Record of Decision for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Station Glenview, IL

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Record of Decision for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air

Station Glenview, IL

The Department of the Navy (Navy), pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of

the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.

Sec. 4321 et seq., and the regulations of the Council on Environmental

Quality that implement NEPA procedures, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, hereby

announces its decision to dispose of Naval Air Station (NAS) Glenview,

Illinois.

Navy intends to dispose of the property in a manner that is

consistent with the Glenview Naval Air Station Consensus Reuse Plan

submitted by the Village of Glenview, the Local Redevelopment Authority

(LRA) for NAS Glenview, described in the Final Environmental Impact

Statement (FEIS) as the preferred alternative. The Consensus Reuse Plan

proposed a mixed use approach of commercial, residential, recreational,

public service, and open space land uses.

In deciding to dispose of NAS Glenview in a manner consistent with

the Consensus Reuse Plan, Navy has determined that mixed land use will

meet the goals of local economic redevelopment and creation of new

jobs, while also maintaining the Village of Glenview's character and

fiscal integrity, minimizing adverse environmental impacts, and

ensuring land uses that are compatible with surrounding properties.

This Record Of Decision does not mandate a specific mix of land uses.

Rather, it leaves selection of the particular means to achieve the

mixed use redevelopment to the acquiring entity and the local zoning

authority.

Background

The 1993 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission

recommended closure of NAS Glenview. This recommendation was then

approved by President Clinton and accepted by the One Hundred Third

Congress in 1993. Operations at NAS Glenview ceased on September 9,

1995, and the property has been in caretake status since that date.

NAS Glenview is located entirely within the Village of Glenview and

consists of 1,121 acres of fee-owned land with 110 buildings that

contain 1,332,138 square feet of office and storage space. Navy has

reserved 78 acres containing military family housing and open space for

use as family housing that will serve the Naval Training Center at

Great Lakes, Illinois. The remaining property is surplus to the needs

of the Federal Government and can be conveyed.

Navy published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on

February 3, 1994, announcing that Navy would prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement that would analyze the impacts of disposal and reuse

of the land, buildings, and infrastructure at NAS Glenview. A 30-day

public scoping period was established, and a scoping meeting was held

on February 17, 1994, in the Village of Glenview.

On July 14, 1995, Navy distributed a Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) to Federal, State, and local agencies, elected

officials, special interest groups, and interested persons. Navy held a

public hearing on August 17, 1995, in the Village of Glenview. Federal

agencies, Illinois State agencies, local governments, and the general

public commented on the DEIS. These comments and Navy's responses were

incorporated in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) which

was distributed to the public on December 1, 1995, for a review that

concluded on January 2, 1996. Navy did not receive any comments on the

FEIS.

Alternatives

NEPA requires Navy to evaluate a reasonable range of alternatives

for disposal and reuse of this Federal property. In the NEPA process,

Navy analyzed the environmental impacts of various proposed land uses

that could result from disposal of the Air Station property. As the

basis for this analysis, Navy relied upon the reuse and redevelopment

alternatives identified by The Glenview Community Reuse Planning Group,

an organization created by the Village of Glenview in its capacity as

the LRA. The Community Reuse Planning Group analyzed various

redevelopment scenarios and land uses and prepared the Glenview Naval

Air Station Consensus Reuse Plan which was presented to the Department

of the Navy on June 21, 1995.

The Community Reuse Planning Group initially considered ten

preliminary scenarios for redevelopment that it described as: (1)

General Aviation, which based reuse on continued use of the Air Station

as a general aviation airport with compatible industrial, office, and

warehouse uses; (2) Inherent Land Use Suitability, which based reuse on

a variety of physical characteristics such as accessibility, area

requirements, adjacent land use, site attractiveness, and environmental

constraints; (3) Core Area Prominence, which based reuse on maximizing

adaptive reuse of the core area buildings and related development of

other areas; (4) Residential Neighborhood Focus, which based reuse on

the establishment of new neighborhoods and the introduction of other

uses compatible with the residential neighborhoods; (5) Open Space

Focus, which dedicated half of the Air Station to open space and

recreation; (6) Public Use Focus, which based reuse on recreational,

cultural, educational, and public service facilities; (7) Major

Institution Focus, which based reuse on the presence of a major

institution such as a university campus, regional government center, or

medical facility; (8) Commercial/Industrial Focus, which based reuse on

revenue-generating activities that would create jobs, maximize revenue

flow, and minimize government costs; (9) Sports/Leisure Complex Focus,

which based reuse on the development of private and public sports and

recreational facilities of regional interest; and (10) A Comprehensive

Plan, which based reuse on the Village of Glenview's 1990 Comprehensive

Plan that emphasized

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residential development of the entire Naval Air Station property.

The Community Reuse Planning Group evaluated these ten

redevelopment scenarios by considering the central theme of each

scenario, the configuration of the scenario, its economic feasibility,

its impact on the quality of life, and its potential for creating new

jobs. Based upon these factors, the Community Reuse Planning Group

selected four of the ten scenarios for further detailed analysis. These

four scenarios were Inherent Land Use Suitability, Open Space Focus,

Major Institution Focus, and Sports/Leisure Complex Focus. The Group

then evaluated these four scenarios in light of twenty-two community

redevelopment objectives.

The Community Reuse Planning Group's analysis examined the extent

to which each of these four scenarios reflected community goals and

objectives. The Group then adopted aspects of each scenarios and

combined them into one land use plan designated as the Glenview Naval

Air Station Consensus Reuse Plan. Navy selected the Consensus Reuse

Plan as the preferred alternative in the FEIS. Navy also considered a

``No Action'' alternative in the FEIS that proposed continued Navy

ownership of the property in caretaker status with Navy maintaining the

physical condition of the property, providing a security force, and

making repairs essential to safety.

The Consensus Reuse Plan proposed mixed use of the Naval Air

Station property to achieve local economic redevelopment. Light

industrial, commercial, retail, and sports and leisure activities would

occupy about 354 acres. Residential uses would occupy about 245 acres.

Open space and public recreational uses would occupy about 342 acres,

and the remaining 104 acres of the Air Station property would be

occupied by public service uses such as public works facilities and a

commuter rail station.

Environmental Impacts

Navy analyzed the potential impacts of the ``No Action''

alternative and the Consensus Reuse Plan alternative for their effects

on earth resources, transportation, air quality, noise, water

resources, hazardous materials and hazardous waste, historical and

archaeological resources, biological resources, socioeconomic

resources, and environmental justice. This Record of Decision focuses

on the impacts that would likely result from implementing the Consensus

Reuse Plan.

In order to implement the Consensus Reuse Plan, it would be

necessary to change the topography of some areas on the Naval Air

Station property by grading, filling, and excavating land. It would

also be necessary to change the elevation of some areas of the property

to permit construction of facilities, roadways, and stormwater

retention areas. None of these changes would result in significant

environmental impacts.

Based upon the redevelopment proposed by the Consensus Reuse Plan,

vehicular traffic in the area would increase. The proposed

redevelopment would generate 52,821 average daily trips in the vicinity

of the Air Station by the year 2010. This increase in traffic would

require roadway and intersection improvements. Additionally, this

region is projected to grow in the future and this future growth would

account for most of the increased traffic in the area. Thus, most of

these improvements would be needed even if the Naval Air Station were

not redeveloped. Roadway and intersection improvements that are

currently planned and roadway and intersection improvements on the

Naval Air Station property recommended by the LRA should adequately

mitigate impacts caused by the increased traffic.

The long term impact on air quality that would arise from

stationary emission sources, including heating units, will depend upon

the nature and extent of the activities conducted on the property. The

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) will have jurisdiction

over these emission sources, and it will be necessary for all such

sources to comply with IEPA standards. Certain sources will require

appropriate permits fro IEPA. The elimination of aircraft operations

and maintenance activities at the Air Station will reduce mobile

sources of emission from the area. The projected increase in vehicular

traffic would increase mobile source emissions of nitrogen oxides and

volatile organic compounds. The extent of this increased would be

mitigated by the proposed commuter rail station, bike paths,pedestrian

paths, and shuttle buses.

The cessation of military aircraft activity will also result in a

substantial decrease in noise. Construction and demolition activities

arising out of redevelopment would cause a temporary increase in

ambient noise levels. The long term noise that would be generated under

the proposed reuse plan would be typical of that present in the

community that now surrounds the Air Station.

Redevelopment of the Naval Air Station property would increase the

surface areas that will not absorb rainwater, largely by the

construction of buildings, roadways, and parking lots on land that was

previously undeveloped. In turn, this would increase stormwater runoff.

To address this problem, the LRA proposed in its resue plan to build a

stormwater management system consisting of 25 to 60 acre lake and

drainage swales. Together with existing drainage areas, these systems

should adequately manage normal stormwater runoff. While a 25-acre lake

would adequately manage stormwater runoff for the redeveloped Naval Air

Station property, the proposed larger lake would also meet the

stormwater drainage requirements of the surrounding area, resulting in

a positive impact on the area's stormwater management and water

quality.

Navy has identified several hazardous waste sites on the Air

Station property and is developing methods for remediating the sites.

Navy has already initiated cleanup at some of these sites. Navy, the

Environmental Protection Agency, and the Illinois Environmental

Protection Agency will continue to review and approve the risk

assessments developed to ascertain the potential impacts of existing

contamination on human health and the environment before Navy

remediates the contaminated sites and conveys the property.

Aircraft Hanger One, known as the Curtiss-Reynolds Building, is the

only building or site on the Air Station that is eligible for listing

on the National Register of Historic Places. Navy, the Advisory Council

on Historic Preservation, and the Illinois State Historic Preservation

Officer entered into a Programmatic Agreement on May 13, 1996. Under

this Agreement, Navy will encourage adaptive reuse of this historic

structure and maintain and preserve the building until conveyance. Navy

will include protective covenants in the deed for the parcel that

contains this historic building.

While some wetlands may be drained or filled as a result of

redevelopment, the net amount of wetlands would increase from

construction of the stormwater retention lake and the drainage swales.

Among the existing wetlands, the Naval Air Station also contains small

areas of prairie. The proposed commercial and industrial redevelopment

in the northern part of the Air Station may eliminate most of this

remnant prairie. However, since the State of Illinois' Department of

Natural Resources has classified this prairie as moderately heavily

disturbed, its loss would not cause a significant impact on local

biological resources.

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There are no threatened or endangered species listed under the

Federal Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq., that

inhabit the Air Station property.There are two State-designated

endangered and two State-designated threatened species that may be

adversely affected by implementation of the Consensus Reuse Plan. The

upland sandpiper and the golden sedge are endangered, and the mountain

blue-eyed grass and early fen sedge are threatened. Thus, it will be

necessary for future developers to coordinate with the Illinois

Department of Natural Resources before conducting activities that may

have an impact on these endangered and threatened species. Two of the

species (the golden sedge and the early fen sedge) occur in wetlands

and may be afforded additional protection under Sections 401 and 404 of

the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1252, et seq., which establishes a

permitting process that is administered by the United States Army Corps

of Engineers.

Redevelopment of the Naval Air Station would result in the creation

of new jobs and improved socioeconomic conditions. Although the

redevelopment would generate a demand for additional infrastructure and

community services, the Consensus Reuse Plan projects that public

revenue generated by the redevelopment would be sufficient to fund the

additional infrastructure, i.e., roadway improvements and public

utilities, and services, i.e., schools and police and fire protection.

Navy also analyzed the impacts on low income and minority

populations pursuant to Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to

Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income

Populations, and found that there would be no disproportionately high

and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and low

income populations. Any impact related to reuse of the Naval Air

Station would be experienced equally by all groups within the regional

population.

Mitigation

No mitigation measures are required to implement Navy's decision to

dispose of the Naval Air Station property. Navy's FEIS identified and

discussed the actions that would be necessary to mitigate the impacts

associated with reuse and redevelopment. The acquiring entity, under

the direction of Federal, State and local agencies with regulatory

authority over protected resources, will be responsible for

implementing necessary mitigation measures.

Absent statutory authority, Navy cannot impose restrictions on the

future use of this surplus Federal property. Navy will, however,

include appropriate notification in the deeds for any parcels that are

inhabited by endangered or threatened species protected under State law

and that contain wetlands or lie within floodplains that are protected

under Federal and State laws.

Comments Received on the FEIS

Navy did not receive any comments on the FEIS.

Regulations Governing the Disposal Decision

Since the proposed action contemplates a disposal action under the

Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (DBCRA), Public Law

101-510, 10 U.S.C. Sec. 2687 note, selection of the Consensus Reuse

Plan as the preferred alternative was based upon the environmental

analysis in the FEIS and application of the standards set forth in

DBCRA, the Federal Property Management Regulations (FPMR), 41 CFR Part

101-47, and the Department of Defense Rule on Revitalizing Base Closure

Communities and Community Assistance (DOD Rule), 32 CFR Parts 90 and

91.

Section 101-47.303-1 of the FPMR requires that the disposal of

Federal property benefit the Federal government and constitute the

highest and best use of the property. Section 101-47.4909 of the FPMR

defines the ``highest and best use'' as that use to which a property

can be put that produces the highest monetary return from the property,

promotes its maximum value, or serves a public or institutional

purpose. The ``highest and best use'' determination must be based upon

the property's economic potential, qualitative values inherent in the

property, and utilization factors affecting land use such as zoning,

physical characteristics, other private and public uses in the

vicinity, neighboring improvements, utility services, access, roads,

location, and environmental and historical considerations.

After Federal property has been conveyed to non-Federal entities,

the property is subject to local land use regulations, including zoning

and subdivision regulations and building codes. Unless expressly

authorized by statute, the disposing Federal agency cannot restrict the

future use of surplus Government property. As a result, the local

community exercises substantial control over future use of the

property. For this reason, local land use plans and zoning affect

determination of the highest and best use of surplus Government

property.

The DBCRA directed the Administrator of the General Services

Administration (GSA) to delegate to the Secretary of Defense authority

to transfer and dispose of base closure property. Section 2905(b) of

DBCRA directs the Secretary of Defense to exercise this authority in

accordance with GSA's property disposal regulations, set forth at

Sections 101-47.1 through 101-47.8 of the FPMR. By letter dated

December 20, 1991, the Secretary of Defense delegated the authority to

transfer and dispose of base closure property closed under DBCRA to the

Secretaries of the Military Departments. Under this delegation of

authority, the Secretary of the Navy must follow FPMR procedures for

screening and disposing of real property when implementing base

closures. Only where Congress has expressly provided additional

authority for disposing of base closure property, e.g., the economic

development conveyance authority established in 1993 by Section

2905(b)(4) of DBCRA, may Navy apply disposal procedures other than the

FPMR's prescriptions.

In Section 2901 of the National Defense Authorization Act for

Fiscal Year 1994, Public Law 103-160, Congress recognized the economic

hardship occasioned by base closures, the Federal interest in

facilitating economic recovery of base closure communities, and the

need to identify and implement reuse and redevelopment of property at

closing installations. In Section 2903(c) of Public Law 103-160,

Congress directed the Military Departments to consider each base

closure community's economic needs and priorities in the property

disposal process. Under Section 2905(b)(2)(E) of DBCRA, Navy must

consult with local communities before it disposes of base closure

property and must consider local plans developed for reuse and

redevelopment of the surplus Federal property.

The Department of Defense's goal, as set forth in Section 90.4 of

the DOD Rule, is to help base closure communities achieve rapid

economic recovery through expeditious reuse and redevelopment of the

assets at closing bases, taking into consideration local market

conditions and locally developed reuse plans. Thus, the Department has

adopted a consultative approach with each community to ensure that

property disposal decisions consider the Local Redevelopment

Authority's reuse plan and encourage job creation. As a part of this

cooperative approach, the base closure

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community's interests, e.g., reflected in its zoning for the area, play

a significant role in determining the range of alternatives considered

in the environmental analysis for property disposal. Furthermore,

Section 91.7(d)(3) of the DOD Rule provides that the Local

Redevelopment Authority's plan generally will be used as the basis for

the proposed disposal action.

The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, 40

U.S.C. Sec. 484, as implemented by the FPMR, identifies several

mechanisms for disposing of surplus base closure property; by public

benefit conveyance (FPMR Sec. 101-47.303-2); by negotiated sale (FPMR

Sec. 101-47.304-8); and by competitive sale (FPMR Sec. 101-47.304-7).

Additionally, in section 2905(b)(4), the DBCRA established economic

development conveyances as a means of disposing of surplus base closure

property. The selection of any particular method of conveyance merely

implements the Federal agency's decision to dispose of the property.

Decisions concerning whether to undertake a public benefit conveyance

or an economic development conveyance, or to sell property by

negotiation or by competitive bid are committed by law to agency

discretion. Selecting a method of disposal implicates a broad range of

factors and rests solely within the Secretary of the Navy's discretion.

Conclusion

The Consensus Reuse Plan proposed by the Village of Glenview

presents the highest and best use of the NAS Glenview property. The

Village of Glenview, as the LRA, has determined in its Consensus Reuse

Plan that the property should be used for several purposes, including

commercial, light industrial, retail, residential, recreational, public

service, and open space uses. The property's physical characteristics

and the current uses of adjacent lands make it appropriate for this

mixed use redevelopment.

The Consensus Reuse Plan responds to local economic conditions,

promotes rapid economic recovery from the impact of the Naval Air

Station's closure, and is consistent with President Clinton's Five-Part

Plan for revitalizing base closure communities, which emphasizes local

economic redevelopment of the closing military facility and creation of

new jobs as the means to revitalize these communities. 32 CFR Parts 90

and 91, 59 Fed. Reg. 16,123 (1994). The resultant environmental impacts

can be mitigated by the acquiring entity under the direction of

Federal, State and local regulatory authorities.

Although the ``No Action'' alternative has less potential for

causing adverse environmental impacts, this alternative would not

constitute the highest and best use of the Naval Air Station property.

It would not take advantage of the property's physical characteristics

and the current uses of adjacent property. It is not compatible with

the LRA's Consensus Reuse Plan. It would not foster local economic

redevelopment of the Air Station and would not create new jobs.

Accordingly, Navy will dispose of Naval Air Station Glenview in a

manner that is consistent with the Village of Glenview's Consensus

Reuse Plan for the property.

Dated: May 28, 1996.

William J. Cassidy, Jr.,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Conversion and Redevelopment).

[FR Doc. 96-13807 Filed 6-3-96; 8:45 am]

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