# Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Trenton, Ewing Township, NJ

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URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A97-6623

## Record

- **Collection:** Federal Register
- **Document type:** Notice
- **Published:** March 17, 1997
- **Citation:** 62 FR 12622

## Text

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Warfare
Center, Aircraft Division, Trenton, Ewing Township, NJ

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40

[[Page 12623]]

CFR Parts 1500-1508), implementing procedural provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Navy
announces its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for the proposed disposal and reuse of Naval Air Warfare Center,
Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Trenton, Ewing Township, New Jersey.
In 1993, the Congressional Committee on Base Realignment and
Closure (BRAC) recommended the closure of NAWCAD Trenton and the
subsequent relocation of functions, personnel, equipment, and support
to the Arnold Engineering Center, Tullahoma, Tennessee and the Naval
Air Warfare Center Patuxent River, Maryland. This recommendation was
approved by President Clinton and accepted by the One Hundred Third
Congress in 1993. The BRAC legislation also identified the requirements
for compliance with NEPA stating that the provisions of NEPA shall
apply during the process of property disposal. Accordingly, with this
notice, the Navy has initiated the process to prepare a DEIS to
evaluate the environmental effects of the disposal and likely reuse of
this property.
The proposed action to be considered and evaluated in the DEIS is
the disposal and reuse of the NAWCAD property determined surplus to the
needs of the federal government. Other Department of Defense
activities, and other federal government activities including
consideration of the homeless have been screened in order to determine
possible reuse.
NAWCAD Trenton, located in Mercer County, New Jersey, consists of
about 66 acres with a total of 96 buildings and structures. As a result
of the federal land disposal screening process, a portion of the
property (about 25 acres) has been identified for possible transfer to
the Mercer County airport Authority under a Federal Aviation
Administration conveyance. The US Postal Service may also be a
recipient of about 3 acres of the 66 acre site for use as regional post
office. The remainder will be available for development through
acquisition by public auction. The NAWCAD Reuse Committee acting as the
Local Reuse Authority, has prepared a reuse plan for the NAWCAD
property. The plan represents a reasonable and likely redevelopment
scenario based on the proposed zoning of the site. The DEIS will
evaluate environmental impacts of the reuse plan as well as of other
reasonable possible redevelopment scenarios under current or other
zoning classifications. Navy will also evaluate the no action
alternative, defined as the retention of NAWCAD Trenton by the federal
government. According to the State Historic Preservation Officer, the
jet engine test cells complex, located in three buildings on the
southern portion of the site, are eligible for listing in the National
Register of Historic Places.

ADDRESSES: Navy will hold a public meeting to further identify the
scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. The NAWCAD Reuse Committee
will also solicit public input on its proposed reuse plan. The meeting
will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 1997, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at
the Ewing Township Municipal Building, 2 Municipal Drive, Ewing
Township, New Jersey. Navy representatives will make a brief
presentation, then members of the public will be asked to provide their
comments. 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 of topics which the EIS should address. Written comments must be
postmarked by April 15, 1997, and should be mailed to Commanding
Officer, Northern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Attn.
Mr. Bob Ostermueller (Code 202), 10 Industrial Highway, MSC 82, Lester,
PA 19113. All statements, both oral and written, will become part of
the public record on this action and will be given equal consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning this
notice may be obtained by contacting Mr. Bob Ostermueller at (610) 595-
0759, facsimile (610) 595-0788.

Dated: March 13, 1997.
M.A. Waters,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-6623 Filed 3-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A97-6623. Public record. Not legal advice.