Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the New Job Corps Center in Memphis, TN

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

for the New Job Corps Center in Memphis, TN

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the

New Job Corps Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations

(40 CFR Part 1500-08) implementing procedural provisions of the

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Labor,

Employment and Training Administration, Office of Job Corps, in

accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d), gives notice that an Environmental

Assessment (EA) has been prepared and the proposed plans for the

establishment of a Job Corps Center in Memphis, Tennessee will have no

significant environmental impact. Pursuant to 29 CFR 11.11(d)(1), this

Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact will be made available for

public review and comment for thirty (30) days.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by February 10, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Any comment(s) are to be submitted to Lynn Kotecki,

Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 200

Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-5468.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the EA and additional

information are available to interested parties by contacting Mr.

Melvin R. Collins, Director, Region IV (Four), Office of Job Corps,

1371 Peachtree Street, NE., Room 405, Atlanta, Georgia, (404) 347-3178.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed action is to

convert the Memphis Preparatory School into the Memphis Job Corps

Center for 272 resident and 40 non-resident students. Dormitory

buildings will be constructed in order to provide facilities necessary

for basic education, vocational skills training, work experience,

counseling, health care, and related support services.

The proposed site is located in the area of 1555 McAlister Drive,

Memphis, Tennessee, which is currently zoned as residential. It is

comprised of 23.9 acres and is made up of three tracts of land. These

tracts were used as a preparatory school for grades 1-12. The site has

several structures. A main building constructed approximately twenty

years ago, a football field, a baseball field, a track and a tennis

court.

The new Center will provide dormitories; recreational, medical/

dental, and administrative services; educational and vocational

training; and storage space that is consistent with Job Corps

guidelines and Center needs. Establishing a Job Corps Center at this

location will require some constructive changes to existing buildings

and the surrounding property; e.g., repairing a tennis court that had

been used as a parking lot, as well as construction of new buildings.

The proposed project will be constructed in accordance with local fire,

building and zoning code requirements.

The proposed use would have no significant impact on any parks,

wetlands, woodlands or other natural resources. The existing site and

buildings at the proposed Job Corps Center location are not designated

``historically significant'' and no areas of archaeological

significance are present. The activities of the proposed Job Corps

Center are not of a contaminant- generating nature. The geologic, water

and climatic characteristics of the general vicinity of the site,

coupled with the historically known land use, minimizes the site's

potential to be contaminated from possible off-site sources and further

minimizes the impact of contamination by the Center.

[[Page 2796]]

The existing building at this site was not tested for radon;

however, this will be done before operations begin at the Center. If

there is to be a significant amount of construction done on the

building, asbestos removal, in accordance with all local, state and

federal health and safety laws and regulations, may be necessary from

suspect items such as the insulation around pipe fittings and from the

gymnasium ceiling. Because it is common for structures built before

1980 to contain lead-based paint, the paint in the building will be

tested and removed, if necessary. Procedures for the containment and

removal of lead, if deemed necessary, will be prepared by a qualified

lead-abatement contractor and will be appropriately managed during any

future construction activities.

There are no regulations governing noise in Memphis. Short-term

impacts from noise will occur during the construction activities;

however, construction activities will be limited to the hours of 7:00

am to 4:00 pm and the use of sound control devices and muffled exhaust

on all noise-generating equipment will be required in order to minimize

any potential adverse impact upon neighboring properties. Water will be

used to control fugitive dust or emissions. This will mitigate

construction-related air pollution concerns.

The existing site and security lighting consists of facility-owned

and maintained, building-mounted, photocell-controlled, high-intensity

discharge (HID) luminaries and utility company-owned and maintained

pole-mounted photocell-controlled HID luminaries located along the

streets and parking areas. This outdoor lighting system serves as good

surveillance and has no impact on the environment or surrounding

properties. The lighting inside the existing building will have to be

completely replaced to accommodate new building use. This system will

not adversely impact the environment.

Memphis has an abundance of water, electrical power, and natural

gas to easily serve facilities of this size without impacting upon

these existing services. Based on the nature of the proposed

construction activities at the site, storm water quality will not be

degraded and will not have an adverse effect on the environment

surrounding the site. Although the proposed project will cause a small

increase in traffic to the community, the increase in traffic value

will only mildly add to the traffic flow on neighborhood streets in the

vicinity of the new center. Several emergency response companies

service the area. Police and fire stations are closely located near the

subject property. A major hospital is within a 5-mile radius of the

subject site. Several bus routes offer readily available transportation

to and through the subject area at a reasonable cost. Highways 55 and

240 are within a 7-mile radius from the site and allow fast and easy

access throughout the Memphis area. These emergency and community

services appear abundant in the Memphis area, therefore, the siting of

the Job Corps center in this area will not adversely impact the use of

the above-mentioned community services. The implementation of the Job

Corps Center on the proposed site will provide jobs for vicinity

residents and Community leaders were given an opportunity to comment on

the project and ask questions. There were no adverse comments directed

to Job Corps regarding the proposed relocation of the Job Corps Center

to Nampa. Subsequent to the meeting, there were no adverse comments

received by the city council or the Office of Job Corps from the

public.

The alternatives considered in the preparation of the EA were: (1)

The ``Proposed Action'' (Preferred Alternative); (2) the ``No Action

Alternative'' (continuing to operate the CCC at its existing site until

it would be necessary to locate elsewhere or close the Center); and (3)

the ``Alternative Sites'' alternative. All three alternatives have been

considered, as reflected in the environmental assessment, in compliance

with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Although choosing

the ``No Action'' alternative would result in no environmental impact

upon the area, it would deny the young adults of this area the benefits

of a Job Corps Center. Several alternative sites were considered by the

Department of Labor for the new CCC site, but were found to be

undesirable in terms of safety of students, compatibility with

surrounding land uses, and/or proximity to job locations, goods and

services. The potential for an excellent facility and operational

efficiency afforded by the proposed action indicates that the proposed

relocation of the Center to the city of Nampa is the preferred

alternative.

Based on the information gathered during the preparation of the EA

for the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration,

the Office of Job Corps finds that the relocation of the Marsing CCC to

the land adjoining the ISSH in Nampa, Idaho, will not cause any

significant adverse impact on the environment and recommends that the

project continue as proposed. This proposed action is not considered to

be highly controversial.

Dated at Washington, DC, this 23rd day of December, 1994.

Peter E. Rell,

Director of Job Corps.

[FR Doc. 95-668 Filed 1-10-95; 8:45 am]

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