Expansion of an Army National Guard Readiness Center

• Author: Environmental Law Institute
• Pages: 9-9

NEPA SUCCESS STORIES 9

EXPANSION OF AN A RMY NATIONAL G UARD READINES S CENTER

PUBLIC COMMENTS LEAD TO MITIGATED IMPACTS

e Trac Impact Analysis found that without

mitigation, the proposed expansion would result

in signicant long-term adverse trac and osite

parking impacts. To address these impacts, the

Transportation Management Plan designed an ag-

gressive program to educate, encourage, and support

mass transit usage by Army National Guard Bureau

personnel. is resulted in dedicated shuttle bus

routes between the ARNGRC, JP-1 in Crystal City,

the Pentagon, Ft. Myer, and the Ballston mass transit

station. Education of personnel and information

outreach have been addressed through development

of the ARNG Transportation webpage called “NCR

Express Lane”. is webpage provides alternate com-

muting information, an electronic carpool matching

program, and other useful information for the con-

cerned commuter. ese measures led to a Mitigated

Finding of No Signicant Impact, signed in August

2008.

Because of public response to NEPA comment

periods, the Army National Guard Bureau was able

to better identify and understand adverse eects that

would result from its project. Of equal importance,

the Army National Guard Bureau was able to oer

solutions that would mitigate these impacts, helping

to ease the burden on the community and environ-

ment. e ARNG continues to address project-relat-

ed concerns with Arlington County and the commu-

nity through written correspondence and attendance

at various local meetings.

For more information, contact:

LTC Rodney M. Graham

Program Manager, National Guard Bureau

More information is also available at http://www.

ng.mil/features/ENV/default.aspx

Successful implementation of mitigation measures

can further NEPA’s goal of protecting the environ-

ment. In this case, the use of mitigation measures

not only helped ease the environmental consequenc-

es of a proposed action but also helped to mitigate

trac congestion.

In September 2005, the Defense Base Realignment

and Closure Commission recommended that all mil-

itary personnel then operating at a facility in Crystal

City, Arlington, Virginia, be relocated to the Army

National Guard Readiness Center (ARNGRC),

which is also in Arlington, and to the Andrews Air

Force Base in Maryland. e Defense Base Realign-

ment and Closure Commission recommendations

became law shortly after they were proposed, and the

Army National Guard began planning the necessary

expansion of the ARNGRC to accommodate ap-

proximately 1,200 relocated personnel.

In order to accommodate the relocated sta, the

Army National Guard Bureau determined that it

would need to construct oce space and a new

parking structure. Preparation of an Environmental

Assessment (EA) for construction and operation of

the new facilities was commenced.

During the preparation of the EA, cooperating

agencies, Arlington County, local community

leaders and the general public expressed signicant

concerns regarding trac congestion resulting from

the proposed expansion, as well as potential trans-

portation management challenges. In response to

these concerns, the Army National Guard, Arlington

County and the National Capitol Planning Com-

mission held public meetings and briengs to more

fully identify and address these concerns. In order

to analyze the impact the relocation would have on

trac, the Army National Guard conducted a Trac

Impact Analysis in February 2008 and developed a

corresponding Transportation Management Plan.