Re: Department of the Navy

[ross.vincent@sfsierra.sierraclub.org]

[Federal Register: March 8, 1995]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy

Combined Notice of Intent To Prepare and Notice of Preparation 
for an Environmental Impact Statement for the Disposal and Reuse of the 
Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, Formerly the Naval Civil 
Engineering Laboratory (NCEL) Property and Structures, Port Hueneme, CA

 Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy in coordination with the City of Port Hueneme is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed disposal and 
reuse of the former Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory (NCEL) property 
and structures at Port Hueneme, California. The Defense Base Closure 
and Realignment Act (Public Law 101-510) of 1990, as implemented by the 
1993 base closure process, directs the Navy to close the former NCEL. 
The City of Port Hueneme intends to use the EIS is place of an 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pursuant to the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15221.
 The former NCEL is within the jurisdiction of the City of Port 
Hueneme, on the California coast midway between the cities of Los 
Angeles and Santa Barbara, and covers approximately 33 acres. The Navy 
facility is scheduled for operational closure in April 1996. The 
property is currently developed with office buildings, laboratory 
facilities, and an active Coast Guard lighthouse. The EIS will address 
disposal of the property and the potential impacts associated with 
reuse alternatives.
 The EIS will address the potential impacts to the environment that 
may result from implementation of three reuse alternatives and a ``no 
action'' alternative. An NCEL Community Reuse Plan, developed by the 
City of Port Hueneme, shall constitute the preferred alternative. The 
Reuse Plan identifies a mix of three land use types: approximately 22 
acres designated for coastal oriented use (such as aquaculture, marine 
education and training, research and development), 8 acres designated 
for port-related use (such as container and break-bulk cargo storage, 
warehousing and distribution of goods) and 3 acres for retention and 
enhancement of the public access to the Pacific coast shoreline. The 
second alternative identifies two land use types: approximately 30 
acres designated for port-related industrial use and 3 acres public 
access to the Pacific coast shoreline. The third alternative identifies 
four land use types: approximately 11 acres designated for aquaculture 
and commercial visitor-serving (i.e., restaurant), 11 acres designated 
for educational and recreational, 8 acres designated for port-related 
uses, 3 acres for public access to the Pacific coast shoreline. The 
``no action'' alternative would consist of federal government retention 
of the property in an ``inactive'' status.
 Federal, state and local agencies, and interested individuals are 
encouraged to participate in the scoping process for the EIS to 
determine the range of issues and reuse alternatives to be addressed. A 
public scoping meeting to receive oral and written comments will be 
held on [[Page 12748]] March 23, 1995, at 7:30 p.m., in the Port 
Hueneme City Hall, located at 250 North Ventura Road, Port Hueneme, 
California. In addition, written comments may be submitted within 30 
days of the published date of this notice to Ms. Mary Doyle, 
Environmental Planning Branch (Code 09F2), Engineering Field Activity 
West, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 900 Commodore Drive, San 
Bruno, California 94066-5006, telephone (415) 244-3024, fax (415) 244-
3737. For further information regarding the Port Hueneme NCEL Community 
Reuse Plan, please contact Mr. Thomas Figg, Director of Community 
Development, 250 North Ventura Road, Port Hueneme, California 93041, 
telephone (805) 986-6514.

 Dated: March 3, 1995.
M.D. Schetzsle,
Lt, JAGC, USNR, Alternative Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-5648 filed 3-7-95; 8:45 am]
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