• Public involvement is a cornerstone in the NEPA process and begins with scoping, which is an early and open process for actively and constructively soliciting input from organizations and the public, determining the nature and extent of issues to be addressed, and identifying major issues related to a proposed action. While in many ways the CIMP process to date has been an extension of the scoping process, there will be a formal announcement at the official start of the scoping period at which time additional information will be posted on this website.


• NEPA requires identification and analysis of a reasonable range of alternatives. The progress made with the community of stakeholders in the CIMP process to date will be incorporated into the reasonable range of alternatives evaluated in the NEPA document.


• • The purpose of and need for the proposed action remains unchanged: to remedy the current situation at Building 20, a Bachelor Enlisted Quarters Complex facility that currently does not meet the military’s requirements for antiterrorism/force protection and quality of life standards. Although the Marine Corps was initially working with the community of stakeholders to utilize a partnering mechanism that avoids federal land acquisition, the Marine Corps has now determined that federal land acquisition may be unavoidable as a result of recent unforeseen changes in policy and a less favorable funding outlook. However, community-military development partnership remains a priority component of the CIMP and the Marine Corps will continue to investigate opportunities to collaborate with the District of Columbia to minimize impacts to the local tax base and pursue all viable options, particularly for the reuse of the Building 20 site. Therefore, the decision-making process going forward will have a slightly different focus and parameters for identifying a reasonable range of alternatives.

Congresswoman Norton’s Statement
at the 1/27/10 Public Open House