🏥VA Proposes Environmental Impact Statement for Reno Medical Center Relocation
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Relocation of the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center Services and Facilities in Reno, Nevada
Summary
This Notice provides information to Federal, state, and local agencies; Native American tribes; and other interested persons regarding VA's intent to prepare a Programmatic EIS (PEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts for the proposed relocation of the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center (Reno VAMC) services and facilities in Reno, Nevada. Programmatic National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents are used to assess the environmental impacts of proposed policies, plans, programs, or projects for which subsequent actions will be implemented based on the programmatic analyses, providing the foundation for subsequent additional analysis of specific actions that "tier" from the programmatic document. Tiering allows an agency to eliminate repetitive discussions of the same issues, focus on the actual issues ripe for decision, and exclude from consideration issues already decided or not yet ripe for environmental review. Programmatic NEPA analysis is appropriate in cases where an agency is adopting a large multi-phased program, plans or suite of projects, allowing an agency to make informed decisions timed to coincide with meaningful points in agency planning and decision making. Such is the case with the proposed relocation of the VASNHCS Reno VAMC services and facilities in Reno, Nevada (i.e., project specific siting/construction/ operation of necessary services and supporting facilities, leasing needs, and site opportunities). The analyses for these actions will be broadly discussed in the programmatic document (PEIS) and the specific analyses deferred to the subsequent tiered NEPA document(s) when ripe for environmental review.
Agencies
- Veterans Affairs Department
Business Impact
$$$ - High
The text outlines plans for the relocation of VA medical services, requiring compliance with NEPA and potential business opportunities related to construction and infrastructure development. Local businesses may benefit from associated contracts and market demands related to the construction and new facility operations.