Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for Realignment of Five Business Areas From Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to Detroit Arsenal, Michigan

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) and

Environmental Assessment (EA) for Realignment of Five Business Areas

From Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to Detroit Arsenal, Michigan

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

realignment of the following business areas: a) Supply Distribution, b)

Bridging, c) Mechanical Counter Mobility, d) Water Purification, and e)

Fuels and Lubricants to the Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, as required by

the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-510).

The 1993 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission

recommended certain realignment and closure actions for military

installations on July 1, 1993 (BRAC 93), including the realignment of a

portion of the Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center

(BRDEC), Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to the Tank-Automotive Research,

Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), Detroit Arsenal, Michigan.

Recommended actions were approved by the President of the United States

and subsequent review by the United States Congress did not alter any

of the BRAC 93 recommendations.

The purpose of the EA is to identify and evaluate the anticipated

effects of the realignment of these five business areas upon the

receiving location. Because the recommended realignment is a statutory

requirement and must be implemented, No Action, or not implementing the

proposed action is not currently a viable alternative. The Army is

required to move and consolidate these activities to the maximum extent

possible. This mandate does not allow the Army to seek off-post sites

as options for consolidation of activities. Sufficient office space is

available in existing Building 201 which is currently undergoing

renovation to accommodate the office functions of the realigned Supply

Distribution, and Bridging business areas, however, existing on-post

laboratory facilities are either occupied or not configured to allow

efficient use by the Mechanical Counter Mobility, Water Purification,

and Fuels and Lubricants business areas. There are no feasible

alternatives to the following construction activities proposed to

execute this BRAC 93 action.

The EA studied in detail two possible alternatives: (a) Preferred

construction site and (b) an alternative construction site. Under the

Preferred Construction Site Alternative the Fuels and Lubricants, Water

Purification and Mechanical Counter Mobility business areas would be

accommodated on Detroit Arsenal in a new 38,000 square foot facility.

This facility would be built between and connect two existing buildings

(Buildings 212 and 215) in the north-central portion of Detroit

Arsenal. The building location was selected on the basis of its

proximity to existing facilities and its compatibility with current

utilization.

Under the Alternative Construction Site the Fuels and Lubricants,

Water Purification and Mechanical Counter Mobility business areas would

be accommodated at the Detroit Arsenal in a new 40,000 square foot

facility. This facility would be a free standing structure built over

approximately one acre of undeveloped land just west of Building 215 in

the north-central sector of the Detroit Arsenal. This site is currently

used as a softball field.

Regarding the preferred construction site alternative, no

significant impacts were identified. Potential for only minor,

insignificant impacts are anticipated regarding: Air Quality, soils,

and groundwater. Building 212 has been recommended as being eligible

for the National Register of Historic Places. Proposed construction

plans for the new connecting building will be coordinated with the

Michigan State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) prior to

undertaking any construction activities. If necessary, a Memorandum of

Agreement detailing the actions the Army will take to avoid or mitigate

for any adverse effects to National Register properties will be

concluded among the Army, the Michigan SHPO, and the Advisory Council.

Regarding the Alternative Construction Site, no significant impacts

were identified. Potential for only minor, insignificant, impacts are

anticipated regarding: land use, air quality, soils, surface drainage,

and [[Page 22570]] groundwater. This site would require an

archaeological reconnaissance.

Based on the environmental impact analyses found in the EA, it has

been determined that implementation of the proposed action would not

have significant individual or cumulative impacts on the quality of the

natural or the human environment. Because there would be no significant

environmental impacts resulting from implementation of the proposed

action, a FNSI has been prepared, and an Environmental Impact Statement

is not required for the realignment of these five business areas to the

Detroit Arsenal, Michigan.

DATES: Comments must be received by no later than May 23, 1995.

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

inquire regarding the FNSI by writing to the U.S. Army Engineer

District, Louisville, ATTN: CEORL-PD-R (Jim Baker), P.O. Box 59,

Louisville, Kentucky 40201-0059.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding this FNSI may be

directed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Mr. Jim Baker, at

(502) 582-5774.

Dated: May 3, 1995.

Lewis D. Walker,

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

Occupational Health) OASA (IL&E).

[FR Doc. 95-11234 Filed 5-5-95; 8:45 am]

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