Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, FL

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the

Disposal and Reuse of Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, FL

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as

implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations

(40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy announces its

intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate

the environmental effects of the disposal and reuse of Naval Training

Center (NTC) Orlando, Florida. This disposal and reuse is being

conducted in compliance with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment

Act (BCRA) of 1990.

In accordance with recommendations of the 1993 Base Closure and

Realignment Commission, the Navy plans to close NTC Orlando, and its

three remote sites: Area ``C'', Herndon Annex, and NTC Annex.

Approximately 2,020 acres and associated buildings will be available

for reuse following closure of NTC Orlando and the remote sites. NTC

Orlando's functions and operations will be relocated to other

Department of Defense locations.

The proposed action involves the disposal of land, buildings, and

infrastructure of NTC Orlando for subsequent use. As required by the

NEPA process, the Navy will evaluate alternative reuses for the NTC

Orlando properties. In accordance with CEQ regulations, the ``no-

action'' alternative of Navy retention of NTC Orlando properties in a

caretaker status will also be addressed in the EIS. However, because

the process is mandated by the BCRA, selection of the ``no-action''

alternative would be considered impracticable for the Navy to

implement.

Reuse of NTC Orlando's assets will be defined in coordination with

the City of Orlando NTC Reuse Commission. Anticipated uses include, but

are not limited to: residential, industrial, commercial, office,

recreational, or a combination of these. Major environmental issues

that will be addressed in the EIS include, but are not limited to: air

quality, water quality, wetlands, endangered species, cultural

resources, and socioeconomic impacts.

Navy will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of determining

the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant

issues related to this action. Navy will hold a public scoping meeting

on Thursday, August 25, 1994, beginning at 7 p.m., at the Audubon Park

Elementary School, 1500 Falcon Drive, Orlando, Florida. This meeting

will be advertised in the Orlando area newspapers.

A brief presentation will precede request for public comment. Navy

representatives will be available at this meeting to receive comments

from the public regarding issues of concern to the public. It is

important that federal, state, and local agencies and interested

individuals take this opportunity to identify environmental concerns

that should be addressed during the preparation of the EIS. In the

interest of available time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral

comments to five minutes.

Agencies and the public are also invited and encouraged to provide

written comment in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the

public meeting. To be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly

describe specific issues or topics which the commenter believes the EIS

should address. Written statements and/or questions regarding the

scoping process should be mailed no later than September 26, 1994, to:

Commanding Officer, Southern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering

Command, P.O. Box 190010, North Charleston, SC 29419-9010 (Attn: Mr.

Ronnie Lattimore, Code 203RL), telephone (803) 743-0796, Fax (803) 743-

0888.

Dated: August 5, 1994.

Lewis T. Booker, Jr.,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 94-19504 Filed 8-9-94; 8:45 am]

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