BART plans to build new radio facility

Draft Initial Study on environmental impacts of new radio site available to public

BART is planning to build a new radio equipment facility within its Oakland Shop at 601 East 8th Street, replacing the facility at the Lake Merritt Administration building, which will be dismantled for seismic safety reasons. The new radio new facility is required to provide radio coverage for BART train operators, police and other radio users.

BART is releasing to the public a document, the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration  (2.7 MB .pdf), assessing the environmental impacts of the new site and is inviting public comment. A public hearing to receive comments on the document will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at the Joseph P. Bort Metro Center at 101 8th Street in Oakland.

DRAFT INITIAL STUDY EXAMINES MITIGATION
The Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration provides an environmental evaluation of potential impacts and mitigation measures for the project. The Initial Study examines the potential for the proposed project to cause noise, air quality, aesthetic, hazardous materials, cultural and traffic impacts. The study concludes that mitigation measures included in the project would ensure that all impacts remain at a less than significant level.

DRAFT INITIAL STUDY FOR REVIEW AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS
Copies of the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration are available for public review at the Oakland Public Library, the MTC/ABAG Library and at BART's Administrative Offices at 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland. A 2.7 MB .pdf version of the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration is available online.

To submit written comments on the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration by U.S. mail, please write to: BART OKS Radio Site Project, Attn: Mr. Paul Medved, P.O. Box 12688 MS LKS-21, Oakland, CA 94604-2688. You may also submit comments or questions via email to [email protected] or by fax at 510.287.4747. All comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2006.

Please call the project information line at 510.464.6650 at least 72 hours prior to the public meeting if you need help with translation and/or accessibility services. The meeting facility is ADA compliant and hearing impaired individuals may get meeting information by calling the California Relay Service and asking the TDD operator to call the project information line. To allow individuals with chemical sensitivities to attend the meeting, please refrain from wearing scented products.