Coast Guard ``Optimize Training Infrastructure'' Initiative: Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

[USCG-1998-4765]

Coast Guard ``Optimize Training Infrastructure'' Initiative:

Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Proposed Finding of No

Significant Impact

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability, notice of meetings, and request for

comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of a Programmatic

Environmental Assessment (PEA) and a proposed Finding of No Significant

Impact (FONSI) for the ``Optimize Training Infrastructure'' (OTI)

Initiative. The OTI Initiative examined the ability of the Coast

Guard's training infrastructure (training methods, personnel, and

facilities) to support changing technological and operational

conditions in an efficient, cost-effective manner. This notice also

announces

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public meetings and requests comments on the PEA and proposed FONSI.

DATES: The dates of the public meetings are--

1. September 13, 1999, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Cape May, NJ; and

2. September 15, 1999, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Petaluma, CA.

The meetings may close early if all business is finished. A public

open house will be held before each meeting from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before October 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The locations of the public meetings are-

1. Cape May--Grand Hotel, Ocean Front and Philadelphia Streets,

Cape May, NJ; and

2. Petaluma--Kenilworth Junior High School, 998 East Washington

St., Petaluma, CA.

Electronic copies of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment

(PEA) and proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) are

available through the OTI web site at http://www.ttsfo.com/USCG. The

documents may be viewed in text-readable form or downloaded.

Bound copies may be viewed at the following locations:

1. Cape May Public Library, 110 Ocean Street, Cape May, NJ.

2. Newport News Public Library, 2400 Washington Avenue, Newport

News, VA.

3. Pasquotank--Camden Library, 205 East Main Street, Elizabeth

City, NC.

4. Petaluma Library, 100 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA.

Electronic copies may also be viewed in the Department of

Transportation's Docket Management System at http://dms.dot.gov

(located at docket USCG-1998-4765). The PEA, proposed FONSI, comments

submitted during public scoping, and other relevant materials are

available for viewing at this site in a ``scanned image'' format,

rather than as text. All comments received during this phase, and other

relevant materials, will be placed in the docket. They will be

available for inspection or copying at the Docket Management Facility,

U.S. Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW.,

Washington DC 20590-0001, on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal

holidays.

You may mail, FAX, email, or hand-deliver your comments to Ms.

Susan Boyle, U.S. Coast Guard, c/o Tetra Tech, 180 Howard Street, Suite

250, San Francisco, CA 94105, Phone 510-437-3973, FAX 415-974-5914, or

email CoastG[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this notice, the NEPA

process, and NEPA documents, contact Ms. Susan Boyle, Commander(se),

USCG MLC Pacific, Coast Guard Island #54D, Alameda, CA 94501-5100, 510-

437-3973. For questions on the OTI Initiative, contact LCDR Keith

Curran, Reserve and Training Directorate (G-WT), Coast Guard

Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593, phone 202-

267-2429 or email CoastG[email protected]. For questions on viewing

material in the OTI web site, contact Mr. John Bock, Tetra Tech, 415-

974-1221. For questions on viewing material in the Department of

Transportation's Docket Management System, contact Ms. Dorothy Walker,

Chief, Dockets, Department of Transportation, 202-366-9329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OTI Initiative

Under the ``Optimize Training Infrastructure'' (OTI) Initiative,

the Coast Guard examined the ability of its training infrastructure to

support changing technological and operational conditions in a cost-

effective and efficient manner. All aspects of the training

infrastructure were evaluated, including hard infrastructure (e.g.,

buildings, utilities, and classroom types) and soft infrastructure

(e.g., training staff, class size, curricula, training delivery

methods, mid-level management, and financial resources). This process

emphasized optimizing training, while maintaining the flexibility to

meet future needs.

Preferred Alternative

The Coast Guard announced its preferred alternative in the Federal

Register on July 16, 1999 (64 FR 38498). The preferred alternative is

to retain all four training centers (Training Center Cape May, NJ;

Training Center Petaluma, CA; Reserve Training Center Yorktown, VA; and

Aviation & Technical Training Center Elizabeth, NC) and, where cost

effective, fill any excess training capacity with non-training and

training-related functions. No major new construction projects are

associated with this alternative.

Programmatic Environmental Assessment

The Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) describes and

compares the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects of each

of the alternatives under consideration. We have determined that no

significant environmental or socioeconomic impacts would result from

the implementation of the preferred alternative (Alternative 3) and

that the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not

necessary. As a result, a proposed Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) has been prepared.

The PEA evaluates the full range of resources affected by each

alternative. The resources include land, infrastructure, transportation

assets, hazardous materials and wastes, biological resources, cultural

resources, air, noise, water, geology, soils, and socioeconomic

conditions relevant to the programmatic level of analysis and decision-

making. Specific socioeconomic conditions include population,

demographics, employment, income, housing, schools, and public

services.

Public Participation

On November 19, 1998, we published a notice in the Federal Register

entitled ``Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Assessment

for the Coast Guard `Optimize Training Infrastructure' Initiative'' (63

FR 64309). The purpose for the notice was to announce our intent to

prepare a PEA and to begin the process of gathering the public's

comments to assist us in developing the PEA. It included a description

of the recommended alternatives and announced three public meetings to

assist in gathering public comments. With the publication of the

notice, a period of public outreach and comment (scoping period) began

and ran until January 6, 1999. However, comments received after that

date were also reviewed and, as appropriate, incorporated in the NEPA

process.

In addition to the notice of intent, the public was notified of the

scoping process through notices mailed directly to numerous public

officials, agencies, and organizations. Scoping notices also were

published in the Cape May Star and Wave (Cape May, New Jersey), the

Atlantic City Press (Atlantic City, New Jersey), the Daily Press

(Yorktown, Virginia), the Argus Courier (Petaluma, California), and the

Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California).

During the public scoping period, the Coast Guard received letters

and statements from 481 individuals and form letters from 337

individuals. In addition, 121 people made verbal comments at the public

meetings. In total, 897 people participated in the scoping process by

providing written or verbal comments. Additionally, local governments

submitted resolutions addressing the proposed action and issued

petitions, generally voicing opposition to one of the proposed closure

alternatives. The issues and concerns expressed in the public

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comments during the scoping phase of the planning process are

summarized in the scoping report, Appendix A of the PEA. Transcripts

from the scoping meetings and all written material received during the

scoping period can be viewed at the web site for Department of

Transportation's Docket Management System at http://dms.dot.gov

(located at docket USCG-1998-4765).

The present notice of availability begins the second phase of

public involvement by seeking comments on the PEA. Following the

comment period on the PEA and an analysis of comments received, the

Commandant of the Coast Guard will weigh appropriate information and

make a final decision. That decision will be published in the Federal

Register.

Public Meetings

Two public meetings will be held on the PEA and proposed FONSI.

(See DATES and ADDRESSES.) Please note that the meetings may close

early if all business is finished. For information on facilities or

services for individuals with disabilities or to request special

assistance at the meetings, contact Ms. Boyle (See FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) as soon as possible.

A public meeting has not been scheduled for Yorktown, VA, since

there was little public interest in OTI at RTC Yorktown during the

scoping phase of the NEPA process. However, if public interest in this

next phase increases, a meeting may be scheduled there.

Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate by submitting written comments on

the PEA and FONSI or by presenting verbal comments at a public meeting.

If you submit written comments, please include your name and address

and identify the docket number for this notice (USCG-1998-4765). Please

submit written comments and attachments in an unbound format, no larger

than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing to

Ms. Boyle at the address under ADDRESSES. If you would like to know we

received your comments, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed

postcard or envelope.

Dated: August 26, 1999.

J. B. Willis,

Captain, U. S. Coast Guard, Acting Director of Reserve and Training.

[FR Doc. 99-22927 Filed 9-2-99; 8:45 am]

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