[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1887]
[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Reopen Scoping for a Joint Environmental
Impact Statement for Proposed Disposal and Reuse of Long Beach Naval
Hospital, Long Beach, CA
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy announces its
intent to reopen scoping for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
evaluate the environmental effects of the disposal and reuse of Naval
Hospital (NAVHOSP) Long Beach, Long Beach, California.
In accordance with requirements of the 1991 Base Closure and
Realignment Commission, the Navy plans to disestablish NAVHOSP Long
Beach on 31 March 1994. Operations conducted at NAVHOSP Long Beach are
currently relocating to other naval hospitals located in the
continental United States. The proposed action involves the disposal of
land, buildings, and infrastructure of NAVHOP Long Beach for subsequent
reuse. The property currently occupied by the hospital totals 65.2
acres located at 7500 E. Carson Street and generally bounded by Carson
Street, Dovey Drive, El Dorado Regional Park, and the 605 Freeway.
However, a parcel of approximately 35 acres will revert to ownership by
the City of Long Beach in accordance with the deed conveying that
parcel to the Navy. The disposal and reuse of the remaining
approximately 30 acres will comprise the focus of the NEPA
documentation.
The Navy intends to analyze the environmental effects of the
disposal of NAVHOSP Long Beach based on the reasonably foreseeable
reuse of the property, taking into account uses identified by the City
of Long Beach and as determined during the scoping process. Potential
reuses of NAVHOSP Long Beach that have been identified include (1)
demolition of the existing hospital complex and accessory structures
and construction of approximately one million square feet of retail,
restaurant, and entertainment commerical space, (2) continued use of
the existing hospital complex for medical use, and (3) use of the
existing facilities for educational, office, and administrative spaces.
The City of Long Beach owns the adjacent property to the west of
the hospital site and plans to develop it, along with the property that
will revert to City control as soon as possible.
Major environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS
include, but are not limited to, air quality, water quality, wetlands,
endangered species, cultural resources, transportation, and
socioeconomic impacts.
In May 1993, the Navy initiated a scoping process for the purpose
of determining the scope of significant issues to be addressed related
to this action. A scoping meeting was held in the City of Long Beach on
27 May 1993 and the process of preparing the EIS was begun. More
recently, however, the Navy has become aware that additional potential
reuses of the hospital site may have been identified that need to be
evaluated through the NEPA process. Therefore, the scoping process is
being reopened for a period of 90 days from the date of this notice to
allow communities, organizations, and the public to submit to the Navy
additional reuse alternatives or substantive environmental issues of
concern. The Navy will then fully evaluate potential reuse
recommendations that have a reasonable basis for implementation and
which would generate jobs and/or revenues for the local economy.
Public scoping meetings will be conducted in late March 1994 to
allow oral public scoping comments. A notice of time and place for
these meetings will be advertised in local newspapers and mailed to
local city officials. It is important that federal, state, and local
agencies and interested individuals take this opportunity to identify
environmental concerns that should be addressed during the preparation
of the EIS. Agencies and the public are invited and encouraged to
provide written comment in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at
the public meetings. To be most helpful, scoping comments should
clearly describe specific issues or topics which the commentor believes
the EIS should address. Written comments regarding this proposed action
should be mailed no later than April 28, 1994, to Commanding Officer,
Southwest Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 1220 Pacific
Highway, San Diego, California 92132-5190 (Attn: Mr. Dan Muslin, Code
232), telephone (619) 532-3403.
Dated: January 25, 1994.
Michael P. Rummel,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-1887 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-AE-M
