[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 154 (Friday, August 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37591-37592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16945]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[Notice-PBS-2017-01; Docket No. 2017-0002; Sequence No. 4]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Master Plan for the Consolidation of the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration Headquarters at the Federal Research Center at
White Oak, Located in Silver Spring, MD
AGENCY: National Capital Region, General Services Administration (GSA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations, GSA Order, PBS P1095.1F, Environmental Considerations in
Decision Making, dated October 19, 1999, and the GSA Public Buildings
Service NEPA Desk Guide, GSA plans to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the proposed Master Plan to support the
consolidation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Headquarters at the Federal Research Center at White Oak, located in
Silver Spring, Maryland.
DATES:
Applicable: Friday, August 18, 2017.
[[Page 37592]]
The public scoping meeting date is: Tuesday, September 12, 2017,
from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
ADDRESSES: CHI Center, 10501 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring,
Maryland 20903.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gyamfi, GSA, National Capital
Region, Public Buildings Service, Office of Planning and Design
Quality, at 202-440-3405. Please contact this number if special
assistance is needed to attend and participate in the scoping meeting.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GSA intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential impacts resulting from
the proposed Master Plan to support the FDA Headquarters consolidation
at the Federal Research Center (FRC) at White Oak, located in Silver
Spring, Maryland.
Background
In 1997, GSA completed an EIS that analyzed the impacts from the
consolidation of 5,975 FDA employees at the FRC. In 2005, GSA completed
a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that analyzed the
impacts of increasing the number of employees from 5,947 to 7,720 and
the impacts of adding a new eastern access entrance point into the FRC.
In 2009, GSA completed its second SEIS that analyzed the impacts of
increasing the number of employees (from 7,720 to 8,889) needed to
conduct the complex and comprehensive reviews mandated by new
legislation. To accommodate future growth and further consolidate FDA
operations, GSA is preparing an EIS to assess the impacts of an
employee population increase, of up to an approximately 18,000
employees, over a period of 15 years.
The purpose of the proposed action is to provide a Master Plan for
the FDA Campus at FRC to accommodate the projected growth. The need for
the proposed action is to continue to support the FDA Headquarters
consolidation at FRC, and provide the necessary office and laboratory
space, in order to conduct the complex and comprehensive reviews
mandated by Congress.
Alternatives Under Consideration
GSA will analyze a range of alternatives (including the no action
alternative) for the proposed Master Plan of the FDA Headquarters, to
increase the campus population by up to an approximately 18,000
employees over 15 years. As part of the EIS, GSA will study the impacts
of each alternative on the human environment.
Scoping Process
In accordance with NEPA, a scoping process will be conducted to aid
in determining the alternatives to be considered and the scope of
issues to be addressed, as well as for identifying the significant
issues related to the proposed Master Plan. Scoping will be
accomplished through a public scoping meeting, direct mail
correspondence to potentially interested persons, agencies, and
organizations, and meetings with agencies having an interest in the
Master Plan. It is important that Federal, regional, State, and local
agencies, and interested individuals take this opportunity to identify
environmental concerns that should be addressed during the preparation
of the Draft EIS.
Public Scoping Meeting
A public scoping meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 12,
2017, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., EDT. The meeting will be an informal
open house along with a brief presentation, where visitors may come,
receive information, and give comments. GSA is publishing notices in
the Washington Post, Montgomery County Sentinel, and Prince George's
Sentinel announcing the meeting.
Written Comments
Agencies and the public are encouraged to provide written comments
on the scoping issues in addition to, or in lieu of, giving their
comments at the public scoping meeting. Written comments regarding the
environmental analysis for the proposed Master Plan must be postmarked
between Monday, August 21, 2017, and Monday, September 25, 2017, and
sent to the following address: General Services Administration, Public
Buildings Service, Office of Planning and Design Quality, Attention:
Paul Gyamfi, 301 7th Street SW., Room 4004, Washington, DC 20407.
Email: [email protected] using the subject line: FDA White Oak Master
Plan Comment.
Dated: August 4, 2017.
Mina Wright,
Director, Office of Planning and Design Quality, Public Buildings
Service, National Capital Region, General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-16945 Filed 8-10-17; 8:45 am]
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