WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT FOR THE SURGERY, RADIOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE BUILDING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT. WE'RE GOING TO GO IT VIRTUALLY DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE DIRECTIVE FOR ALL INTERNAL MEETINGS TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY WHEN FEASIBLE. AGAIN, WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING US. I FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY TALKING ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT FOR -- NEPA MANAGEMENT FOR NIH. WE HAVE THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MYSELF AND THE DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND OUR MANAGEMENT ANALYST. THEN JOINING US THIS EVENING IS OUR PROJECT MANAGER THE PRINCIPLE IN CHARGE FOR THIS PROJECT. HE WORKS FOR HOK AND OUR EIS CONSULTANT OUR SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FOR AE COM. I WANT TO FIRST OFF BY BRIEFLY GOING THROUGH THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT ALSO KNOWN AS NEPA. IT'S OUR BASIC NATIONAL CHARTER FOR THE PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT AND MAGNA CARTER ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION IT WAS PASSED INTO LAW DECEMBER 1979 AND SIGNED INTO LAW JANUARY OF 1980. NOW, IT ESTABLISHES POLICIES AND SETS GOALS AND CONTAINS PROVISIONS AND ACTIONS. ONE IS WHY WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND THAT DIRECTS FEDERAL AGENCIES TO PUT TOGETHER AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IF THEY'RE MAJOR ACTIONS ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE NATURE ENVIRONMENT AND ANOTHER REASON WE'RE HERE TO SO MAKE IT'S AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC CITIZENS AND INDIVIDUALS BEFORE DECISIONS ARE MADE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BULLET, THE PURPOSE OF NEPA AND THE NEPA PROCESS IS THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. NEPA DOCUMENTS ARE DECISION-MAKING DOCUMENTS. NO DECISIONS ARE MADE UNTIL THE RECORD OF DECISION IS SIGNED BY THE HIGHER-UPS AND PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE DECISIONS AT NIH. THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE IS WHAT NIH WANTS TO DO HOWEVER, IF THE EIS SHOWS THERE'S SIGNIFICANT AFFECTS TO THAT WE MAY MOVE KNEE DIFFERENT DIRECTION. IT ALSO ENSURES THE EIS MAKES AN INFORMED DECISION ON ITS ACTIONS. TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON THESE ACTIONS THE PROCESS HAS TO BE USEFUL TO THE DECISION MAKERS WHICH MEANS THE DOCUMENTS NEED TO BE CLEAR AND CONCISE NOT ONLY TO NIH AND ITS DECISION MAKERS BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC. IT NEEDS TO BE EASY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND AND USE CORRECT AND CLEAR DATA. IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE THE AGENCIES HAVE MADE THE NECESSARY ANALYSIS. AND AGAIN, WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE NEPA WANTS US TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT WHICH WE DO THROUGH THE MEETINGS WE DID IN 2018 AND THE RELEASE OF OUR DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND THE PUBLIC MEETING WE'RE HAVING THIS EVENING. ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE ACTION TO MITIGATE ADVERSE EFFECTS AND WHAT ALTERNATE OUT THERE TO HELP NIH IN THE MISSION AND HELP AVOID OR HELP MINIMIZE ADVERSE EFFECTS. SO THAT THAT I'LL PASS IT ON TO AARON ALTMAN TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT ITSELF. THANK YOU, MARK. AGAIN, I'M AARON ALTMAN IN THE SURGERY AND RADIOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE AND UTILITY VAULT AND PARKING GARAGE. WE GO SO THE MAIN PART OF THE PROCESS IS THE SURGERY, RADIOLOGY AND MEDICINE BUILDING REFERRED TO AS SLRM AND IT GETS SUPPORT IN DESIGNING THE PROJECT TRYING TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH THEIR EXISTING FACILITIES. A NUMBER OF THE CRITICAL FUNCTIONS HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH FUNCTIONS NIH HAS ARE HOUSED IN OLDER FACILITIES THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THEIR RESEARCH. THEY DON'T FULLY HAVE THE UTILITY SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE NEWER EQUIPMENT THEY KNEAD TO DO THEIR CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AND ALSO SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT IS IN POOR CONDITION AND HAS ISSUES WITH FAILURES AND AGING AND HAD EQUIPMENT WHERE IT'S HAD FLOOD ISSUES AND DAMAGED EQUIPMENT SO THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS AN URGENT ISSUE. WHAT IS PROPOSED IS A NEW EDITION TO BUILDING 10 AND THIS WOULD BE A NEW FACILITY CUSTOM BUILT AND ALLOW THEM TO DO A NEW FACILITY THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE ALL THE CURRENT NEEDS AS WELL AS HAVING DESIGNED IN FLEXIBILITY TO MOVE IN THE FUTURE AS THEIR SCIENCE AND RESEARCH CHANGES AND REALLY THE ENTIRE GOAL IS TO ALLOW NIHs REALLY CRITICAL MEDICAL RESEARCH TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE TO HELP ALL THE PUBLIC. SO THE PROPOSED FACILITY ACTUALLY HAS TWO COMPONENTS. THERE'S A NEW BUILDING WHICH IS SEEN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THIS SECTION DRAWING AND IT DOES INCLUDE AN AMOUNT OF RENOVATED SPACE WITHIN THE EXISTING WING OF THE CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER. THE WHOLE FACILITY ENCOMPASSES AND HOUSES A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT GROUPS FOR NIH. SO ONE IS THE RADIOLOGY WHICH DOES A LOT OF IMAGING FOR PATIENTS AND IMAGING RESEARCH. ONE OF THE LEATHER GROUPS IS THE DEPARTMENT OF PERI OPTIVE MEDICINE AND SURGERY GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING WITH PATIENTS AT NIH AND DOING RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTAL SURGERIES THERE. AND ABOVE THAT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF LABORATORY MEDICINE, VLM IS THE HEART OF NIH'S DIAGNOSTIC ABILITIES AND WHAT IT DOES IS ALLOW NIH TO QUICKLY DIAGNOSE ISSUES WITHIN PATIENTS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TREATMENTS NEED TO BE MADE. AND ABOVE THAT IS THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE OR PART OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE. THIS HOUSES A NUMBER OF BRANCHES WITHIN NCI DOING LABORATORY RESEARCH TO TRY TO FIND CURES AND TREATMENTS FOR CANCER. AND LASTLY THE PROJECT DOES INCLUDE A SMALL COMPONENT FOR THE NATIONAL HEART, LUNG AND BLOOD INSTITUTE WHERE THEY HAVE A CATHETERIZATION LAB DOING RESEARCH IN SURGICAL TREATMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR CARDIAC AND HARD ISSUES. SO THIS IMAGE IS AN AERIAL THAT SHOWS THE INITIAL PROPOSED MASTING FOR THE BUILDING IN THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND SIDE YOU SEE THE NEW FACILITY THERE AND AS YOU CAN TELL IT'S CONNECTED TO THE EXISTING RESEARCH CENTER OFTEN REFERRED TO ALSO AS BUILDING 10 IN THE BACKGROUND. WE HAVE TAKEN CARE IN THE DESIGN TO TRY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT DOES ADDRESS THE APPROACH COMING IN FROM CENTER DRIVE AND NOW THE BUILDING LOOKS AND IN DEALING WITH THE MATERIALS AND TREATMENT OF THE ELEVATION THAT IS SYMPATHETIC TO THE EXISTING BUILDING SO IT ALL FEELS PART OF ONE BUILDING. AND THEN ALSO TO TAKE WHAT IS A RELATIVELY LARGE BUILDING AND BREAK IT DOWN IN TERMS OF MASSING AND WINDOW TREATMENT SO IT VISUALLY SEEMS SMALLER ON THE CAMPUS. ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THE BUILDING IS A PROPOSED PARK GARAGE. THE REASON THIS IS HERE IS A LOT OF THE EXISTING PARKING FOR NIH IS BELOW GRADE UNDERNEATH THE EXISTING BUILDING 10. AND THIS SAY SECURITY RISK. IF THIS BUILDING WERE BEING BUILT TODAY, IF BUILDING 10 WERE BUILT TODAY WITH THE CURRENT SECURITY STANDARDS, UNDERGROUND PARKING WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED AS IT'S CONSIDERED AN INCREASED RISK TO A CRITICAL BUILDING. ON TOP OF THAT THE GARAGE HAS CURRENT STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES AND OTHER CORROSION DESPITE MAINTENANCE IS AN ALSO SAFETY RISK TO THE PEOPLE PARKING IN THE GARAGE AS WELL. SO TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE THINGS THE PROJECT INCLUDES A NEW FREE-STANDING ABOVE-GROUND GARAGE THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE PATIENTS THROUGH VALET PARKING, SOME GUESTS AND HOSPITAL STAFF. THE GARAGE WOULD ALLOW THEN NIH WITH OTHER GARAGES ON CAMPUS WOULD ALLOW NIH TO REDUCE THEIR NEED FOR THE BELOW-GRADE PARKING AND EVENTUALLY ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE UNDERGROUND PARKING. THIS HAS THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF USING THE CURRENT PARKING SPACE FOR OTHER NEEDS FOR NIH SUCH AS STORAGE AND SERVICE SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT BETTER SUITED TO BE BELOW GRADE. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THIS PROJECT IS AN ELECTRICAL UTILITY VAULT. THIS IS PART OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE THERE IS CURRENTLY ELECTRICAL UTILITY VAULTS, SORRY, ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AT GRADE ON THE EAST SIDE OF CONVENT ROAD HOWEVER, THEY'RE HOUSED RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE ROAD AND IN LIKE STRUCTURES WHICH IS NOT A GREAT SITUATION IT HAS THE RISK OF POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE EQUIPMENT WHICH COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE POWER FEED TO THE CRITICAL HOSPITAL FUNCTIONS. SO TO ADDRESS THAT WE PUT A NEW VAULT NEXT TO THE PARKING GARAGE. THIS BUILDING IS PURPOSE-DESIGNED FOR THIS EQUIPMENT WHICH ALLOWS US TO PUT IN THE CORRECTLY SIZED EQUIPMENT INCLUDING HAVING EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE NEW ADDITION BECAUSE THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY THE NEW BUILDING. BUT MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY IT ALLOWS US TO DESIGN A FACILITY THAT IS PROPERLY PROTECTING THAT ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND ALL THIS TO GIVE THE CRITICAL HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH FUNCTIONS THE RESILIENCY THEY NEED AND THE RELIABILITY THEY'D NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THEIR WORK IN UNINTERRUPTED MANNER. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IT SHOULD BE NOTE THE UTILITY VAULT AND THE PARKING GARAGE ARE LOCATED JUST WEST OF CONVENT DRIVE ON A SITE THAT IS CURRENTLY AN ON-GRADE PARKING LOT BEING USED FOR VALET PARKING FOR PATIENTS. AS I MENTIONED, THE VALET FUNCTION WILL BE REPLACED IN THE NEW GARAGE. THIS SITE IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO BUILDING 60 WHICH IS A FORMER CONVENT THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NO LONGER FUNCTIONING AS A CONVENT. NIH USES THAT SPACE AS A TRAINING FACILITY. THAT FACILITY THOUGH THE BUILDING 60, IS ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER SO WE DID WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT SO WE TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE MASSING AND FACADE OF THE BUILDING. FOR EXAMPLE, WE TOOK ITEMS AND INCORPORATED GREEN SCREENS AND OTHER WAYS TO BREAK UP THE FACADE TO REDUCE VISUAL IMPACT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY WE PUT IN NEW PLANTING ON THE GROUNDS OF THE CONVENT TO HELP REDUCE THE VISUAL IMPACT THERE AS WELL. THERE IS AN EXISTING WALL AROUND THE CONVENT AND THAT WILL BE MAINTAINED DURING CONSTRUCTION AND AFTER WHICH WILL HELP KEEP THEIR HISTORIC FABRIC BUT WILL ALSO ALLOW THAT COMMON GROUNDS TO BE VISUALLY ENCLOSED. AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS WE GO ALONG TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND TO BRIEF THEM ON WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THEN HERE ON THIS SLIDE THE PARKING GARAGE THERE IN SORT OF THE CENTER OF THE SCREEN, THE UTILITY VAULT IS CONNECTED TO IT ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE FORMER CONVENT ON THE TOP OF THE DRAWING. WE DO HAVE SOME PEDESTRIAN [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT HAS ACCESS TO THE REST OF THE GARAGE AND THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE IMAGE REPLACES THE CURRENT ACCESS WHICH WAS NOT ADA ACCESSIBLE AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THAT MUCH MORE PLEASANT AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THIS IS REALLY SHOWING THE EXISTING AERIAL OF NIH AND THE NORTH HALF OF THE CAMPUS AND THE PREDOMINANT PORTION IS THE CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE YOU CAN THEN SEE WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE WITH THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING. YOU CAN SEE THERE IN WHITE IS THE SRLMBUILDING ATTACHED TO THE CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE PARKING GARAGE AND THE UTILITY VAULT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD NEXT TO THE BUILDING 60. AND THEN THE ARROW THERE IS JUST TO HELP THAT THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WHICH IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT THE TAIL OF THAT ARROW WILL BE REPLACED AND WITH NEW EQUIPMENT THAT'S GOING IN THE UTILITY VAULT. AND OBVIOUSLY WE WILL ALSO DO SITE WORK AROUND ALL THOSE AREAS AS WELL INCLUDING DOING SOME BIO RETENTION AREAS THAT HELP THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND DO A NICE VEGETATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR SOME PEDESTRIANS WALKING AROUND SRLM AND THE FACILITY. I THINK THAT IS MY OVERVIEW SUMMARY OF THE PROJECTS AND FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED AND DESIGNED UNDER THIS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BOB TO GO THROUGH THE EIS PREPARATION. >> THANK YOU, AARON. I'M THE SENIOR PROJECT MAJOR. WE PREPARED THE EIS. IT'S A LARGE ENGINEERING FIRM. I'VE BEEN HERE 14 YEARS. I WORKED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL BRANCH WHICH SPECIALIZE IN DOING THE ANALYSIS FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES. WE DO THIS FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF NEPA FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS TO COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS. AND WE SUPPORT ALL PHASES INCLUDING LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, SCOPING, ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, THE WHOLE THING. FOR THIS PROJECT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AECOM WAS SCOPED WITH PERFORMING ALL THE NEPA ANALYSIS INDEPENDENT OF NIH. WHAT THAT MEANS IS CORRECTING THE DATA AND MAKING IMPACT DETERMINATIONS WHETHER A CERTAIN ASPECT OF THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE A NEGLIGIBLE OR MODERATE IMPACT AND WERE REACHED INDEPENDENT OF NIH. IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SO OUR PROCESS TO REVIEW THIS THE FIRST ITEM WAS THE PUBLIC SCOPING LAST YEAR AND WE RECEIVED SOME PUBLIC SCOPING COMMENTS. THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC SCOPING IS TO GET INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND AGENCIES ON THE TYPES OF ANALYSES THEY WANT TO SEE DONE. SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC SCOPING COMMENTS AND WORK WITH NIH TO CONSIDER IF THERE WERE PROJECT ALTERNATIVES THAT WILL REDUCE IMPACT. AND THEN WE PERFORM THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSES AND WHAT THAT MEANT WAS WE GATHERED AND EVALUATED EXISTING RESOURCE AND SOCIOECONOMIC DATA. A LOT OF THAT WAS FROM EXISTING AGENCY WEBSITES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SOME OF IT WAS GOING TO NIH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND PEOPLE INVOLVED IN ADMINISTRATION OF PERMITS OR QUALITY PERMITS TO GET SPECIFIC DATA RELATED TO THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ADD -- AT NIH ALREADY AND WORK TO GET THE PROJECT SPECIFIC STUDY DESIGN INFORMATION. WE ALSO ASSISTED WITH WHATEVER ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ARE REQUIRED BY THE PROJECT. SO PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER AND PUTTING THAT TOGETHER ON THE DRAFT EIS WE IDENTIFIED FOR VARIOUS RESOURCE AREAS WATER QUALITY, AIR QUALITY, SOILS, SOCIOECONOMICS AND WHETHER THERE WERE DIRECT OR INDIRECT IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT OR CUMULATIVE IMPACTS CALLS NOT JUST BY THE PROJECT ITSELF BUT BY OTHER PROJECTS GOING ON IN THE REGION OF INFLUENCE. FOR INSTANCE, CUMULATIVE TRAFFIC IMPACTS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED EXISTING TRAFFIC ON THE ROADWAYS WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS AFFECTED BY OTHER FACILITIES IN THE AREA. AND THEN WHEN WE DID IDENTIFY POTENTIAL ADVERSE IMPACTS WE WORKED WITH NIH TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE WHETHER MITIGATION MEASURES WERE AVAILABLE TO AVOID THOSE IMPACTS OR MINIMIZE THEM. THAT MAY BE MY LAST SLIDE. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BOB. NOW WE'LL MOVE BACK IN TO MY PART. WE'RE GOING TO THE NEPA PROCESS. BASED ON THIS PROJECT THE NIH ISSUED A NOTICE OF INTENT AND IT PUTS OUT AND ALLOWS THE PUB SEE WHAT THE NIH IS PROPOSING. IT ALSO STATES WHEN WE'RE GOING HAVE A PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING AND WHEN AND WHERE TO ATTEND. THEN NOVEMBER 28, 2018 WE HELD THE PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING. THE PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING IS USED TO EVALUATE OR SHOW THE PUBLIC WHAT OUR INTENT IS IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT AND ITS ALTERNATIVES. WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING WE HAVE A COMMENT PERIOD AS WE DO IN THE DRAFT PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SO WE RECEIVED THOSE COMMENTS AND WE USED THOSE TO EITHER ANALYZE NEW ALTERNATIVES. WE ALSO ADDRESSED THOSE WITHIN OUR DRAFT DOCUMENTS WHEN IT'S RELEASED AND THEN WE ISSUE THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ON APRIL 24, 2020. COPIES OF THE DRAFT ARE GIVEN TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PUTS OUT THE NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY WHICH IS LIKE THE NOTICE OF INTENT THAT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO KNOW IT'S AVAILABLE TO READ AND REVIEW AND COMMENT ON AND INFORMATION ALSO ON HOW TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC MEETING. THERE'S AT LEAST A 45-DAY COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT EIS AND THEN DURING THAT COMMENT PERIOD WE HOLD PUBLIC MEETING WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY WHERE WE ARE THIS EVENING. WE TAKE ALL COMMENTS FOR THAT 45-DAY COMMENT PERIOD. IT'S OVER JUNE 6. WE EVALUATE THE COMMENTS FOR ALL RELEVANT COMMENTS AND THOSE ARE ADDRESSED IN THE FINAL EIS WHEN IT'S ISSUED. IT'S ISSUED THE SAME WAY THE DRAFT IS HANDED OVER TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THEY AGAIN PUT OUT A NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY AND IT'S PUT IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER FOR A 30-DAY WAITING PERIOD AND IF WE RECEIVE NO COMMENTS DURING THIS WAITING PERIOD IT'S FOR THE DECISION MAKERS WITHIN THE FEDERAL AGENCY OR NIH TO DECIDE WHAT ALTERNATIVE THEY WANT TO DO THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE OR ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE DISCUSSED IN THE EIS. ONCE THAT DECISION IS MADE, WE PUT OUT A RECORD OF DECISION. AGAIN, IT'S PUT IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOT THE NEPA BUT DIRECTLY FROM NIH AND IT STATES WHAT ALTERNATIVE WE CHOSE, WHY AND WHAT SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE, WHAT MITIGATION MEASURES WE TAKE FOR THOSE AFFECTS. NOW, FOR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC COMMENT YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE PUBLIC IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NEPA PROCESS. ONE OF THE REASONS NEPA WASSI N ENACTED INTO LAW AND JUST LIKE THE EIS THAT HAS TO BE CLEAR AND CONCISE, THERE'S ALSO WAYS YOU GUYS CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN YOUR COMMENTS. ONE OF THE WAYS EARLY IN THE NEPA PROCESS THE EARLIER THE BETTER SO THE AGENCIES HAVE TIME TO EVALUATE YOUR RELEVANT COMMENTS WHETHER IT'S ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVES OR A SOLUTION-ORIENTED EXAMPLE BUT IT NEEDS TO BE EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND AGAIN IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR AND CONCISE AND RELEVANT TO THE ANALYSIS. ALSO TO BE SOLUTION-ORIENTED AND PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVES AS I STATED EARLIER, ALTERNATIVES ARE DIFFERENT IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE EIS. WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE OTHER ALTERNATIVES THROUGHOUT THAT MAY HAVE LESS SIGNIFICANT AFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT OR EASIER WAYS TO MITIGATE AND SUGGEST RELEVANT DATA INFORMATION. THERE'S A TON OF DATA OUT THERE. WE'RE GOING MISS SOME IF SOMEONE HAS RELEVANT DATA THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO US WHETHER IT'S AN OLDER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT DONE BY SOMEONE TO GIVE US OR A RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC WE CAN PROVIDE IN OUR ANALYSIS IS VERY HELPFUL. SO FROM THERE, OUR PRESENTATIONS ARE BASIC AND COMPLETE. A FEW REMINDERS, THIS IS NOT A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION. AND THIS IS MUCH DIFFERENT VIRTUALLY THAN IN OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS WHEN YOU CAN COME UP AND COMMENT OBVIOUSLY IN PERSON. THIS IS THROUGH THIS FORUM ONLY. A BIG THING TO NOTE IS ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND PERSONAL INFORMATION GIVEN IS ONLY SEEN BY NIH AND ANYTHING YOU PUT IN THE CHAT COLUMN WILL ONLY BE SEEN BY US. SO WHEN COMMENTING, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS. THAT HELPS US WHEN THE FINAL COMES OUT, WE'LL CERTAINLY MAIL YOU A COPY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR YOUR REVIEW. ALSO, NOT ONLY COMMENTS MADE FOR THE FORUM BUT THE MAIL, E-MAIL OR PHONE. SO THIS SAY LINK TO THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ONLINE YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF. KEEP IT UP FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND BE THE I'LL GO TO THIS ONE WHERE INFORMATION CAN BE MAILED TO YOU OR E-MAILED AND PHONED IN. SO FROM HERE, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. ANYONE, WE'RE KEEPING IT OPEN UNTIL 7:00. ANYONE CAN COMMENT. I'LL KEEP THE INFORMATION UP. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. I KNOW IT'S A TRYING TIME BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.