Final Environmental Impact Statement; Acquisition of Site for Development of a Replacement Underground Safety Research Program Facility for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH) in Mace, West Virginia; Availability and Public Information Meeting
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in cooperation with the General Services Administration (GSA), announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed acquisition of a site in Mace, West Virginia, and the development of this site into a replacement for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Underground Safety Research Program facility (Proposed Action). The proposed acquisition and development would replace the former Lake Lynn Experimental Mine in Fayette County, Pennsylvania and would support research programs focused on miner health and safety issues. The site being considered for acquisition and development includes 461.35 acres located off U.S. Route 219 in Randolph and Pocahontas Counties near Mace, West Virginia (Site).
All public and agency comments on the Draft EIS were considered when preparing the Final EIS and responses to the comments are provided in the Final EIS. The Final EIS identifies the Proposed Action Alternative as CDC’s Preferred Alternative.
CDC will make a decision on whether to proceed with the Proposed Action on or after August 16, 2021. At that time, CDC will issue a Record of Decision documenting and explaining its decision based on the Final EIS.
Copies of the Final EIS can be obtained at:
Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov (reference Docket No. CDC-2018-0057)
Linwood Community Library, 72 Snowshoe Drive, Slatyfork, West Virginia 26291.
Elkins Randolph County Public Library, 416 Davis Ave, Elkins, WV 26241.
By written request (electronic copies only) to: [email protected].
An electronic copy of the public information meeting materials can be obtained after 6:00 pm on July 30, 2021 at:
https://gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-midatlantic-region-3/
buildings-and-facilities/west-virginia/cdc-niosh-mine-site-selection-
acquisition-environmental-impact-statement
Public Information Meeting:
Public participation is an essential part of the NEPA process. Therefore, although CDC and GSA have fulfilled the public meeting requirements under NEPA, due to the changes in the Final EIS that have resulted from stakeholder input and to ensure that the stakeholders have the opportunity to learn of the changes and mitigation measures, CDC and GSA are holding an information meeting to discuss the key changes in the Final EIS. The information meeting will be virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions. The virtual information meeting will be held on:
August 5, 2021 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM
at
Zoom Webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83943045020
Or Telephone:
+1 312 626 6799, Webinar ID: 839 4304 5020
CDC and GSA have taken into consideration the limited internet availability in the project vicinity. The PowerPoint presentation will be available for download in advance of the meeting here: [https://gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-midatlantic-region-3/
buildings-and-facilities/west-virginia/cdc-niosh-mine-site-selection-
acquisition-environmental-impact-statement]. Those with limited internet connectivity can download the presentation in advance and then call into the meeting using the Zoom phone number. Electronic materials will be available for download by close of business on July 30, 2021.
Should you need a hardcopy of the PowerPoint presentation, please email your request, including name and address, to [email protected] no later than July 26, 2021. Representatives of CDC and GSA will not be taking questions during the meeting and request questions be submitted in advance of the meeting so the agencies can incorporate those questions into the presentation so that all participants receive the same hardcopy information. If you have any questions or comments that you would like to see addressed during the virtual information meeting, please email those to [email protected] no later than July 26, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sam Tarr, Office of Safety, Security, and Asset Management (OSSAM), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road N.E, H20-4, Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4027, phone: (770) 488- 8170, or email: [email protected].
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