The New York District is supporting the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton (USAG Fort Hamilton) by preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the construction and operation of a new Child Development Center facility on the installation (Proposed Action). The purpose of the EA is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action.
Within New York City, USAG Fort Hamilton is located in southern Brooklyn next to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. USAG Fort Hamilton is home to Army Active duty, Reserves, and National Guard Soldiers and their family members and provides essential services to an estimated 50,000 people. Major units on the installation include the North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the second largest Military Entrance Processing Station in the United States, and the second largest Army Recruiting Battalion in the United States. The Child Development Center provides critical services to families by offering a consistent, safe, and nurturing environment for children ages six weeks to Pre-Kindergarten. The Child Development Center provides nurturing staff, balanced and nutritional meals, and age-appropriate activities and curriculum.
The new Child Development Center facility would be larger than the existing facility, allowing USAG Fort Hamilton to increase enrollment capacity from approximately 76 to 126 children to better meet the installation’s needs for childcare services. In addition, the project would provide a modernized facility with new amenities to support the Child Development Center’s mission.
The decision to be made by the Army is regarding the construction and operation of a new Child Development Center facility. The EA analyzes the Preferred Alternative of constructing and operating the new Child Development Center facility between Garrison Headquarters and the Holiday Inn Express, and a No Action Alternative.
A Draft EA and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) were made available online for public review and comment. Copies of the Draft EA and Draft FONSI were also made available for review at the Brooklyn Public Library, Fort Hamilton Branch, 9424 4th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11209, and the Environmental Library of the Directorate of Public Works, located at 129 Wainwright Dr., Fort Hamilton, NY 11252.
The 30-day comment period ended on Friday, February 28th. Comments are no longer being accepted. Comments received during the public comment period were responded to in the Final EA. The Final EA and FONSI are available for download.
If you have any questions regarding the new Child Development Center facility, please contact FortHamiltonCDC-EA@usace.army.mil or the USAG Fort Hamilton Public Affairs Office, Building 113, Schum Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11252.