Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Calverton, Long Island, NY

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant,

Calverton, Long Island, NY

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

Policy Act of 1969 as implemented in the Council on Environmental

Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of Navy

announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant

(NWIRP), Calverton, Long Island, New York.

[[Page 13159]]

The Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 authorizes the

Secretary of the Navy to convey the property directly to the Community

Development Agency of the Town of Riverhead, New York. The conveyance

is subject to the condition that the town use the property for economic

redevelopment to replace all or part of the economic activity being

lost at the facility. Any part of the facility not conveyed to the Town

would be disposed of by the General Services Administration (GSA) in

accordance with the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of

1944.

The Grumman Aerospace Corporation operated a Government Owned/

Contractor operated (GOCO) facility on approximately 2,900 acres of the

6,050-acre site until February 1996 when operations ceased. The

objective of the EIS is to evaluate the environmental impacts

associated with the various reuse alternatives. Environmental issues

that will be addressed in the EIS include air quality, water quality,

wetland impacts, endangered species impacts, cultural resource impacts,

and socioeconomic impacts.

The proposed action to be analyzed in the EIS involves the disposal

of land, buildings, and infrastructure for subsequent reuse by the Town

of Riverhead. The 6,050-acre site has two aircraft landing runways

(7,000 ft and 10,000 ft in length) and buildings with more than 1

million sq. ft of space.

The reuse of NWIRP Calverton has recently been studied by the Town

of Riverhead's Joint Planning and Redevelopment Commission and its

consultants. The redevelopment/reuse plan, developed by the town's

consultants and to be approved by the Riverhead Town Board, will be the

basis for the EIS. The proposed reuse, known as the Calverton Business

Park, comprises the following uses: theme attraction park(s), hotel/

conference center, service retail, golf course, industrial center (2.5

million sq. ft), community park(s), open space, natural areas, aviation

use/aircraft maintenance, event grounds, and a commercial/recreation

area including a stadium. Two additional alternatives will also be

evaluated in the EIS. One reuse alternative will include the

construction of a permanent automobile race course incorporating use of

one existing runway. Industrial, recreational, and other land uses

would be included in this alternative. A third alternative reuse plan

will include only residential development on the site limited to

residents of 50 years or older. The No Action alternative will also be

addressed in the EIS. It is defined as closing NWIRP, cessation of all

GOCO activities, and retention of the land as U.S. Government property.

The EIS to be prepared by the Navy will address the following known

areas of concern: effects of developed at the facility on the natural

and socioeconomic environment, effects of future growth on

infrastructure and transportation systems, and the effects of reuse on

the facility's historic properties. The EIS will also serve as

technical support for the National Historic Preservation Act Section

106 consultation process.

The Navy will hold a scoping meeting to receive comment on

significant issues that should be addressed in the EIS. The meeting

will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 1996, beginning at 7:00 P.M. at

the Ramada Inn located at 1830 Route 25 (at exit 72 of the Long Island

Expressway) in Riverhead, NY 11901. Navy representatives will make a

brief presentation, then members of the public will be provided an

opportunity for comments. It is important that federal, state, and

local agencies and interested individuals take this opportunity to

identify environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. In

the interest of time, speakers will be asked to limit their comments to

five minutes.

ADDRESSES: Agencies and the public are encouraged to provide written

comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the scoping

meeting. To be most helpful, comments should clearly describe specific

issues or topics which the EIS should address. Written comments must be

postmarked by May 1, 1996, and should be mailed to: Commanding Officer,

Northern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Commend, 10 Industrial

Highway, Lester, Pennsylvania 19113 (Attn: Mr. Robert Ostermueller,

Code 202), telephone (610) 595-0759.

Dated: March 21, 1996.

M.D. Schetzsle,

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

[FR Doc. 96-7249 Filed 3-25-96; 8:45 am]

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