Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision for a Replacement Robley Rex Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, Kentucky, 48901 [2017-22842]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 202 (Friday, October 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 48901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22842]



[[Page 48901]]

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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision for a Replacement 
Robley Rex Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, 
Kentucky

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the 
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the siting, 
construction, and operation of a new campus to replace the existing 
Robley Rex VA Medical Center (VAMC), and three community-based 
outpatient clinics in Louisville, Kentucky. VA considered comments 
received on the Draft EIS issued in October 2016; identified VA's 
preferred alternative in the Final EIS issued on April 28, 2017; and 
hereby incorporates by reference the Final EIS into the ROD.

DATES: VA is publishing the Record of Decision more than 30 days after 
publishing the Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: The ROD is available for viewing on the Web site 
www.louisville.va.gov/newmedicalcenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Replacement VAMC Activation Team 
Office, 800 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206, Email: 
LouisvilleReplacementHospitalComments@va.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Based on the detailed analysis in the Final 
EIS, along with public input and the implementation of identified 
management and mitigation measures to minimize impacts identified in 
Chapter 5 of the Final EIS, Preferred Alternative A (Brownsboro Site) 
is fully consistent with the Agency's mission to provide high-quality, 
safe and accessible health care for Veterans well into the 21st 
Century; and has been shown to fully meet the VA's purpose and need for 
action. Through a rigorous site selection process and for reasons 
described in Chapter 2 of the Final EIS, VA narrowed the list of most 
suitable sites to the Brownsboro and St. Joseph sites, and has 
determined that the existing VAMC cannot be expanded or rebuilt to 
fully meet the current and projected health care needs of Louisville-
area Veterans. The Brownsboro Site is located in closer proximity to 
the University of Louisville Hospital in downtown Louisville and thus 
would better facilitate continued collaboration between that facility 
and the VAMC. Its more central location is also closer to Veterans and 
VAMC employees living in other parts of the Louisville Metro area (e.g. 
west and south), and it offers more direct access via multiple 
interstates and major roads for those Veterans coming from other parts 
of the service area. With respect to environmental concerns, it 
contains no surface water resources or wetlands and fewer protected 
species than the St. Joseph Site.
    VA acknowledges there would be potential adverse impacts associated 
with the Brownsboro Site, although similar adverse effects would also 
occur at the St. Joseph Site, particularly related to traffic, which is 
one of the main reasons for public opposition to the Brownsboro Site.
    The ROD is available for viewing on the VA Web site at 
www.louisville.va.gov/newmedicalcenter/ and at the St. Matthews and 
Westport Branches of the Louisville Free Public Library located at 3940 
Grandview Avenue, Louisville, KY 40207 and 8100 Westport Road, 
Louisville, KY 40222, respectively. Information related to the EIS 
process is also available for viewing on the VA Web site at 
www.louisville.va.gov/newmedicalcenter/.
    Signing Authority: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, 
approved this document and authorized the undersigned to sign and 
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Gina S. Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department 
of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on October 12, 2017, for 
publication.

    Dated: October 12, 2017.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-22842 Filed 10-19-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P