83 FR 60866 - Notice of Availability for the Record of Decision of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Master Plan for the Consolidation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Headquarters at the Federal Research Center at White Oak, located in Silver Spring, MD

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 228 (November 27, 2018)

Page Range		60866-60866
FR Document		2018-25887

GSA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the 2018 Master Plan for the Consolidation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the Federal Research Center at White Oak, located in Silver Spring, Maryland, on November 14, 2018. The ROD was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, and the GSA Public Buildings Service NEPA Desk Guide.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 60866]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25887]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2018-13; Docket No. 2018-0002; Sequence No. 33]


Notice of Availability for the Record of Decision of the 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Master Plan for the 
Consolidation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Headquarters at 
the Federal Research Center at White Oak, located in Silver Spring, MD

AGENCY: Public Buildings Service, National Capital Region, General 
Services Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice of availability for the Record of Decision of the FDA 
Headquarters Master Plan Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: GSA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the 2018 Master Plan 
for the Consolidation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at 
the Federal Research Center at White Oak, located in Silver Spring, 
Maryland, on November 14, 2018. The ROD was prepared in accordance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations, and the GSA Public Buildings Service 
NEPA Desk Guide.

DATES: Applicable: Friday, November 30, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gyamfi, GSA, National Capital 
Region, Public Buildings Service, Office of Planning and Design 
Quality, at 202-440-3405. Please contact this number if special 
assistance is needed to attend and participate in the scoping meeting.

Background

    GSA, in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), has prepared a Master Plan for the consolidation of the FDA 
headquarters facilities at the Federal Research Center at White Oak 
(FRC) in Silver Spring, Maryland. The FDA headquarters currently 
encompasses a 130-acre piece of the FRC, now known as the FDA Campus.
    In the fiscal year 2016, Congress provided funding ``for FDA to 
complete a feasibility study and Master Plan for land inside and 
contiguous to the White Oak campus to address its expanded workforce 
and the facilities needed to accommodate them.'' On August 3, 2017, 
Congress passed the FDA Reauthorization Act (FDARA) of 2017. This new 
legislation reauthorized the user fee programs necessary for continued 
support of the agency's pre-market evaluation of prescription drugs, 
medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar products.
    Due to these Congressional mandates, FDA is projecting that there 
will need to be an increase in employees and campus support staff at 
the FDA Campus. Therefore, GSA has prepared a Master Plan to 
accommodate future growth and further consolidate FDA operations. The 
Master Plan will provide a framework for development at the FRC to 
accommodate up to approximately 18,000 FDA employees and support staff. 
GSA completed an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that assessed the 
impacts of the population increase and additional growth needed on the 
FRC to support the increased population.

Preferred Alternative

    GSA has chosen to implement Alternative C: Two Large Tower 
Buildings, as defined in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
(GSA, September 2018). This decision is based on analyses contained in 
the 2018 FDA Master Plan Draft EIS issued in March 2018, the 2018 FDA 
Master Plan Final EIS issued in September 2018, the Memorandum of 
Agreement (MOA) executed on November 7, 2018, and the comments of 
Federal and State agencies, stakeholder organizations, members of the 
public, and elected officials, and other information in the 
Administrative Record.
    Alternative C includes an additional 1,602,371 gross square feet 
(gsf) of office space and 318,253 gsf of special/shared use space that 
will be added to the FDA Campus to support FDA's mission for a total of 
up to 5,687,229 gsf of office, shared, and special use spaces. The East 
Loop Road will be reconfigured to allow for ease of circulation and 
access into and out of the FDA Campus. The reconfigured East Loop Road 
will circle around the new office buildings proposed on the east side 
of the FDA Campus and will connect with Dalghren Road. At Blandy Road 
and FDA Boulevard, a new traffic circle will be constructed that will 
connect it with the Southeast Loop Road. The Southeast Loop Road will 
circle around the southeast parking garage and connect to the existing 
Southwest Loop Road that will be reconfigured for the connection.
    GSA has chosen to implement Alternative C. Alternative C will also 
consist of the following:
     Three new office buildings ranging from 8 to 16 stories, 
placed on the eastern end of the FDA Campus, and one new office 
building, placed on the western part of the FDA Campus adjacent to 
Building 22;
     7,342 additional parking spaces within three new parking 
garages;
     A Distribution Center will be constructed adjacent to the 
northeast parking garage;
     A Truck Screening Facility will be constructed at the 
entrance to the FDA Campus on Michelson Road:
     A new Transit Center will be located on the existing 
northwest surface lots;
     A free-standing dining facility will be constructed on the 
plaza near the new buildings:
     A Communications Center will be placed with the new 
buildings on the eastern end of the campus;
     The plaza will be extended to facilitate a walkable 
campus; and
     A Conference Center will be placed on the northwest 
quadrant and existing main campus.

Location of Record of Decision

    The ROD can be found on GSA's project website at www.gsa.gov/ncrnepa.

    Dated: November 20, 2018.
Mina Wright,
Director, Office of Planning and Design Quality, Public Buildings 
Service, National Capital Region, General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-25887 Filed 11-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-Y1-P

60866 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 27, 2018 / Notices

request in accordance with the law and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Alternative C includes an additional
the public interest. Once your comment Gyamfi, GSA, National Capital Region, 1,602,371 gross square feet (gsf) of office
has been posted on the public FTC Public Buildings Service, Office of space and 318,253 gsf of special/shared
website—as legally required by FTC Planning and Design Quality, at 202– use space that will be added to the FDA
Rule 4.9(b)—we cannot redact or 440–3405. Please contact this number if Campus to support FDA’s mission for a
remove your comment from the FTC special assistance is needed to attend total of up to 5,687,229 gsf of office,
website, unless you submit a and participate in the scoping meeting. shared, and special use spaces. The East
confidentiality request that meets the Background Loop Road will be reconfigured to allow
requirements for such treatment under for ease of circulation and access into
FTC Rule 4.9(c), and the General GSA, in cooperation with the U.S. and out of the FDA Campus. The
Counsel grants that request. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reconfigured East Loop Road will circle
The FTC Act and other laws that the has prepared a Master Plan for the around the new office buildings
Commission administers permit the consolidation of the FDA headquarters proposed on the east side of the FDA
collection of public comments to facilities at the Federal Research Center Campus and will connect with Dalghren
consider and use in this proceeding as at White Oak (FRC) in Silver Spring, Road. At Blandy Road and FDA
appropriate. The Commission will Maryland. The FDA headquarters Boulevard, a new traffic circle will be
consider all timely and responsive currently encompasses a 130-acre piece constructed that will connect it with the
public comments that it receives on or of the FRC, now known as the FDA Southeast Loop Road. The Southeast
before December 27, 2018. For Campus. Loop Road will circle around the
information on the Commission’s In the fiscal year 2016, Congress southeast parking garage and connect to
privacy policy, including routine uses provided funding ‘‘for FDA to complete the existing Southwest Loop Road that
permitted by the Privacy Act, see a feasibility study and Master Plan for will be reconfigured for the connection.
land inside and contiguous to the White
https://www.ftc.gov/site-information/ GSA has chosen to implement
Oak campus to address its expanded
privacy-policy. Alternative C. Alternative C will also
workforce and the facilities needed to
Heather Hippsley, accommodate them.’’ On August 3, consist of the following:
Deputy General Counsel. 2017, Congress passed the FDA • Three new office buildings ranging
[FR Doc. 2018–25730 Filed 11–26–18; 8:45 am] Reauthorization Act (FDARA) of 2017. from 8 to 16 stories, placed on the
BILLING CODE 6750–01–P
This new legislation reauthorized the eastern end of the FDA Campus, and
user fee programs necessary for one new office building, placed on the
continued support of the agency’s pre- western part of the FDA Campus
market evaluation of prescription drugs, adjacent to Building 22;
GENERAL SERVICES medical devices, generic drugs, and
ADMINISTRATION • 7,342 additional parking spaces
biosimilar products. within three new parking garages;
Due to these Congressional mandates,
[Notice–PBS–2018–13; Docket No. 2018–
FDA is projecting that there will need to • A Distribution Center will be
0002; Sequence No. 33]
be an increase in employees and constructed adjacent to the northeast
Notice of Availability for the Record of campus support staff at the FDA parking garage;
Decision of the Environmental Impact Campus. Therefore, GSA has prepared a • A Truck Screening Facility will be
Statement for the Proposed Master Master Plan to accommodate future constructed at the entrance to the FDA
Plan for the Consolidation of the U.S. growth and further consolidate FDA Campus on Michelson Road:
Food and Drug Administration operations. The Master Plan will • A new Transit Center will be
Headquarters at the Federal Research provide a framework for development at located on the existing northwest
Center at White Oak, located in Silver the FRC to accommodate up to surface lots;
Spring, MD approximately 18,000 FDA employees
• A free-standing dining facility will
and support staff. GSA completed an
AGENCY: Public Buildings Service, be constructed on the plaza near the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
National Capital Region, General new buildings:
that assessed the impacts of the
Services Administration (GSA). population increase and additional • A Communications Center will be
ACTION: Notice of availability for the growth needed on the FRC to support placed with the new buildings on the
Record of Decision of the FDA the increased population. eastern end of the campus;
Headquarters Master Plan • The plaza will be extended to
Environmental Impact Statement. Preferred Alternative
facilitate a walkable campus; and
GSA has chosen to implement • A Conference Center will be placed
SUMMARY: GSA issued a Record of Alternative C: Two Large Tower
Decision (ROD) for the 2018 Master Plan on the northwest quadrant and existing
Buildings, as defined in the Final main campus.
for the Consolidation of the U.S. Food Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and Drug Administration (FDA) at the (GSA, September 2018). This decision is Location of Record of Decision
Federal Research Center at White Oak, based on analyses contained in the 2018
located in Silver Spring, Maryland, on FDA Master Plan Draft EIS issued in The ROD can be found on GSA’s
November 14, 2018. The ROD was March 2018, the 2018 FDA Master Plan project website at www.gsa.gov/ncrnepa.
prepared in accordance with the Final EIS issued in September 2018, the Dated: November 20, 2018.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1

National Environmental Policy Act Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Mina Wright,
(NEPA) of 1969, the Council on executed on November 7, 2018, and the Director, Office of Planning and Design
Environmental Quality Regulations, and comments of Federal and State agencies, Quality, Public Buildings Service, National
the GSA Public Buildings Service NEPA stakeholder organizations, members of Capital Region, General Services
Desk Guide. the public, and elected officials, and Administration.
DATES: Applicable: Friday, November other information in the Administrative [FR Doc. 2018–25887 Filed 11–26–18; 8:45 am]
30, 2018. Record. BILLING CODE 6820–Y1–P

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Document Created: 2018-11-27 01:24:50
Document Modified: 2018-11-27 01:24:50

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 for the Record of Decision of the FDA Headquarters Master Plan Environmental Impact Statement.
Dates		Applicable: Friday, November 30, 2018.
Contact		Paul Gyamfi, GSA, National Capital Region, Public Buildings Service, Office of Planning and Design Quality, at 202-440-3405. Please contact this number if special assistance is needed to attend and participate in the scoping meeting.
FR Citation		83 FR 60866