[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52336-52337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20902]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[Notice-FAS-2014-01; Docket: 2014-0002; Sequence: 30]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs
Security Training Center in Nottoway County, Virginia
AGENCY: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality
regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] parts 1500-1508), the
GSA announces its intent to prepare a Supplement to the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), released October 26, 2012,
analyzing the environmental impacts of site acquisition and development
of the United States Department of State (DOS), Bureau of Diplomatic
Security, Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC) at the
Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center at Fort Pickett
(Fort Pickett) and Nottoway County's Local Redevelopment Authority
(LRA) area in Nottoway County, Virginia.
[[Page 52337]]
The Supplemental Draft EIS is being prepared to address substantial
changes to the proposed action that are relevant to environmental
concerns, as required under NEPA (40 CFR 1502.9), and will assess any
new circumstances or information relevant to potential environmental
impacts. The Supplemental Draft EIS will incorporate by reference and
build upon the analyses presented in the 2012 Draft EIS, and will
document the Section 106 process under the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (36 CFR Part 800).
GSA will prepare the Supplemental Draft EIS in cooperation with
DOS, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Environmental
Protection Agency, and National Guard Bureau.
Dates and Addresses: A public scoping period and public scoping
meeting for the proposed action were held in October 2011. However, the
public may submit comments concerning the proposal for 30 days from the
date of this notice. Written comments may be mailed to Abigail Low, GSA
Project Manager 20 N 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, or may be sent
via email to FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov. More information on the proposed FASTC
program is available at www.state.gov/recovery/fastc.
Future notices will be published to announce the availability of
the Supplemental Draft EIS and additional opportunities for public
input.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abigail Low, GSA Project Manager; 20 N
8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 446-4815, FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The purpose of the proposed FASTC at Fort Pickett is to
consolidate existing dispersed hard-skills training functions into a
single suitable location to improve training efficiency and enhance
training operations. The proposed FASTC is needed to establish a
facility from which DOS Bureau of Diplomatic Security may conduct a
wide array of hard-skills security training to meet the increased
demand for well trained personnel serving at embassies overseas and
select foreign partners.
Fort Pickett and Nottoway County's LRA area in Nottoway County near
Blackstone, Virginia was selected as a potential site in July 2011, and
a Draft EIS was released in October 2012. In early 2013, the
Administration indicated all efforts and work at the proposed site in
Fort Pickett Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center and Nottoway
County's LRA area should be put on hold pending additional due
diligence and reviews at an existing training site in Georgia. As part
of the due diligence effort requested by the Administration, DOS
conducted site visits to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
(FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. During this time period, DOS assessed the
scope and size of the FASTC project and determined a smaller platform
at Fort Pickett was more fiscally prudent.
In April 2014, the Administration re-affirmed the earlier DOS
selection of the FASTC proposed sites in Fort Picket Army National
Guard Maneuver Training Center and the Nottoway County LRA area at a
reduced scope of requirements. The project will proceed as a hard-
skills only facility.
Based on adjustments made to the proposed FASTC Program, DOS has
undertaken the preparation of a Master Plan Update that modifies the
previous alternatives evaluated in the 2012 Draft EIS. The Master Plan
Update concept will be evaluated as Build Alternative 3 in the
Supplemental Draft EIS. The alternatives to be fully evaluated in the
Supplemental Draft EIS include the No Action Alternative and Build
Alternative 3.
The proposed location of Build Alternative 3 includes three
adjacent land parcels: Fort Pickett Parcels 21/20 and Grid Parcel, and
Nottoway County LRA Parcel 9.
The Supplemental Draft EIS will assess potential impacts that may
result from the modified alternative, including, air quality, noise,
land use, socioeconomics, traffic, infrastructure and community
services, natural resources, biological resources, cultural resources,
and safety and environmental hazards. The analysis will evaluate
direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts. Relevant and reasonable
measures that could avoid or mitigate environmental effects will also
be analyzed. Additionally, GSA will undertake any consultations
required by applicable laws or regulations, including the National
Historic Preservation Act.
No decision will be made to implement any alternative until the
NEPA process is completed and a Record of Decision is signed.
Dated: August 19, 2014.
Myles Vaughan,
NEPA Program Manager, Facilities Management & Services Programs
Division, U.S. GSA, Mid-Atlantic Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-20902 Filed 9-2-14; 8:45 am]
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