[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 209 (Thursday, October 29, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 58051-58052] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-28991] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Disposal of the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant (VAAP) Chattanooga, Tennessee Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act [[Page 58052]] (NEAP) of 1969, and the President's Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), as implemented by General Services Administration (GSA) Order PBS P 1095.4C, GSA announces its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS for the proposed disposal of the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant. The proposed action includes the disposal of all of real property associated with this government owned facility. The property consists of about 6,500 acres of land including buildings, industrial facilities and equipment, roadways, utilities, specialized facilities, easements, rights of way, and natural undeveloped land. The EIS will address the potential impacts of two alternatives: the Proposed Action (Disposal Alternative), and No-Action Alternative (Continued Federal Ownership). The EIS will examine the short and long term impacts to both natural environment and impacts to the surrounding community. The Disposal Alternative will be further refined into a series of alternative proposed land use scenarios. These will be developed with the input from the local community through the scoping process. As the scoping proceeds, land use and development scenarios will be presented to the community for comment and will be addressed in the Draft EIS. GSA will solicit community input throughout this process, and will incorporate community comments into the decision process. After the scoping is completed, GSA will present potential land use plans to the community in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for comment. GSA will hold a Public Meeting during the Draft EIS 45-day comment period to solicit comments from the community. Although this schedule is tentative, GSA anticipates this will occur in April 1999. After the Draft, GSA will issue a Final EIS. A decision on the Disposal and land use development will not be made until 30 days after the release of the Final EIS. GSA anticipates this decision will be rendered by August 1999. The EIS will seek to disclose the reasonable and foreseeable impacts that will result from this proposed Disposal Alternative, as well as the No Action Alternative, will seek to minimize these impacts and mitigate them where practical. As part of the Public Scoping process, GSA solicits comments in writing at the following address: Mr. Phil Youngberg, Regional Environmental Officer, (4PT), General Services Administration (GSA), 401 West Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 3010, Atlanta, GA 30365, or FAX: Mr. Phil Youngberg at 404-331-4540. Comments should be submitted in writing. GSA will conduct a Public Scoping Meeting to solicit comments, and to address general questions concerning the proposed action and NEPA. The first Scoping Meeting will be held at Central High School on Thursday November 19th at 6:30 PM. GSA will place a Public Notice of this and all subsequent public meetings in the Chattanooga Free Press approximately two weeks prior to the event. GSA will also notify persons and organizations by direct mail. Dated: October 21, 1998. Phil Youngberg, Regional Environmental Officer (4PT). [FR Doc. 98-28991 Filed 10-28-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6820-23-M