Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Long Beach Naval Station, Long Beach, CA

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Long Beach Naval Station, Long Beach, CA

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on Environmental

Quality 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 Station (NAVSTA) Long Beach, Long Beach, California.

In accordance with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act

(Pub. L. 101-510) of 1990, as implemented by the 1991 Base Closure and

Realignment process, the Navy closed NAVSTA Long Beach on 30 September

1994. Operations conducted at NAVSTA Long Beach are currently

relocating to other naval stations located in the continental United

States. The proposed action involves the disposal of land, buildings,

and infrastructure of NAVSTA Long Beach for subsequent reuse. The

property currently occupied by the station, including the Mole, totals

approximately 250 acres. The Naval station is located on Terminal

Island within the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors along Seaside

Avenue/Ocean Boulevard.

The Navy intends to analyze the environmental effects of the

disposal of NAVSTA Long Beach based on potential reasonable reuses of

the property, taking into account uses identified by the City of Long

Beach and as determined during the EIS scoping process. One potential

reuse of NAVSTA Long Beach that has been identified includes

development of a cargo handling facility comprised of a 130-acre

container terminal with a 37-acre intermodal railyard. This reuse would

require demolition of the existing Roosevelt Base Historic District and

removing all structures, landscaping, and infrastructure.

Major environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS

include, but are not limited to, air quality, water quality, endangered

species, cultural resources, traffic, and socioeconomic impacts.

The Navy will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of

determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying

potential reuse alternatives. A public scoping meeting is scheduled for

Thursday, November 16, 1995, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Long Beach

Public Library, Main Branch, 101 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach,

California.

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 their

oral comments to five minutes.

Agencies and the public are invited and encouraged to provide

written comments 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 comments regarding this proposed action should

be postmarked no later than 30 November 1995, to Southwest Division,

Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego,

CA 92132-5190 (Attention: Ms. Jo Ellen Anderson, Code 232JA), telephone

(619) 532-3912, fax (619) 532-3824.

Dated: October 25, 1995.

M.D. Schetszle,

LT, JAGC, USNR, Alternative Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 95-26814 Filed 10-27-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M