DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI) AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) FOR THE
NOAA PACIFIC REGION CENTER (PRC), O`AHU, HAWAI`I

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508) implementing the National Environmental Policy Act and the NOAA Administrative Order Series 216-6, Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, of 20 May 1999, NOAA has prepared an EA and FONSI, and determined that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required for the NOAA PRC, O`ahu, Hawai`i.

NOAA proposes to construct a PRC to provide a consolidated location with adequate and permanent administrative, laboratory, and support facilities for NOAA’s Line Offices (LOs) on O`ahu, Hawai`i. The proposed NOAA PRC would contain a reception area, visitor center, retail store, conference center, training center, library, media/film studio, warehouse storage, research center, laboratories, secure facility for alleged fishery- related violators, seawater laboratory facility (which would include a seawater well), offices, emergency generators, perimeter fencing, landscaping, satellite antennas, a fitness center, parking lot, and would accommodate up to 672 staff by 2010. NOAA has identified Ford Island, O`ahu, Hawai`i as the Preferred Alternative location for implementation of the Proposed Action.

The Preferred Alternative, the Ford Island Alternative, would have an adverse effect on the historic character of the United States Naval Base, Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark, due to the alterations required to provide adequate and mission critical facilities for the PRC. However, adaptive re-use of the buildings shall ensure their continued preservation. NOAA has complied with the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 review process, by consulting with the State Historic Preservation Officer and other consulting parties, affording the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation the opportunity to comment, and executing a Memorandum of Agreement to mitigate the adverse effect.

With the implementation of minor traffic improvements, the Preferred Alternative would not have a significant impact on traffic. NOAA would obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit prior to use of the facility and would operate under the terms and conditions of the permit. With the implementation of best management practices, there would be no significant impacts to physical conditions under the Preferred Alternative. The facilities would incorporate design features sufficient to obtain “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) certification at the Gold Level (a U.S. Green Buildings Council voluntary standards and certification program that defines high-performance green buildings).

The Preferred Alternative would not result in significant impacts on the following resource areas: terrestrial biological resources; infrastructure; health and safety; socio-economics; land use; and public facilities, services and recreation facilities. The Preferred Alternative would not create environmental health or safety risks that may disproportionately affect children or minority or low-income populations. NOAA has determined that the Preferred Alternative would not have reasonably foreseeable effects, direct or indirect, on any use or resource in the State’s coastal zone.

Based on information gathered during preparation of the EA, NOAA finds that the implementation of the Preferred Alternative at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, O`ahu, Hawai`i, will not significantly impact human health or the environment.

The EA and FONSI addressing this Proposed Action are on file and interested parties may request a copy from: Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860-3134 (Attention: Ms. Christine Fong), telephone: (808) 472-1396, email: christine.fong@navy.mil.
(SB05524586 9/8, 9/9, 9/10/06)