Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 1997 / Notices 66065

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 Pub.

L. 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

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. 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–

9); 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 City of Seattle’s proposed reuse of

the Sand Point property, which consists

of the City’s 1993 Reuse Plan and its

1997 Options and is embodied in the

Preferred Alternative, is consistent with

the prescriptions of the FPMR and

Section 90.4 of the DoD Rule. The LRA

has determined in its Reuse Plan that

the property should be used for several

purposes, including educational and

community facilities, arts and cultural

facilities, open space and recreational

areas, residential areas, and institutional

land uses. The property’s location,

physical characteristics, and existing

infrastructure as well as the current uses

of adjacent property make it appropriate

for the proposed uses.

Although the ‘‘No action’’ alternative

has less potential for causing adverse

environmental impacts, this alternative

would not take advantage of the

property’s location, physical

characteristics and infrastructure or the

current uses of adjacent property.

Additionally, it would not foster local

redevelopment of the Sand Point

property.

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.

Accordingly, Navy will dispose of

Naval Station Puget Sound at Sand

Point in a manner that is consistent with

the City of Seattle’s 1993 and 1997 plans

for the property.

Dated: December 8, 1997.

William J. Cassidy, Jr.,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy

(Conversion And Redevelopment).

[FR Doc. 97–32938 Filed 12–16–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Public Hearings for the Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) for Development of Facilities to

Support Basing U.S. Pacific Fleet F/A–

18E/F Aircraft on the West Coast of the

United States

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Announcement of public

hearings.

SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy

has prepared and filed with the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency a

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) for development of facilities to

support basing U.S. Pacific Fleet F/A–

18E/F aircraft on the West Coast of the

United States. Two public hearings will

be held for the purpose to receive oral

and written comment on the DEIS.

Federal, state and local agencies, and

interested individuals are invited to be

present or represented at the hearing.

DATES: Hearing dates are as follows:

1. January 7, 1998, 7:00 p.m.,

Lemoore, CA.

2. January 8, 1998, 7:00 p.m., El

Centro, CA.

ADDRESSES: Hearing locations are:

1. Lemoore—Lemoore City Council

Chamber, 429 C Street, Lemoore,

California.

2. El Centro—Imperial County Board

of Supervisors Chambers, 940 West

Main Street, El Centro, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Surinder Sikand, (650) 244–3020.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Pursuant to

the Council on Environmental Quality

regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508),

implementing the procedural provisions

of the National Environmental Policy

Act, the Department of the Navy has

prepared and filed with the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency a

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) for development of facilities to

support basing U.S. Pacific Fleet F/A–

18E/F aircraft on the West Coast of the

United States.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare

the DEIS was published in the Federal

Register on 7 April 1997 (62 FR 16563).

Public scoping meetings for the

proposed project were held on Monday,

April 28, 1997, at the Lemoore High

School Cafeteria, Lemoore, California;

on Tuesday, April 29, 1997, at the

Imperial County Board of Supervisors

Office, El Centro, California; and on

Wednesday, April 30, 1997, in the

Bougainvillea Room, Orchid

Professional Building, Camarillo,

California.

The proposed action includes siting

164 F/A–18E/F aircraft, locating

associated military personnel and

family members, and providing

associated training functions at the

receiving installation. The two

installations considered in detail for the

West Coast base are Naval Air Station

(NAS) Lemoore and Naval Air Facility

(NAF) El Centro. NAS Lemoore is the

preferred alternative evaluated in the
66066 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 1997 / Notices

EIS. For NAS Lemoore, where F/A–18C/

D strike fighter squadrons are currently

based, the proposed action would result

in an increase of 92 aircraft because 72

of the 164 aircraft would replace

existing F/A–18 aircraft. Basing the

aircraft at NAF El Centro, which does

not have existing strike fighter

squadrons, would result in an increase

of 164 aircraft at the installation.

The DEIS analyzes potential

environmental impacts to land use and

airspace, visual resources,

socioeconomics, cultural resources,

traffic and circulation, air quality, noise,

biological resources, water resources,

utilities and services, public health and

safety, and hazardous materials and

waste. Potentially significant, but

mitigable, environmental impacts

include impacts to land use and

airspace and biological resources at

NAF El Centro, schools

(socioeconomics) at NAS Lemoore, and

traffic, air quality, and hazardous

materials and storage at both

installations. Significant, and not

mitigable, impacts related to noise have

been identified at NAF El Centro.

No decision on the proposed action

will be made until the National

Environmental Policy Act process has

been completed.

The DEIS has been distributed to

various federal, state, and local

agencies, local groups, elected official,

special interest groups, and individuals.

The DEIS is also available for review at

the following public libraries: Lemoore,

Hanford, Fresno, Avenol, El Centro, and

Brawely.

The 2 public hearings will be held for

the purpose to receive oral and written

comment on the DEIS. The first hearing

will be held on Wednesday, January 7,

1998, at 7:00 p.m., at the Lemoore City

Council Chamber, 429 C Street,

Lemoore, California. The second hearing

will be held on Thursday, January 8,

1998, at 7:00 p.m., at the Imperial

County Board of Supervisors Chambers,

940 West Main Street, El Centro,

California. Federal, state and local

agencies, and interested individuals are

invited to be present or represented at

the hearing. Oral comments will be

heard and transcribed by a court

recorder. To assure accuracy of the

record, all comments should be

submitted in writing. All comments,

both oral and written, will become part

of the public record in the study. In the

interest of available time, each speaker

will be asked to limit oral comments to

three minutes. Longer comments should

be summarized at the public hearing

and submitted in writing either at the

hearing or mailed to Mr. Surinder

Sikand (Code 70311), Engineering Field

Activity West, Naval Facilities

Engineering Command, 900 Commodore

Drive, San Bruno, California 94066,

FAX (650) 244–3206. Written comments

are requested not later than January 26,

1998.

Electronic Filing Address—comments

and data may be submitted by electronic

mail (e-mail) to:

sssikand@efawest.navfac.navy.mil.

Dated: December 12, 1997.

Michael I. Quinn,

Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate

General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Alternate Federal

Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–32939 Filed 12–16–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Availability of Government Owned

Invention for Licensing

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of

Government Owned Invention for

Licensing.

SUMMARY: U.S. Patent Number

4,906,879, entitled ‘‘TerbiumDysprosium Magnetostrictive High

Power Transducers,’’ is assigned to the

United States Government as

represented by the Secretary of the Navy

and is available for licensing by the

Department of the Navy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for copies of the patent cited

or further information should be

directed to Mr. Dick Bloomquist,

Director, Technology Transfer, Naval

Surface Warfare Center Carderock

Division, Code 0117, 9500 MacArthur

Blvd., West Bethesda, MD 20817–5700,

telephone number: (301) 227–4299.

(Authority: 35 U.S.C. 207; 37 CFR part 404;

32 CFR part 746)

Michael I. Quinn,

Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate

General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Alternate Federal

Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–32908 Filed 12–16–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Privacy Act of 1974; System of

Records

AGENCY: Department of the Navy.

ACTION: Notice to Alter a System of

Records.

SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy

proposes to alter a record system in its

inventory of system of records notices

subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5

U.S.C. 552a), as amended. The alteration

consists of adding a routine use to

permit the disclosure of personnel

information to private organizations

under government contract to perform

random analytical research into specific

aspects of military personnel

management and administrative

procedures.

DATES: The action will be effective

without further notice on January 16,

1998 unless comments are received that

would result in a contrary

determination.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the

Department of the Navy, PA/FOIA

Policy Branch, Chief of Naval

Operations (N09B30), 2000 Navy

Pentagon, Washington, DC 20350–2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.

Doris Lama at (202) 685–6545 or DSN

325–6545.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

complete inventory of the Department of

the Navy’s record system notices for

records systems subject to the Privacy

Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended,

have been published in the Federal

Register and are available from the

address above.

The proposed system report, as

required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the

Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, was

submitted on December 9, 1997, to the

House Committee on Government

Reform and Oversight, the Senate

Committee on Governmental Affairs,

and the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) pursuant to paragraph 4c

of Appendix I to OMB Circular No. A–

130, ‘Federal Agency Responsibilities

for Maintaining Records About

Individuals,’ dated February 8, 1996

(February 20, 1996, 61 FR 6427).

The specific changes to the record

system being altered are set forth below

followed by the notice, as altered,

published in its entirety.

Dated: December 11 , 1997.

L.M. Bynum,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison

Officer, Department of Defense.

N01070–3

SYSTEM NAME:

Navy Personnel Records System

(September 9, 1996, 61 FR 47483).

CHANGES:

* * * * *