81 FR 72124 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Initiate Section 106 Consultation for Proposed Changes to Green Bank Observatory Operations, Green Bank, West Virginia and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Comment Period

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 202 (October 19, 2016)

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the National Science Foundation (NSF) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate potential environmental effects of proposed changes to operations at Green Bank Observatory, in Green Bank, West Virginia (Proposed Action). (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for more details.) By this notice, NSF announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues to be analyzed in the EIS. At this juncture, NSF welcomes public comments on the preliminary proposed alternatives and resource areas identified for analysis. NSF also intends to initiate consultation under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to evaluate potential effects, if any, on historic properties as a result of the Proposed Action.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72124-72125]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25213]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Initiate Section 106 Consultation for Proposed Changes to Green Bank 
Observatory Operations, Green Bank, West Virginia and Notice of Public 
Scoping Meetings and Comment Period

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
and Initiate Section 106 Consultation for proposed changes to Green 
Bank Observatory operations, Green Bank, West Virginia and notice of 
public scoping meetings and comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, the National Science Foundation (NSF) intends to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate potential 
environmental effects of proposed changes to operations at Green Bank 
Observatory, in Green Bank, West Virginia (Proposed Action). (See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for more details.) By this notice, NSF 
announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues to be analyzed in the EIS. At this 
juncture, NSF welcomes public comments on the preliminary proposed 
alternatives and resource areas identified for analysis. NSF also 
intends to initiate consultation under section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act to evaluate potential effects, if any, on 
historic properties as a result of the Proposed Action.

DATES: This Notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS and 
the initiation of public involvement under section 106 per 36 CFR 
800.2(d). Comments on the scope of the preliminary proposed 
alternatives and resource areas to be studied may be submitted verbally 
during the scoping meetings scheduled for November 9, 2016 (see details 
in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) or in writing until November 19, 2016. To 
be eligible for inclusion in the Draft EIS, all comments must be 
received prior to the close of the scoping period. NSF will provide 
additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of 
the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following 
methods:
     Email to: [email protected], with subject line 
``Green Bank Observatory.''

[[Page 72125]]

     Mail to: Elizabeth Pentecost, RE: Green Bank Observatory, 
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1045, Arlington, 
VA 22230.

EIS INFORMATION: Information will be posted, throughout the EIS 
process, at www.nsf.gov/AST.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
EIS process or Section 106 consultation, contact: Elizabeth Pentecost, 
National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 4201 
Wilson Blvd., Suite 1045, Arlington, VA 22230; telephone: (703) 292-
4907; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Green Bank Observatory (GBO) is located in 
Pocahontas County, West Virginia adjacent to the Monongahela National 
Forest. NSF owns the GBO land, which consists of numerous parcels 
acquired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s, when GBO was 
formed as the first (and then, only) site of the National Radio 
Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The Allegheny Trail passes through 
portions of the NRAO property along the Little Mountain ridgeline. GBO 
is the anchor and administrative site of the 13,000-square-mile 
National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ). GBO is located on approximately 2,200 
acres in the NRQZ, where all radio transmissions are limited. Having 
telescopes within the NRQZ allows for detection of faint scientific 
signals that would otherwise be drowned-out by man-made signals. The 
GBO facilities include the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, the 
largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world; the 43-meter 
Telescope; the Green Bank Solar Radio Burst Spectrometer; the 20-meter 
Geodetic Telescope; the 40-foot Telescope; the Interferometer Range; 
and previously operational telescopes.
    The NSF Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 
Division of Astronomical Sciences, through a series of academic 
community-based reviews, has identified the need to divest several 
facilities from its portfolio. This would allow NSF to retain the 
balance of capabilities needed to deliver the best performance on 
emerging and key science technology of the present decade and beyond. 
In 2012, NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences' (AST's) portfolio 
review committee recommended divestment of the Green Bank Telescope 
(GBT) from the AST portfolio, stating the following: ``The GBT is the 
world's most sensitive single-dish radio telescope at wavelengths 
shorter than 10 cm; however, its capabilities are not as critical to 
New World New Horizons [astronomy and astrophysics decadal survey] 
science goals as the higher-ranked facilities.'' In response to these 
recommendations, in 2016, NSF completed a feasibility study to inform 
and define options for the Observatory's future disposition that would 
involve significantly decreasing or eliminating NSF funding of Green 
Bank Observatory. Alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS will be 
refined through public input, with preliminary proposed alternatives 
that include the following:
 Continued NSF investment for science-focused operations (No-
Action Alternative)
 Collaboration with interested parties for science- and 
education-focused operations with reduced NSF-funded scope
 Collaboration with interested parties for operation as a 
technology and education park
 Mothballing of facilities (suspension of operations in a 
manner such that operations could resume efficiently at some future 
date)
 Deconstruction and site restoration

    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including identifying viable alternatives. At present, NSF has 
identified the following preliminary resource areas to analyze 
potential impacts: Air quality, biological resources, cultural 
resources, geological resources, solid waste generation, health and 
safety, socioeconomics, traffic, and groundwater resources. NSF will 
consult under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and 
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act in coordination with this EIS 
process, as appropriate. Federal, state, and local agencies, along with 
other stakeholders that may be interested or affected by NSF's decision 
on this Proposed Action are invited to participate in the scoping 
process and, if eligible, may request to participate as a cooperating 
agency.
    Scoping Meetings: NSF will host two public scoping meetings.
     Afternoon meeting: November 9, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 
p.m., Green Bank Science Center, 155 Observatory Road, Green Bank, WV 
24915, Telephone: (304) 456-2011.
     Evening meeting: November 9, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 
p.m., Green Bank Science Center, 155 Observatory Road, Green Bank, WV 
24915, Telephone: (304) 456-2011.
    Oral comments provided at the scoping meetings will be transcribed 
by a court reporter. Please contact NSF at least one week in advance of 
the meeting if you would like to request special accommodations (i.e., 
sign language interpretation, etc.).

    Dated: October 13, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016-25213 Filed 10-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P