Final Environmental Impact Statement/Fort Baker Plan Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Marin County, CA; Notice of Availability

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Final Environmental Impact Statement/Fort Baker Plan Golden Gate

National Recreation Area, Marin County, CA; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2)(C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), the National Park

Service (NPS), Department of the Interior, has prepared a Final

Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Fort Baker Plan (FEIS/

Plan), Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The FEIS/Plan details and

analyzes proposed implementation of future building use, site

improvements, visitor services, and cultural and natural resource

management actions related to converting Fort Baker from a military

installation to a unit of the National Park System.

Alternatives and Proposed Action: Four alternatives were

considered--a No Action Alternative, the 1980 General Management Plan

Alternative, the Office and Cultural Center Alternative, and the

Proposed Action. Each alternative is briefly described below.

Under the No Action Alternative, the buildings along the historic

parade ground area would be occupied as residences. Non-residential

structures would be stabilized for preservation with no new use. There

would be minimal changes to the waterfront to provide for visitor

safety, and no there would be no expansion by existing tenant U.S.

Coast Guard (USCG) or Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) uses. The marina

would be closed, the slips and docks removed, and the boat shop would

be stabilized for preservation with no new use. Minimal preservation

treatment of natural and cultural resources would be carried out to

meet legislative requirements and to complete currently under way

restoration efforts.

The 1980 General Management Plan Alternative would result in a 350-

person conference center, artist-in-residence program and a hostel with

no new construction. Non-historic buildings would be removed and

replaced with a 700-car shuttle staging parking lot and NPS maintenance

facility. The marina would be converted to a public facility with

visitor services and short-term boat mooring. Urban landscape treatment

would be applied to the waterfront area, and a ferry landing would be

developed at the historic fishing pier. Roads and trails would be

improved.

The Office and Cultural Center Alternative would use the historic

buildings for meeting, program, restaurant, performance and program

space needs for private and non-profit groups. Non-historic residences

would be retained and some removed to provide parking for the center.

The marina would continue to provide long-term boat mooring and some

public boat mooring and visitor services. Other treatments would be the

same as the Proposed Action.

The Proposed Action would create a retreat and conference center in

a combination of historic buildings, non-historic buildings and new

construction containing meeting space, dining facilities and overnight

accommodations. The existing BADM and USCG tenants and their facilities

would be retained and expanded under the Proposed Action. Public

services and short-term boat moorings/slips would be provided in the

historic boat shop and marina area; the maximum number of boats

accommodated is set at 60. Recreational and interpretive trails and

programs would be provided. The waterfront landscape would be improved,

the beach restored, and natural and cultural resources of the site

preserved and maintained. Approximately 40 acres of natural habitat

would be restored, including habitat for the federally threatened

mission blue butterfly.

Background: Public scoping activities were conducted during July

16-23, 1997. In addition, Advisory Commission workshops and

presentations were held September 2 and November 12, 1997. The Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released for a 60-day public

review period on October 6, 1998 which ended on December 6, 1998. A

public hearing was held during the review period to receive oral

comments from the public on November 18, 1998. A total of 127 written

letters, e-mails, and oral comments were received. Both the DEIS and

the FEIS/Plan evaluate the same Proposed Action and alternatives.

The FEIS/Plan is comprised of two volumes; Volume I: DEIS, as

amended; and Volume II: Response to Comments. Changes made to the DEIS

include typographical corrections or points of clarification,

refinement of existing mitigation, and new mitigation. Traffic effects,

environmental consequences associated with potential ferry service at

Fort Baker, and projected demand for wastewater services were the

primary areas of additional analysis. Based on a correction to the

assumptions used (and mathematical errors occurring in) the DEIS, the

maximum total square footage of net new construction is reduced to

85,000sf (from 119,891sf). All text changes made in response to a

comment are clearly indicated in Volume II (with citation to relevant

sections in Volume I).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Requests for information or copies of the

FEIS/Plan should be directed to the Fort Baker Planning Team, Golden

Gate National Recreation Area Headquarters, Fort Mason, Building 201,

San Francisco, California, 94123; telephone (415) 561-3030 x2246. The

FEIS/Plan will also be available for review at area libraries, and via

the Internet at www.nps.gov/goga/. The no-action period for the FEIS/

Plan will extend for thirty (30) days after the Environmental

Protection Agency's notification of the filing of the document is

published in the Federal Register. Subsequently, the National Park

Service will publish a notice of the Record of Decision in the Federal

Register. The official responsible for the decision is the Regional

director, pacific West Region; the official responsible for

implementation is the superintendent, Golden Gate National Recreation

Area.

Dated: October 22, 1999.

Cynthia Ip,

Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.

[FR Doc. 99-28404 Filed 10-28-99; 8:45 am]

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