[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 139 (Tuesday, July 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43051-43052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17912]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 139 / Tuesday, July 21, 2015 /
Notices
[[Page 43051]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRIGULTURE
Agricultural Research Service
Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment and a Finding
of No Significant Impact for the U.S. Department of Agriculture--
Agricultural Research Service Brooksville, Florida Land Transfer to
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) made a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) for the transfer of land and facilities from
USDA-ARS Subtropical Agricultural Research Station (STARS) in
Brooksville, Florida, to the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical
University (FAMU) for the purpose of agricultural research. The FONSI
document is based on impact analysis documented in the Environmental
Assessment (EA) that was available for public comment beginning
February 25 through April 1, 2015, and finalized on June 30, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cal Mather, Environmental Protection
Specialist, USDA-ARS-SHEMB, NCAUR, 1815 North University Street, Room
2060, Peoria, Illinois 61604, telephone: 309-681-6608, or email:
[email protected]. Copies of the Final EA may also be available
for public viewing during normal business hours at the following
locations:
Samuel H. Coleman Memorial Library (FAMU), 525 Orr Drive,
Tallahassee, Florida 32307
Istachatta Library Station, 16246 Lingle Road, Brooksville,
Florida 34601
East Hernando Branch Library, 6457 Windmere Road, Brooksville,
Florida 34602
Spring Hill Branch Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive, Spring
Hill, Florida 34608
West Hernando Branch Library, 6335 Blackbird Avenue,
Brooksville, Florida 34613
Main Library/Brooksville, 238 Howell Avenue, Brooksville,
Florida 34601
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, an EA was prepared
to evaluate the proposed transfer of approximately 3,800 acres of land
and facilities at the USDA-ARS STARS in Brooksville, Florida, to FAMU.
The USDA-ARS signed a FONSI on June 30, 2015, based on the Final EA.
The Final EA evaluated the proposed approximately 3,800 acres of
land and facilities located on four separate properties at the USDA-ARS
STARS in Brooksville, Florida to FAMU. The Final EA also evaluated
future proposed uses of land and facilities to be transferred,
according to FAMU's proposed Plan of Work. In accordance with the March
1, 2014, Memorandum of Understanding executed between the United States
Government, represented by the Secretary, and the University Board of
Trustees, upon transfer to FAMU, the land will be used for agricultural
and natural resources research for a period of no less than 25 years,
supporting the 1890 land grant university mission, promoting education
and community collaboration, and establishing a Beginning Farmers and
Ranchers Program at the Property. FAMU would assume responsibility for
management and maintenance of the constructed facilities and land to be
conveyed from USDA-ARS.
The USDA-ARS STARS was one of 10 units designated for closure in
the fiscal year 2012 Presidential budget. The proposed transfer of land
and facilities from USDA-ARS to FAMU would be in accordance with
Section 732 of Public Law (P.L.) 112-55, as extended under P.L. 113-76,
2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which authorizes the Secretary to
convey, with or without consideration, certain USDA-ARS facilities to
entities that are eligible to receive real property, including: Land-
grant colleges and universities (as defined in Section 1404(13) of the
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977); 1994 Institutions (as defined in Section 532 of the Equity in
Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994); and Hispanic-serving
agricultural colleges and universities (as defined in Section 1404(10)
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy
Act of 1977). Under P.L. 113-76, the conveyance authority expires on
September 30, 2015, and all conveyances must be completed by that date.
Two alternatives are analyzed in the Final EA, the Proposed Action
Alternative and the No Action Alternative. The Final EA addresses
potential impacts of these alternatives on the natural and human
environment.
Proposed Action Alternative--Under the proposed action
alternative, the Secretary would transfer the USDA-ARS land and
facilities to FAMU, and FAMU, its tenant(s), and/or its partner(s)
would implement the Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions described in
the Final EA upon transfer of the land and facilities. The land would
be used for agricultural and natural resources research for a period of
no less than 25 years.
No Action Alternative--Under the no action alternative,
the USDA-ARS land and facilities would not be transferred to FAMU. It
is assumed that under the no action alternative, USDA-ARS would have no
resources to operate and/or maintain the properties and that the
properties would fall into a state of disrepair.
On February 25, 2015, USDA-ARS published a notice of availability
(NOA) of the Draft EA and notified the public of a 30-day public review
and comment period, scheduled to close on March 26, 2015. The February
25, 2015, NOA was published in the two major newspapers serving the
Brooksville/Hernando County, Florida area: The Tampa Bay Times and The
Tampa Tribune. The Tampa Tribune NOA was published in both English and
Spanish. On March 2, 2015, USDA-ARS published a NOA of the Draft EA in
the Federal Register (FR) (80 FR 11155, March 2, 2015). To make the FR
NOA public comment period concurrent with the local newspapers, the
comment period was extended an additional 6 days in notices published
in the same newspapers and
[[Page 43052]]
closed on April 1, 2015, instead of the originally scheduled March 26,
2015.
The USDA-ARS used and coordinated the NEPA commenting process to
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470(f) as provided for in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3)). During the public comment period, USDA-ARS received two
public comments regarding the transfer of lands and facilities from
USDA-ARS to FAMU. None of the public comments received identified any
substantial evidence regarding significant environmental impacts
resulting from the proposed land transfer.
Based on its analysis of the Final EA for the property transfer,
USDA-ARS has found that the transfer of properties could have adverse
effects on previously identified historic properties. USDA-ARS, Florida
Division of Historical Resources (FLDHR) and FAMU have signed a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to address the adverse effects from the
proposed transfer and to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse
effects to any previously identified historic properties. The MOA also
stipulates a Programmatic Agreement (PA) between FAMU and FLDHR for the
long-term management of historic properties on the conveyed parcels;
the PA will establish a consultation process that mirrors Section 106
and continue consultations with the FLDHR and the Seminole Tribe of
Florida on Native American sites located on the properties. With the
implementation of the MOA to address adverse effects on historic
properties, there would be no significant impact to the environment
from transferring approximately 3,800 acres of land and facilities at
the USDA-ARS STARS in Brooksville, Florida, to the Board of Trustees of
the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, for use by FAMU.
Therefore, USDA-ARS will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for this proposed action.
Dated: July 13, 2015.
Chavonda Jacobs-Young,
Administrator, Agricultural Research Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-17912 Filed 7-20-15; 8:45 am]
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