[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 218 (Friday, November 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57856-57857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28767]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Hearing for the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for Reuse of Naval Station Puget Sound, Sand Point, 
Seattle, WA

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy, has prepared and filed with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) for proposed reuse of the former Naval Station Puget Sound, Sand 
Point property and structures in Seattle, Washington. The Draft EIS has 
been prepared in compliance with the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure 
(BRAC) directive from Congress to close Naval Station Puget Sound, Sand 
Point. The property will be disposed of in accordance with the 
provisions of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act (Public Law 
101-510) of 1990 as amended, and applicable federal property disposal 
regulations. Naval Station Puget Sound, Sand Point closed on September 
30, 1995.
    The DEIS assesses the potential environmental impacts associated 
with reuse of Naval Station Puget Sound, Sand Point. Three action 
alternatives are under consideration in this DEIS: the City of Seattle 
Community Reuse Plan for Sand Point (City Plan); the City Plan with 
Option; and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Reuse Plan for the Naval 
Station Puget Sound, Sand Point (Muckleshoot Plan). The ``No Action'' 
alternative is also being evaluated.
    The preferred alternative, the City Plan, proposes the following 
land uses to be located within five functionally distinct subareas: 
arts/cultural activities, open space/ recreation, education/community 
activities, residential, and institutional. The Muckleshoot Plan 
proposes the following land uses: recreation, education, 
administration, recreational/commercial, warehousing, light industrial, 
and institutional. Under the ``No Action'' alternative, the Navy would 
continue to be caretaker of the base, with no defined productive reuse. 
Although both reuse plans have the potential for significant impacts, 
appropriate mitigation measures implemented by the acquiring entity 
would minimize the impacts.
    On September 30, 1995, the Navy closed the Naval Station Puget 
Sound, Sand Point and placed it in caretaker status. The City Plan 
continues to be refined and possible changes to the City Plan under 
consideration are analyzed in the DEIS under the headings: Options to 
the City Plan and Ballard High School Option.
    This DEIS evaluates the following elements of the environment: land 
use, historic and cultural resources, socioeconomics, recreation, 
transportation, noise, public services and utilities, public health and 
safety, biological resources/endangered species, water, and air 
quality.
    The Draft EIS is available for review at the following public 
libraries: Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., Seattle; Northeast 
Branch Library, 6801 35th

[[Page 57857]]

Ave. NE, Seattle; and King County Library, 300 8th Ave. North, Seattle.

ADDRESSES: The Navy will conduct a public hearing on Monday December 2, 
1996 at 7:00 PM in the auditorium at Eckstein Middle School, 3003 NE 
75th Street, Seattle, Washington, to inform the public of the DEIS 
findings and to solicit comments. Federal, state and local agencies, 
and interested individuals are invited to be present or represented at 
the hearing. Oral comments will be heard and transcribed by a 
stenographer. To assure accuracy of the record, all comments should be 
submitted in writing. All comments, both oral and written, will become 
part of the public record in the study. In the interest of available 
time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral comments to three 
minutes. Longer comments should be summarized at the public hearing and 
submitted in writing either at the hearing or mailed to the address 
listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: All written comments must be submitted 
no later than December 23, 1996, to Mr. Don Morris (Code 232DM), 
Engineering Field Activity Northwest, Naval Facilities Engineering 
Command, 19917 7th Ave. NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370-7570; telephone (360) 
396-0920; FAX (360) 396-0854.

    Dated: November 5, 1996.
D.E. Koenig,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-28767 Filed 11-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P