[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 197 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64134-64135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22369]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Clinton District Area
Development, U.S. Army Garrison West Point, New York
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the
Department of the Army (Army) announces its intent to conduct public
scoping to gather information to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for implementing the Clinton District Area Development
Plan (Clinton District ADP) at U.S. Army Garrison West Point (USAG West
Point), New York. USAG West Point is home to the U.S. Military Academy
(USMA), the U.S. Army's preeminent leader development institution. The
EIS will evaluate the environmental impacts from implementing the
Clinton District ADP.
DATES: Comments must be received by November 23, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments about the scope of the EIS and
questions concerning the proposed action to: Mr. Christopher Pray, U.S.
Army Garrison, West Point, NEPA Coordinator, P.O. Box 102, West Point,
NY 10996. Comments may also be provided via email to: WestpointClinton-ADPEIS@usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Christopher Pray, U.S. Army
Garrison West Point, NEPA Coordinator, IMML-PWE, Building 667, Ruger
Road, West Point, NY 10996, Christopher Pray at (845) 938-7122 or by
email at Christopher.c.pray.civ@mail.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose and need for the proposed action
(implementation of the Clinton District ADP) is to provide improvements
and effective long-term management of installation facilities and
infrastructure within the Clinton District so that USMA can continue to
improve its offerings to meet evolving educational standards concurrent
with its goal of training its Corps of Cadets as future leaders in the
defense of the nation and its core values. These improvements are
necessary to satisfy these high standards while maintaining the visual
character of the historic landscape in and around USAG West Point. The
Clinton District comprises the main campus of USMA, and this ADP is one
of seven separate ADPs in the USAG West Point Real Property Master Plan
(RPMP), which addresses the effective long-term management of
installation facilities and infrastructure through a comprehensive and
collaborative planning process. The Clinton District is the most
sensitive area at USAG West Point due to its location within the USMA
National Historic Landmark District, and it encompasses historic
buildings and structures, archeological sites, and historic landscapes.
The Clinton District ADP is a critical component of the RPMP because it
is home to USMA's academic core. It contains the majority of the
academic, athletic, and waterfront areas, and includes such prominent
sites as Trophy Point, West Point Cemetery, Eisenhower Hall, and The
Plain.
The implementation of the projects proposed in the ADP would allow
improvements and effective long-term management of installation
facilities and infrastructure within the Clinton District. USMA needs
to continue improving its infrastructure while observing the
constraints of its physical location and protecting its cultural and
natural resources. The ADP analyses several projects that are to be
built, renovated, or reorganized to meet the needs of providing modern
structures for the training of its Corps of Cadets as future leaders.
The Clinton District ADP includes the short-, mid-, and long-range
components of development. It reflects ongoing projects previously
considered under NEPA as well as potential future development
opportunities at USAG West Point. These components are at different
developmental stages with some under way and others at the conceptual
level. One of the short-range components is the proposed construction
and operation of the Humanities Center at Trophy Point. The EIS will
consider the implementation of the Clinton District ADP relative to the
various components, depending on their developmental stages. Components
that are further along in development such as the Humanities Center
will be evaluated in detail while components at conceptual stages will
be evaluated at a programmatic level in the EIS. For those potential
future development opportunities evaluated in the EIS at a programmatic
level, the Army will ensure that appropriate NEPA review is completed
at the time when the components reach the stage ripe for specific
decision-making.
The EIS will analyze the alternatives of full implementation of
proposed projects in the Clinton District ADP, implementation of the
Clinton District ADP without the revitalization of Trophy Point and the
Humanities Center, and a No Action Alternative. The EIS will also
evaluate the effects of the proposed action and past, present, and
reasonably foreseeable future actions. There may be significant impacts
to historic properties, including the visual historic component. Other
potential impacts may occur on land use, biological aspects, and water
resources. Construction activities may cause traffic, noise, and air
quality impacts. Consultation with the State Historic Preservation
Office will be required. Permitting actions for construction, air
emissions, and storm water pollution prevention may be required.
A tentative schedule has been developed for this EIS. The scoping
meeting is anticipated to be held in October of 2020. The Draft EIS and
subsequent public meeting will occur in the summer of 2021. The Final
EIS is anticipated to be solicited in October of 2022 with the Record
of Decision to be issued in November of 2022. The EIS is estimated to
be signed and completed in December of 2022.
Native American Tribes; Federal, state, and local agencies;
organizations; special interest groups; and individuals are invited to
be involved in the scoping process for the preparation of this EIS by
participating in the scoping meetings and/or submitting written
comments to assist with identifying alternatives or providing
information to inform the analysis. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and
the need to maintain social distancing, all public meeting materials
will be provided online, and the public meeting will be hosted by
telephone. The meeting materials can be found at https://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/Environmental-Assessment/Clinton-Area-Development-Plan/. Interested parties will also be invited
to attend two public telephone meetings scheduled for October 29, 2020.
The phone number and passcode for both meetings is 1-877-229-8493 and
119890. The first meeting will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the
second meeting will be from 6:00 p.m.
[[Page 64135]]
to 8:00 p.m. If you cannot access the scoping materials online, please
submit a request for the scoping materials to: Mr. Chris Pray, U.S.
Army Garrison West Point, NEPA Coordinator, by phone (845) 938-7122 or
mail P.O. Box 102, West Point, NY 10996. Mail must be postmarked not
later than October 26, 2020 so the meeting materials can be sent by
United States Postal Service. Written comments must be received within
45 days of publication in the Federal Register and can be mailed to see
ADRESSES or emailed to: WestpointClinton-ADPEIS@usace.army.mil.
Notification of the public telephone meetings will be announced in the
local news media and on the US Army Corps of Engineers New York
District website at: https://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/Environmental-Assessment/Clinton-Area-Development-Plan/.
James W. Satterwhite Jr.,
Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-22369 Filed 10-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5061-AP-P