[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2795-2796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-668]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) 
for the New Job Corps Center in Memphis, TN

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 
New Job Corps Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR Part 1500-08) implementing procedural provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Job Corps, in 
accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d), gives notice that an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) has been prepared and the proposed plans for the 
establishment of a Job Corps Center in Memphis, Tennessee will have no 
significant environmental impact. Pursuant to 29 CFR 11.11(d)(1), this 
Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact will be made available for 
public review and comment for thirty (30) days.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by February 10, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Any comment(s) are to be submitted to Lynn Kotecki, 
Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-5468.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the EA and additional 
information are available to interested parties by contacting Mr. 
Melvin R. Collins, Director, Region IV (Four), Office of Job Corps, 
1371 Peachtree Street, NE., Room 405, Atlanta, Georgia, (404) 347-3178.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed action is to 
convert the Memphis Preparatory School into the Memphis Job Corps 
Center for 272 resident and 40 non-resident students. Dormitory 
buildings will be constructed in order to provide facilities necessary 
for basic education, vocational skills training, work experience, 
counseling, health care, and related support services.
    The proposed site is located in the area of 1555 McAlister Drive, 
Memphis, Tennessee, which is currently zoned as residential. It is 
comprised of 23.9 acres and is made up of three tracts of land. These 
tracts were used as a preparatory school for grades 1-12. The site has 
several structures. A main building constructed approximately twenty 
years ago, a football field, a baseball field, a track and a tennis 
court.
    The new Center will provide dormitories; recreational, medical/
dental, and administrative services; educational and vocational 
training; and storage space that is consistent with Job Corps 
guidelines and Center needs. Establishing a Job Corps Center at this 
location will require some constructive changes to existing buildings 
and the surrounding property; e.g., repairing a tennis court that had 
been used as a parking lot, as well as construction of new buildings. 
The proposed project will be constructed in accordance with local fire, 
building and zoning code requirements.
    The proposed use would have no significant impact on any parks, 
wetlands, woodlands or other natural resources. The existing site and 
buildings at the proposed Job Corps Center location are not designated 
``historically significant'' and no areas of archaeological 
significance are present. The activities of the proposed Job Corps 
Center are not of a contaminant- generating nature. The geologic, water 
and climatic characteristics of the general vicinity of the site, 
coupled with the historically known land use, minimizes the site's 
potential to be contaminated from possible off-site sources and further 
minimizes the impact of contamination by the Center.

[[Page 2796]]

    The existing building at this site was not tested for radon; 
however, this will be done before operations begin at the Center. If 
there is to be a significant amount of construction done on the 
building, asbestos removal, in accordance with all local, state and 
federal health and safety laws and regulations, may be necessary from 
suspect items such as the insulation around pipe fittings and from the 
gymnasium ceiling. Because it is common for structures built before 
1980 to contain lead-based paint, the paint in the building will be 
tested and removed, if necessary. Procedures for the containment and 
removal of lead, if deemed necessary, will be prepared by a qualified 
lead-abatement contractor and will be appropriately managed during any 
future construction activities.
    There are no regulations governing noise in Memphis. Short-term 
impacts from noise will occur during the construction activities; 
however, construction activities will be limited to the hours of 7:00 
am to 4:00 pm and the use of sound control devices and muffled exhaust 
on all noise-generating equipment will be required in order to minimize 
any potential adverse impact upon neighboring properties. Water will be 
used to control fugitive dust or emissions. This will mitigate 
construction-related air pollution concerns.
    The existing site and security lighting consists of facility-owned 
and maintained, building-mounted, photocell-controlled, high-intensity 
discharge (HID) luminaries and utility company-owned and maintained 
pole-mounted photocell-controlled HID luminaries located along the 
streets and parking areas. This outdoor lighting system serves as good 
surveillance and has no impact on the environment or surrounding 
properties. The lighting inside the existing building will have to be 
completely replaced to accommodate new building use. This system will 
not adversely impact the environment.
    Memphis has an abundance of water, electrical power, and natural 
gas to easily serve facilities of this size without impacting upon 
these existing services. Based on the nature of the proposed 
construction activities at the site, storm water quality will not be 
degraded and will not have an adverse effect on the environment 
surrounding the site. Although the proposed project will cause a small 
increase in traffic to the community, the increase in traffic value 
will only mildly add to the traffic flow on neighborhood streets in the 
vicinity of the new center. Several emergency response companies 
service the area. Police and fire stations are closely located near the 
subject property. A major hospital is within a 5-mile radius of the 
subject site. Several bus routes offer readily available transportation 
to and through the subject area at a reasonable cost. Highways 55 and 
240 are within a 7-mile radius from the site and allow fast and easy 
access throughout the Memphis area. These emergency and community 
services appear abundant in the Memphis area, therefore, the siting of 
the Job Corps center in this area will not adversely impact the use of 
the above-mentioned community services. The implementation of the Job 
Corps Center on the proposed site will provide jobs for vicinity 
residents and Community leaders were given an opportunity to comment on 
the project and ask questions. There were no adverse comments directed 
to Job Corps regarding the proposed relocation of the Job Corps Center 
to Nampa. Subsequent to the meeting, there were no adverse comments 
received by the city council or the Office of Job Corps from the 
public.
    The alternatives considered in the preparation of the EA were: (1) 
The ``Proposed Action'' (Preferred Alternative); (2) the ``No Action 
Alternative'' (continuing to operate the CCC at its existing site until 
it would be necessary to locate elsewhere or close the Center); and (3) 
the ``Alternative Sites'' alternative. All three alternatives have been 
considered, as reflected in the environmental assessment, in compliance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Although choosing 
the ``No Action'' alternative would result in no environmental impact 
upon the area, it would deny the young adults of this area the benefits 
of a Job Corps Center. Several alternative sites were considered by the 
Department of Labor for the new CCC site, but were found to be 
undesirable in terms of safety of students, compatibility with 
surrounding land uses, and/or proximity to job locations, goods and 
services. The potential for an excellent facility and operational 
efficiency afforded by the proposed action indicates that the proposed 
relocation of the Center to the city of Nampa is the preferred 
alternative.
    Based on the information gathered during the preparation of the EA 
for the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 
the Office of Job Corps finds that the relocation of the Marsing CCC to 
the land adjoining the ISSH in Nampa, Idaho, will not cause any 
significant adverse impact on the environment and recommends that the 
project continue as proposed. This proposed action is not considered to 
be highly controversial.

    Dated at Washington, DC, this 23rd day of December, 1994.
Peter E. Rell,
Director of Job Corps.
[FR Doc. 95-668 Filed 1-10-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M