Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment for Disposal and Reuse of Tacony Warehouse, Philadelphia, PA

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment for

Disposal and Reuse of Tacony Warehouse, Philadelphia, PA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: The proposed action analyzed by this document is the disposal

and reuse of the Tacony Warehouse facility, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

as required by the Defense Authorization Amendments and the Base

Closure and Realignment Act (Pub. L. 100-526). The Army will dispose of

an approximately 14 acre parcel of land with improvements. The Fort Dix

Directorate of Public Works has been maintaining the facility since

closure in September 1992.

The alternatives are expressed in terms of Army imposed conditions

for real estate disposal. An ``Unencumbered Alternative'' represents

the ability to turn over the property with no Army imposed conditions.

An ``Encumbered Alternative'' deals with property transferred with

conditions imposed by the Army. This may be due to mitigation required

by another regulatory agency or may be required to protect Army

interests. Council on Environmental Quality and Army regulations

implementing the National Environmental Protection Act require a no-

action alternative as a benchmark against which proposed actions are

evaluated. For this document, this is the ``Caretaker'' alternative.

The ``Unencumbered Alternative'', the ``Encumbered Alternative'',

and the ``No Action Alternative'' (Caretaker) have been addressed in

the Environmental Assessment (EA). In the ``Unencumbered Alternative'',

the facility will be available for reuse under a range of projected

levels of reuse. Those projected levels of reuse are: High Intensity

Use, Medium Intensity Use, Low Intensity Use and Open Space.

High Intensity Use is defined when all of the property is offered

for sale for a light industrial/commercial reuse. There would be

renovation of existing structures to house a light industrial/

commercial enterprise. Some construction activities, including building

office and showroom space, will be performed within existing

structures.

Medium Intensity Use is when all of the property is used as a

regional distribution center. The facility's area of distribution will

be the Mid-Atlantic States region. There will be renovations of

existing structures and renovation of the rail lines entering the site.

Low Intensity use would occur if all of the property is sold or

transferred for reuse as warehouse. An example of Open Space is when

the remainder of the parcel will be transferred to the city for use as

an outdoor recreation area.

Land use in the ``Encumbered Alternative'' is similar to ``Low

Intensity Use'' addressed in the ``Unencumbered Alternative.'' The

identified encumbrance is associated with groundwater remediation

activities and will restrict use of groundwater for human ingestion or

industrial purposes. Additionally, the 0.9 acre parcel adjacent to the

state owned boat ramp will be transferred to the Pennsylvania Fishing

Commission as part of the boat ramp parking and picnic area. In the no

action alternative, also known as the ``Caretaker'' alternative, the

Army will retain and close the facility. The structures will be allowed

to stand, with minimum maintenance activity conducted at the facility.

The disposal of Tacony Warehouse would not result in significant

environmental or socioeconomic impacts. The transfer of 0.9 acres to

the Pennsylvania Fishing Commission will have no impact on the

environment since the activities and conditions at the 0.9 acre site

will not change as a result of the transfer.

Army Environmental Center studies have identified the extent of

contamination at the site. A remediation plan was prepared and

coordinated with the Environmental Protection Agency and the

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. The following

remediation has been planned: Removal of underground storage tanks and

above ground storage tanks; replacement of polychlorinated biphenyl

contaminated transformers; asbestos removal and management; steam

cleaning of contaminated building surfaces; contaminated soil and

sediment removal; and groundwater collection and monitoring. Since the

structures on the property were constructed prior to 1978, the

potential for lead based paints exist. The Army does not plan to remove

any lead based paint.

Reuse of the property will have potential impacts to air quality,

water quality, soils, and hazardous and toxic materials. The extent of

these impacts will be dependent on: (1) The extent of renovation,

demolition, and construction activities; and (2) the products produced

and stored at the facility. High intensity reuse and Open Space reuse,

addressed in the ``Unencumbered Alternative'', will have the greatest

impacts on these resources. Best management techniques will lessen the

impacts of construction and renovation. Prior to and during operations,

consultation will occur with environmental resource agencies, as

required, to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local

regulations and guidelines.

Increases to the facility's utility usage and the surrounding

traffic patterns as a result of reuse will not pose a significant

impact to the surrounding community. No plant and animal ecologies

exist on the property. No cultural resources exist on the site to be

affected by reuse. The State Historic Preservation Office has concurred

with the Army's determination that no historic properties exist on the

site. Since the disposal of Tacony Warehouse does not constitute a

major federal action significantly affecting the human environment, an

Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 3, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to comment may obtain a copy of the EA or

inquire regarding this Finding of No Significant Impact by writing to

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Mr. Larry D. Eastman, Planning

Division, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions regarding this FNSI may be directed

to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Mr. Larry D. Eastman, at

(410) 962-3208.

Dated: August 29, 1994.

Lewis D. Walker,

Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and Occupational

Health) OASA (IL&E).

[FR Doc. 94-21749 Filed 9-1-94; 8:45 am]

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