82 FR 48901 - Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision for a Replacement Robley Rex Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, Kentucky

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 202 (October 20, 2017)

Page Range		48901-48901
FR Document		2017-22842

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the siting, construction, and operation of a new campus to replace the existing Robley Rex VA Medical Center (VAMC), and three community-based outpatient clinics in Louisville, Kentucky. VA considered comments received on the Draft EIS issued in October 2016; identified VA's preferred alternative in the Final EIS issued on April 28, 2017; and hereby incorporates by reference the Final EIS into the ROD.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 202 (Friday, October 20, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 202 (Friday, October 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 48901]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22842]



[[Page 48901]]

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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision for a Replacement 
Robley Rex Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, 
Kentucky

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the 
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the siting, 
construction, and operation of a new campus to replace the existing 
Robley Rex VA Medical Center (VAMC), and three community-based 
outpatient clinics in Louisville, Kentucky. VA considered comments 
received on the Draft EIS issued in October 2016; identified VA's 
preferred alternative in the Final EIS issued on April 28, 2017; and 
hereby incorporates by reference the Final EIS into the ROD.

DATES: VA is publishing the Record of Decision more than 30 days after 
publishing the Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: The ROD is available for viewing on the Web site 
www.louisville.va.gov/newmedicalcenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Replacement VAMC Activation Team 
Office, 800 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206, Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Based on the detailed analysis in the Final 
EIS, along with public input and the implementation of identified 
management and mitigation measures to minimize impacts identified in 
Chapter 5 of the Final EIS, Preferred Alternative A (Brownsboro Site) 
is fully consistent with the Agency's mission to provide high-quality, 
safe and accessible health care for Veterans well into the 21st 
Century; and has been shown to fully meet the VA's purpose and need for 
action. Through a rigorous site selection process and for reasons 
described in Chapter 2 of the Final EIS, VA narrowed the list of most 
suitable sites to the Brownsboro and St. Joseph sites, and has 
determined that the existing VAMC cannot be expanded or rebuilt to 
fully meet the current and projected health care needs of Louisville-
area Veterans. The Brownsboro Site is located in closer proximity to 
the University of Louisville Hospital in downtown Louisville and thus 
would better facilitate continued collaboration between that facility 
and the VAMC. Its more central location is also closer to Veterans and 
VAMC employees living in other parts of the Louisville Metro area (e.g. 
west and south), and it offers more direct access via multiple 
interstates and major roads for those Veterans coming from other parts 
of the service area. With respect to environmental concerns, it 
contains no surface water resources or wetlands and fewer protected 
species than the St. Joseph Site.
    VA acknowledges there would be potential adverse impacts associated 
with the Brownsboro Site, although similar adverse effects would also 
occur at the St. Joseph Site, particularly related to traffic, which is 
one of the main reasons for public opposition to the Brownsboro Site.
    The ROD is available for viewing on the VA Web site at 
www.louisville.va.gov/newmedicalcenter/ and at the St. Matthews and 
Westport Branches of the Louisville Free Public Library located at 3940 
Grandview Avenue, Louisville, KY 40207 and 8100 Westport Road, 
Louisville, KY 40222, respectively. Information related to the EIS 
process is also available for viewing on the VA Web site at 
www.louisville.va.gov/newmedicalcenter/.
    Signing Authority: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, 
approved this document and authorized the undersigned to sign and 
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Gina S. Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department 
of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on October 12, 2017, for 
publication.

    Dated: October 12, 2017.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-22842 Filed 10-19-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P

$Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 202 / Friday, October 20, 2017 / Notices 48901 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS along with public input and the with the Brownsboro Site, although AFFAIRS implementation of identified similar adverse effects would also occur management and mitigation measures to at the St. Joseph Site, particularly Notice of Availability of a Record of minimize impacts identified in Chapter related to traffic, which is one of the Decision for a Replacement Robley 5 of the Final EIS, Preferred Alternative main reasons for public opposition to Rex Department of Veterans Affairs A (Brownsboro Site) is fully consistent the Brownsboro Site. Medical Center, Louisville, Kentucky with the Agency’s mission to provide The ROD is available for viewing on AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. high-quality, safe and accessible health the VA Web site at care for Veterans well into the 21st www.louisville.va.gov/newmedical ACTION: Notice of availability. Century; and has been shown to fully center/ and at the St. Matthews and SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans meet the VA’s purpose and need for Westport Branches of the Louisville Affairs (VA) announces the availability action. Through a rigorous site selection Free Public Library located at 3940 of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the process and for reasons described in Grandview Avenue, Louisville, KY siting, construction, and operation of a Chapter 2 of the Final EIS, VA narrowed 40207 and 8100 Westport Road, new campus to replace the existing the list of most suitable sites to the Louisville, KY 40222, respectively. Robley Rex VA Medical Center (VAMC), Brownsboro and St. Joseph sites, and Information related to the EIS process is and three community-based outpatient has determined that the existing VAMC also available for viewing on the VA clinics in Louisville, Kentucky. VA cannot be expanded or rebuilt to fully Web site at www.louisville.va.gov/ considered comments received on the meet the current and projected health newmedicalcenter/. Draft EIS issued in October 2016; care needs of Louisville-area Veterans. Signing Authority: The Secretary of identified VA’s preferred alternative in The Brownsboro Site is located in closer Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved the Final EIS issued on April 28, 2017; proximity to the University of Louisville this document and authorized the and hereby incorporates by reference Hospital in downtown Louisville and undersigned to sign and submit the the Final EIS into the ROD. thus would better facilitate continued document to the Office of the Federal DATES: VA is publishing the Record of collaboration between that facility and Register for publication electronically as Decision more than 30 days after the VAMC. Its more central location is an official document of the Department publishing the Final EIS. also closer to Veterans and VAMC of Veterans Affairs. Gina S. Farrisee, employees living in other parts of the ADDRESSES: The ROD is available for Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Louisville Metro area (e.g. west and viewing on the Web site Veterans Affairs, approved this south), and it offers more direct access www.louisville.va.gov/newmedical document on October 12, 2017, for via multiple interstates and major roads center. publication. for those Veterans coming from other FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: parts of the service area. With respect to Dated: October 12, 2017. Replacement VAMC Activation Team environmental concerns, it contains no Jeffrey Martin, Office, 800 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, KY surface water resources or wetlands and Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation 40206, Email: LouisvilleReplacement fewer protected species than the St. Policy & Management, Office of the Secretary, HospitalComments@va.gov. Joseph Site. Department of Veterans Affairs. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Based on VA acknowledges there would be [FR Doc. 2017–22842 Filed 10–19–17; 8:45 am] the detailed analysis in the Final EIS, potential adverse impacts associated BILLING CODE 8320–01–P srobinson on DSKBC5CHB2PROD with NOTICES VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:22 Oct 19, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00116 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM 20OCN1$

Document Created: 2017-10-20 00:06:00
Document Modified: 2017-10-20 00:06:00

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 availability.
Dates		VA is publishing the Record of Decision more than 30 days after publishing the Final EIS.
Contact		Replacement VAMC Activation Team Office, 800 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206, Email: [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 48901