FEMA PUBLIC NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND 
DRAFT FINDING OF NO SIGNIFIFCNAT IMPACT
FOR
RECONSTRUCTION AT AN ALTERNATE LOCATION 
OF THE 
ST. BERNARD PARISH MAIN MAINTENANCE YARD RESTROOM FACILITY
ST. BERNARD PARISH, LOUISIANA

Interested parties are hereby notified that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed reconstruction and relocation of the Hurricane Katrina-damaged St. Bernard Parish Main Maintenance Yard Restroom Facility located at 120 W. Agriculture Road in Chalmette, Louisiana. The damaged Restroom Facility, whose approximate dimensions are 16’4” x 11’4”, has two toilets and two sinks; the proposed facility would be constructed in the northwest corner of Sidney Torres Memorial Park, at 8201 W. Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, and have the same capacity and function as the damaged facility.  Work for the new facility would include removal of ground cover; construction of a slab with footings and a concrete framed one-story structure; extension of existing park utilities to the facility; and upgrading from the existing facility to comply with current codes and standards.  The coordinates of the proposed location are:  latitude:  29.95873; longitude:  -89.98153 .  

St. Bernard Parish Government seeks Federal grant funds for this action, eligible for repairs or replacement under a Presidential Disaster Declaration signed on August 29, 2005 (FEMA-1603-DR-LA).  Per the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.), and associated environmental statutes, a Draft EA has been prepared to evaluate the action’s potential impacts on the human and natural environment.  The Draft EA summarizes the purpose and need, alternative site analysis, affected environment, and potential environmental consequences associated with the proposed action.

The public notice will be published for five consecutive days in the St. Bernard Voice: February 3 through February 7, 2012. The comment period will be 15 days –concluding on February 21, 2012.  Written comments on the Draft EA or related matters can be faxed to FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office at (504) 762-2323; or mailed to FEMA Louisiana Recovery Office, 1 Seine Court, New Orleans, Louisiana 70114. The Draft EA can be viewed and downloaded from FEMA’s website: http://www.fema.gov/plan/ehp/envdocuments/ea-region6.shtm. The Draft EA is available for public review at the St. Bernard Parish Central Library at 1125 E. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette, Louisiana.

Based on FEMA’s findings to date, no significant adverse environmental effects are anticipated. However, if FEMA receives new information that results in a change from no adverse effects then FEMA would revise the findings and issue a second public notice allowing time for additional comments. 

If no substantive comments are received, the Draft EA and associated Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will become final and this initial Public Notice will also serve as the final Public Notice. Substantive comments will be addressed as appropriate in the final documents.