Final Environmental Assessment for BRAC 95 Disposal and Reuse of Fort Missoula, MT

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Final Environmental Assessment for BRAC 95 Disposal and Reuse of

Fort Missoula, MT

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Pub. L. 101-510 (as amended), the Defense

Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, the Defense Base Closure and

Realignment Commission recommended the closure of Fort Missoula,

Montana.

The Final Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluates the environmental

impacts of the disposal and subsequent reuse of the 52 acres.

Alternatives examined in the EA include encumbered disposal of the

property, unencumbered disposal of the property, and no action.

Encumbered disposal refers to transfer or conveyance of property having

restrictions on subsequent use as a result of any Army-imposed or legal

restraint. Under the no action alternative, the Army would not dispose

of property but would maintain it in caretaker status for an indefinite

period.

While disposal of Fort Missoula is the Army's primary action, the

EA also analyzes the potential environmental effects of reuse as a

secondary action by means of evaluating intensity-based reuse

scenarios. The Army's preferred alternative for disposal of Fort

Missoula property is encumbered disposal, with encumbrances pertaining

to the possible presence of lead-based paint and asbestos-containing

material, and the requirement for a right of reentry for environmental

clean-up.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) declaring the Army's intent to prepare an

EA for the disposal and reuse of Fort Missoula was published in the

Federal Register on September 22, 1995 (60 FR 49264).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on August 7, 1998. Comments received

on this EA will be considered by the Army prior to initiating action.

COPIES: The Final EA is available for review at the Fort Missoula

Public Library. A copy of the Final EA may be obtained by writing to

Mr. Ken Brunner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District (ATTN:

CENWS-ED-TB-ER), 4735 East Marginal Way South, Seattle, Washington

98124-2255, or by facsimile at (206) 764-4470.

Dated: July 1, 1998.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and

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

[FR Doc. 98-18014 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]

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