Environmental statements; record of decision: Base realignment and closure— Fort Sam Houston, TX, 34229-34230 [07-3056]

Agencies

• Army Department

[Federal Register: June 21, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 119)]
[Notices]
[Page 34229-34230]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn07-19]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Actions at Fort Sam Houston, TX

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of a ROD
which documents the potential environmental impacts associated with
realignment actions directed by the BRAC Commission at Fort Sam
Houston, TX and Camp Bullis, TX.

ADDRESSES: For more information or to obtain a copy of the ROD, please
contact Mr. Phillip Reidinger, Public Affairs Office, Building 124,
1212 Stanley Road, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234; e-mail 
Phillip.Reidinger@us.army.mil.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phillip Reidinger at (210) 221-
1151.

[[Page 34230]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject of the ROD, EIS and Proposed
Action are the construction and renovation activities and movement of
personnel associated with the BRAC directed realignment of Fort Sam
Houston. The documents also evaluate effects of Army Modular Force
(AMF) transformation activities that will occur at Fort Sam Houston at
the same time that the BRAC actions are being implemented.
    To implement the applicable portions of the BRAC recommendations,
Fort Sam Houston will be receiving personnel, equipment, and missions
from various realignment and closure actions within the Department of
Defense. Additionally, the Army had planned to conduct a series of non-
BRAC transformations to position its forces strategically for the
future. Additionally, permanent facilities will be constructed or
renovated to house the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade and various
Headquarters units of the new Army North and Sixth Army that are
currently located in a mix of temporary and existing facilities.
    To enable implementation of the BRAC Commission recommendations and
accommodation of the concurrent Army initiatives, the Army must provide
the necessary facilities/buildings and infrastructure to support the
changes in force structure.
    Following a rigorous examination of all implementation
alternatives, those alternatives found not to be viable were dropped
from further analysis in the EIS. Alternatives carried forward included
(1) The Preferred Alternative and (2) a No Action Alternative. The
Preferred Alternative included construction, renovation, and operation
of proposed facilities to accommodate incoming military missions at
Fort Sam Houston. Minor siting variations of proposed facilities were
also evaluated.
    Planned undertakings within the National Historical Landmark (NHL)
District, including the demolition of existing buildings and
construction of new buildings, will be reviewed using the Installation
Design Guide historic review requirements and the Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) in the Historic Properties Component (HPC) of the
Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan. If demolition cannot be
avoided, the determination of effects to cultural resources of the NHL
District and required mitigations will be determined per the HPC SOPs.
    The EIS analyses indicated that implementation of the preferred
alternative would have no long-term, significant impacts on the other
environmental resources of Fort Sam Houston, Camp Bullis or their
surrounding areas. Potential minor impacts to visual resources from
implementation of the preferred alternative would generally occur only
within the physical boundaries of Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis. No
long-term significant impacts to geology, topography, caves, karst
features, soils or wetlands will occur at either installation.
Potential land use impacts are expected at Fort Sam Houston. Use of
utilities and generation of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes will
likely increase at both installations but not in significant amounts.
    Minor air, noise and transportation impacts would also occur during
short-term construction activities under the preferred alternative at
both installations and continue after final construction and occupancy.
No significant impacts to biological resources (vegetation, wildlife,
and threatened and endangered species) are expected from the
implementation of the preferred alternative. Alternative siting
variations would result in similar impacts and benefits as compared to
the preferred alternative.
    The ROD has considered the results of the analyses presented in the
Final EIS and has determined that the EIS adequately addresses the
impacts associated with implementation of the Army's proposed action.
As a result of this ROD, the Army will proceed with implementation of
the Realignment Alternative as presented Final EIS, with all or any of
its assessed siting variations, if required to implement the BRAC
Commission's recommendations at Fort Sam Houston. In making this
decision, a 30-day waiting period for comments on the Final EIS was
observed. No new issues that would require modifying or supplementing
the EIS were identified. The Fort Sam Houston ROD also takes into
consideration transcripts of scoping and Draft EIS public meetings,
oral and written comments received during the public comment periods,
and provisions of relevant statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders
that bear on the installation disposal process and environmental
stewardship responsibilities of the Army.
    An electronic version of the ROD can be viewed or downloaded from
the following Web site: https://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm
.


    Dated: June 15, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-3056 Filed 6-20-07; 8:45 am]

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