[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1414-1416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30791]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[Notice-FAS-2014-02; Docket: 2014-0002; Sequence: 39]
Notice of Public Meeting for the 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).
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ACTION: Meeting Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental
Policy Act, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has prepared
and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a
Supplement to the 2012 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for
the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Bureau of Diplomatic Security,
Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC). GSA is the lead
agency; cooperating agencies are DOS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(ACE), EPA, and National Guard Bureau (NGB). The Supplemental Draft EIS
was prepared to evaluate the environmental impacts of site acquisition
and development of FASTC at the Virginia Army National Guard Maneuver
Training Center (VA ANG MTC) at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County's
Local Redevelopment Authority area in Nottoway County, Virginia.
DATES: Comment date: The public may submit comments on the Supplemental
Draft EIS during a 45-day public review and comment period beginning
January 9, 2015 with publication of this notice and ending on February
23, 2015. Instructions for submitting comments may be found under the
heading SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION in this notice.
Public Meeting: A public information meeting is scheduled for
January 26, 2015, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard
Time, in the Auditorium at the Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center
located at 707 Fourth Street, Blackstone VA 23824.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments by email to FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov, or
U.S. Postal Service to: Ms. Abigail Low, GSA Project Manager, 20 N. 8th
Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abigail Low, GSA Project Manager; 20
N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-446-4815, or email at
FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The purpose of the proposed
FASTC in Nottoway County 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 meet the increased demand for well-trained security
personnel. A Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft EIS was
published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 52336 on September 3, 2014.
A public scoping period and public scoping meeting for the proposed
action were held in October 2011 in relation to the 2012 Draft EIS.
Additionally, the public was invited to submit comments concerning the
proposal for 30 days from publication of the September 3, 2014 Notice
of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft EIS.
The alternatives fully evaluated in the Supplemental Draft EIS
include the No Action Alternative and Build Alternative 3. Build
Alternative 3 was developed based on the 2014 Master Plan Update that
incorporates the adjustments in the FASTC program. The Preferred
Alternative is Build Alternative 3.
The Supplemental Draft EIS incorporates by reference and builds
upon the analyses presented in the 2012 Draft EIS and documents the
Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966, as amended (36 CFR part 800). The Supplemental Draft EIS
addresses substantial changes to the proposed action that are relevant
to environmental concerns and assesses any new circumstances or
information relevant to potential environmental impacts.
In early 2013, all efforts on the Final EIS and work on the
proposed site at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County's LRA area were put
on hold pending additional due diligence and reviews at an existing
federal training site in Georgia. As part of this due diligence effort,
DOS conducted site visits to the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. During this time period, DOS also
assessed the scope and size of the FASTC project and determined a
smaller platform was more fiscally prudent.
In April 2014, the earlier DOS selection of the proposed site for
FASTC at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County was reaffirmed. Planning for
the site resumed based on a reduced scope of requirements compared with
the 2012 plan. The project would now proceed as a hard skills only
facility, which consists of driving tracks, firing ranges, a mock urban
environment, explosives ranges, and associated classrooms and
administrative functions. Several hard skills training venues have been
consolidated. Soft skills training, such as simulation labs, and life
support functions, such as dormitories and dining facilities have been
eliminated from the program. More information on the proposed FASTC
program is available at http://www.state.gov/recovery/fastc.
The Supplemental Draft EIS has been distributed to various federal,
state, and local agencies. The Supplemental Draft EIS is available for
review on the project Web site http://www.state.gov/recovery/fastc. A
printed copy of the Supplemental Draft EIS is available for viewing at
the following libraries:
Nottoway County Library--Louis Spencer Epes Memorial
Library, 415 South Main St., Blackstone, VA
Amelia County--James L. Hamner Public Library, 16351 Dunn
Street, Amelia, VA
Brunswick County--Brunswick County Library, 133 W. Hicks
Street, Lawrenceville, VA
Dinwiddie County--Dinwiddie Library, 14103 Boydton Plank
Road, Dinwiddie, VA
Lunenburg County--Ripberger Library, 117 South Broad St.,
Kenbridge, VA
Prince Edward County--Farmville--Prince Edward Community
Library, 1303 West 3rd Street, Farmville, VA
Chesterfield County--Central Library, 9501 Lori Road,
Chesterfield, VA
Mecklenburg County--Southside Regional Library, 316
Washington Street, Boydton, VA
Federal, state, and local agencies, and other interested parties,
are invited and encouraged to be present or represented at the public
meeting on January 26, 2015. All formal comments will become part of
the public record and substantive comments will be responded to in the
Final EIS.
Public Comments: Comments on the Supplemental Draft EIS can be
submitted three ways: (1) Submit comments via the FASTC email address:
FASTC.info@gsa.gov">FASTC.info@gsa.gov, (2) provide written comments during the public
meeting, or (3) mail a comment form or letter to: Ms. Abigail Low, GSA
Project Manager, 20 N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Written
comments postmarked by February 23, 2015 will become part of the
official public record.
Public Meeting: An informational presentation will be followed by
an informal question and answer session. Informational posters will be
on display, and representatives from GSA and DOS will be available to
explain the proposed project, answer questions, and receive comments
from the public.
Comment forms will be available for the public to provide formal
written comments.
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Dated: December 24, 2014.
Myles Vaughan,
NEPA Program Manager, Facilities Management & Services Programs
Division, U.S. GSA, Mid-Atlantic Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-30791 Filed 1-8-15; 8:45 am]
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