Environmental Impact Statement for Implementation of
2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Recommendations
and Related Army Actions at Fort Belvoir, Virginia

• What is BRAC?
• What is the National Environmental Policy Act?
• What was the purpose of the April 17, 2007, Public Meeting?
• What is the Proposed Action?
• Where can I find the Final EIS?
• What alternatives are being addressed in the EIS?
• What is the timeline for this EIS and what other opportunities for public comment will be offered?

Scoping Meeting Brochure (PDF, 1 MB, 4 pp.)

What is BRAC?

“BRAC” is an acronym that stands for Base Realignment and Closure. It is the process the Department of Defense (DoD) uses to reorganize its installation infrastructure to more efficiently and effectively support its forces, increase operational readiness, improve force protection, and facilitate new ways of doing business. DoD anticipates that BRAC 2005 will build upon processes used in previous BRAC efforts. The BRAC action at Fort Belvoir includes relocating 59 DoD agencies and activities, primarily from the DC metropolitan area, onto Fort Belvoir.

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What is the National Environmental Policy Act?

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 requires the analysis of potential environmental effects associated with major federal actions. NEPA ensures that federal agencies consider social and environmental factors along with the technical and economic components of a decision. The agency must identify potential impacts on resources such as water, air, wildlife, cultural resources, land use, recreation, and aesthetics, and consider alternatives to the proposed action. NEPA also requires that the responsible federal official consult with relevant federal and state agencies, federally recognized tribes, and the public to determine these impacts.

NEPA is a "full disclosure" law with provisions for public access to, and full participation in, the federal decision-making process. The Act's intent is to protect, restore, and enhance the environment through well-informed federal decisions. Two NEPA documents will be created in the course of this action:

• An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that analyzes any potential significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with implementing the BRAC recommendations and the updated Land Use Plan.



• A Record of Decision (ROD) that documents the final decision on the proposed action, on the basis of the information presented in the EIS. It may specify mitigation measures (methods to lessen negative impacts) and monitoring programs to be undertaken.

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What was the purpose of the April 17, 2007, Public Meeting?

The purpose of this meeting was to solicit public comments on the Draft EIS. Attendees were asked to sign in and indicate whether they wished to speak during the comment period. There was no formal presentation at this meeting. At 7:00 p.m. Colonel Brian Lauritzen called the meeting to order and briefly welcomed the public. Members of the public wishing to submit oral testimony on the Draft EIS were then invited forward.

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What is the Proposed Action?

The BRAC Commission proposed that the Army realign Fort Belvoir according to BRAC law and update Fort Belvoir's Land Use Plan. The Commission recommended the realignment of approximately 22,000 people composed of 59 agencies or activities to relocate to Fort Belvoir. These include, but are not limited to:

• Primary and secondary medical care functions from Walter Reed Medical Center to a new, expanded DeWitt Hospital
• Army and DoD organizations from National Capital Region (NCR) leased space
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) units from various NCR leased locations and Bethesda, Maryland
• Selected Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) activities from leased space to Rivanna Station, Charlottesville, Virginia (to be analyzed under a separate NEPA document)

While the Army recognizes that Crystal City will be impacted by the relocation of agencies and organizations to Fort Belvoir, it is not in the scope of this EIS to evaluate those impacts.

In addition to the BRAC Commission recommendations listed above, the cumulative impacts section of the EIS evaluated the construction and operation of the proposed National Museum of the United States Army on Fort Belvoir.

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Where can I find the Final EIS?

The Final EIS is available online at the following Web addresses:

BRAC Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management

Belvoir BRAC EIS Site

Belvoir Online

You can view the Final EIS in hard copy at the following public locations:

Fairfax County Public Library John Marshall Branch 6209 Rose Hill Drive Alexandria, VA 22310-6299		Fairfax County Public Library Kingstowne Branch 6500 Landsdowne Centre Alexandria, VA 22315-5011
Fairfax County Public Library Lorton Branch 9520 Richmond Highway Lorton, VA 22079-2124		Fairfax County Public Library Sherwood Regional Branch 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane Alexandria, VA 22306-2799
Fairfax County Public Library Fairfax City Regional Branch 3915 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030-3995		Fairfax County Public Library Richard Byrd Branch 7250 Commerce Street Springfield, VA 22150-3425
Prince William County Library Chinn Park Regional Library 13065 Chinn Park Drive Prince William, VA 22192-5073		Prince William County Library Lake Ridge Neighborhood Library 12964 Harbor Drive Woodbridge, VA 22192-2930
Fort Belvoir Van Noy Library 5966 12th Street Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060		Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation 8850 Richmond Highway, Suite 105 Alexandria, Virginia 22309
South County Government Center 8350 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22309		Fairfax County Government Center Fairfax County Board of Supervisors 1200 Government Center Parkway Suite 530 Fairfax, VA 22035
Mount Vernon Government Center Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Mt. Vernon Government Ctr. 2511 Parkers Lane Alexandria, VA 22306		Franconia Government Center Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Franconia Governmental Center 6121 Franconia Road Alexandria, VA 22310
Springfield Government Center Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Springfield Governmental Center 6140 Rolling Road Springfield, VA 22152		Fort Belvoir Public Affairs Office 9820 Flagler Road, Suite 201 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5116
Fort Belvoir Directorate of Public Works Environmental and Natural Resources Division 9430 Jackson Loop Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-5116

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What alternatives are being addressed in the EIS?

The Army is considering five alternatives to accommodate realignment activities and Fort Belvoir's vision for long-term growth. Each alternative is named to reflect where the majority of new development would occur. The alternatives are:

Town Center: Under the Town Center conceptual development strategy, new facilities to accommodate base realignment would be sited between J.J. Kingman Road on North Post and 12th Street on South Post. Developed areas bounded by 16th and 21st Streets and Gunston Road and Belvoir Road as well as the industrial area west of Gunston Road would be available for redevelopment. The EPG, Davison Army Airfield, and the North Post golf course would remain open for future growth after 2011.

City Center: Under the City Center conceptual development strategy, all new facilities to accommodate base realignment would be sited on EPG and a nearby 60-acre parcel currently occupied by the General Services Administration (GSA). North and South Posts at Fort Belvoir would remain available for future growth after 2011.

Satellite Campuses: Under the Satellite Campuses conceptual development strategy, new facilities to accommodate base realignment would be sited on EPG, Davison Army Airfield, North Post golf course, and North Post and South Post (from Kingman Road to 12th Street). EPG and areas on North and South Posts would remain available for future growth after 2011.

Preferred Alternative: Under the Preferred Alternative conceptual development strategy, most of the administrative facilities to accommodate base realignment would be sited on EPG, and the Army Community Hospital, and the remaining administrative facilities would be sited on the South Post of Fort Belvoir.

No Action Alternative: A No Action Alternative represents what would occur if the Army were not to carry out its proposed action of adopting a new land use plan for its Real Property Master Plan (RPMP) and implementing BRAC recommendations at Fort Belvoir. Inclusion of the No Action Alternative in the EIS serves as a benchmark against which the potential effects of the Proposed Action and alternatives can be evaluated and is a required part of the environmental investigation. Implementing this alternative would require additional Congressional action.

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EIS Timeline

Event	Date	Completed?
NOI published in the Federal Register	November 23, 2005	√
Agency & Public Scoping Meeting Springfield, VA	June 7, 2006	√
Deadline for submission of comments to be included in the Scope of Statement	July 2, 2006	√
Scope of Statement Finalized	August 15, 2006	√
EIS Public Information Meeting	January 24, 2007	√
Publication of the Draft EIS	March 2, 2007	√
60-day Public Comment Period	March 2, 2007 – May 1, 2007	√
Draft EIS Public Meeting	April 17, 2007	√
Publication of the Final EIS	July 6, 2007	√
Record of Decision Publication	August 10, 2007	√