Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for the Consolidated Law Federal Office Building, Portland, OR

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Public Buildings Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for

the Consolidated Law Federal Office Building, Portland, OR

SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) hereby gives notice

it intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in

accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA),

as amended for the Consolidated Law Federal Office Building, in

Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. The EIS would evaluate the proposed

project, other reasonable alternatives, and the no action alternative

identified during the scoping process. Scoping would be accomplished

through written correspondence, through a public scoping meeting, and

through individual meetings with interested persons, groups,

organizations, and federal, state, and local agencies.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and potential

impacts should be sent to GSA's environmental contractor, Herrera

Environmental Consultants, at the following address: 2200 Sixth Avenue,

Suite 601, Seattle, Washington, 98121.

DATES: Written comments should be sent to Herrera Environmental

Consultants by May 25, 1996. Comments will also be accepted at a public

scoping meeting from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on May 7, 1996 and May 8,

1996 at the location indicated below.

PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING: Comments and suggestions will be solicited at a

public scoping meeting to be held at: Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal

Building, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Donna M. Meyer, Regional Environmental Program Officer, General

Services Administration, (206) 931-7675 or Ms. Nona Diediker at Herrera

Environmental Consultants, 2200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 601, Seattle,

Washington, 98121, (206) 441-9080.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The General Services Administration,

assisted by the environmental contractor, is considering preparation of

a federal NEPA Environmental Impact Statement on a proposal to design

and construct a new Consolidated Law Federal Office Building in

Portland, Oregon. The scoping process would determine the level of

effort, the scope of issues to be addressed in the environmental

document, and identify the significant issues related to the proposed

project. Scoping will be conducted consistent with the Council on

Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the

Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). GSA will serve

as the lead agency for the preparation of the EIS pursuant to Section

1501.5(a) of the regulations.

Scoping

GSA invites interested individuals, organizations, and federal,

state, and local agencies to participate in defining the reasonable

alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS, and in identifying any

significant physical, biological, or socioeconomic environmental issues

related to the alternatives. Scoping comments can be made verbally at

the public scoping meeting, or in writing (see Dates and Addresses

section above for location and time of meeting). During scoping,

comments should focus on identifying specific impacts to be evaluated

and suggesting alternatives that minimize adverse impacts while

achieving similar objectives. Comments may also identify issues which

are not significant or which have been covered by prior environmental

review. Scoping should be limited to commenting on the project

alternatives. There will be opportunity to comment on preferences

during the Draft EIS comment review phase.

Additional Information

A project information newsletter will be available at the public

scoping meeting or can be obtained by contacting Nona Diediker at

Herrera Environmental Consultants. The newsletter will describe in more

detail the proposed project, alternatives, and the EIS process.

Mailing List

If you wish to be placed on our mailing list to receive further and

future information as the EIS process develops, contact Herrera

Environmental Consultants at the address or phone listed above.

Project Purpose, Historical Background, and Project Description

The House and Senate Subcommittees on Treasury, Postal Service, and

General Government have determined a need exists for a facility to

serve as a detention center for prisoners appearing before the Federal

courts and for the consolidation of Federal law enforcement agencies in

Portland, Oregon. The committees have directed the General Services

Administration to undertake the necessary studies to address this

requirement. Detention facilities in Portland for federal prisoners

awaiting a trial and sentencing are limited. Federal law enforcement

officials are forced to move federal prisoners back and forth from the

federal prison in Sheridan, Oregon and other county holding facilities

in Oregon and Washington. This situation often leads to many security

and logistical problems.

The proposal to design and construct a 350,000 occupiable square

foot office, court and 300-bed facility to consolidate federal law

enforcement agencies and provide detention capabilities would aid in

alleviating security and logistic problems by establishing an adjacency

relationship to the new U.S. Courthouse. Site alternatives are

presently under investigation and a delineated area has been identified

as

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follows: SW Taylor Street on the north, SW 1st Avenue on the east, SW

Madison Street on the south, and SW 4th Avenue on the west.

Alternatives

The EIS would consider several action alternatives and a no action

alternative. The facility would be located adjacent to the new U.S.

Courthouse located at 1030 SW 3rd Avenue. Alternatives to be considered

include:

1. Design and construction on a full block site bounded by SW

Taylor Street on the north, SW 2nd Avenue on the east, SW Salmon Street

on the south, and SW 3rd Avenue on the west;

2. Design and construction on a full block site bounded by SW

Taylor Street on the north, SW 3rd Avenue on the east, SW Salmon Street

on the south, and SW 4th Avenue on the west;

3. Design and construction on a full block site bounded by SW Main

Street on the north, SW 1st Avenue on the east, SW Madison Street on

the south, and SW 2nd Avenue on the west;

4. Acquisition then alternation of a leased building bounded by SW

Taylor Street on the north, SW 1st Avenue on the east, SW Madison

Street on the south, and SW 4th Avenue on the west, and,

5. No action.

Probable Effects

GSA will evaluate physical, biological and socioeconomic

environmental impacts of the alternatives in the EIS. Potential impacts

include, but are not limited to, changes in physiography; impacts to

groundwater; changes to vegetation and wildlife; changes in open space

and visual characteristics; impacts to air quality and noise,

utilities, and transportation; changes in the social environment; and

impacts to zoning and historical/cultural resources. The impacts will

be evaluated both for the construction period and during the operation

of the facility. Measures to mitigate any significant adverse impacts

will be addressed.

Procedures

The EIS will be prepared based on the outcome of the scoping phase,

A Draft EIS will be made available for public and agency comments, with

a public hearing held to receive comments regarding the Draft EIS. Upon

completion of the public review process, a Final EIS would be prepared

to address issues raised during the Draft EIS and the public hearing.

Dated: April 26, 1996.

Richard J. Moen,

Legal Counsel, Region 10.

[FR Doc. 96-11542 Filed 5-8-96; 8:45 am]

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