[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 229 (Thursday, November 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56848-56849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25788]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 10214]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Foreign Missions Center at the Former Walter Reed
Army Medical Center, Washington, DC
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announces the availability
of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the master plan
for the long-term development of a Foreign Missions Center, under
authorities of the Foreign Missions Act of 1982, on the site of the
former Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in the District of
Columbia. Actions evaluated in the master plan consist of assignment of
federal land to foreign missions for the purpose of constructing and
operating new chancery facilities. DOS has prepared this FEIS on
Alternative 7 as its Selected Action Alternative for the master plan,
consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969,
as amended, regulations developed by the Council on Environmental
Quality, and DOS regulations for implementing NEPA.
DATES: Following this thirty (30) day notice in the Federal Register,
DOS will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) at which time its
availability will be announced in the Federal Register and local media.
Please note that the public review period will close on December 31,
2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geoffrey Hunt, Department of State, A/
OPR/RPM, Room 1264, 2201 C St. NW., Washington, DC 20520-1264, or (202)
647-7530, or FMC.info@state.gov">FMC.info@state.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The master plan is intended to guide the
development of a cohesive campus by establishing design and land-use
planning principles for the construction of new buildings, roadways,
open green space, and utilities, while minimizing environmental
impacts. The FEIS analyzes the potential impacts associated with
Alternative 7 that could satisfy the purpose and need defined in the
FEIS and master plan. Additionally, the FEIS addresses substantive
comments submitted by the public and other stakeholders during the
public comment period for the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (SDEIS).
The SDEIS was previously circulated publicly in April 2017 and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was previously circulated
publicly in February 2014. Subsequent to the publication of the DEIS,
the total acreage of the land available for transfer from the Army to
DOS was reduced from 43.5 to 31.7 acres through the National Defense
Authorization Act of 2015. Because of the change in the proposed
action, DOS prepared the SDEIS to describe the new preferred
alternative, and evaluate any change in potential impacts from the
reduction in size of the proposed action.
In addition, DOS is carrying out the Section 106 review process
under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, through which it
consults with interested parties on the potential effect of the
proposed undertaking on identified historic properties.
A ``chancery'' is the principal office of a foreign mission used
for diplomatic or related purposes, and annexes to such offices
(including ancillary offices and support facilities), and includes the
site and any buildings on the site which are used for such purposes. A
``foreign mission'' is any mission to or agency or entity in the United
States which is involved in diplomatic, consular or other activities
of, or which is substantially owned or effectively controlled by, a
foreign government; or an organization representing a territory or
political entity which has been granted diplomatic or other official
privileges and immunities under the laws of the United States or which
engages in some aspect of the conduct of international affairs of such
territory or political entity, including any real property of such a
mission and the personnel of such a mission.
The need for the project is based on increased and high demand for
foreign mission facilities in the District of Columbia, a lack of large
sites for foreign mission development or redevelopment in the District
of Columbia, and the need for land to use in property exchanges with
other countries. The proposed Foreign Missions Center is needed to
primarily address the increasing scarcity of
[[Page 56849]]
suitable properties within the District of Columbia to locate the
operations of foreign missions. This scarcity has impacted, in certain
cases, DOS's ability to acquire properties of considerable size in
foreign nations.
Master Plan Description
Alternatives Considered
DOS identified, developed, and analyzed the No Action Alternative
and seven action alternatives that could potentially satisfy the
proposed action's purpose and need. Alternative 7 and the No Action
Alternative were retained for detailed study within the FEIS.
Alternative 7 would provide up to 15 lots for chancery development,
retain the historic Memorial Chapel building for adaptive reuse, and
potentially retain other buildings for adaptive reuse, depending on
marketability. Dahlia Street and 14th Street would be developed as
connections to the surrounding neighborhoods. The existing historic
perimeter fence along 16th Street and Alaska Avenue would remain. The
existing landscape on the western boundary of the site would be
enhanced to create a 50-foot vegetated buffer, maximizing the tree
canopy in that area. Access to individual lots would be internal to the
former WRAMC campus.
The No Action Alternative was included to provide a basis for
comparison to the action alternative described above as required by the
NEPA regulations. DOS has identified Alternative 7 as its Selected
Action Alternative because it best satisfies the study purpose and
needs, would fulfill their statutory mission and responsibilities, and
has the least adverse environmental impact.
Distribution
The FEIS is available to the public at the Web site: http://www.state.gov/ofm/property/fmc/index.htm. DOS sends information related
to this environmental review to individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
proposed project and maintains a distribution list for this purpose.
The distribution list includes: Federal, state, and local government
representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; other interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. Copies are being distributed at the Advisory
Neighborhood Commission 4A and 4B offices, the Juanita E. Thornton-
Shepherd Park Library, the Takoma Park Neighborhood Library, and the
Petworth Neighborhood Library.
Cliff C. Seagroves,
Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, Acting Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2017-25788 Filed 11-29-17; 8:45 am]
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