Excerpt:

Alameda Final Environmental Assessment

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Northern California Health Care System and National Cemetery Administration are seeking to establish a single location at the former Naval Air Station Alameda (federal-to-federal land transfer from the Department of the Navy to the VA) to serve, care for, honor, and memorialize Northern California Area Veterans in a manner that addresses the area’s current and future capacity needs and provides a greater range of Veteran services.

Resource areas analyzed in the Final EA include Biological Resources; Water Resources; Transportation, Traffic, Circulation, and Parking; Cultural Resources; Visual Resources and Aesthetics; Land Use; Air Quality; Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change; Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice; Hazards and Hazardous Substances; Utilities; Noise; Public Services; Geology and Soils. The Final EA also addressed potential cumulative impacts that may result from reasonably foreseeable projects in the region.

Based on information gathered during preparation of the Final EA and based on the findings in the Final EA, incorporated herein, the VA finds that implementation of the Proposed Action, with the implementation and monitoring of the mitigation measures identified in this Draft FONSI, would not have a significant impact on the human environment; and that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required for the transfer of excess property and the VA’s subsequent development of an OPC, outreach offices, CMO, cemetery, and associated infrastructure at the former NAS Alameda, City of Alameda, California.

This Draft FONSI will have a review period, concluding 30 days after issuance of the Notice of Availability (NOA), at which time the FONSI will be signed, and the Proposed Action could be implemented.

This Draft FONSI and the Final EA, including response to comments received on the Draft EA, has been distributed to various Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as other interested individuals and organizations.

Inquiries may be sent to:

Mr. Douglas Roaldson
Environmental Program Manager
Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 21
201 Walnut Avenue, Room 1020
Mare Island, CA 94592-1107
Fax: (707) 562-8369
Email: Alameda.EA@va.gov