[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28185-28188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13807]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Record of Decision for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air
Station Glenview, IL
The Department of the Navy (Navy), pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.
Sec. 4321 et seq., and the regulations of the Council on Environmental
Quality that implement NEPA procedures, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, hereby
announces its decision to dispose of Naval Air Station (NAS) Glenview,
Illinois.
Navy intends to dispose of the property in a manner that is
consistent with the Glenview Naval Air Station Consensus Reuse Plan
submitted by the Village of Glenview, the Local Redevelopment Authority
(LRA) for NAS Glenview, described in the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) as the preferred alternative. The Consensus Reuse Plan
proposed a mixed use approach of commercial, residential, recreational,
public service, and open space land uses.
In deciding to dispose of NAS Glenview in a manner consistent with
the Consensus Reuse Plan, Navy has determined that mixed land use will
meet the goals of local economic redevelopment and creation of new
jobs, while also maintaining the Village of Glenview's character and
fiscal integrity, minimizing adverse environmental impacts, and
ensuring land uses that are compatible with surrounding properties.
This Record Of Decision does not mandate a specific mix of land uses.
Rather, it leaves selection of the particular means to achieve the
mixed use redevelopment to the acquiring entity and the local zoning
authority.
Background
The 1993 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
recommended closure of NAS Glenview. This recommendation was then
approved by President Clinton and accepted by the One Hundred Third
Congress in 1993. Operations at NAS Glenview ceased on September 9,
1995, and the property has been in caretake status since that date.
NAS Glenview is located entirely within the Village of Glenview and
consists of 1,121 acres of fee-owned land with 110 buildings that
contain 1,332,138 square feet of office and storage space. Navy has
reserved 78 acres containing military family housing and open space for
use as family housing that will serve the Naval Training Center at
Great Lakes, Illinois. The remaining property is surplus to the needs
of the Federal Government and can be conveyed.
Navy published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on
February 3, 1994, announcing that Navy would prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement that would analyze the impacts of disposal and reuse
of the land, buildings, and infrastructure at NAS Glenview. A 30-day
public scoping period was established, and a scoping meeting was held
on February 17, 1994, in the Village of Glenview.
On July 14, 1995, Navy distributed a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) to Federal, State, and local agencies, elected
officials, special interest groups, and interested persons. Navy held a
public hearing on August 17, 1995, in the Village of Glenview. Federal
agencies, Illinois State agencies, local governments, and the general
public commented on the DEIS. These comments and Navy's responses were
incorporated in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) which
was distributed to the public on December 1, 1995, for a review that
concluded on January 2, 1996. Navy did not receive any comments on the
FEIS.
Alternatives
NEPA requires Navy to evaluate a reasonable range of alternatives
for disposal and reuse of this Federal property. In the NEPA process,
Navy analyzed the environmental impacts of various proposed land uses
that could result from disposal of the Air Station property. As the
basis for this analysis, Navy relied upon the reuse and redevelopment
alternatives identified by The Glenview Community Reuse Planning Group,
an organization created by the Village of Glenview in its capacity as
the LRA. The Community Reuse Planning Group analyzed various
redevelopment scenarios and land uses and prepared the Glenview Naval
Air Station Consensus Reuse Plan which was presented to the Department
of the Navy on June 21, 1995.
The Community Reuse Planning Group initially considered ten
preliminary scenarios for redevelopment that it described as: (1)
General Aviation, which based reuse on continued use of the Air Station
as a general aviation airport with compatible industrial, office, and
warehouse uses; (2) Inherent Land Use Suitability, which based reuse on
a variety of physical characteristics such as accessibility, area
requirements, adjacent land use, site attractiveness, and environmental
constraints; (3) Core Area Prominence, which based reuse on maximizing
adaptive reuse of the core area buildings and related development of
other areas; (4) Residential Neighborhood Focus, which based reuse on
the establishment of new neighborhoods and the introduction of other
uses compatible with the residential neighborhoods; (5) Open Space
Focus, which dedicated half of the Air Station to open space and
recreation; (6) Public Use Focus, which based reuse on recreational,
cultural, educational, and public service facilities; (7) Major
Institution Focus, which based reuse on the presence of a major
institution such as a university campus, regional government center, or
medical facility; (8) Commercial/Industrial Focus, which based reuse on
revenue-generating activities that would create jobs, maximize revenue
flow, and minimize government costs; (9) Sports/Leisure Complex Focus,
which based reuse on the development of private and public sports and
recreational facilities of regional interest; and (10) A Comprehensive
Plan, which based reuse on the Village of Glenview's 1990 Comprehensive
Plan that emphasized
[[Page 28186]]
residential development of the entire Naval Air Station property.
The Community Reuse Planning Group evaluated these ten
redevelopment scenarios by considering the central theme of each
scenario, the configuration of the scenario, its economic feasibility,
its impact on the quality of life, and its potential for creating new
jobs. Based upon these factors, the Community Reuse Planning Group
selected four of the ten scenarios for further detailed analysis. These
four scenarios were Inherent Land Use Suitability, Open Space Focus,
Major Institution Focus, and Sports/Leisure Complex Focus. The Group
then evaluated these four scenarios in light of twenty-two community
redevelopment objectives.
The Community Reuse Planning Group's analysis examined the extent
to which each of these four scenarios reflected community goals and
objectives. The Group then adopted aspects of each scenarios and
combined them into one land use plan designated as the Glenview Naval
Air Station Consensus Reuse Plan. Navy selected the Consensus Reuse
Plan as the preferred alternative in the FEIS. Navy also considered a
``No Action'' alternative in the FEIS that proposed continued Navy
ownership of the property in caretaker status with Navy maintaining the
physical condition of the property, providing a security force, and
making repairs essential to safety.
The Consensus Reuse Plan proposed mixed use of the Naval Air
Station property to achieve local economic redevelopment. Light
industrial, commercial, retail, and sports and leisure activities would
occupy about 354 acres. Residential uses would occupy about 245 acres.
Open space and public recreational uses would occupy about 342 acres,
and the remaining 104 acres of the Air Station property would be
occupied by public service uses such as public works facilities and a
commuter rail station.
Environmental Impacts
Navy analyzed the potential impacts of the ``No Action''
alternative and the Consensus Reuse Plan alternative for their effects
on earth resources, transportation, air quality, noise, water
resources, hazardous materials and hazardous waste, historical and
archaeological resources, biological resources, socioeconomic
resources, and environmental justice. This Record of Decision focuses
on the impacts that would likely result from implementing the Consensus
Reuse Plan.
In order to implement the Consensus Reuse Plan, it would be
necessary to change the topography of some areas on the Naval Air
Station property by grading, filling, and excavating land. It would
also be necessary to change the elevation of some areas of the property
to permit construction of facilities, roadways, and stormwater
retention areas. None of these changes would result in significant
environmental impacts.
Based upon the redevelopment proposed by the Consensus Reuse Plan,
vehicular traffic in the area would increase. The proposed
redevelopment would generate 52,821 average daily trips in the vicinity
of the Air Station by the year 2010. This increase in traffic would
require roadway and intersection improvements. Additionally, this
region is projected to grow in the future and this future growth would
account for most of the increased traffic in the area. Thus, most of
these improvements would be needed even if the Naval Air Station were
not redeveloped. Roadway and intersection improvements that are
currently planned and roadway and intersection improvements on the
Naval Air Station property recommended by the LRA should adequately
mitigate impacts caused by the increased traffic.
The long term impact on air quality that would arise from
stationary emission sources, including heating units, will depend upon
the nature and extent of the activities conducted on the property. The
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) will have jurisdiction
over these emission sources, and it will be necessary for all such
sources to comply with IEPA standards. Certain sources will require
appropriate permits fro IEPA. The elimination of aircraft operations
and maintenance activities at the Air Station will reduce mobile
sources of emission from the area. The projected increase in vehicular
traffic would increase mobile source emissions of nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds. The extent of this increased would be
mitigated by the proposed commuter rail station, bike paths,pedestrian
paths, and shuttle buses.
The cessation of military aircraft activity will also result in a
substantial decrease in noise. Construction and demolition activities
arising out of redevelopment would cause a temporary increase in
ambient noise levels. The long term noise that would be generated under
the proposed reuse plan would be typical of that present in the
community that now surrounds the Air Station.
Redevelopment of the Naval Air Station property would increase the
surface areas that will not absorb rainwater, largely by the
construction of buildings, roadways, and parking lots on land that was
previously undeveloped. In turn, this would increase stormwater runoff.
To address this problem, the LRA proposed in its resue plan to build a
stormwater management system consisting of 25 to 60 acre lake and
drainage swales. Together with existing drainage areas, these systems
should adequately manage normal stormwater runoff. While a 25-acre lake
would adequately manage stormwater runoff for the redeveloped Naval Air
Station property, the proposed larger lake would also meet the
stormwater drainage requirements of the surrounding area, resulting in
a positive impact on the area's stormwater management and water
quality.
Navy has identified several hazardous waste sites on the Air
Station property and is developing methods for remediating the sites.
Navy has already initiated cleanup at some of these sites. Navy, the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency will continue to review and approve the risk
assessments developed to ascertain the potential impacts of existing
contamination on human health and the environment before Navy
remediates the contaminated sites and conveys the property.
Aircraft Hanger One, known as the Curtiss-Reynolds Building, is the
only building or site on the Air Station that is eligible for listing
on the National Register of Historic Places. Navy, the Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation, and the Illinois State Historic Preservation
Officer entered into a Programmatic Agreement on May 13, 1996. Under
this Agreement, Navy will encourage adaptive reuse of this historic
structure and maintain and preserve the building until conveyance. Navy
will include protective covenants in the deed for the parcel that
contains this historic building.
While some wetlands may be drained or filled as a result of
redevelopment, the net amount of wetlands would increase from
construction of the stormwater retention lake and the drainage swales.
Among the existing wetlands, the Naval Air Station also contains small
areas of prairie. The proposed commercial and industrial redevelopment
in the northern part of the Air Station may eliminate most of this
remnant prairie. However, since the State of Illinois' Department of
Natural Resources has classified this prairie as moderately heavily
disturbed, its loss would not cause a significant impact on local
biological resources.
[[Page 28187]]
There are no threatened or endangered species listed under the
Federal Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq., that
inhabit the Air Station property.There are two State-designated
endangered and two State-designated threatened species that may be
adversely affected by implementation of the Consensus Reuse Plan. The
upland sandpiper and the golden sedge are endangered, and the mountain
blue-eyed grass and early fen sedge are threatened. Thus, it will be
necessary for future developers to coordinate with the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources before conducting activities that may
have an impact on these endangered and threatened species. Two of the
species (the golden sedge and the early fen sedge) occur in wetlands
and may be afforded additional protection under Sections 401 and 404 of
the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1252, et seq., which establishes a
permitting process that is administered by the United States Army Corps
of Engineers.
Redevelopment of the Naval Air Station would result in the creation
of new jobs and improved socioeconomic conditions. Although the
redevelopment would generate a demand for additional infrastructure and
community services, the Consensus Reuse Plan projects that public
revenue generated by the redevelopment would be sufficient to fund the
additional infrastructure, i.e., roadway improvements and public
utilities, and services, i.e., schools and police and fire protection.
Navy also analyzed the impacts on low income and minority
populations pursuant to Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to
Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations, and found that there would be no disproportionately high
and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and low
income populations. Any impact related to reuse of the Naval Air
Station would be experienced equally by all groups within the regional
population.
Mitigation
No mitigation measures are required to implement Navy's decision to
dispose of the Naval Air Station property. Navy's FEIS identified and
discussed the actions that would be necessary to mitigate the impacts
associated with reuse and redevelopment. The acquiring entity, under
the direction of Federal, State and local agencies with regulatory
authority over protected resources, will be responsible for
implementing necessary mitigation measures.
Absent statutory authority, Navy cannot impose restrictions on the
future use of this surplus Federal property. Navy will, however,
include appropriate notification in the deeds for any parcels that are
inhabited by endangered or threatened species protected under State law
and that contain wetlands or lie within floodplains that are protected
under Federal and State laws.
Comments Received on the FEIS
Navy did not receive any comments on the FEIS.
Regulations Governing the Disposal Decision
Since the proposed action contemplates a disposal action under the
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (DBCRA), Public Law
101-510, 10 U.S.C. Sec. 2687 note, selection of the Consensus Reuse
Plan as the preferred alternative was based upon the environmental
analysis in the FEIS and application of the standards set forth in
DBCRA, the Federal Property Management Regulations (FPMR), 41 CFR Part
101-47, and the Department of Defense Rule on Revitalizing Base Closure
Communities and Community Assistance (DOD Rule), 32 CFR Parts 90 and
91.
Section 101-47.303-1 of the FPMR requires that the disposal of
Federal property benefit the Federal government and constitute the
highest and best use of the property. Section 101-47.4909 of the FPMR
defines the ``highest and best use'' as that use to which a property
can be put that produces the highest monetary return from the property,
promotes its maximum value, or serves a public or institutional
purpose. The ``highest and best use'' determination must be based upon
the property's economic potential, qualitative values inherent in the
property, and utilization factors affecting land use such as zoning,
physical characteristics, other private and public uses in the
vicinity, neighboring improvements, utility services, access, roads,
location, and environmental and historical considerations.
After Federal property has been conveyed to non-Federal entities,
the property is subject to local land use regulations, including zoning
and subdivision regulations and building codes. Unless expressly
authorized by statute, the disposing Federal agency cannot restrict the
future use of surplus Government property. As a result, the local
community exercises substantial control over future use of the
property. For this reason, local land use plans and zoning affect
determination of the highest and best use of surplus Government
property.
The DBCRA directed the Administrator of the General Services
Administration (GSA) to delegate to the Secretary of Defense authority
to transfer and dispose of base closure property. Section 2905(b) of
DBCRA directs the Secretary of Defense to exercise this authority in
accordance with GSA's property disposal regulations, set forth at
Sections 101-47.1 through 101-47.8 of the FPMR. By letter dated
December 20, 1991, the Secretary of Defense delegated the authority to
transfer and dispose of base closure property closed under DBCRA to the
Secretaries of the Military Departments. Under this delegation of
authority, the Secretary of the Navy must follow FPMR procedures for
screening and disposing of real property when implementing base
closures. Only where Congress has expressly provided additional
authority for disposing of base closure property, e.g., the economic
development conveyance authority established in 1993 by Section
2905(b)(4) of DBCRA, may Navy apply disposal procedures other than the
FPMR's prescriptions.
In Section 2901 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1994, Public Law 103-160, Congress recognized the economic
hardship occasioned by base closures, the Federal interest in
facilitating economic recovery of base closure communities, and the
need to identify and implement reuse and redevelopment of property at
closing installations. In Section 2903(c) of Public Law 103-160,
Congress directed the Military Departments to consider each base
closure community's economic needs and priorities in the property
disposal process. Under Section 2905(b)(2)(E) of DBCRA, Navy must
consult with local communities before it disposes of base closure
property and must consider local plans developed for reuse and
redevelopment of the surplus Federal property.
The Department of Defense's goal, as set forth in Section 90.4 of
the DOD Rule, is to help base closure communities achieve rapid
economic recovery through expeditious reuse and redevelopment of the
assets at closing bases, taking into consideration local market
conditions and locally developed reuse plans. Thus, the Department has
adopted a consultative approach with each community to ensure that
property disposal decisions consider the Local Redevelopment
Authority's reuse plan and encourage job creation. As a part of this
cooperative approach, the base closure
[[Page 28188]]
community's interests, e.g., reflected in its zoning for the area, play
a significant role in determining the range of alternatives considered
in the environmental analysis for property disposal. Furthermore,
Section 91.7(d)(3) of the DOD Rule provides that the Local
Redevelopment Authority's plan generally will be used as the basis for
the proposed disposal action.
The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, 40
U.S.C. Sec. 484, as implemented by the FPMR, identifies several
mechanisms for disposing of surplus base closure property; by public
benefit conveyance (FPMR Sec. 101-47.303-2); by negotiated sale (FPMR
Sec. 101-47.304-8); and by competitive sale (FPMR Sec. 101-47.304-7).
Additionally, in section 2905(b)(4), the DBCRA established economic
development conveyances as a means of disposing of surplus base closure
property. The selection of any particular method of conveyance merely
implements the Federal agency's decision to dispose of the property.
Decisions concerning whether to undertake a public benefit conveyance
or an economic development conveyance, or to sell property by
negotiation or by competitive bid are committed by law to agency
discretion. Selecting a method of disposal implicates a broad range of
factors and rests solely within the Secretary of the Navy's discretion.
Conclusion
The Consensus Reuse Plan proposed by the Village of Glenview
presents the highest and best use of the NAS Glenview property. The
Village of Glenview, as the LRA, has determined in its Consensus Reuse
Plan that the property should be used for several purposes, including
commercial, light industrial, retail, residential, recreational, public
service, and open space uses. The property's physical characteristics
and the current uses of adjacent lands make it appropriate for this
mixed use redevelopment.
The Consensus Reuse Plan responds to local economic conditions,
promotes rapid economic recovery from the impact of the Naval Air
Station's closure, and is consistent with President Clinton's Five-Part
Plan for revitalizing base closure communities, which emphasizes local
economic redevelopment of the closing military facility and creation of
new jobs as the means to revitalize these communities. 32 CFR Parts 90
and 91, 59 Fed. Reg. 16,123 (1994). The resultant environmental impacts
can be mitigated by the acquiring entity under the direction of
Federal, State and local regulatory authorities.
Although the ``No Action'' alternative has less potential for
causing adverse environmental impacts, this alternative would not
constitute the highest and best use of the Naval Air Station property.
It would not take advantage of the property's physical characteristics
and the current uses of adjacent property. It is not compatible with
the LRA's Consensus Reuse Plan. It would not foster local economic
redevelopment of the Air Station and would not create new jobs.
Accordingly, Navy will dispose of Naval Air Station Glenview in a
manner that is consistent with the Village of Glenview's Consensus
Reuse Plan for the property.
Dated: May 28, 1996.
William J. Cassidy, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Conversion and Redevelopment).
[FR Doc. 96-13807 Filed 6-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M
