[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32349-32350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12036]
[[Page 32349]]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Initiate Section 106 Consultation for Proposed Changes to Arecibo
Observatory Operations, Arecibo, Puerto Rico and Notice of Public
Scoping Meetings and Comment Period
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
and initiate Section 106 consultation for proposed changes to Arecibo
Observatory operations, Arecibo, Puerto Rico and notice of public
scoping meetings and comment period.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, the National Science Foundation (NSF) intends to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate potential
environmental effects of proposed changes to operations at Arecibo
Observatory, in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. (See supplementary information
below for more detail.) By this notice, NSF is announcing the beginning
of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues
to be analyzed in the EIS. NSF also intends to initiate consultation
under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to evaluate
potential effects to the Arecibo Observatory, which is a historic
property listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS and
the initiation of public involvement under Section 106 per 36 CFR
800.2(d). Comments on issues may be submitted verbally during scoping
meetings scheduled for June 7, 2016 (see details below) or in writing
until June 23, 2016. To be eligible for inclusion in the Draft EIS, all
comments must be received prior to the close of the scoping period. NSF
will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon
publication of the Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to this proposal by either
of the following methods:
Email to: [email protected], with subject line ``Arecibo
Observatory.''
Mail to: Ms. Elizabeth Pentecost, RE: Arecibo Observatory,
National Science Foundation, Suite 1045, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington,
VA 22230.
Scoping Meetings: NSF will host two public scoping meetings.
Daytime meeting: June 7, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,
DoubleTree by Hilton San Juan, 105 Avenida De Diego, San Juan, PR,
Phone: (787) 721-6500.
Evening meeting: June 7, 2016, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico/Puerto Rico
Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors (Arecibo Chapter),
Ave. Manuel T. Guill[aacute]n Urd[aacute]z, Conector 129 Carr. 10,
Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Phone: (787) 758-2250.
Comments will be transcribed by a court reporter. Spanish language
translation will be provided for simultaneous translation of
presentations. Please contact NSF at least one week in advance of the
meeting if you would like to request special accommodations (i.e., sign
language interpretation, etc.).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the
EIS process or Section 106 consultation, please contact: Ms. Elizabeth
Pentecost, National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical
Sciences, Suite 1045, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230;
telephone: (703) 292-4907; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Arecibo Observatory is an NSF-owned
scientific research and education facility located in Puerto Rico. In
2011, NSF awarded a five-year Cooperative Agreement to SRI
International (SRI), which together with Universities Space Research
Association (USRA) and Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) have formed the
Arecibo Management Team to operate and maintain the Arecibo Observatory
for the benefit of research communities. Arecibo Observatory enables
research in three scientific disciplines: Space and atmospheric
sciences, radio astronomy, and solar system radar studies; the last of
these is largely funded through a research award to USRA from the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. An education and public
outreach program complements the Arecibo Observatory scientific
program. A key component of the Arecibo Observatory research facility
is a 305-meter diameter, fixed, spherical reflector. Arecibo
Observatory infrastructure includes instrumentation for radio and radar
astronomy, ionospheric physics, office and laboratory buildings, a
heavily utilized visitor and education facility, and lodging facilities
for visiting scientists.
Through a series of academic community-based reviews, NSF has
identified the need to divest several facilities from its portfolio in
order to retain the balance of capabilities needed to deliver the best
performance on the key science of the present decade and beyond. In
2012, NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences' (AST's) portfolio review
committee recommended that ``continued AST involvement in Arecibo . . .
be re-evaluated later in the decade in light of the science
opportunities and budget forecasts at that time.'' In 2016, NSF's
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences' (AGS') portfolio review
committee recommended significantly decreasing funding for the Space
and Atmospheric Sciences portion of the Arecibo mission. In response to
these evolving recommendations, in 2016, NSF completed a feasibility
study to inform and define options for the observatory's future
disposition that would involve significantly decreasing or eliminating
NSF funding of Arecibo. Concurrently, NSF sought viable concepts of
operations from the scientific community via a Dear Colleague Letter
NSF 16-005 (see www.nsf.gov/AST), with responses due by January 15,
2016. Alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS will be refined through
continued public input, with preliminary alternatives that include the
following:
Continued NSF investment for science-focused operations (No-
Action Alternative)
Collaboration with interested parties for continued science-
focused operations
Collaboration with interested parties for transition to
education-focused operations
Mothballing of facilities (suspension of operations in a
manner such that operations could resume efficiently at some future
date)
Deconstruction and site restoration
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis,
including identification of viable alternatives, and guide the process
for developing the EIS. At present, NSF has identified the following
preliminary resource areas for analysis of potential impacts: Air
quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geological
resources, solid waste generation, health and safety, socioeconomics,
traffic, and groundwater resources. NSF will consult under Section 106
of the National Historic Preservation Act and Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act in coordination with this EIS process, as
appropriate. Federal, state, and local agencies, along with other
stakeholders that may be interested or affected by NSF's decision on
this proposal are invited to participate in the scoping
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process and, if eligible, may request to participate as a cooperating
agency.
Proposal Information: Information will be posted, throughout the
EIS process, at www.nsf.gov/AST.
Dated: May 18, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016-12036 Filed 5-20-16; 8:45 am]
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