[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16142-16143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8166]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army


Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Relocation of 
the U.S. Army Military Police School and the U.S. Army Chemical School 
to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA) and the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), 
the Army has prepared an FEIS for the directed relocation of the U.S. 
Army Chemical School and U.S. Army Military Police School from Fort 
McClellan, Alabama, to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The relocation is 
part of the approved 1995 Base Closure and Realignment actions mandated 
by the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-510), and 
subsequent actions in compliance with this law. Therefore, the FEIS 
focuses on alternative methods of implementing these BRAC actions at 
Fort Leonard Wood. The FEIS describes the proposed action which 
involves the relocation of military mission activities, construction of 
support facilities, and relocation of personnel to Fort Leonard Wood.
    Alternatives considered for realignment of the BRAC training 
missions include the: No. Action Alternative; Relocate Current Practice 
(RCP) Alternative; Optimum Training Method (OPTM) Alternative; and the 
Environmentally Preferred Training Method (EPTM) Alternative. 
Alternatives considered for providing required support facilities 
include the No Action Alternative, and three land use and facility 
siting implementation alternatives. The final element of the planned 
action, realignment of associated personnel, is considered in the 
context of a: No Action Alternative; and Total Early, Total Late, and 
Phased Move Alternatives. The Army has identified their Preferred 
Action in the FEIS which includes implementation of the OPTM 
Alternative for realigning training missions, the Combined Headquarters 
and Instruction Land Use and Facility Plan Alternative to provide 
required support facilities, and the Phased Move Alternative to 
relocate personnel from Fort McClellan.
    Based on the analysis included in this FEIS, adverse impacts that 
would occur as a result of implementing the Army's proposed BRAC 
actions at Fort Leonard Wood include: A reduction of air quality as a 
result of fog oil obscurant training; training activities and tree 
clearing that result in a ``may effect'' finding to Federally listed 
threatened and endangered species; the potential for loss of soil 
resources and accelerated erosion resulting from BRAC construction 
projects; the release of unburned fuel that could impact soil and water 
resources at the expedient flame range; and human health risks for 
trainers and military students involved with obscurant training. 
Beneficial impacts include increased operational efficiency and 
training effectiveness associated with the collocation of the Engineer 
School, the Military Police School and the Chemical School; short-term 
economic gains associated with BRAC construction activities; and long-
term economic gains associated with the transfer of the Chemical School 
and Military Police School missions to Fort Leonard Wood.

FEIS Distribution and Waiting Period

    Copies of the FEIS have been forwarded to Federal, State and local 
agencies; organizations; and individuals who provided substantive 
comments on the Draft EIS, or who previously requested a copy of the 
FEIS. These copies were distributed prior to, or simultaneously with, 
the filing of this Notice of Availability for the FEIS with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency. Copies of the FEIS are available for 
review at the following public and other libraries: Kinderhook Regional 
Library, Lebanon, Missouri; Kinderhook Regional Library, Waynesville, 
Missouri; Rolla Public Library, Rolla, Missouri; Kansas City Public 
Library, Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis County Library, Main Branch, 
St. Louis, Missouri; Clarke Engineer School Library, Fort Leonard Wood, 
Missouri; Texas County Library, Houston, Missouri; Daniel Boone 
Regional Library, Columbia, Missouri; Missouri River Regional Library, 
Jefferson City, Missouri; Springfield-Greene County Library, 
Springfield, Missouri; and Fisher Library, Fort McClellan, Alabama. 
Following a 30-day post-filing

[[Page 16143]]

waiting period, the Department of the Army will complete a Record of 
Decision (ROD).

Questions and Requests for FEIS

    Questions regarding the FEIS, or a request for a copy of the 
document may be directed to Mr. Alan Gehrt at the Kansas City District, 
Corps of Engineers, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2896; 
phone: (816) 983-3142 or Telefax: (816) 426-2142.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA(I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 97-8166 Filed 4-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M