[CPEO-MEF] CSWAB Action Alert!

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[This was posted to the list by Laura Olah <olah@speagle.com>]

CSWAB ACTION ALERT! Scoping Process is an opportunity to comment on the 
future of Badger.

The GSA will be sponsoring two meetings:
Badger Workshop (informational forum; no verbal testimony will be taken)
Saturday, October 14, 2000; drop by anytime between 1 and 4 pm
West Square Building, 505 Broadway, Baraboo

Formal EIS Scoping Session (opportunity to submit written, verbal 
testimony or both)
Tuesday, October 24, 2000; public comment begins at 7 pm
West Square Building, 505 Broadway, Baraboo

At the bottom of this page is an information sheet with examples of 
issues and questions that may be included as part of your testimony (it 
is also attached as a Microsoft Word document); written comments may be 
sent to:

William Costa, Property Disposal (1PR)
U.S. General Services Administration
10 Causeway Street, Room 925
Boston, MA 02222
(617)565-5696
william.costa@gsa.gov

GSA has not published a deadline for comment; until then, I think we 
should assume the 24th is the deadline.  If you have any questions, 
please give me a call at (608)643-3124.
Laura

Information sheet below. Please feel free to distribute this message.

--
Laura Olah, Executive Director
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger
E12629 Weigand's Bay South
Merrimac, WI  53561
phone (608)643-3124
fax (608)643-0005 alt fax (608)643-2682
Email: olah@speagle.com
Website: http://www.cswab.com
http://www.speagle.com/cswab


Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger
INFORMATION SHEET

Scoping for Environmental Impact
PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS


As a community member, you have the opportunity and right to participate 
in decisions that affect your environment and quality of life.  Major 
federal actions in your community like building a highway, a new power 
plant, or commercial logging require an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).  One part of this public process is called scoping; this is an 
opportunity for you to raise questions and concerns about how a proposed 
project may affect you and your community.  You may submit your public 
comment at public hearings or in writing, or both.

Following are examples of questions and concerns you may raise during 
the scoping process:

Geographic Scope:

· What will be the geographic scope of air quality effects included in 
the EIS? (Examples: Metropolitan area, airshed or global atmosphere) 

· What will be the geographic scope of water quality effects included in 
the EIS? (Examples: stream, watershed, river basin, estuary, aquifer, or 
parts thereof)

· What vegetative resources will be included the EIS address?  (Example: 
watershed, forest, range, or ecosystem)

· What will be the geographic scope of effects on resident wildlife 
included in the EIS? (Example: a specific habitat or ecosystem)

· What will be the geographic scope of study on migratory wildlife? 
(Example: breeding grounds, migration route, wintering areas, or total 
range)

· What historical resources will be included in the EIS? (Example: 
neighborhood, rural community, tribal territory, or known or possible 
historic district)

· What sociocultural resources will be included in the EIS? (Example: 
neighborhood, community, distribution of low-income or minority 
population, or culturally valued landscape.)

· What will the geographic scope of socioeconomic impacts be? 
(Community, metropolitan area, county, state, or country)

Cumulative Environmental Effects:

· How will the EIS address frequent and repetitive effects on an 
environmental system?  (Example: forest harvesting rates that exceed 
regrowth.)

· Will the EIS include delayed effects?  (Examples: exposure to 
environmental toxins, mobilization of persistent or bioaccumulated 
substances through the food chain)

· Will the EIS address other nearby activities that will have a similar 
environmental impact?  (Example: multiple livestock areas in a 
compressed space; multiple wastewater dischargers to the same resource)

· Will the EIS analyze fragmentation of the landscape? (Example: 
fragmentation of a historic district)

· Will the EIS include additive effects?  (Example: multiple 
contaminants in the environment)

· Will the EIS address the indirect or secondary effects?  (Example: 
commercial development following highway construction)

· Will the EIS analyze fundamental changes in systems like groundwater, 
surface water, biodiversity, and other natural systems?

Components of the Affected Environment:

· What will be the scope of study for potential air quality effects? 
(Examples: human health hazards, poor visibility, ambient air quality, 
particulates, regional air quality issues,"acid rain")

· What will be the scope of study for potential surface water effects? 
(Examples: water quality from multiple sources; water quality 
degradation from land uses that result in nonpoint-source pollution, 
sedimentation from erosion caused by construction, forestry practices, 
or agriculture, water shortages from overuse, deterioration of 
recreational uses from overdevelopment)

· What will be the scope of study for groundwater effects? (Examples: 
non-point pollution and multiple-source pollution that may infiltrate to 
groundwater; depletion of groundwater resources from overuse)

· What will be the scope of study for lands and soils? (Examples: 
diminished land fertility and productivity from nonsustainable 
agricultural practices; soil loss from multiple, uncoordinated 
activities such agriculture on excessive gradients, overharvesting in 
forestry, and highway construction)

· What will be the scope of study for wetlands? (Examples: habitat loss 
and diminished flood control capacity resulting from dredging and 
filling individual tracts of wetlands, sedimentation from irrigation and 
urban runoff)

· What will be the scope of study for ecological systems? (Example: loss 
of biological diversity; habitat fragmentation from multiple activities 
such as logging, agriculture, and urban development; degradation of 
sensitive ecosystems from incremental stresses; loss of fish and  
wildlife systems from the from the creation of multiple barriers to 
migration)

· What will be the scope of study for historic and archaeological 
resources? (Examples: cultural site degradation resulting from 
streambank erosion, construction, plowing and land leveling; 
fragmentation of historic districts)

· What will be the scope of study for socioeconomic effects?  (Examples: 
over-burdened social services due to population changes resulting from 
multiple projects and activities; unstable labor market resulting from 
changes in the pool of eligible workers)

·  What will be the scope of study for effects on the community? 
(Examples: disruption of community mobility and access as a result of 
changes in infrastructure, changes resulting from the incremental 
displacement of community members as a result of development, loss of 
neighborhoods or community character through incremental development)


Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger (CSWAB) is working to empower, 
unify, and strengthen communities affected by environmental 
contamination; to restore the integrity of natural systems including 
air, water, soil, and biodiversity; and to ensure mutual respect and 
social justice for all peoples, free from any form of discrimination or 
bias.

For more information: contact CSWAB at E12629 Weigand's Bay South, 
Merrimac, WI  53561 (608) 643-3124 or visit our websites at 
http://www.speagle.com/cswab and http://www.cswab.com.

 Fact Sheet12. Scoping process.doc 

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