Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Potomac Hill Campus Master Plan, 34529-34530 [2014-14064]

Agencies

• General Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34529-34530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14064]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-WPD-2014-01; Docket No. 2014-0002; Sequence No. 24]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Potomac Hill Campus Master Plan

AGENCY: National Capital Region. U.S. General Services Administration 
(GSA).

ACTION: Notice of Environmental Impact Statement and public scoping 
meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 4321-4347; 
the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (Code of Federal 
Regulations [CFR], Title 40, chapter V, parts 1500-1508); GSA Order PBS 
P 1095.1F (Environmental considerations in decision-making, dated 
October 19, 1999); and the GSA Public Buildings Service NEPA Desk 
Guide, dated October 1999, GSA plans to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Potomac Hill Campus Master Plan (PHCMP) at 
Potomac Hill in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Northwest Washington, 
DC. GSA will be initiating related consultation under Section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f) and 
470(h-2), 36 CFR Part 800 [Protection of Historic Properties]) for the 
project.

DATES: The public scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 
2014, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. eastern standard time, at St. Mary's 
Church at 728 23rd Street NW. in Washington, DC.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held at St. Mary's Church 
at 728 23rd Street, NW., in Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Springer, NEPA Specialist, GSA, 
National Capital Region, at 202-260-3672. Also, please call this number 
if special assistance is needed to attend and participate in the 
scoping meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of intent is as follows:

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

    GSA intends to prepare an EIS to analyze the potential impacts 
resulting from the PHCMP, which will guide the development of 
approximately 11.8 acres of Northwest DC property under the custody and 
control of GSA and occupied by the U.S. Department of State (DOS), 
bounded approximately by the E Street Expressway to the north; 23rd 
Street NW., to the east; Constitution Avenue to the South; and 
Interstate 66 access ramps to the west. The primary purpose of this 
action is to transform the properties historically known as ``Navy 
Hill'' and ``Potomac Annex'' into a unified federal campus that 
accommodates DOS's operations and security requirements and recognizes 
the site's historic character.

Background

    The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in coordination 
with DOS, proposes the preparation of the PHCMP to guide future 
redevelopment--the Proposed Action.
    The property consists of two adjoining federally owned historic 
parcels known as Navy Hill and Potomac Annex, in the Foggy Bottom 
neighborhood of Washington, DC. Together, these parcels constitute the 
site hereafter referred to as Potomac Hill.
    Potomac Hill is an enclosed site, approximately 11.8 acres, located 
at 2300 E Street, NW. and bounded by 23rd Street NW. to the east, the 
southern access road within Potomac Annex, and the E Street Expressway 
(Potomac River Freeway) to the west and north. The site is immediately 
west of the DOS headquarters, the Harry S Truman building, at 2201 C 
Street NW.
    GSA historically has controlled Navy Hill and its three buildings 
(South, Central, and East) were occupied by DOS. In 2012, GSA acquired 
custody and control of Potomac Annex from the U.S. Department of the 
Navy (Navy) in order to accommodate additional DOS offices, as DOS does 
not have general authority to acquire real property in the United 
States. At this time the Potomac Annex buildings (Buildings 1-5) are 
undergoing renovation for use by DOS.

Purpose and Need

    The purpose of the proposed PHCMP is to provide GSA and DOS with a 
framework to guide the redevelopment of Potomac Hill into a unified 
federal campus that accommodates DOS's operations and security 
requirements and recognizes the site's historic character.
    The PHCMP is needed to meet DOS's long-term space needs in a manner 
consistent with provisions of the real property transfer from the Navy 
to GSA on behalf of DOS. By realigning its real estate portfolio and 
developing a Potomac Hill Campus, DOS can improve functional operations 
and accommodate increased space requirements while providing a secure 
workplace. DOS has determined that multiple operations in non-
contiguous locations result in security challenges, increased travel 
time, decreased productivity, and administrative inefficiencies. DOS 
has thus identified a critical need to realign its real estate 
portfolio to meet continuing space and functional mission requirements, 
provide a more secure workplace, and improve functional operations.
    Consolidation will move the agency out of multi-tenant leased 
locations into a centralized government facility near DOS headquarters, 
optimizing operations by more efficiently meeting

[[Page 34530]]

space requirements and concentrating security. In doing so, the PHCMP 
also supports Executive Order 13327, Federal Real Property Asset 
Management, enacted to ``promote the efficient and economical use of 
Federal real property resources.''
    The PHCMP will use GSA's Design Excellence process and establish 
design and planning principles to guide the redevelopment, 
rehabilitation, and restoration efforts associated with existing and 
new buildings, access points and roadways, open/green space, utility 
systems, infrastructure, and other site elements in a sustainable way 
that is sensitive to the site's cultural legacy.

U.S. General Services Administration Mission and Role in the Project

    GSA oversees the business of the United States government. The 
mission of GSA is to deliver the best value in real estate, 
acquisition, and technology services to government and the American 
people. Since DOS does not have any general authority to acquire real 
property in the United States, GSA acquired Potomac Annex to address 
the customer agency's need for additional federally owned office space 
proximate to its headquarters. The PHCMP will provide the GSA and DOS 
with a framework for future use of the site that serves DOS's long-term 
housing needs, taking into account GSA's standards for historically 
significant Federal Buildings.

U.S. Department of State Mission

    ``The core mission of the U.S. Department of State is to advance 
freedom for the benefit of the American people and the international 
community by helping to build and sustain a more democratic, secure, 
and prosperous world composed of well-governed states that respond to 
the needs of their people, reduce widespread poverty, and act 
responsibly within the international system.''
    DOS missions and functions require a high degree of collaboration, 
as virtually all DOS organizations are vertically and horizontally 
integrated. Locational proximity among DOS bureaus improves the 
communications and collaboration essential to diplomacy and diplomatic 
success, enabling improved support to Regional and Functional bureaus, 
as well as to the 250-plus U.S. embassies and consulates around the 
world.

U.S. Department of State National Capital Region Consolidation Effort

    DOS facilities are strategically located worldwide, with 
centralized functions housed in the District of Columbia (DC) 
metropolitan area. Increased diplomatic activity worldwide during the 
past decade has resulted in an increase in space needs for DOS in the 
National Capital Region. In 2014, the DOS real estate portfolio 
encompasses 63 buildings comprising 8 million rentable square feet 
(RSF). The largest concentration of DOS office space is 2 million RSF 
in DOS headquarters in Washington, DC, also known as the Harry S Truman 
Building (HST). DOS operations are primarily concentrated in HST and 
miscellaneous buildings in Foggy Bottom and Rosslyn, VA, including the 
East, South, and Central buildings at Navy Hill.
    On behalf of DOS, in 2012 GSA received from the Navy custody of and 
accountability for Buildings 1 through 5 and the underlying land called 
Potomac Annex, adjacent to the existing DOS offices on Navy Hill. GSA 
and DOS entered into an associated Memorandum of Understanding 
requiring GSA to initiate the development of the PHCMP to guide future 
renovation and development of an 11.8 acre campus comprised of both 
sites. The PHCMP will develop the vision, goals, and development 
strategy for the property.
    GSA is the lead agency for the PHCMP, and associated NEPA and NHPA 
compliance. DOS is a partner in the PHCMP development, a cooperating 
agency for NEPA and a signatory consulting party for NHPA.

Alternatives Under Consideration

    GSA will analyze a range of alternatives including the no action 
alternative for the proposed PHCMP. As part of the EIS, GSA will study 
the impacts of each alternative on the human environment.

Scoping Process

    In accordance with NEPA, a scoping process will be conducted to (i) 
aid in determining the alternatives to be considered and the scope of 
issues to be addressed, and (ii) identify the significant issues 
related to the PHCMP. ``Scoping'' is a tool for identifying the issues 
that should be addressed in the EIS and Section 106 consultation 
process. Scoping allows the public to help define priorities and 
express stakeholder and community issues to the agency through oral and 
written comments as described in 40 CFR part 1500.1(b). Scoping will be 
accomplished through a public scoping meeting, mail and email 
correspondence to potentially interested persons, agencies, and 
organizations, and meeting with agencies having an interest in the 
PHCMP. It is important that Federal, regional and local agencies, and 
interested individuals and groups take this opportunity to identify 
environmental concerns that should be addressed during the preparation 
of the Draft EIS.
    GSA is also using the NEPA scoping process to facilitate 
consultation with the public under Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act. GSA welcomes comments from the public to ensure that 
it takes into account the effects of its action on historic and 
cultural resources.

Public Scoping Meeting

    The public scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2014, 
from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. eastern standard time, at St. Mary's Church 
at 728 23rd Street NW. in Washington, DC. The meeting will be an 
informal open house where visitors may come, receive information, and 
give comments. GSA will publish announcement notices in the Washington 
Post and The Georgetowner approximately one to two weeks prior to the 
meeting. After scoping comments are received, they will be responded to 
in the EIS and through the Section 106 consultation process. A comment/
response matrix summarizing the scoping and Section 106 comments will 
be made available to the public in the Draft and Final EIS.
    Written Comments: Agencies and the public are encouraged to provide 
written comments on the scoping issues in addition to or in lieu of 
giving their comments at the public scoping meeting. Written comments 
regarding the environmental impact statement for the PHCMP must be 
postmarked or received no later than July 21, 2014, and sent to the 
following address: U.S. General Services Administration, National 
Capital Region, Attention: Jill Springer, NEPA Specialist, 301 7th 
Street SW., Room 4004, Washington, DC 20407. Email: potomachill@gsa.gov 
using the subject line: NEPA Scoping Comment.

    Dated: June 10, 2014.
Mina Wright,
Director, Office of Planning and Design Quality, National Capital 
Region, Public Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-14064 Filed 6-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P