2788 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 7 / Wednesday, January 11, 1995 / Notices

consistent with current building codes

and safety practices.

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 location of a Job

Corps Center at the former Verbeck

Housing Complex on Ft. Devens,

Massachusetts, will not cause any

significant impact on the environment

and, therefore, 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. 95–667 Filed 1–10–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–30–M

Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) For the New

Job Corps Center in Homestead, FL

AGENCY: Employment and Training

Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Preliminary Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) for the New

Job Corps Center in Homestead, Florida.

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 at the Homestead Air Force Base,

Homestead, Florida, will have no

significant environment 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., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20210,

(202) 219–5468.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Copies of the EA and additional

information are available to interested

parties by contracting 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 this action is to add a Job

Corps Center with 472 residential

students to the Homestead area. The

current buildings are adaptable for this

purpose and offer the necessary

facilities for the Job Corps program to

provide basic education, vocational

skills training, work experience,

counseling, health care, and related

support services. This new center will

make constructive changes to existing

Homestead Air Force Base facilities for

dormitories, recreational, medical/

dental, and administrative services,

educational and vocational training, and

storage space that is consistent with Job

Corps guidelines and center needs.

The proposed sites, located in the

former recreational area of the

Homestead Air Force Base, is comprised

of approximately thirty-five (35) acres in

the center of the 2,900 acre Homestead

Air Force Base. The proposed site is

bisected by Bougainvillea Boulevard

and bordered by St. Lo Boulevard to the

south and east, and St. Mazaire

Boulevard to the north. Twelve (12)

buildings currently occupy the site. The

propose site includes paved asphalt

parking lots, concrete sidewalks, and

grass areas.

The United States Air Force

developed and utilized the Homestead

Air Force Base from 1942–1945, and

1956–1992. During the course of World

War II, the Homestead Air Force Base

operated as a scheduled stopping point

for air routes and a large training facility

for fighter pilots. Due to a major

hurricane that damaged much of the

Homestead Air Force Base, it was

unused by the military from 1946

through 1955. In 1955 many of the

sections were rebuilt and the Homestead

Air Force Base continued to operate as

a training and tactical air force facility

until August 24, 1992, when the

Homestead Air Force Base was

significantly damaged by the impact of

Hurricane Andrew. The reuse of the

Homestead Air Force Base, with a

reduced military presence, has been

proposed. Approximately one-third of

the Homestead Air Force Base will be

used for military reserve training. The

remainder of the Homestead Air Force

Base will be converted for other

purposes, such as public parkland and

projects like the Job Corps. Currently,

the majority of the Homestead Air Force

Base is unoccupied as a result of

Hurricane Andrew. Having been used

for military purposes only, the site is

not currently zoned. As a direct transfer

to another Federal entity, rezoning will

not be required.

The United States Air Force

historically has used the proposed site

for residential, recreational, and retail

purposes. The majority of the buildings

proposed for reuse were utilized for the

same proposed purposes by the United

States Air Force with the exception of

Building 656, which was utilized for

residential purposes; Building 902B,

which was utilized for recreational

purposes; and Building 914, which was

utilized as the base exchange. Those

buildings which are proposed for

similar uses by the Job Corps include

medical and dental offices for Building

656, administrative offices for Building

902B, and storage and vocational

training for Building 914.

According to the 1990 census,

162,483 people resided in the South

Dade area, including 26,866 in the city

of Homestead and 5,806 in Florida City.

The population in South Dade in 1990

was predominantly Caucasian (70%),

with Hispanics representing the largest

minority group (32%). The population

of the South Dade area has decreased

dramatically due to the impacts of

Hurricane Andrew. Post-hurricane

census information is not available at

this time.

Ample community services are

available in the South Dade area.

Recreational facilities will be available

at the site and a number of large parks

are located within nine (9) miles of the

Homestead Air Force Base. Power to the

site is provided by the Florida Power &

Light (FP&L) company. Telephone

service is provided by Southern Bell

Company.

The water and sewer is supplied by

the Metro-Dade County Water and

Sewer Authority. There is no solid

waste disposal at the site. All nonhazardous solid waste is removed by

contractors and taken off-site for

disposal in the South Dade landfill.

Police and fire protection, rescue and

emergency services will be provided by

Metro-Dade. The nearest hospital to the

site is the SMH Homestead Hospital,

located approximately three (3) miles to

the west of the site. Because of abundant

public, community, and emergency

services in the Homestead area, the

implementation of the Job Corps on the

proposed site will not adversely impact

the use of the above-mentioned services.

Natural resources in the South Florida

area are abundant. Although wetlands

are not present at the proposed Job

Corps site, a number of Army Corps of

Engineer jurisdiction wetlands are

present within one-quarter mile of the

site. However, the proposed reuse of the

Homestead Air Force Base for Job Corps
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 7 / Wednesday, January 11, 1995 / Notices 2789

Center activities will not have any

impact upon nearby wetlands. The

Everglades National Park, Big Cypress

Preserve, and other national parks are

located in the South Florida area.

However, the site is not located in any

national, state, or local protected area.

No endangered species are known to

reside at the site, although transient

birds may be seen. The proposed use

has no significant impact on any natural

systems or resources. The existing site

and buildings at the proposed Job Corps

Center location are not designated as

‘‘historically significant’’ and no areas of

archaeological significance are present.

The activities of the proposed Job Corps

Center are not of a contaminantgenerating 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.

During the EA, environmental

concerns associated with former fuel

storage were noted. A number of

underground diesel storage tanks were

removed from the site in April 1994.

Tank Closure Assessment Reports

detailing the results of soil and

groundwater sampling were not

submitted to the Dade County

Department of Environmental Resources

Management (DERM) as of May 19,

1994. Any contamination detected from

the underground storage tank could be

assessed and remediated without

adversely impacting the renovations or

future use plans.

Elevated levels of radon were detected

in one of the buildings; thus, complete

radon testing is recommended. The

determination of a need for remediation

will be based upon the radon testing

results. Any radon remediation

conducted will be in accordance with

applicable local, state, and federal

regulations. Four (4) of the structures

contain asbestos that will require

abatement. Asbestos has already been

abated from other structures at the

proposed site. The abatement of

asbestos will be performed by a

qualified asbestos-abatement contractor

in accordance with applicable local,

state and federal regulations including

those of the Occupational Health and

Safety Administration. No data is

available for the lead content of paint in

the buildings constructed prior to 1978;

the majority of the structures exhibited

peeling and chipping paint. Procedures

for the containment and removal of

lead, if deemed necessary, will be

prepared by a qualified lead-abatement

contractor and will be properly

managed during any future construction

activities in accordance with applicable

federal, state, and local regulations.

Testing of the drinking water systems,

apart from a basewide program, has not

been conducted. The underground and

aboveground storage tanks may require

additional investigation. These items are

addressed in the EA.

Dade County regulations require low

noise levels from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in

the areas near the city of Homestead.

Noise levels generated from the

facilities’ standard air conditioning

units and other equipment are

consistent with Dade County

regulations. Short-term impact from

additional noise will occur during

construction activities. Because

construction activities related to

development of the new Job Corps

Center in Homestead will take place

during normal working hours, and the

use of sound control devices and

muffled exhaust on all noise-generating

construction equipment will be

required, additional noise levels

generated by the renovation of the Site

will be short term and will not

adversely impact the city of Homestead

and any surrounding areas. The

proposed action will comply with all

City noise ordinances, permit

requirements, and related building

codes. The use of appropriate

techniques to minimize construction

dust emissions will mitigate

construction-related air pollution

concerns.

Lighting will be installed at the

facility to replace that destroyed by

Hurricane Andrew. The lighting will be

constructed in accordance with local

requirements and will not adversely

impact surrounding areas.

Water is available to the site through

municipal lines. Stormwater runoff is

discharged to catch basins in the

parking ares and canals located along

the sides of the roads. Sanitary wastes

are accommodated by discharge to

municipal sewers. Based on the nature

of the proposed construction activities

at the site, stormwater quality will not

be significantly impacted.

An abundance of water and electrical

power are available to easily serve

facilities this size and those that are

substantially larger. The reuse of the site

will not increase utility loads to above

pre-hurricane levels. Although the

proposed project will cause a slight

area-wide increase in traffic, this

increase in traffic is not expected to

adversely affect traffic flow on

immediately neighboring streets. The

extension of an existing bus route to

include the site is proposed and it is not

anticipated to significantly alter the bus

scheduling in the area. There currently

is a bus stop less than one (1) mile from

the site. The bus service offers readily

available transportation between the site

and the City of Homestead. The Florida

Turnpike is also located near the site,

allowing easy access to the Florida Keys

or Miami areas.

A public meeting regarding the

location of a new Job Corps Center at the

Homestead Air Force Base was

conducted on February 2, 1994.

Representatives of the Office of Job

Corps and Metro-Dade presented a

description of the proposed project.

Community leaders were given an

opportunity to comment on the project

and ask questions. All of the public’s

responses were positive, with

community organizations extolling the

benefits that the proposed Job Corps

Center would have on the rebuilding

efforts in South Dade and employment

opportunities for the youth in the area.

A number of groups, including schools

and local labor organizations, expressed

a desire to work closely with the new

Job Corps Center.

The alternatives considered in the

preparation of the EA were: (1) The ‘‘No

Build’’ alternative, (2) the ‘‘Alternative

Sites’’ alternative, and (3) the ‘‘Continue

as Proposed’’ alternative. Choosing the

‘‘No Build’’ means that the Department

of Labor would not proceed with plans

for development of the proposed Job

Corps Center in the city of Montgomery.

Although the ‘‘No Build’’ alternative

would result in no environmental

impact upon the area, it would deny the

young adults of this area a unique

opportunity, as well as deny the local

community an opportunity to

socioeconomically benefit from the

establishment of a new Job Corps

Center. A former mental hospital in

Boward County was considered as an

alternate site for the new Job Corps

Center, but did not meet the minimum

selection criteria for locating new Job

Corps Centers. The opportunity to

expand the Job Corps program to the

Homestead area will aid in the

rebuilding efforts of the community and

allow for the substantial expansion of

current programs now offered in Miami.

The potential for a new facility and

improved service afforded by the

proposed action, as well as the finding

that the proposed action would not pose

any significant adverse environmental

impacts, indicate that the proposed

reuse and renovation of the site 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 establishment of
2790 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 7 / Wednesday, January 11, 1995 / Notices

a Job Corps Center at the Homestead Air

Force Base, Homestead, Florida, will not

cause any significant impact on the

environment and will be a positive asset

to the area and therefore, 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. 95–669 Filed 1–10–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–30–M

Job Corps: Preliminary Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) for the New

Job Corps Center in Long Beach, CA

AGENCY: Employment and Training

Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Finding of No Significant

Impact (FONSI) for the New Job Corps

Center in Long Beach, California.

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 Long Beach, California, 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 Marta AguilarDuggan, Director, Office of Job Corps, 71

Stevenson Street, Suite 1015, San

Francisco, California, (415) 744–6658.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Proposed Action includes development

and operation of a new Job Corps Center

proposed on a 17-acre portion of an

existing 90.8 acre federally-owned site

containing 110 recently

decommissioned U.S. Naval Cabrillo

family housing units located in the City

of Long Beach. This new Job Corps

Center will serve 300 residential

students and 20 non-resident students,

for a total of 320 students, as well as

approximately 70 full-time, day and

night staff.

Development of the proposed Job

Corps Center will require demolition of

the 110 decommissioned units of

approximately 151,250 square feet for

construction of approximately 160,100

square feet of new facilities. The new

Job Corps Center facilities will feature

one-story buildings, including

administrative and medical support

buildings; educational, library and

instruction buildings; dormitory

buildings; a food service building and a

one-story gymnasium structure.

The project site is accessible from the

surrounding region via Willow Street to

the north, Pacific Coast Highway to the

south, Long Beach Freeway (Freeway

710) to the east, Terminal Island

Freeway to the west, as well as from the

various existing, non-public internal

streets. The project site is located in a

primarily residential section of Long

Beach, although there are several

commercial developments along Pacific

Coast Highway and Santa Fe Avenue.

Heavy industrial development including

railroad and oil refining operations are

situated west and adjacent to the

Terminal Island Freeway.

The Long Beach project site is not

located within an environmentally

sensitive area. The proposed action will

not have any significant adverse impacts

on any prime agricultural lands, soils, or

related designated land conservation

programs, development of mineral

resources, or on any unique topography.

There are no surface hydrological

features present on the site such as

drainage swales, intermittent streams,

wetlands, and/or ground water

production or related injection wells.

The proposed action will not involve

the storage or on-site use of major

quantities of hazardous chemicals.

Project development will not have any

adverse impacts on subsurface

hydrogeological resources.

Project development will result in

insignificant storm-water related runoff.

An on-site storm water discharge permit

will be secured to insure management in

compliance with state and local

requirements. The proposed action is

not expected to produce any significant

adverse drainage effect on adjacent

property or any overloading of the

public storm water drainage system.

All new construction must conform to

the Uniform Building Code which

includes establishing compatible

building pad elevations and structural

designs which inherently mitigate

seismic impacts, flood hazards and

related impacts to an acceptable risk.

This is considered to be a significant

beneficial improvement over existing

conditions. No significant adverse floodrelated impacts or geologic-related

impacts are anticipated.

Based on historic aerial photographs,

personal interviews, visual site

reconnaissance, and reviews of available

public and EPA-required listings of

hazardous sites, there appears to be no

current or past hazardous waste sources

within the Long Beach site.

Existing structures have asbestos, lead

paint, and potential PCB’s present onsite. However, all contaminated

materials will be removed and disposed

of in accordance with applicable local,

state, and federal laws.

The development of the Proposed

Action will generate approximately 25

percent less vehicular trips and

associated automobile emissions than

that of recent conditions, which is

considered to be a significant beneficial

improvement over existing conditions.

Metropolitan bus service has sufficient

capacity to handle any increase in

public transit generated by the proposed

action.

Demolition and development will

generate temporary short-term adverse

dust and particulate matter during

project construction activities. However,

maximum daily emission peaks would

occur only intermittently during the

construction cycle and air emissions

will cease upon completion of the

estimated 9-month construction period.

All applicable regulations will be

complied with to insure specific

mitigation efforts.

Demolition, site preparation, and

construction is expected to generate

average on-site noise levels of 65 to 95

dba with intervening quieter periods.

These levels are not considered to be

severe or present a health risk, as noise

levels tend to reduce significantly at

distances greater than 100 feet. The

presence of the existing 12-foot high

concrete wall lessens off-site

construction noise for residential

properties located to the northeast of the

project site. The proposed action will

comply with all City noise ordinances

and related building codes.

Due to a decrease in the number of

vehicle trips because of a reduced onsite population and the increased use of

public transit and car pooling over

previous site area conditions, the new

Job Corps Center would generate

significantly less peak and average noise

ambience levels over previously existing

site conditions. This is considered to be

an improvement over previously