Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume I for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan
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Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume I for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan SEPTEMBER 2014 PREPARED FOR The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Atlanta, Georgia PREPARED BY JACOBS Final Environmental Impact Statement for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan September 2014 PREPARED FOR The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Atlanta, Georgia LEAD AGENCY CONTACT: PREPARED BY: George F. Chandler Senior Advisor Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Road, N.E., Mailstop A‐22 Atlanta, GA 30333 Final Environmental Impact Statement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan Atlanta, Georgia September 2014 Lead Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, Georgia Lead Agency Contact: George F. Chandler, Senior Advisor Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Road NE., Mailstop A–22 Atlanta, Georgia 30333 Telephone: (404) 639–5153 Email: [email protected] Abstract: This Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assesses the potential impacts associated with the implementation of the Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan (Master Plan) for HHS/CDC’s Edward R. Roybal Campus (Roybal Campus) located at 1600 Clifton Road, N.E. in Atlanta, Georgia in accordance with HHS Facilities Program Manual Section 3. A new long‐range Master Plan was prepared to guide the future physical development of the Roybal Campus for the planning horizon of 2015 to 2025 in order to support HHS/CDC’s mission and program requirements. The Master Plan identifies a number of potential improvements to be completed through the 2015 to 2025 timeframe, and establishes design and planning guidelines. Improvements proposed under the Master Plan include new laboratory construction, existing building renovation, parking expansion, and infrastructure upgrades. Two alternatives were analyzed in the Environmental Impact Statement: the Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan preferred alternative (the Proposed Action) and the No Action Alternative. HHS/CDC has identified the Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan preferred alternative as the as the Preferred Alternative. A public meeting on the Draft EIS (DEIS) took place on March 20, 2014 and the public comment period on the DEIS was closed on April 10, 2014. Comments received during the DEIS public review period were considered in the preparation of the Final EIS. The Final EIS has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) implementing regulations (40 CFR § 1500‐1508) and the HHS General Administration Manual (GAM) Part 30 Environmental Procedures, dated February 25, 2000. Issuance of a Record of Decision, following a 30‐ day period would complete the NEPA review process. This page intentionally left blank. Final Environmental Impact Statement Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan Executive Summary ES.1 Introduction The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an Operating Division (OPDIV) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has prepared this Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential impacts associated with the implementation of the Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan (Master Plan) for HHS/CDC’s Edward R. Roybal Campus (Roybal Campus) (Refer to Figure ES‐1: Project Location and Study Area). The Master Plan was prepared to guide the future physical development of the Roybal Campus for the planning horizon of 2015 to 2025 in order to support HHS/CDC’s mission and program requirements. The HHS/CDC has prepared this EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) implementing regulations (40 CFR § 1500‐1508) and the HHS General Administration Manual (GAM) Part 30 Environmental Procedures, dated February 25, 2000. CDC is an OPDIV of HHS, dedicated to protecting health and promoting quality of life through the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability. HHS/CDC is recognized as the lead Federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. HHS/CDC protects communities by controlling disease outbreaks; ensuring food and water are safe; preventing leading causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes; and working globally to reduce health threats. The HHS/CDC has made momentous contributions to public health, including polio vaccines, smallpox eradication, and their response to the anthrax attacks in 2001. The Roybal Campus has served as the headquarters of the HHS/CDC since 1958 and is home to the Office of the Director, as well as many of the Agency’s main infectious disease research programs and facilities. This Final EIS has been completed through coordination with federal and state agencies and supports the Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan Preferred Alternative, which is identified throughout this document as the Preferred Alternative. The EIS identifies and assesses the potential impacts associated with the Preferred Alternative, and identifies mitigation, where appropriate. ES.2 Purpose and Need The Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan (Master Plan) provides a framework for future growth on the Roybal Campus to ensure that the campus can support HHS/CDC’s mission and to guide strategic decisions about the allocation of Federal resources. The Master Plan identifies a number of potential improvements to be completed through the 2015 to 2025 timeframe, and establishes design and planning guidelines. Improvements proposed under the Master Plan include new laboratory construction, existing building renovations, parking deck construction and infrastructure upgrades. ES‐1 Final Environmental Impact Statement Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan Figure ES‐1: Project Location annd Study Area ES‐2 Final Environmental Impact Statement Roybal Campus 2025 Master Plan The purpose of the Master Plan is to provide a planning framework for the future physical development of the Roybal Campus in order to support HHS/CDC’s evolving health mission and projected growth. The Master Plan provides an update of baseline existing conditions, evaluates a range of conceptual development alternatives, and identifies a preferred alternative for future development. The guiding principles of the Master Plan, as developed by HHS/CDC, are as follows:1 . Accommodate current and future multi‐program needs . Promote a collaborative research environment . Balance future development needs with site constraints and opportunities, while minimizing impacts to the surrounding area to the greatest extent practicable . Design and construct all future buildings on the Roybal Campus in accordance with HHS/CDC’s Interagency Security Council (ISC) and Security Services Office (SSO) requirements . Integrate sustainable principles to minimize environmental effects and maximize the use of available resources . Promote overall visual and aesthetic continuity of the 2000‐2009 Master Plan through the application of design guidelines for buildings, as well as site elements . All Master Plan elements should be cost effective and represent best value to design, construct, operate, maintain, and reinvest to make the best use of tax payer dollars . Facilitate the health and productivity of employees through the provision of quality pedestrian environments, fitness facilities, and functional outdoor spaces . Workplace safety should be inherent in all aspects of the campus Master Plan HHS/CDC’s mission is to serve as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and health education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States. Mission change and growth resulting from emerging or reemerging infectious diseases, changes in technology and moderate program staff growth over time are expected to drive increases in laboratory and non‐laboratory staff and demand for specialized space. The implementation of the Master Plan preferred alternative is needed in order for HHS/CDC to be able to respond quickly to new or increased mission requirements and growth through additional campus construction or reconfiguration. ES.3 Alternatives The alternatives considered in the EIS were developed based on internal analysis conducted as part of the Master Plan. The development of the Master Plan was a collaborative and interactive process used to gather data, develop a range of conceptual alternatives and make informed decisions about the future development of the Roybal Campus. Guiding principles for future growth were developed, and used in conjunction with analysis of existing space utilization and campus capacity, and served as the framework for developing the conceptual alternatives. A total of eight Master Plan conceptual alternatives were evaluated. These alternatives provided development scenarios that varied from only background population growth to almost a 40 percent growth in campus population. Under each alternative, the potential growth of the campus population was paramount as it helped to inform space requirements by employee type,