[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 55978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27790]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Disposal; and Reuse of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Santa Ana,
California
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act as
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR
Parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Marine Corps intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental
effects of the disposal and reuse of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El
Toro. Located in Orange County, MCAS El Toro is north and east of the
City of Irvine and west of the City of Lake Forest.
As a result of the 1993 Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)
process, MCAS El Toro was slated for closure by 1999. Orange County was
designated as the federally recognized Local Redevelopment Authority
for the development of the Community Reuse Plan at MCAS El Toro.
Accordingly, Orange County is preparing the Community Reuse Plan
simultaneously with an Environmental Impact Report required under the
California Environmental Quality Act. An EIS, which is required for the
disposal and reuse of MCAS El Toro, is being prepared by the Marine
Corps in accordance with NEPA. The Community Reuse Plan will be the
basis for the proposed action and the alternatives analyzed in the EIS.
The Federal Aviation Administration is a cooperating agency for this
EIS.
Environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS include: geological
resources, biological resources, water resources, noise, air quality,
land use compatibility, cultural resources, socioeconomics,
environmental justice, public health and safety, transportation/
circulation, aesthetics, utilities, hazardous materials, and solid
waste.
The Marine Corps will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of
determining the extent of issues to be addressed and identifying the
significant issues related to this action. The Marine Corps will hold
two public scoping meetings. The first will be on November 13, 1996,
beginning at 5:30 pm, at Mission Viejo High School, 25025 Chrisanta
Drive, Mission Viejo, California; and the second will be on November
14, 1996, beginning at 7:00 pm at Irvine City Hall, 1 Civic Center
Plaza, Irvine, California. These meetings will be advertised in area
newspapers.
A brief presentation will precede request for public comment.
Marine Corps representatives will be available at these meetings to
receive comments from the public regarding issues of concern to the
public. 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. In
the interest of available time, each speaker will be asked to limit
their oral comments to five minutes.
Agencies and the public are also invited and encouraged to provide
written comment on scoping issues in addition to, or in lieu of, oral
comments at the public meeting. To be most helpful, scoping comments
should clearly describe specific issues or topics which the commentor
believes the EIS should address. Written statements and or questions
regarding the scoping process should be mailed to: Commanding Officer,
Southwest Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 1220 Pacific
Highway, San Diego, CA 92132-5190 (Attn: Mr. Dan Muslin, Code 232). All
comments must be received no later than December 6, 1996.
Date: October 24, 1996.
Lawrence L. Larson,
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, Head, Land Use and Military Construction
Branch, Facilities and Services Division, Installations and Logistics
Department, By direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
[FR Doc. 96-27790 Filed 10-29-96; 8:45 am]
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