Environmental statements; availability, etc.: Base realignment and closure— Fort McClellan, AL,

[Federal Register: July 16, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 136)]

[Notices]

[Page 38412-38413]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr16jy99-65]

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Availability for the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Disposal and Reuse of Fort McClellan (FMC), Alabama

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Record of decision.

SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the disposal and reuse of Fort McClellan, Anniston, Alabama. It has been determined that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the disposal and reuse of the installation adequately assesses the impacts of the proposed action and related alternatives on the biological, physical and cultural environment. The Army installation is being closed in accordance with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990. A 22,567 acre National Guard Enclave will remain after Fort McClellan closes. The ROD establishes the Army's decision to proceed with disposal of excess properties and facilities in accordance with the Army's preferred alternative (Encumbered Disposal) described in the FEIS.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and/or FEIS may be obtained by contacting Mr. Curtis Flakes, US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (ATTN: CESAM-PD-EC), P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36602-3630.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Curtis Flakes at (334) 690-2777 and telefax: (334) 690-2727.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS analyzed three disposal alternatives: (1) The No Action Alternative, which entails maintaining the property in caretaker status after closure; (2) the Encumbered Disposal Alternative, which entails transferring the property to future owners with Army-imposed limitations, or encumbrances, on the future use of the property; and (3) the Unencumbered Disposal Alternative, which entails transferring the property to future owners with fewer or no Army-imposed restrictions on the future use of the property. The preferred action identified in the FEIS is Encumbered Disposal of excess property at Fort McClellan. Based upon the analysis contained in the FEIS, encumbrances

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and deed restrictions associated with the Army's disposal actions for Fort McClellan will be mitigation measures.

Planning for the reuse of the property to be disposed of is a secondary action resulting from closure. The local community established the Fort McClellan Development Commission (FMDC) to produce a reuse development plan for the surplus property. The impacts of reuse are evaluated in terms of land use intensities. This reuse analysis is based upon implementing one of three reuse alternatives, all of which are based upon the FMDC reuse plan. The Army has not selected one of these three alternatives as the preferred action. Selection of the preferred reuse plan is a decision that will be made by the local community. This ROD allows the Army to initiate action to dispose of the excess property at Fort McClellan in accordance with the Fort McClellan Comprehensive Reuse Plan.

Dated: July 8, 1999. Raymond J. Fatz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health) OASA (I&E).

[FR Doc. 99-18118Filed7-15-99; 8:45 am]

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