Environmental statements; availability, etc.: Fort Hutachuca, AZ; real property master plan; land use and real estate investment,

[Federal Register: December 27, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 247)]

[Notices]

[Page 72319-72320]

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

[DOCID:fr27de99-55]

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Approval of Land Use and Real Estate Investment Strategies in support of Real Property Master Planning at Fort Huachuca, Arizona

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA).

SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) which assesses the potential environmental impacts of the approval of updates to three components of the Fort Huachuca Real Property Master Plan (RPMP), and the authorization of the steps leading to project implementation.

DATES: Written comments received within 30 days of the publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's NOA for this action will be considered by the Army during final decision making.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the FEIS, contact Commander, U.S. Army Garrison, Attn: ATZS-ISB (FEIS/Ms.

[[Page 72320]]

Chastain), Fort Huachuca, Arizona 85613-6000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Major Dan Williams or Ms. Tanya Linton at (520) 533-1287 or 533-2752.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Army prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) which assessed the environmental and human health impacts of the proposed action at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and the surrounding communities. An NOA was published on June 10, 1998, in the Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which provided notice that the DEIS was available for comment. A public Information meeting was held on June 30, 1998. Comments from the DEIS and public meeting have been considered and included along with responses in the FEIS.

The proposed action is to approve three updates to the Installation RPMP: (1) Long-Range Component, (2) the Short-Range Component, and (3) the Capital Investment Strategy, which will be used to guide real property and facilities management at Fort Huachuca. The alternatives to the proposed action considered in the FEIS are (1) No Action (continuation of current management conditions) and (2) Other Action-- approval of the Long-Range Component update but not the Short-Range Component and Capital Investment Strategy updates.

Approval of the three RPMP component updates as discussed in the proposed action would allow Fort Huachuca to establish a framework for managing limited financial and real property resources and ensure installation management is compatible with local community development. Minor positive impact to land use and personnel safety would result from corrections of land use incompatibilities within the cantonment. Minor indirect positive socio-economic impact may occur at Fort Huachuca as a result of approving steps toward the implementation of programmed construction projects.

The FEIS concludes that no significant environmental impacts to cultural resources, air quality, noise, geology and soils, hydrology and water resources, biological resources (including federally listed threatened and endangered species and critical habitat), energy, waste management, or transportation would result from the proposed action or either of the two alternatives.

The FEIS is available for public review at the Sierra Vista Public Library, 2950 E. Tacoma street, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635.

Dated: December 13, 1999. Raymond J. Fatz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health) OASA(I&E).

[FR Doc. 99-33514Filed12-23-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710-08-M