Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Exterior Security of Federally Occupied Buildings in the District of Columbia

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

the Exterior Security of Federally Occupied Buildings in the District

of Columbia

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality

(CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the General Services

Administration (GSA) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts

of vehicle restrictions near selected federally-occupied buildings in

the District of Columbia.

The GSA is investigating measures to improve security at buildings

in the District of Columbia occupied by federal employees. In

cooperation with the GSA, tenants of federally occupied buildings

formed Building Security Committees (BSC) to decide the type and amount

of security appropriate for their needs. The BSC recommended vehicle

restrictions in the proximity of federal buildings. GSA will prepare an

EIS to assess the potential effect of this type of recommendation and

determine whether the impact of the recommended alternative is

significant.

The GSA has identified 80 federally occupied buildings within the

downtown of the District of Columbia that are currently at a security

risk. A series of alternatives will be analyzed to determine the

effectiveness at improving building security and determine the

environmental impacts:

No Action--This alternative presents no change in the

existing vehicle restrictions.

Partial Vehicular Restriction--Vehicle restrictions in

proximity to federal buildings would only allow for authorized vehicles

with a secure windshield sticker, placard, or other identifying marker.

Total Vehicular Restriction--All vehicles in proximity to

any at-risk federally occupied buildings would be prohibited.

The EIS to be prepared by the GSA will address the following

potential areas of concern: economic impacts to the District of

Columbia; traffic flow and mass transit; air quality; and public

safety.

GSA will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of determining

the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant

issues related to this proposed action.

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Public scoping meetings are scheduled for:

April 9, 1997 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the General Services

Administration Auditorium located at 18th and F Streets, NW.,

Washington, DC 20405 (enter on the F Street Entrance) and April 10,

1997 beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the General Services Administration

Regional Auditorium located at 7th & D Streets, SW., Washington, DC

20407 (enter on the D Street Entrance) These meetings will be announced

in local newspapers.

A brief presentation will precede the request for public comment.

GSA representative will be available at this meeting to receive

comments from the public regarding issues of concern. It is important

that federal, state, and local agencies and interested groups and

individuals take this opportunity to identify environmental concerns

that should be addressed during the preparation of the EIS. All

interested parties are invited to attend this meeting or submit

comments in writing as described below. When registering, each attendee

will be requested to indicate whether oral comments will be delivered

at the meeting. In the interest of available time, each speaker will be

asked to limit oral comments to five (5) minutes. Longer comments

should be summarized at the public meeting or mailed to the address

listed at the end of this announcement. To be most helpful, scoping

comments should clearly describe specific issues or topics that the

commenter believes the EIS should address. All written statements and/

or questions regarding the scoping process should be mailed no later

than April 24, 1997 to: Ms. Christine Kelly, General Services

Administration, (WPCAA), Property Development Division, Room 2634, 7th

& D Streets SW., Washington, DC 20407, telephone (202) 708-4900, ext.

256, E-mail [email protected].

Dated: February 21, 1997.

William R. Lawson,

Assistant Regional Administrator, Public Buildings Service.

[FR Doc. 97-5477 Filed 3-5-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6820-23-M