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[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 97 (Friday, May 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 27635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12568]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Public Hearing for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft 
Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) for the Disposal and Reuse of 
Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Naval Fuel Depot (NFD) Point Molate, 
CA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Announcement of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a DEIS/DEIR for disposal 
and reuse of NFD Point Molate, California. A public hearing will be 
held for the purpose of receiving oral and written comments on the 
DEIS/DEIR. Federal, local and state of California agencies, and 
interested individuals are invited to be present at the hearing.

DATES: One public hearing will be held on Wednesday, June 20, 2001, at 
6:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: City of Richmond Council Chambers, 2600 Barrett Avenue, 
Richmond, CA, 94804.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert A. Montana (06CM.RM), 
Southwest Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 1220 Pacific 
Highway, San Diego, CA, 92132-5190, telephone (619) 532-0942, facsimile 
(619) 532-0940.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), 
the Navy has prepared and filed with the EPA a DEIS/DEIR for Disposal 
and Reuse of NFD Point Molate, CA.
    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the DEIS/DEIR was published in 
the Federal Register on September 15, 1997 (62 FR 178). A public 
scoping meeting announcement was published on September 27 and 28, 
1997, in both the West Contra Costa Times and the Oakland Tribune, and 
on September 24 and 28, 1997, in the Richmond Post. One public scoping 
meeting was held on October 1, 1997, at the City of Richmond Council 
Chambers, Richmond, CA.
    The proposed action is the disposal of surplus Navy property for 
subsequent reuse and redevelopment, in accordance with the 1990 Defense 
Base Closure and Realignment Act, and the 1995 Base Closure and 
Realignment Commission recommendations. A parcel totaling 413 acres 
(167 hectares) has been declared surplus and is the focus of this DEIS/
DEIR. NFD Point Molate was operationally closed on September 30, 1998.
    The DEIS/DEIR evaluates three reuse alternatives, each emphasizing 
various types of development, e.g., residential, commercial, 
industrial, open space, recreation, etc. A fourth alternative, no 
action, assumes no disposal of property and retention of the depot by 
the Navy in caretaker status. Under the No Action alternative, the site 
would not be reused or redeveloped. Environmental cleanup would 
continue and be completed.
    The base reuse plan recommended by the Blue Ribbon Advisory 
Committee, a committee appointed by the Local Redevelopment Authority 
(LRA), was approved by the Richmond City Council acting as the LRA. It 
includes the preferred reuse alternative of the City of Richmond and 
the Navy. This plan, Alternative 2, consists of the following major 
elements: Commercial uses including retail shops, bed and breakfast 
establishments, small hotels, conference centers, and office space; 
industrial uses including manufacturing, sales and distribution 
businesses, wholesale services, warehousing, data processing, 
telecommunications, and research and development. No decision on the 
proposed action will be made until the NEPA process has been completed.
    Potential impacts evaluated in the DEIS/DEIR include, but are not 
limited to land use compatibility; geology and soils, traffic, 
utilities, air quality, and public services. With one exception, all 
potentially significant impacts under all of the reuse alternatives can 
be mitigated to non-significant levels. Potentially significant but 
mitigable impacts include: Future odor emissions from necessary sewage 
treatment plants, future requirements for developments to be 
implemented in conformance with existing guidelines for seismic 
hazards, possible future impacts due to increased traffic demand on the 
existing road network, and an increase in emissions which may exceed 
local air quality standards. The one exception is a land use 
compatibility impact; no mitigation is available except to revise the 
land use plan.
    The DEIS/DEIR has been distributed to affected federal, local and 
state of California agencies and other interested parties. In addition, 
copies of the DEIS/DEIR are available for review at the following 
public libraries:

--Richmond Public Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA.
--West Side Branch Library, 135 Washington Avenue, Pt. Richmond, CA.

    A public hearing will be held to inform the public of the DEIS/DEIR 
findings and to solicit and receive oral and written comments. The 
hearing will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20, 2001, at city 
of Richmond Council Chambers, 2600 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804. 
Government agencies and interested parties are invited to be present at 
the hearing. Oral comments will be heard and transcribed by a court 
recorder; written comments are also requested to ensure accuracy of the 
record. All comments, both oral and written, will become part of the 
official record. In the interest of available time, each speaker will 
be asked to limit oral comments to three minutes. Those who intend to 
speak will be asked to submit a speaker card (available at the door). 
Longer comments should be summarized at the public hearing and 
submitted in writing either at the hearing or mailed to Mr. Robert A. 
Montana at the address given above. Written comments are requested not 
later than July 2, 2001.

    Dated: May 8, 2001.
J.L. Roth,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-12568 Filed 5-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
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