[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37418-37421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14854]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Record of Decision for the Development of the Westside of Marine
Corps Base Quantico, Including the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
Action
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Record of Decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. Section 4332(2)(c), the
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) for
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the
Department of the Navy NEPA regulation (32 CFR part 775), and the
Marine Corps Environmental Compliance and Protection Manual, which is
Marine Corps Order P5090.2A (MCO P5090.2A), the Department of the Navy
announces its decision to develop the area west of Interstate 95
(Westside) at Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCB Quantico), Virginia. This
action will include implementation of the 2005 Base Realignment and
Closure (BRAC) action at MCB Quantico. The development of Westside and
implementation of BRAC 2005 at MCB Quantico will be accomplished as set
out in the Preferred Alternative and described in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) of April 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Gardner, NREA Branch (B046),
3250 Catlin Avenue, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA 22134-0855,
telephone: 703-432-6770, and e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2005, the Secretary of Defense and the
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommended that
certain realignment actions occur at MCB Quantico. The President and
Congress approved these recommendations, which became law on November
9, 2005. These recommendations must now be implemented as provided for
in the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-
510), as amended, no later than September 15, 2011. The actions
directed at MCB Quantico are the collocation of Military Department
Investigation Agencies Headquarters with the Counterintelligence Field
Activity, and the Defense Security Service at MCB Quantico. These
realignment actions will add approximately 3,000 personnel to work at
MCB Quantico by 2011.
Projected personnel growth in Marine Corps units currently on
Mainside, requirements to consolidate personnel located elsewhere,
replacement of inadequate facilities on Mainside, and an expectation
that other federal and Marine Corps initiatives will continue to
identify MCB Quantico as a site for relocation, combined with limited
redevelopment potential on Mainside, comprise the additional need to
develop Westside.
Proposed Action. The Marine Corps proposes development of the
Westside of MCB Quantico including the 2005 BRAC action at MCB
Quantico. The development would entail construction of new facilities
in two undeveloped areas west of I-95. These areas, the Russell Road
Area and the MCB-1 Area, would accommodate the collocation of Military
Department Investigation Agencies with the Department of Defense
Counterintelligence and Security Agency at MCB Quantico as directed by
the 2005 BRAC law. They would also provide space for adequate
facilities to support Marine Corps units currently at MCB Quantico, as
well as potentially other federal and Marine
[[Page 37419]]
Corps initiatives that may identify MCB Quantico as a site for
relocation. The components of the Proposed Action include construction
and operation of new facilities with the necessary infrastructure, road
improvements, and security measures to support new facilities.
Alternatives Considered: The Final EIS assesses two action
Alternatives, A and B, that respectively provide development to support
only the BRAC Action involving 3,000 personnel, or development to
support both the BRAC Action and an additional 2,000 personnel that
would relocate to the Westside. Both Alternatives A and B include the
two development location options for the BRAC component that were
identified in the 2006 Quantico Land Use Plan, I-95 West: (BRAC Option
1 (Russell Road) and BRAC Option 2 (MCB-1)). The following four options
to implement the Proposed Action are evaluated by the Final EIS.
Alternative B BRAC Option 1 (Russell Road) is the Marine Corps
Preferred Alternative.
Alternative A, BRAC Action. Alternative A would add only the
development required to accommodate those personnel (approximately
3,000) associated with the BRAC 2005 action. About 70 acres would be
required for the facilities. About 735,000 square feet of space and
provision of parking and necessary supporting infrastructure would be
constructed. Road widening and intersection improvements would be
required throughout the Russell Road/MCB-1 corridor, from the
intersection of Russell Road with U.S. Route 1 to the Southern Russell
Road Site and/or to the MCB-1 Area. Alternative A BRAC Option 1
(Russell Road) would site the entire BRAC development in the Southern
Russell Road Site, south of Telegraph Road and just east of the
intersection of Russell Road with Telegraph Road. Alternative A BRAC
Option 2 (MCB-1) would site the entire BRAC development in the Northern
MCB-1 Site along Hotpatch Road.
Alternative B, 5,000 Personnel Including BRAC. Alternative B would
add 5,000 personnel to work in the Westside, including 3,000 BRAC and
2,000 non-BRAC personnel. The non-BRAC personnel include approximately
1,000 personnel currently working elsewhere at MCB Quantico. Total
space needed for BRAC and non-BRAC components is estimated to be
approximately 148 acres and 1,300,000 square feet of interior space.
Road widening and intersection improvements would be required
throughout the Russell Road/MCB-1 corridor, from the intersection of
Russell Road with U.S. Route 1 to the Southern Russell Road Site and/or
to the MCB-1 Area.
Alternative B BRAC Option 1 (Russell Road) (The Preferred
Alternative) would site the entire BRAC development in the Southern
Russell Road Site; the remainder of the development for the additional
2,000 personnel would be sited in the MCB-1 Area, including
approximately 300 personnel potentially at the Weapons Training
Battalion Site. Alternative B BRAC Option 2 (MCB-1) would site the
entire BRAC development in the MCB-1 Site along Hotpatch Road. The
remaining development for 2,000 personnel could be completely sited in
other parcels of the MCB-1 Area, or completely sited in the Southern
Russell Road Site, or split between the two areas in some combination.
Development for 300 personnel would be considered for the Weapons
Training Battalion Site.
No Action Alternative. The No Action Alternative would maintain the
status quo. The No Action Alternative would not permit the
implementation of the BRAC-directed action and would not be consistent
with current law.
Environmentally Preferred Alternative. The No Action Alternative
maintains the status quo and therefore does not impact the existing
environment. It is the environmentally preferred alternative. However,
it does not meet the purpose and need of the action, and does not
comply with BRAC law. Therefore, a further environmental comparison of
the two action alternatives, which meet purpose and need, is provided.
Alternative A would disturb a smaller quantity of environmental
resources and consequently would be environmentally preferred to
Alternative B. In terms of satisfying the BRAC requirement, either BRAC
Option 1 (Russell Road) or BRAC Option 2 (MCB-1) is equally
environmentally preferred depending upon the environmental resource of
concern. Option 1 under either alternative potentially disturbs a
greater quantity of wetlands, which can be mitigated, however. Option 2
entails more roadway construction under Alternative A and results in
more traffic congestion on Base under both Alternatives A and B by
placing a higher density of personnel in one general area than Option
1. Option 2 also places more personnel within the radii of potentially
disturbing sound contours from training exercises. Other impacts are
similar for Options 1 and 2.
Environmental Impacts: Environmental impacts associated with the
Preferred Alternative, Alternative B BRAC Option 1 (Russell Road), are
discussed below.
Water Resources. The widening of Russell Road will cross
Chopawamsic Creek, but would avoid all other wetlands or Waters of the
U.S. The Marine Corps would obtain any required permits under the
Virginia/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Joint Permit Application process.
Implementation of stormwater and erosion and sedimentation best
management measures would reduce impacts to water quality.
Biological Resources. The Preferred Alternative would directly
impact an estimated 148 acres of primarily forested habitat. The
Preferred Alternative would occupy approximately two percent of the
total 6,895 forested acres in which the Russell Road and MCB-1 Areas
are located and would be near roads that already act as a barrier to
wildlife. Therefore impacts to forest habitat would be minimal. Impacts
to migratory birds would also be minimal. Proposed site development
would avoid areas containing the federally-threatened small whorled
pogonia or its designated protection zone. No other threatened or
endangered species are expected in the proposed development areas.
Consistent with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommendations,
widening of Russell Road would occur on the opposite side of most
recently identified small whorled pogonia colonies. Through informal
consultation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agreed the road widening is
not likely to adversely affect the small whorled pogonia and/or its
associated habitat as long as the widening of Russell Road occurred as
recommended.
Build out of the construction site has the potential, through the
importation of aggregate and other construction materials, as well as
landscaping and natural re-vegetation processes to introduce invasive
or non-native species. Mitigation measures will be employed to prevent
any such introduction of invasive or non-native species and all
landscape plantings will be in accordance with the approved plant list
described in the Base Exterior Architecture Plan.
Air Quality: MCBQ is located in an air quality control region that
is in moderate nonattainment for ozone and in nonattainment for
particulate matter with diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers
(PM2.5). It is also in an ozone transport region. Federal
actions located in nonattainment and maintenance areas are required to
demonstrate compliance with the general conformity guidelines. The
Final EIS has a completed General
[[Page 37420]]
Conformity Rule applicability analysis for the ozone precursor
pollutants nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, for
PM2.5, and for the PM2.5 precursor pollutant
sulfur dioxide to analyze impacts to air quality. It determined that
annual project emissions are well below de minimis values and are not
regionally significant; therefore, a further conformity determination
is not required and impacts from these pollutants are not significant.
A Record of Non-Applicability was included in the Final EIS.
Noise: The proposed development areas could be impacted by noise
from nearby training ranges that will increase in the future with the
introduction of new aircraft and increased ordnance. Reports from noise
studies indicate that in the future much of the MCB-1 Area and
approximately 10 acres in the western portion of the Southern Russell
Road Site are projected to be within a zone of moderate noise impact.
Noise attenuation measures would be employed to meet noise standards,
most of which are already designed into the construction to meet
security requirements. Temporary noise associated with construction and
any increase in noise levels from traffic would not be expected to
cause impacts off Base.
Transportation. Traffic studies conducted in conjunction with the
EIS show that most secondary intersections within the project area
currently operate at acceptable levels; major access points that serve
the Base typically perform at unacceptable levels during peak commuter
periods.
Anticipated growth within the region and the corresponding increase
in vehicular traffic are predicted to further degrade the operation of
most intersections within the area. This degradation is expected to
occur with or without implementation of the proposed development of the
area west of I-95, unless improvements to those intersections are made.
The EIS analysis projects levels of service considered unacceptable at
intersections that provide access from U.S. Route 1 and I-95, as well
as within the Westside at proposed development sites, unless roadway
improvement measures are implemented, including those proposed as
mitigation in this document. In general, impacts within the Westside
are less if the development is spread between the Southern Russell Road
Site and MCB-1 Area, as occurs for the Preferred Alternative.
Socioeconomics. Implementation of the Preferred Alternative could
increase local residents employed at MCB Quantico by approximately
2,800 over time, and also would add associated additional family
members to the region. The additional population would be expected to
add students to the region's schools and could contribute to any need
for additional services in the region. The projected additional
residents represent a small percent of projected regional growth and
impacts to the region are not expected to be significant.
Implementation of the Preferred Alternative is not expected to have
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental
effects on minority, low-income or younger segments of the local
population.
Land Use: Proposed alternatives are consistent with MCBQ land use
plans; however, some land currently used for training and recreational
hunting would become unavailable and routes to training areas currently
passing through the development sites could require realignments.
Traffic on MCB-1 Road passes through the explosive safety arcs for the
adjacent ammunition supply point and would necessitate an adjustment of
ammunition storage. A project is planned to accomplish this by 2011.
Mitigation: The Marine Corps has identified potential mitigation
measures for any impacts to wetlands, surface water, invasive species,
and federally-threatened species, control of fugitive emissions to air,
potential noise exposure, and for traffic generated by the alternatives
that could cause unacceptable levels of service at nearby intersections
or exceed safety limits associated with the Ammunition Supply Point.
Implementation of mitigation will be monitored by the Marine Corps
construction management teams involved with each project.
Wetland Impacts Mitigation. The Virginia/USACE Joint Permit
Application process would be followed and best management practices for
erosion and sediment control will be implemented during and following
construction. Use of wetlands bank credits may be used by MCB Quantico
to mitigate the potential wetland losses.
Surface Water Measures. Stormwater management plans and best
management practices would be employed to control runoff. In addition,
a stormwater construction permit issued by the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation is required for all land disturbing
projects greater than or equal to one acre of disturbance.
Invasive Species Measures. In accordance with Executive Order 13112
(Invasive Species), and as discussed in detail in the FEIS, during
development of the sites, recommended measures to reduce the spread of
invasive species would be implemented as practicable.
Threatened Species Measures. In accordance with U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service recommendation, road widening would only occur on the
west side of Russell Road.
Fugitive Dust Control Measures. Fugitive dust from construction
would be kept to a minimum by using control methods in accordance with
the Regulations for the Control and Abatement of Air Pollution (9 VAC
5-50-60 et seq).
Noise Impacts Measures. For facilities sited in a zone of moderate
noise impacts, Noise Level Reduction (NLR) measures will be included in
the design of administrative facilities to reduce noise and impulse
vibrations.
Ammunition Safety and Overpressure Zone Measures. The ammunition
supply point operations building will be moved to avoid a hazard to
passing vehicles. Development designs will consider the overpressure
zone when a specific location for buildings has been determined and the
distance can be measured to identify design requirements.
Potential Traffic Improvement Measures. The following roadway
improvements will be funded and implemented by the Marine Corps to
mitigate impacts caused by the Preferred Alternative: (1) Russell Road
will be widened to 4 lanes from the Russell Road/Telegraph Road
intersection east to approximately 300 feet past the northbound
entrance ramp to I-95 (I-95 overpass support structures will not be
altered); (2) a connector road will be constructed between Telegraph
Road and Russell Road with traffic signals installed at each end; (3)
the existing Chopawamsic Creek bridge will be rehabilitated; (4) an
additional 2-lane bridge will be constructed over Chopawamsic Creek
adjacent to the existing bridge; (5) the I-95 southbound exit ramp will
have an additional lane added (westbound) and a traffic signal
installed; (6) the I-95 northbound exit ramp will have an additional
lane added (westbound) and a traffic signal installed; (7) a traffic
signal will be installed on Russell Road adjacent to the northbound
entrance ramp to I-95 from Russell Road; (8) Ponderosa Gate will be
improved; and (9) the U.S. Route 1 ramps to and from Russell Road are
under study in conjunction with gate improvements to Mainside to
improve level of service.
Additional roadway improvements to the west of Ponderosa Gate will
be identified when development there and resultant traffic volumes
warrant. The
[[Page 37421]]
EIS identified off-Base improvements at the U.S. Route 1/VA 637 and VA
610/Onville road intersections that would be under the purview of the
Commonwealth of Virginia; the Marine Corps will cooperate with the
Commonwealth as appropriate if these improvements are implemented. The
Defense Access Roads (DAR) Program is the only authority the Marine
Corps has to address these recommended improvements and the Marine
Corps will submit requests for consideration under this program if they
meet DAR criteria. In the next update of the Base Transportation
Management Plan the Marine Corps will identify strategies to reduce
single-occupancy vehicle trips during peak hours. This plan will also
encourage carpooling and staggered work hours where these do not impair
accomplishment of the defense mission. The Base will cooperate with
regional mass transit initiatives. State and/or local governments have
jurisdiction over off-Base roads and intersections and would determine
whether improvements identified off-Base in the EIS should be
implemented.
Response To Comments Received Regarding the Final EIS: Comments on
the Final EIS were received from the Commonwealth of Virginia. They
noted the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) concerns with
the statement in the Final EIS that state and/or local governments are
the action proponents for off-Base road improvements and the inference
that these had been approved and funded by State or local governments.
VDOT also requested commitments to carpooling, staggered work hours,
regional mass transit initiatives, and a transportation demand
management plan focused on reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips
during peak hours. The Marine Corps has addressed these comments in the
preceding section.
Conclusions: After careful consideration of the purpose and need
for the proposed action, the analysis contained in the EIS and the
comments received on the EIS from federal, state, and local agencies,
non-governmental organizations, and individual members of the public, I
have decided to proceed with the Preferred Alternative, Alternative B
BRAC Option 1 (Russell Road) for development of Westside and
implementation of BRAC 2005 at MCB Quantico, Virginia.
Consistent with this decision and the Proposed Action and analyses
described in the Final EIS, at the sites identified in the Preferred
Alternative, the Marine Corps will implement the Preferred Alternative
and address all mitigation measures.
Dated: June 24, 2008.
BJ Penn,
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment).
[FR Doc. E8-14854 Filed 6-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P