2015-2025 Facilities Master Plan

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)

Edward R. Roybal Campus

Atlanta, Georgia

Public Scoping Meeting Brochure

JANUARY 17, 2013

Purpose of Scoping

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA), CDC is conducting public scoping to 

identify the range of major issues to be addressed 

relative to the proposed 2015-2025 Facilities Master 

Plan for CDC’s Edward R. Roybal Campus. Scoping 

is an early and open process for determining the 

scope of issues to be addressed in the Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS). The scoping meeting is a 

critical element of the scoping process. It allows 

the public to learn more about the proposed action, 

provide comments and identify potential issues to be 

addressed in EIS.

NEPA

NEPA establishes national policy for the protection of 

the environment. Under NEPA, Federal agencies are 

required to evaluate the environmental effects of their 

proposed actions and a range of feasible alternatives 

to the proposed action, prior to making a decision. 

NEPA requires Federal agencies to prepare an EIS for 

actions that could significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment. 

Scoping Comments

Written comments identified by Docket No. CDC-2012-

0013 can be submitted by any of the following methods 

on or before February 1, 2013:

Federal eRulemaking Portal

http://www.regulations.gov

Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Mail

George F. Chandler, Senior Advisor 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

1600 Clifton Road, N.E., 

Mailstop A-22, 

Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Instructions

All submissions received must include the agency 

name and Docket Number. All relevant comments 

received will be posted without change to http://www.

regulations.gov, including any personal information 

provided. For access to the docket to read background 

documents or comments received, go to http://www.

regulations.gov.

Public Involvement Process 

and EIS Milestones

Scoping Meeting January 17, 2013 

End of Scoping Meeting February 1, 2013

Comment Period

Public Review of Draft EIS Summer/Fall 2013

Public Hearing TBD

Public Review of Final EIS Fall/Winter 2014

Record of Decision (ROD) Winter 2014
Background

The CDC is dedicated to protecting health and 

promoting quality of life through the prevention and 

control of disease, injury and disability. CDC, headquartered on Clifton Road in Atlanta, Georgia since 

1958, is recognized as the lead Federal agency for 

protecting the health and safety of people, providing 

credible information to enhance health decisions, and 

promoting health through strong partnerships. CDC 

serves as the national focus for developing and applying 

disease prevention and control, environmental health, 

and health promotion and education activities designed 

to improve the health of the people of the United States.

The previous 2000-2009 Master Plan has been 

successfully implemented. The new Master Plan is 

needed in order for CDC to be able to respond quickly 

to new or increased mission requirements through 

additional campus construction or reconfiguration in 

order to meet new public health challenges at home 

and abroad. 

Conceptual Alternatives

CDC will be considering a wide range of conceptual 

alternatives in the Master Plan, including the following:

1 No action/status quo

2 Increase existing space efficiency

3 Laboratory and office mix

4 Office program focus

5 Laboratory program focus

6 Relocation alternatives

The EIS will provide considerable detail for each 

conceptual alternative as it is developed and Scoping 

comments are taken into account, and will analyze the 

impacts of the alternatives under consideration on the 

natural and built environment. 

Potential Areas of EIS Analysis

Potential impact areas to be evaluated in the EIS are 

as follows: 

•	 Traffic, Parking and Pedestrian Circulation

•	 Land Use, Zoning and Public Policy

•	 Cultural Resources

•	 Social and Economic Impacts

•	 Water Resources

•	 Community Facilities and Services

•	 Noise

•	 Air Quality

•	 Utilities 

•	 Geology, Topography and Soils

•	 Vegetation and Wildlife

•	 Cumulative Impacts

Proposed Action

CDC is preparing a new 2015-2025 Facilities Master 

Plan for the Edward R. Roybal Campus. The new 

Master Plan will cover a 10-year planning period and 

will examine potential growth in Agency Mission, 

laboratory and laboratory support space, office space 

and personnel on the Roybal Campus. 

The Master Plan will also examine alternative ways of 

accommodating potential mission change or growth 

at the Roybal Campus, including new construction of 

laboratory and office buildings, as well as maximizing 

the efficiency and utilization of existing space to 

accommodate potential growth. The Master Plan will 

evaluate opportunities for future development of the 

site, taking into consideration constraints and carrying 

capacity of both the Roybal Campus proper and the 

surrounding community.

Project Objectives

•	 Prepare a new campus plan for 2015 

through 2025 to build upon the completed 

2000 to 2009 plan;

•	 Support CDC’s mission and strategic vision;

•	 Accommodate the agency’s ever changing 

mission requirements;

•	 Provide comprehensive roadmap for 

physical development, not a funding 

mechanism;

•	 Discover opportunities, constraints and 

balanced carrying capacity; and,

•	 Explore a range of alternatives to ensure the 

highest and best use of land, facility and 

financial resources.