31760 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 111 /Wednesday, June 10, 1998 / Notices

Dated: June 3, 1998.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army

(Environment, Safety and Occupational

Health) (OASA (I, L&E).

[FR Doc. 98–15346 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Notice of Availability of the Draft

Environmental Impact Statement for

Pilot Testing of Neutralization/

Supercritical Water Oxidation at

Newport Chemical Depot, Indiana

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

SUMMARY: This announces the

availability of the Draft Environmental

Impact Statement (DEIS) which assesses

the potential environmental impacts of

the construction and operation of a

facility to pilot test the chemical

neutralization process followed by

supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) as

a potential disposal technology for the

bulk agent VX stored at Newport

Chemical Depot (NECD). The proposed

facility will be used to demonstrate, as

part of a research and development

program, the neutralization process

followed by SCWO, to destroy VX agent

currently stored in ton containers at

NECD.

The two alternatives considered in

this DEIS are the proposed action and

no action (i.e., continued storage of VX

in ton containers). Although the no

action alternative is not viable under

Pub. L. 99–145, it was analyzed to

provide a comparison with the proposed

action. In addition, the no action

alternative would not comply with

Public Law 102–484, which specifies

that the Army must consider using a

technological alternative to incineration.

DATES: The public comment period for

the DEIS will end 45 days after

publication of the NOA in the Federal

Register by the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency. All public comments

received on the DEIS will be considered

and addressed in the final EIS and also

considered by the Army in its Record of

Decision.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the

DEIS, contact Ms. Mona Harney, NECD

Public Affairs Office, at (765) 245–4597

or write to: Department of the Army,

Newport Chemical Activity, P.O. Box

121, Newport, Indiana 47966–0121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Office of the Program Manager for

Chemical Demilitarization, ATTN:

SFAE–CD–P (Ms. Catherine Herlinger),

Building E4585, Aberdeen Proving

Ground, Maryland, 21010–5401;

telephone: (800) 488–0648 or (410) 671–

1479; e-mail:

cherling@cdra.apgea.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS

concludes that VX stored in bulk

containers can be pilot tested at NECD

using the neutralization process,

followed by SCWO, in a safe and

environmentally acceptable manner. At

one time, the option of sending the

neutralization hydrolysate to an off-site

biotreatment facility was under

consideration by the Army. However,

technical and programmatic evaluations

have concluded that off-site

biotreatment is not suitable at this time.

Therefore, off-site biotreatment is not

addressed further in this EIS.

Dated: June 2, 1998.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army,

(Environment, Safety and Occupational

Health) OASA (I,L&E).

[FR Doc. 98–15457 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for the Land Exchange Between Fort

Benning and the City of Columbus,

Georgia

AGENCY: U.S. Army Infantry Center and

Fort Benning, Fort Benning, Georgia;

Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The United States Army will

prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) to assess the potential

environmental impacts of the exchange

of tracts of land between Fort Benning

and the City of Columbus (hereafter

referred to as the City). Section 2829 of

Public Law 101–510, enacted November

5, 1990, authorized a land exchange

between the City and Fort Benning. Fort

Benning would convey approximately

3,000 acres of land to the City; and in

exchange, the City would convey to Fort

Benning approximately 3,300 acres

located on the southern boundary of the

military reservation. Those land tracts

were refined by survey to 3,106 and

3,228 acres, respectively. The City

intended to use the land for economic

development, passive recreation and a

sanitary landfill. Fort Benning would

use the land it receives for dismounted

light infantry training. A Notice of

Intent (NOI) was published in the

Federal Register, June 27, 1994 (59 FR

32957), and a scooping meeting was

held in Columbus, GA, on July 20, 1994.

Due to changes in the proposed project

and the length of time since prior

scoping, this NOI provides an

opportunity for more current public

involvement based on newer

information.

ALTERNATIVES: The proposed NorthSouth tract land exchange will be

evaluated for the following alternatives:

No-Action Alternative: No land would

be exchanged under this alternative.

Impacts associated with the Fort

Benning mission and land use will be

evaluated for the North tract. Impacts

associated with the City’s projected use

of the South tract will also be analyzed.

Maximum Development: This

alternative would provide

approximately 2,110 acres of the North

tract for economic/light industrial

development. Also, approximately 650

acres of the North tract would become

a Parks and Recreation Area near Bull

Creek for the purpose of wetland

mitigation. The Army would use the

South tract for dismounted light

infantry training.

Partial Development (preferred

alternative): This alternative would also

include an approximately 650 acre and

Parks and Recreation Area near Bull

Creek for wetlands mitigation on the

North tract. A Habitat Conservation

Area would be established and managed

for protected species on approximately

710 acres. The remaining North tract

property (approximately 1,400 acres)

would be developable. The Army would

use the South tract for dismounted light

infantry training.

Minimum Development: This

alternative would preserve all existing

protected species and habitat on

approximately 1,375 acres on the North

tract. Also the approximately 650 acre

Parks and Recreation Area would be

established for wetlands protection,

leaving only approximately 735 acres of

developable land. The Army would use

the South tract for dismounted light

infantry training.

SCOPING: Comments received as a result

of this notice will be used to assist Fort

Benning in identifying additional

alternatives for study, significant

resources to be evaluated, as well as

potential impacts to the quality of the

human and natural environments.

Individuals or organizations wishing to

participate in the scoping process may

forward their written comments to: U.S.

Army Infantry Center, Directorate of

Public Works, Environmental

Management Division (ATTN: Mr. John

Brent), Fort Benning, Georgia 31905–
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 111 /Wednesday, June 10, 1998 / Notices 31761

5122, or send e-mail to

BrentJ%EMD%BNGlDPW@benningemh2.army.mil. Comments and

suggestions should be received no later

than 30 days following the publication

of this notice to be considered in the

preparation of the Draft EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions regarding this proposal may

be directed to Mr. John Brent at (706)

545–4766.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since the

1994 scoping effort, the land exchange

was separated into two distinct

exchanges: (1) A landfill land exchange,

and (2) a North-South tract land

exchange. On June 26, 1996, Fort

Benning conveyed 346 acres from the

3,106 acres to the City for landfill

development in exchange for 380 acres

of the City’s 3,228 acres. An

Environmental Assessment was

prepared pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, and a Finding of No Significant

Impact was published in the ‘‘Columbus

Ledger-Enquirer’’ on October 25, 1995,

for the landfill land exchange.

This NOI pertains only to the

proposed North-South tract land

exchange, involving the remaining 2,760

acres of Fort Benning land (the North

tract) and 2,848 acres of the City land

(the South tract). An EIS will be

prepared and will include an analysis of

the Cumulative environmental impacts

from both the North-South tract

exchange and the landfill land

exchange.

The general study areas for

environmental concerns will be the

North and South-tracts plus any

additional surrounding areas necessary

to satisfy the requirements of NEPA, as

well as any relevant environmental laws

and regulations to include (as a

minimum but not necessarily limited to)

the following: Endangered Species Act,

Migratory Birds Treaty Act, National

Historic Preservation Act, Clean Air Act,

Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation

Recovery Act, Environmental Justice

Executive Order, etc. The information

developed will identify, evaluate,

analyze and compare the potential

individual and cumulative impacts of

the North-South tract land exchange

alternatives. The cumulative impact

analysis will include an environmental

assessment of other recent or reasonably

anticipated similar actions in the area of

concern, including the landfill land

exchange.

Dated: June 3, 1998.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army,

(Environment, Safety and Occupational

Health), OASA (I, L&E).

[FR Doc. 98–15352 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Proposed Implementation of the

Defense Table of Official Distances

(DTOD) in the DoD Personal Property

Program

AGENCY: Military Traffic Management

Command, DoD.

ACTION: Notice (Request for Comments).

SUMMARY: The Military Traffic

Management Command (MTMC), as

Program Director for the Department of

Defense (DoD) Personal Property

Program, intends to utilize a new

automated distance calculation product

known as the Defense Table of Official

Distances (DTOD) in the DoD personal

property program. The DTOD will

replace existing distance calculation

products used within the DoD such as

the Rand McNally TDM Milemaker

System, and Household Goods Carriers’

Mileage Guide. The DTOD will become

the DoD standard source for distance

information worldwide. Commercially,

DTOD is known as PC*MILER by ALK

Associates, Inc. The DTOD/PC*MILER

will be used by the DoD for all distance

calculations, analysis, and for

transportation payments/audits. Carriers

and third party providers may continue

to use other mileage sources for their

own business purposes. However,

carriers and third party providers

participating in the DoD personal

property program must agree to be

bound by the DTOD/PC*MILER

distance calculations for payment and

audit purposes.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before August 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed

to: Headquarters, Military Traffic

Management Command, ATTN: MTOP–

T, Room 617, 5611 Columbia Pike, Falls

Church, VA 22041–5050.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Additional information concerning the

DTOD for MTMC Personal Property

Program can be provided by contacting

Mr. Alex Moreno (Domestic solicitation)

(703) 681–6190 or Ms. Shelia R.

Woodson (International solicitation)

(703) 681–9383. Information regarding

DTOD Compliant Commercial Software

and Other Technical Information can be

provided by contacting ALK Associates,

Inc. at 1 (800) 377–MILE or on the

Internet at www.pcmiler.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. The proposed effective dates for use

of the DTOD in the DoD personal

property program will be: (A) 1 April

1999 for the international thru

government bill of lading (ITGBL) rate

solicitation; and (B) 1 May 1999 for the

domestic rate solicitation. All shipments

picked up on or after the effective dates

will be governed by the DTOD.

2. In accordance with this

implementation process, the ITGBL Rate

Solicitation, Item 405 (Governing

Regulations), paragraph a, will be

revised as follows: a. ITGBL shipments

made under this solicitation are subject

to the terms and conditions of the

PPGBL, the rules and regulations

contained herein, and the carrier Tender

of Service on file with HQMTMC.

Where rates or other services are based

on mileage, the distance or mileage

computations shall be those provided in

the Defense Table of Official Distances

(DTOD).

3. The Domestic Rate Solicitation,

Item 10, (Governing mileage guide),

paragraph 1 and 4, will be revised as

follows: paragraph 1. Where rates or

other services are based on mileage, the

distance or mileage computations shall

be those provided in the Defense Table

of Official Distances (DTOD); paragraph

4 will be deleted.

4. DTOD and PC*MILER will produce

identical distance calculations. Carriers

and other parties who seek more

information about PC*MILER may

contact ALK Associates Inc. at

telephone 1–800–377–MILE, or via

Internet at www.pcmiler.com.

5. Proposed Implementation Dates.

The schedule for use of the DTOD/

PC*MILER in distance calculations,

payment, and post payment audits for

shipments under the DoD International

Government Bill of Lading Rate

Solicitation is 1 April 1999 and for the

DoD Domestic Rate Solicitation is 1 May

1999.

6. Background. Currently, several

sources for highway distance

information are being used to support

various DoD transportation programs,

such as travel, travel entitlement

reimbursement, freight and personal

property movements. Moreover,

separate products are used to calculate

overseas distances. The result is a

variance in distance computations

produced by different products and a

high cost to DoD of licensing and

maintaining multiple mileage sources.

a. Until 1996, DoD was required by

law to maintain an official mileage table