Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the housing program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

  • Published
  • By 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The United States Air Force (Air Force) is holding public scoping meetings to solicit input and comments on the proposed Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) Housing Program Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The purpose of the action is to provide housing that meets Air Force standards for key and essential (K&E) personnel and their dependents stationed at WPAFB. 

 

At a minimum, this action must provide residences for 30 K&E personnel and their dependents who are required to live on WPAFB. The current privatized housing inventory does not support these needs, as the homes are not of adequate square footage and are not proximate enough to K&E work locations to support the base’s housing requirements.  Many existing housing units also require some renovation and interior modernization to support a higher quality of life for military family members.

 

Currently, 100 homes remain in the Air Force inventory at WPAFB including ten homes on Yount Drive built in 1975, 89 National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligible Brick Quarters Housing District (BQHD) units built in 1934-1937, and the Foulois House constructed in 1874. WPAFB presently operates and maintains the BQHD and Foulois House under provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Sections 106 and 110.

 

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Under the Housing Program EIS, the Air Force is proposing to build new, renovate, privatize, lease, or demolish its current government-owned housing units to support housing needs for WPAFB's 30 K&E personnel.

 

In order to effectively define the full range of issues to be evaluated in the EIS, the Air Force is soliciting comments from interested state and federal agencies and members of the public. The Air Force will also hold two public scoping meetings to further solicit input regarding the scope of the proposed action.  Meetings will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on 26 and 27 September, 2016. A brief presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by an opportunity for the public to provide written comments. Meeting dates are:

26 September          5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
27 September          5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Both meetings will be held at the Fairborn High School, 900 East Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd, Fairborn, OH 45324

The scoping meeting will be in an open house format with a brief presentation provided by the Air Force starting at 6:30 PM each night. The open house format will provide an opportunity for interested members of the public to learn more about the Housing Program initiative. All members of the public are invited. Public scoping comments on the EIS proposal and alternatives are requested by 9 October, 2016.  

 

Scoping comments can be submitted through the project website (http://wpafbhousingeis.versar.com) or to the mailing address below. People wishing to mail comments or obtain further information should send comments and questions to:

  

 

88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

5135 Pearson Road, Building 10, Room 253A

WPAFB, OH 45433

Phone: 937-522-3252; E-mail: 88abw.pa@us.af.mil;

or the project website located at:

http://wpafbhousingeis.versar.com