Department of Justice 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announces the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for the proposed contract to secure additional inmate bed space for the BOP's growing inmate population. As part of this action, known as the Short Term Sentences Acquisition procurement, the BOP has identified a specific requirement to confine an aggregate population of approximately 3,000 low-security adult male inmates (with one year or less remaining to serve) that are primarily criminal aliens. The BOP is seeking to accommodate the growing federal inmate population by requesting additional contract beds. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the Department of Justice procedures for implementing NEPA (28 CFR 61), the BOP published an EA on January 28, 2011 which described the potential environmental and other impacts associated with the proposed action to award a contract to one or more private correctional contractors to house a population of approximately 3,000 federal, low-security, adult male inmates that are primarily criminal aliens with one year or less to serve on their sentences. Copies of the EA were distributed to federal, state, regional and local officials, agencies, organizations and the public. Publication of the EA initiated a public comment period lasting no less than 30 days and during that comment period, which ended on February 28, 2011, comments were received from several government agencies and a member of the public. With the passage of time since the EA was first published, and following a thorough review of all public comments and environmental documentation amassed in support of the proposed action, the BOP determined that it was appropriate and in the best interests of the public to prepare a new EA. This new EA incorporates additional information prepared in response to public comments received by the BOP along with the most current information regarding the alternative facilities. The BOP's EA evaluates the potential environmental consequences of three action alternatives and the No Action Alternative. Natural, cultural, and socioeconomic resource impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed action at each of the alternative locations were analyzed to determine how these resources may be affected by the proposed action. The alternatives considered in the EA include the use of the following privately-owned and operated facilities: Diamondback Correctional Center, Watonga, Oklahoma; Great Plains Correctional Facility, Hinton, Oklahoma; and Willacy County Processing Center, Raymondville, Texas. The EA also includes information concerning the BOP's preferred alternative. Inmates housed in one or more of these facilities would be primarily criminal aliens who have less than one year remaining to serve of their sentences.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is in the process of revising its Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor (2000) Standard and corresponding certification program requirements. This work will be performed by a Special Technical Committee (STC), comprised of practitioners from the field, researchers, testing experts, certification experts, and representatives from stakeholder organizations. It is anticipated that the STC members will participate in up to twelve 2-day meetings over an 18-month time period with the goal of completing development of the standard and certification program requirements. It is anticipated that STC meetings will begin in June 2011. Travel expenses and per diem will be reimbursed for all STC meetings; however, participation time will not be funded. NIJ is seeking representatives from (1) certification bodies and (2) test laboratories with experience in programs for similar types of personal protective equipment. Additional preferred knowledge includes experience with law enforcement and corrections operations. There are up to four positions to be filled on the STC, and NIJ will accept the first 20 submissions for review. Interested parties are requested to nominate individuals from their organizations and submit no more than two pages describing the nominee's applicable experience, preferred knowledge, and affiliations with standards development organizations. To be considered, there must not be any conflict of interest in which the proposed STC member has a direct financial relationship with manufacturers of stab-resistant armor. Debra Stoe is the NIJ Program Manager responsible for this work, and Casandra Robinson is the point of contact for Ms. Stoe. Responses to this request for proposals shall be submitted to Casandra Robinson at casandra.robinson@usdoj.gov by May 13, 2011. The submissions will be reviewed, and participants will be notified regarding their acceptance by May 20, 2011.