Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the new Job Corps Center in Flint, MI

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

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

for the new Job Corps Center in Flint, MI

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration.

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

new Job Corps Center in Flint, Michigan.

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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 Flint, Michigan, 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 comments 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 Gordon

Carlson, Director, Region V (Five), Office of Job Corps, 230 South

Dearborn Street, Room 676, Chicago, Illinois, 60604, (312) 353-1311.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this proposed action is to

construct a new facility with a campus-like setting. The new center is

proposed as a 400-student program, with 328 residential and 72 non-

residential students. With a total of 36 single- parent students, a

comprehensive on-site child care services component for 50 children is

prescribed by the Military Department of Social Services (DSS) and

Greater Flint/Thumb Area 4C Association (Community Coordinated Child

Care) to serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged

children.

The proposed site location for the Flint Job Corps Center is a

property identified as a portion of Oak Technology Park, located at

2400 North Saginaw Street, Flint, Genesee County, Michigan. The site

comprises two parcels of vacant land with a total of 20.78 acres, which

are identified as Parcel A with 12.9 acres and Parcel B with 7.88

acres. The site is bordered by North Saginaw Street on the west side of

the property, Taylor Street on the north side, North Boulevard on the

east side, and Newall Street on the south side. An east-west street,

Baker Street, divides the two parcels. Parcel A is the portion located

north of Newall Street and south of Baker Street; Parcel B is the

portion located north of Baker Street and south of Taylor Street.

Access to the site can be made from any of the streets.

The proposed Flint Job Corps Center will be a totally new facility

and will consist of a number of buildings to sufficiently accommodate

student capacity. The buildings will include dormitories, classrooms,

administrative and support facilities. The dormitories will consist of

one building for females, one for males, and one single-parent

dormitory. A child development center is included in the project.

Classroom spaces will be provided in the education building. There will

also be a vocational-educational building, a cafeteria/culinary arts

building, a recreation building, an administration building, a medical/

dental building, a maintenance/warehouse building and a building that

houses reception/security functions. The building areas are projected

to total 179,700 gross square feet (GSF). The proposed project will be

constructed in accordance with local fire, building an zoning code

requirements and will not adversely impact the City of Flint police,

fire or emergency services.

The site is in an area of the city that is currently zoned heavy

commercial and limited manufacturing. Establishment of a Job Corps

Center is not prohibited by current zoning.

An investigation of previous and historical activities on or near

the site identified some potential environmental concerns. A gasoline

fuel service station existed for some 40 years on North Boulevard at

the corner of Baker Street. Along North Saginaw Street, fifteen

commercial locations were identified: a photography shop, printing

company, auto repair, new and used car dealerships and several other

businesses that could warrant concern upon excavation of the site. Most

specifically, an obsolete underground storage tank may exist at the

location of 2510-18 North Saginaw Street. These concerns could be

easily remedied through soil testing and, if found necessary, soil

remediation prior to excavation and building. DOL does not believe that

the construction of the Center will have a cummulative adverse impact

on these concerns.

The City water distribution system serves the site and is comprised

of underground water lines that run parallel to the project site on

both North Saginaw and North Streets. Water supply could be brought on

to the site from either of these lines. Each building could have its

own individual water meter or a single meter could be installed to

serve all buildings. The City sewage system serves the site and is

comprised of underground sanitary sewer lines that run parallel to the

project site on North Saginaw and North Streets.

Storm water run-off from the proposed buildings can be discharged

either to grade or can be piped directly to the storm sewer pipe. There

are underground storm sewer lines that run parallel to the project

sites on the east and west boundaries. The Center will not adversely

impact upon any of the existing services.

A natural gas distribution station to the south of the project site

provides gas to the site via an underground gas pipe that runs along

North Street. An 8,320 volts, three-phase overhead distribution line,

located along North Street, provides adequate electricity to the site.

The distribution system is in good condition and would adequately

accommodate a required secondary service to the proposed buildings. The

options of individual metering or multi-metering are available. The

proposed Flint Job Corps Center will not

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adversely impact upon existing facilities.

Telephone pedestals, where telephone connections can be made and

brought onto the proposed site, are located along the bordering

streets. The proposed Center will not adversely impact existing

telephone services because the location was a residential area and the

lines already in use and presently underutilized the demolition of the

private residences.

The Flint River lies approximately 3500 feet east of the subject

site. A ``basin'', located in the south central section of Parcel A,

appears to be lowest in the terminal area of the cul-de-sac. Run-off in

this area is expected to collect in the basin and eventually infiltrate

into the ground. The man-made earthen berm that parallels North Saginaw

Street on the western side of the property and extends the entire

length of the property blocks run-off from the property to North

Saginaw Street. Groundwater in water table aquifers, which may underlie

the site, may conform with the topographic relief and flow east towards

the Flint River. The proposed Center will have no adverse impact on

ground water flow.

The proposed use of the site has no significant impact on any

natural systems, resources, or any endangered flora or fauna.

There are no buildings on or near the site that are designated as

``historically significant'' and no areas of archaeological

significance are present.

The City of Flint is regulated under the Federal Clean Air Act, as

amended in 1990. The proposed action will have no adverse effect on air

quality.

Noise levels that may be generated from air conditioning and other

equipment that may be installed in the new facility are expected to be

consistent with the City of Flint regulations. Although there may be

some short-term impact from additional noise during the construction

activities, the completed facility is expected to remain within

allowable noise limits and will not adversely impact neighboring

properties.

Pole-mounted street lights presently provide general site lighting.

On-site lighting will be installed as part of the new construction. The

additional lighting should have a positive impact on the surrounding

area. Lighting can improve security by reducing crime and vandalism,

and also aesthetically enhance the site.

Although the proposed project will cause an increase in the traffic

in the community, the increase is not expected to adversely impact

traffic flow. The proposed action is not expected to adversely affect

emergency response companies, police and fire services, hospital

service or the City's public transportation system.

A public forum was held on January 22, 1994 concerning the

establishment and location of the Job Corps Center. Approximately 200

people were in attendance at the meeting representing over 30 agencies,

members of the clergy, community members, neighborhood organizations,

businesses and elected officials. The proposal to site a new Job Corps

Center in the City of Flint was strongly supported by the people in

attendance at the forum.

Analysis of the following three alternatives were made: (1) The

``No Build'' alternative; (2) the ``Alternative Sites'' alternative;

and (3) the ``Continue as Proposed'' alternative. The ``No Build''

alternative implies that the Department of Labor would not proceed with

the proposed Center in the Flint Area. Although this would result in no

environmental impact upon the area, the socioeconomic loss to the City

of Flint would be significant. Alternative sites in Saginaw and Ann

Arbor, Michigan were considered by the Department of Labor for the new

Job Corps Center site, but did not meet the minimum selection criteria

for locating a new Job Corps Center. The ``Continue as Proposed''

alternative (preferred alternative) means that the site will be

developed to provide facilities and a setting for the Flint Job Corps

Center in Flint, Michigan.

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 location of the Flint Job Corps

Center at the proposed site will not cause any significant impact on

the environment and, therefore, 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. 95-671 Filed 1-10-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-30-M