Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Relocation of the U.S. Army Military Police School and the U.S. Army Chemical School to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Relocation of

the U.S. Army Military Police School and the U.S. Army Chemical School

to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of

1969 (NEPA) and the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ),

the Army has prepared an FEIS for the directed relocation of the U.S.

Army Chemical School and U.S. Army Military Police School from Fort

McClellan, Alabama, to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The relocation is

part of the approved 1995 Base Closure and Realignment actions mandated

by the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-510), and

subsequent actions in compliance with this law. Therefore, the FEIS

focuses on alternative methods of implementing these BRAC actions at

Fort Leonard Wood. The FEIS describes the proposed action which

involves the relocation of military mission activities, construction of

support facilities, and relocation of personnel to Fort Leonard Wood.

Alternatives considered for realignment of the BRAC training

missions include the: No. Action Alternative; Relocate Current Practice

(RCP) Alternative; Optimum Training Method (OPTM) Alternative; and the

Environmentally Preferred Training Method (EPTM) Alternative.

Alternatives considered for providing required support facilities

include the No Action Alternative, and three land use and facility

siting implementation alternatives. The final element of the planned

action, realignment of associated personnel, is considered in the

context of a: No Action Alternative; and Total Early, Total Late, and

Phased Move Alternatives. The Army has identified their Preferred

Action in the FEIS which includes implementation of the OPTM

Alternative for realigning training missions, the Combined Headquarters

and Instruction Land Use and Facility Plan Alternative to provide

required support facilities, and the Phased Move Alternative to

relocate personnel from Fort McClellan.

Based on the analysis included in this FEIS, adverse impacts that

would occur as a result of implementing the Army's proposed BRAC

actions at Fort Leonard Wood include: A reduction of air quality as a

result of fog oil obscurant training; training activities and tree

clearing that result in a ``may effect'' finding to Federally listed

threatened and endangered species; the potential for loss of soil

resources and accelerated erosion resulting from BRAC construction

projects; the release of unburned fuel that could impact soil and water

resources at the expedient flame range; and human health risks for

trainers and military students involved with obscurant training.

Beneficial impacts include increased operational efficiency and

training effectiveness associated with the collocation of the Engineer

School, the Military Police School and the Chemical School; short-term

economic gains associated with BRAC construction activities; and long-

term economic gains associated with the transfer of the Chemical School

and Military Police School missions to Fort Leonard Wood.

FEIS Distribution and Waiting Period

Copies of the FEIS have been forwarded to Federal, State and local

agencies; organizations; and individuals who provided substantive

comments on the Draft EIS, or who previously requested a copy of the

FEIS. These copies were distributed prior to, or simultaneously with,

the filing of this Notice of Availability for the FEIS with the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency. Copies of the FEIS are available for

review at the following public and other libraries: Kinderhook Regional

Library, Lebanon, Missouri; Kinderhook Regional Library, Waynesville,

Missouri; Rolla Public Library, Rolla, Missouri; Kansas City Public

Library, Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis County Library, Main Branch,

St. Louis, Missouri; Clarke Engineer School Library, Fort Leonard Wood,

Missouri; Texas County Library, Houston, Missouri; Daniel Boone

Regional Library, Columbia, Missouri; Missouri River Regional Library,

Jefferson City, Missouri; Springfield-Greene County Library,

Springfield, Missouri; and Fisher Library, Fort McClellan, Alabama.

Following a 30-day post-filing

[[Page 16143]]

waiting period, the Department of the Army will complete a Record of

Decision (ROD).

Questions and Requests for FEIS

Questions regarding the FEIS, or a request for a copy of the

document may be directed to Mr. Alan Gehrt at the Kansas City District,

Corps of Engineers, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2896;

phone: (816) 983-3142 or Telefax: (816) 426-2142.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and

Occupational Health) OASA(I, L&E).

[FR Doc. 97-8166 Filed 4-3-97; 8:45 am]

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