Letterman Complex, The Presidio of San Francisco, CA; Identification of the Preferred Alternative for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Extension of the Public Comment Period

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32899-32900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15507]


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PRESIDIO TRUST


Letterman Complex, The Presidio of San Francisco, CA; 
Identification of the Preferred Alternative for the Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement and Extension of the Public Comment 
Period

AGENCY: The Presidio Trust.

ACTION: Identification of the ``Digital Arts Center'' (Alternative 5) 
as the Presidio Trust's (Trust) preferred alternative for the purposes 
of the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for new 
development and uses within the Letterman Complex, The Presidio of San 
Francisco (Presidio) (EIS No. 990143). The draft SEIS is a supplement 
to the 1994 Final General Management Plan Amendment (GMPA) EIS for the 
Presidio. The Trust is extending the public comment period to 45 days 
after the publication of this notice to provide full opportunity for 
the public to make their views known on the action.

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SUMMARY: The Trust has prepared and circulated for review a draft SEIS 
for the development and occupancy of approximately 900,000 square feet 
of new, low- to mid-rise mixed-use space within 23 acres of the 60-acre 
Letterman Complex, located in the northeast corner of the Presidio (64 
FR 22662-63 (April 27, 1999)). For the purposes of the draft SEIS, six 
alternatives were evaluated at a comparable level of analysis for 
development and occupancy of the site: a ``Science and Education 
Center'' (the Updated Presidio GMPA Alternative, or Alternative 1); a 
``Sustainable Urban Village'' (Alternative 2); a ``Mixed Use 
Development'' (Alternative 3); a ``Live/Work Village'' (Alternative 4); 
a ``Digital

[[Page 32900]]

Arts Center'' (Alternative 5) and ``Minimum Management'' (the No Action 
Alternative, or Alternative 6). Of the six alternatives discussed in 
the draft SEIS, the Trust has preliminarily determined that the 
``Digital Arts Center'' (Alternative 5) would best fulfill its 
statutory mission and responsibilities under the Presidio Trust Act 
(Pub. L. 104-333), giving consideration to economic, environmental, 
technical and other factors.
    Identification of a preferred alternative at this time does not 
imply that the Trust has made a final determination regarding the 
viability of Alternatives 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. The Trust invites public 
comment on all of the alternatives described in the draft SEIS, 
including the Trust's preferred alternative.
    Media coverage of the preferred alternative selection process 
conducted by the Trust may have resulted in public confusion regarding 
the continuing viability of Alternatives 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. For this 
reason, the Trust has chosen to extend the public comment period to 
April 27-August 2, 1999 to accommodate a full 45-day comment period for 
the draft SEIS, as updated by this Federal Register notice, which will 
also enable the public to review and comment on the Trust's selection 
of Alternative 5 as the Trust's preferred alternative.

Public Meeting

    The Trust will receive additional oral comment on the draft SEIS at 
the July 20, 1999 meeting of the Citizens' Advisory Commission of the 
Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The meeting will be held at Park 
Headquarters, Building 201, Fort Mason, San Francisco, California at 
7:30 p.m.

Comments

    Comments on the draft SEIS must be received by August 2, 1999. 
Written comments on the draft SEIS must be sent to: NEPA Compliance 
Coordinator--Attn: Letterman Complex, Presidio Trust, 34 Graham Street, 
P.O. Box 29052, San Francisco, CA 94129-0052, Fax: 415-561-5315, E-
mail: planning@presidiotrust.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Pelka, NEPA Compliance 
Coordinator, the Presidio Trust, 34 Graham Street, P.O. Box 29052, San 
Francisco, CA 94129-0052. Telephone: 415-561-5300.

Reference: 40 CFR 1502.14(e)

    Dated: June 14, 1999.
Karen A. Cook,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 99-15507 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]
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