the Proposed Action,
referred to as the Proposed Action in the Final EIS. This action is for
a long-range physical Master Plan for National Institutes of Health
Animal Center (NIHAC) located in Dickerson, Maryland. This alternative
accounts for potential growth in NIHAC personnel, new construction,
additions, renovations, demolitions, and upgrades in site utilities.
Responsible Official: Daniel G. Wheeland, Director, Office of
Research Facilities Development and Operations, NIH.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Nottingham, Deputy Director,
DEP, ORF, NIH, Building 13, Room 2S11, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda,
MD 20892, Phone 301-496-7775, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Decision
After careful review of the environmental consequences in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the Master Plan, National Institutes
of Health Animal Center, and consideration of public comment throughout
the NEPA process, the NIH has decided to implement the Proposed Action
described below as the Selected Alternative.
Selected Alternative
The Selected Alternative is intended to be a strategic tool for the
efficient allocation of campus resources, the orderly accommodation of
future growth, and the creation of an environment, which is both
functionally and aesthetically conducive to accomplishing the NIHAC
mission. The Selected Alternative will provide a guide for the reasoned
and orderly development of the NIHAC campus, one that values and builds
on existing resources, corrects current deficiencies and meets changing
needs through new construction or renovation. The plan sets forth
implementation priorities and a logical sequencing of planned
development.
The Selected Alternative is for a long-range physical Master Plan
for NIHAC. This alternative covers a 20-year planning period, with
reviews every 5 years to ensure that the plan continues to address
issues affecting the campus. The alternative addresses the future
development of the NIHAC site, including placement of future
construction; vehicular and pedestrian circulation on and off-campus;
parking within the property boundaries; open space in and around the
campus; required setbacks; historic properties; natural and scenic
resources; noise; and lighting. This alternative accounts for potential
growth in NIHAC personnel, and consequent construction of space over
the planning period. Future construction on the site could include such
facilities as new animal holding, research laboratories, and support
facilities.
NIH will continue to develop NIHAC to accommodate NIH's research
needs and required programmatic adjacencies consistent with the
commitment to maintain the ``campus'' character of the site. The
alternative advances this objective by programming and locating future
NIHAC growth so that new development would tie into the existing
utility services and utilities are available to support growth, and
establishing development guidelines for future changes to the site that
ensure that as the campus grows new development would be responsive to
the context of adjacent neighborhoods or developments. Under the
selected alternative, NIHAC's population is anticipated to grow in the
next twenty years to a total campus population of 212. The primary
growth at the campus would be in intramural research personnel and the
administrative and facility staff to support them.
Alternatives Considered
The Proposed Action Alternative and No Action Alternative were the
two alternatives analyzed in the Final EIS. The Master Plan covers a
20-year planning period, but will be reviewed every 5 years to ensure
that the plan continues to remain current and relevant to the key
issues affecting the campus. The alternatives addressed the future
development of the NIHAC site, including placement of future
construction; vehicular and pedestrian circulation on and off-campus;
parking within the property boundaries; open space in and around the
campus; required setbacks; historic properties; natural and scenic
resources; noise; and lighting. They account for potential growth in
NIHAC personnel, and consequent construction of space over the planning
period. Future construction on the site could include such facilities
as new animal holding, research laboratories, and support facilities.
Factors Involved in the Decision
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requires that NIH
facilities have a Master Plan; however, the previous Master Plan for
the NIHAC campus was outdated. In addition, factors such as the aging
of facilities that were designed only to accommodate temporary use,
animal housing facilities that do not provide adequate space for
projected increases in animal populations, and research support
facilities not being adequate to sustain current and projected programs
played a key role. The Master Plan contains information and
recommendations to guide development of individual projects. It also
serves as a means of informing city and county officials and utilities
of future NIHAC development plans so they can anticipate and plan for
the potential effects of NIHAC proposals on their systems.
Resources Impacts
The Final EIS describes potential environmental effects of the
Selected Alternative. These potential effects are documented in Chapter
3 of the Final EIS. Any potential adverse environmental effects will be
avoided or
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mitigated through design elements, procedures, and compliance with
regulatory and NIH requirements. Potential impacts on air quality are
all within government standards (federal, state, and local). NIH does
not expect negative effects on the environment or on the citizens of
Dickerson from construction and operations at NIHAC.
Summary of Impacts
The following is a summary of potential impacts resulting from the
Selected Alternative that the NIH considered when making its decision.
No adverse cumulative effects have been identified during the NEPA
process. Likewise, no unavoidable or adverse impacts from
implementation of the Selected Action have been identified. The
Selected Alternative will be beneficial to the long-term productivity
of the national and world health communities. Biomedical research
conducted at the NIHAC facility will have the potential to advance
techniques in disease prevention, develop disease immunizations, and
prepare defenses against naturally emerging and re-emerging diseases
and against bioweapons. Additionally, the local community will benefit
from increased employment, income and, government and public finance.
Housing
NIHAC is located in a very rural area of Dickerson. Temporary
impacts during construction are expected to have a minimal effect on
the existing rural community.
Education
The current public school capacity in nearby Poolesville would be
adequate to accommodate the expected minimal growth caused by the
Selected Alternative.
Transportation
The potential increase in vehicular traffic generated by the Master
Plan would only minimally contribute to the slight decrease in the
level of service on the roadways in the vicinity of the campus.
Existing arterial, connector, and local roads surrounding NIHAC are
underutilized and have the capacity to support projected traffic
increases associated with the Master Plan and the population growth. In
addition, NIHAC is relatively isolated from existing and projected
local centers of employment, residences, or retail, limiting potential
effects on road infrastructure or traffic levels. Therefore, the minor
increase in traffic volume associated with the Master plan is not
expected to contribute to significant traffic concerns in the vicinity
of NIHAC.
Security
The Master Plan would provide an entrance security and screening
center, 100-foot vehicle separation from buildings, access control at
loading docks, perimeter fence repair, and an emergency access for the
campus to meet recently enacted safety requirements for government
facilities.
Employment
If the Selected Alternative is fully implemented, up to only 13 new
employees over the current 199 employees would be hired. Some of the
new staff members are likely to move to Montgomery County, and possibly
the Poolesville area, from outside the region.
Environmental Justice
As no minority or low-income populations occur within the analysis,
Environmental Justice will not be discussed.
Visual Quality
The Master Plan's land use plan provides a framework to help
organize future development at NIHAC so that similar land use types are
consolidated while open space and natural features are preserved. NIHAC
would exhibit the same basic types of land use as it does currently,
but in a slightly different configuration. The Master Plan does not
propose any land use changes outside NIHAC. Therefore, the NIHAC campus
is anticipated to remain consistent with the county plan and zoning
regulations.
Noise
To limit impacts to nearby residences, NIH would limit construction
activities to normal daytime working hours. Under the Master Plan, the
ambient noise levels at NIHAC would remain within Maryland and
Montgomery County noise thresholds. Furthermore, any minor change in
noise levels is not expected to affect the rural character of the site.
Air Quality
Air monitoring data at the stations closest to NIHAC demonstrate
that ozone and PM ambient air quality pollutant concentrations have
been steadily declining over the past 10 to 20 years (USEPA, 2012a).
Therefore, the moderate increase in air emissions under the Master Plan
is not expected to result in cumulative negative impacts to regional
air quality.
Wastewater/Water Supply
The Master Plan recommends system upgrades and water conservation
measures to address the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) capacity
concern. The Master Plan would install an additional filter at the WWTP
to increase the treatment capacity. Installation of the new filter,
combined with implementation of the potable water conservation
measures, should provide sufficient capacity to accommodate wastewater
generated under the Master Plan and would accommodate a 20 percent
factor of safety. NIH would evaluate the water demands and potential
implementation of system upgrades and water conservation measures as
they proceed through planning and design for each new facility.
If potable water conservation measures are not fully implemented,
or the actual building designs result in greater than anticipated
flows, the WWTP would likely require replacement or a major component
upgrade. NIH would conduct a detailed study during Phase 1 of the
Master Plan to evaluate the need for upgrades to the WWTP. Following
the Phase 1 study, NIH would implement WWTP upgrades during Phases 2
and/or 3 of the Master Plan.
Expansion of the WWTP treatment capacity under the Master Plan may
require a revised NPDES permit from MDE with updated effluent
limitations. Prior to implementing upgrades, NIH would consult with MDE
to identify the appropriate review and NPDES permitting requirements,
which may involve opportunities for public comment. NIH would continue
to operate the WWTP in accordance with the applicable NPDES permit
limitations.
Historic Resources
NIH would comply with NHPA Section 106 by consulting with Maryland
Historical Trust on the need for particular archeological studies as
individual Master Plan project elements are funded, designed, and
executed. In the event that eligible prehistoric resources are
identified and adverse effects are anticipated, NIH would continue
Section 106 consultation with the appropriate consulting parties (which
would include MHT and may also include ACHP and Native American tribes)
to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to resolve adverse
effects. Mitigation measures identified through this consultation could
include in-place preservation through site avoidance,
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protection, or easement acquisition; development and implementation of
a data recovery plan to retrieve and analyze the site's resources-
implementation of innovative, alternative mitigation measures- or a
combination of these measures.
Practicable Means to Avoid or Minimize Potential Environmental Harm
From the Selected Alternative
All practicable means to avoid or minimize adverse environmental
effects from the Selected Action have been identified and incorporated
into the action. The proposed Master Plan construction will be subject
to the existing NIHAC pollution prevention, waste management, and
safety, security, and emergency response procedures as well as existing
environmental permits. Best management practices, spill prevention and
control, and stormwater management plans will be followed to
appropriately address the construction and operation of the new Master
Plan and comply with applicable regulatory and NIH requirements. No
additional mitigation measures have been identified.
Pollution Prevention
Air quality permit standards will be met, as will all federal,
state, and local requirements to protect the environment and public
health.
Conclusion
Based upon review and careful consideration, the NIH has decided to
implement the Selected Alternative for a long-range physical Master
Plan for NIH Animal Center located in Dickerson, Maryland. The decision
accounts for potential growth at NIHAC personnel, and consequent
construction of space over the planning period.
The decision was based upon review and careful consideration of the
impacts identified in the Final EIS and public comments received
throughout the NEPA process.
Dated: September 27, 2013.
Daniel G. Wheeland,
Director, Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations,
National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2013-24205 Filed 10-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P