81 FR 3481 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Smithsonian Institution's South Mall Campus Master Plan
NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 13 (January 21, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 13 (January 21, 2016)
| Page Range | 3481-3481 | |
| FR Document | 2016-01162 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 13 (Thursday, January 21, 2016)] [Notices] [Page 3481] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-01162] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Smithsonian Institution's South Mall Campus Master Plan AGENCY: National Capital Planning Commission. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970, as amended and implemented by the Council on Environmental, and in accordance with the Environmental Policies and Procedures adopted by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the NCPC announces its intent along with the Smithsonian Institution (SI), and in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS will provide a full and fair discussion of the potential environmental impacts resulting from implementation of SI's South Mall Campus Master Plan. NCPC will act as lead federal agency for NEPA compliance and SI is the project owner, sponsoring the preparation of the EIS. Although SI is not a ``federal agency'' within the meaning of NEPA and CEQ Regulations, SI works with federal agencies on NEPA compliance when, as here, an SI project requires federal agency approval. The South Mall Campus Master Plan (Master Plan) will evaluate opportunities to: Better align Smithsonian facilities on the South Mall Campus with SI's mission; increase public access to the museums and gardens; replace and upgrade aging building systems; upgrade security systems campus wide; rehabilitate and restore historic buildings; provide seismic retrofitting; consolidate and upgrade loading functions; enhance public space; and increase the visitor services provided in the area. The Master Plan will revitalize the South Mall Campus by interconnecting programs and services both above- and below- grade; and, by improving physical access for all through enhanced circulation, way finding, and program visibility. These improvements will provide visitors and staff with facilities, amenities, and educational experiences expected of a world class institution. DATES: The Scoping Period shall run February 22, 2016. ADDRESSES: Electronic Comments may be submitted at [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Flis, Senior Urban Designer, National Capital Planning Commission, Urban Design and Plan Review, 401 9th StreetNW., Washington, DC 20004, Phone 202-482-7236; or Michelle Spofford, Senior Planning Manager, Smithsonian Institution, Office of Planning Design and Construction, Facilities Master Planning, 600 Maryland Avenue SW., Suite 501, PO Box 37012, MRC 511, Washington, DC 20013-7012, Phone: 202-633-6558. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NCPC and SI previously conducted scoping For an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Master Plan from December 16, 2014 through January 30, 2015. As part of this process, NCPC and SI held a public scoping meeting on December 16, 2014 and received written comments from local and federal agencies, interested organizations, and the public. Based on the information obtained and additional coordination with local and federal agencies, NCPC and SI have determined that preparation of an EIS is warranted. Topics for environmental analysis identified through the scoping process include: Historic resources; visual resources; transportation; public utilities; land use; social and economic issues; visitor use; and physical and biological resources, such as air quality, water quality, and climate change. All private parties, Federal and local agencies, and interested organizations having an interest in the project are invited to comment. All previously submitted comments from the EA scoping period are documented in the administrative record and will be used to inform the Draft EIS; only new issues and concerns need to be submitted at this time. During this scoping period, no public scoping meeting will be held. All new and relevant environmental information, or additional comments on any issues that may be associated with the proposed project, should be sent to the address or email address below. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publically available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Information related to the project and public involvement opportunities for the draft EIS will be provided at the project's Web site: http://www.southmallcampus.si.edu/. Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7. Dated: January 13, 2016. Anne R. Schuyler, General Counsel. [FR Doc. 2016-01162 Filed 1-20-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7520-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2016 / Notices 3481
delivery systems, and avoid duplication environmental impacts resulting from Topics for environmental analysis
of services. implementation of SI’s South Mall identified through the scoping process
Campus Master Plan. NCPC will act as include: Historic resources; visual
C. Waiver Authority
lead federal agency for NEPA resources; transportation; public
LSC, upon its own initiative or when compliance and SI is the project owner, utilities; land use; social and economic
requested, may waive provisions in this sponsoring the preparation of the EIS. issues; visitor use; and physical and
Notice at its sole discretion under Although SI is not a ‘‘federal agency’’ biological resources, such as air quality,
extraordinary circumstances and when within the meaning of NEPA and CEQ water quality, and climate change.
it is in the best interest of the eligible Regulations, SI works with federal All private parties, Federal and local
client community. Waivers may be agencies on NEPA compliance when, as agencies, and interested organizations
granted only for requirements that are here, an SI project requires federal having an interest in the project are
discretionary and not mandated by agency approval. invited to comment. All previously
statute or regulation. Any request for a The South Mall Campus Master Plan submitted comments from the EA
waiver must set forth in writing the (Master Plan) will evaluate scoping period are documented in the
extraordinary circumstances for the opportunities to: Better align administrative record and will be used
request. LSC will not consider a request Smithsonian facilities on the South Mall to inform the Draft EIS; only new issues
to waive the deadline for an LOI unless Campus with SI’s mission; increase and concerns need to be submitted at
it is received by LSC prior to the public access to the museums and this time. During this scoping period, no
deadline. gardens; replace and upgrade aging public scoping meeting will be held.
building systems; upgrade security All new and relevant environmental
D. Contact Information
systems campus wide; rehabilitate and information, or additional comments on
For more information about current restore historic buildings; provide any issues that may be associated with
Pro Bono Innovation Fund projects, seismic retrofitting; consolidate and the proposed project, should be sent to
please contact Mytrang Nguyen, upgrade loading functions; enhance the address or email address below.
Program Counsel, (202) 295–1564 or public space; and increase the visitor Before including your address, phone
nguyenm@lsc.gov. services provided in the area. The number, email address, or other
If you have a general question or Master Plan will revitalize the South personal identifying information in your
questions about the Pro Bono Mall Campus by interconnecting comment, you should be aware that
Innovation Fund application process, programs and services both above- and your entire comment, including your
please email probonoinnovation@ below-grade; and, by improving personal identifying information, may
lsc.gov. physical access for all through enhanced be made publically available at any
For technical questions or issues with circulation, way finding, and program time. While you can ask us in your
the LSC Grants online application visibility. These improvements will comment to withhold your personal
system, please send an email to provide visitors and staff with facilities, identifying information from public
techsupport@lsc.gov. amenities, and educational experiences review, we cannot guarantee that we
Dated: January 15, 2016. expected of a world class institution. will be able to do so.
Stefanie K. Davis, DATES: The Scoping Period shall run Information related to the project and
Assistant General Counsel. February 22, 2016. public involvement opportunities for
[FR Doc. 2016–01106 Filed 1–20–16; 8:45 am] ADDRESSES: Electronic Comments may the draft EIS will be provided at the
BILLING CODE 7050–01–P be submitted at project’s Web site: http://
commentsonsouthcampus@si.edu. www.southmallcampus.si.edu/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING Matthew Flis, Senior Urban Designer, Dated: January 13, 2016.
COMMISSION National Capital Planning Commission,
Anne R. Schuyler,
Urban Design and Plan Review, 401 9th
Notice of Intent To Prepare an StreetNW., Washington, DC 20004, General Counsel.
Environmental Impact Statement for Phone 202–482–7236; or Michelle [FR Doc. 2016–01162 Filed 1–20–16; 8:45 am]
the Smithsonian Institution’s South Spofford, Senior Planning Manager, BILLING CODE 7520–01–P
Mall Campus Master Plan Smithsonian Institution, Office of
AGENCY: National Capital Planning Planning Design and Construction,
Facilities Master Planning, 600 NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE
Commission.
Maryland Avenue SW., Suite 501, PO ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
Box 37012, MRC 511, Washington, DC
Environmental Impact Statement. National Endowment for the Arts;
20013–7012, Phone: 202–633–6558.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NCPC and
Agency Information Collection
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of SI previously conducted scoping For an Activities: Proposed Collection;
1970, as amended and implemented by Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Comment Request; 2017 Survey of
the Council on Environmental, and in Master Plan from December 16, 2014 Public Participation in the Arts
accordance with the Environmental through January 30, 2015. As part of this AGENCY: National Endowment for the
Policies and Procedures adopted by the process, NCPC and SI held a public Arts, National Foundation on the Arts
asabaliauskas on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES
National Capital Planning Commission scoping meeting on December 16, 2014 and the Humanities.
(NCPC), the NCPC announces its intent and received written comments from ACTION: Proposed collection; comments
along with the Smithsonian Institution local and federal agencies, interested request.
(SI), and in cooperation with the organizations, and the public. Based on
National Park Service (NPS), to prepare the information obtained and additional SUMMARY: The National Endowment for
an Environmental Impact Statement coordination with local and federal the Arts (NEA), as part of its continuing
(EIS). The EIS will provide a full and agencies, NCPC and SI have determined effort to reduce paperwork and
fair discussion of the potential that preparation of an EIS is warranted. respondent burden, conducts a
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Document Created: 2018-02-02 12:34:11
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 12:34:11
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. | |
| Dates | The Scoping Period shall run February 22, 2016. | |
| Contact | Matthew Flis, Senior Urban Designer, National Capital Planning Commission, Urban Design and Plan Review, 401 9th StreetNW., Washington, DC 20004, Phone 202-482-7236; or Michelle Spofford, Senior Planning Manager, Smithsonian Institution, Office of Planning Design and Construction, Facilities Master Planning, 600 Maryland Avenue SW., Suite 501, PO Box 37012, MRC 511, Washington, DC 20013-7012, Phone: 202-633-6558. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 3481 |
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