Final Environmental Impact Statement

The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Replacement Currency Production Facility at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center is located below.

Record of DecisionFinal EIS | En español | Digital EIS | Section 106 MOA | CZMA Concurrence | FONPA | SEC 7 NLEB 2023

 Resource Specific Technical Memoranda:

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Replacement Project Background

Current BEP Facility in Washington, D.C.

BEP's current District of Columbia facility is located at 301 14th St. SW in Washington, D.C. The DC facility consists of a Main building constructed in 1914 that houses currency production operations, and an Annex constructed in 1938 that houses raw material, storage, and research and development operations. 

The DC facility, along with operations at the newer production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, which was constructed in 1990, design and print all U.S. paper money and several other federal security products. 

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) (view report)  confirmed that the District's aging facility is not suitable for modern-day currency production and lacks the flexibility for new processes required to support currency redesign efforts and new anti-counterfeit security feature development and manufacture. GAO also confirmed that a replacement production facility is the most economical solution. 

Replacement BEP Facility Requirements and Proposal

The Federal Reserve Board requires the replacement facility to have appropriate access to interstate roadways and commercial air carriers. Opportunities also include improved physical security, better parking facilities and a net reduction in BEP's current operational footprint. 

The facility is also required to be located within the National Capital Region (NCR). The NCR encompasses Washington, D.C; Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties in Virginia; and the incorporated cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, and Manassas in Virginia.

The United States Department of Agriculture and Congress support the development of the proposed facility on an unused, previously developed approximately 100-acre site at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Prince George's County, Maryland. The 2018 Farm Bill authorized the transfer of this specific land parcel to the Department of Treasury for use by BEP to construct a replacement currency production facility.

BEP's intent is to design and construct a smaller, more efficient currency production facility. If the proposed replacement facility is constructed, the existing Main building at the DC facility would be modernized as a separate effort and remain BEP's administrative headquarters, while the existing 796,000 square-foot Annex would be returned to the General Services Administration as surplus property.

In accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill, a formal land transfer between the Treasury and USDA is pending completion of required studies, outlined below.

BEP’s proposal includes construction beginning in approximately 2022.

Army Corps Role, Environmental Analyses and Timeline

The USACE Role

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed an interagency agreement with BEP in March 2019 to coordinate this replacement effort to include environmental assessments and design and construction oversight for the Main facility (to include non-production equipment, furnishings and IT systems) and supporting structures, parking and stormwater management facilities, roadway access and improvements, utility connections, security systems and access control. 

National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Department of the Treasury NEPA regulations require BEP to consider the potential environmental impacts of its proposed actions and alternatives and to solicit the views of the public in order to make an informed final decision regarding how to proceed.

Through the NEPA process, the Army Corps is thoroughly analyzing BEP's proposal to determine potential land use, ecological, cultural, water resources, social, public health and safety, air quality, aesthetics, noise, lighting, traffic and other impacts that could result from the construction and operation of the proposed replacement facility. Cumulative environmental effects will also be analyzed.

The Army Corps is documenting these analyses in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as well as other reasonable site alternatives to accomplish the purpose and need for this action. Mitigation measures are presented in the EIS to offset potential adverse impacts to natural and cultural resources on the land, as well as potential impacts to the public, such as increased traffic in the area.

USACE performed necessary field investigations to collect baseline information on the natural, cultural and human environments within the proposal area, including collecting soil samples, delineating wetlands, performing archaeological and wastewater surveys, a transportation study, and more. 

NEPA Timeline and Public Review

The NEPA public scoping took place from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, 2019, and is summarized in the Public Scoping Report. Public input from the scoping period was considered and addressed during preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The Draft EIS was released for public review Nov. 6, 2020, with a 45-day comment period continuing through Dec. 21, 2020. The Final EIS was released for public review June 4, 2021, for a 30-day review period. BEP and the Army Corps held a virtual public meeting Dec. 2, 2020. The final Record of Decision is anticipated to be published in summer 2021. 

Contact Info

E-mail: BEP-Updates@usace.army.mil

Mail:
ATTN. BEP, Project 
USACE, Baltimore District, Planning Division
2 Hopkins Plaza, 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201

Traffic and Utilities Mitigation Local Community Meeting Info

BEP Traffic and Utilities Mitigation Local Community Meeting

 

Draft EIS Documents/Links

Draft Environmental Impact Statement PDF

Digital (interactive) Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

Draft EIS Comments Received

Collapse All Expand All
 
Draft EIS Public Webinar
 
Resource-Specific Technical Memoranda (Supporting Analyses)
 
Project-Specific Reports and Documentation
 
Architectural History Determination of Eligibility Forms

Odell Road Residences
Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC):
BARC Historic District
Building 192G: Scale House
Building 194: Sewage Pumping Station
Building 200: Main Laboratory Building
Building 201: Small Animal Building (East)
Building 202: Boiler House
Building 203: Large Animal Building
Building 203A: Swine Pens
Building 203B: Swine Pens
Building 204: Meat Laboratory
Building 204A: Post Mortem Building
Building 204B: N/A
Building 205: Meat Lab Holding Shelter
Building 208: Swine Feed Barn & Farrowing Facility
Pig Shelters
Buildings 209/209B: Walnut Grange/Superintendent’s Residence
Building 236: Poultry Record of Performance Brooder House
Building 246: Subterranean Poultry House
Building 252: Carpenter Shop
Building 254: Poultry House
Building 255A: Experimental Poultry Breeder House
Building 261: Boiler House
Building 262: Poultry Fattening Laboratory
Building 263: Poultry Physiological Laboratory
Building 264: Poultry Laboratory Building
Building 264B: Supply Shed
Building 264C: Poultry Physiological Cage House
Building 265: Biological Poultry Laboratory
Building 267: Turkey Brooder and Feed House
Building 270: Turkey Mating and Breeding House
Building 271: Turkey Mating and Breeding House
Building 273: Experimental Laying House for Breeding 
Building 274: Experimental Laying House for Breeding
Building 275: Experimental Laying House for Breeding
Building 277: Experimental Laying House for Breeding
Building 278: Experimental Laying House for Breeding
Building 281: House for Poultryman
Culvert

 
Public Scoping

EIS Public Scoping Report
Scoping Public Meeting Materials – Dec. 3, 2019:
Scoping Presentation
Scoping Posters
Scoping Fact Sheets

 
Other Useful Links

Project Updates and Public Involvement

The Army Corps strives to be transparent with its partners and the public as the project evolves and will also seek input and feedback.

To receive updates on major project milestones, please email BEP-Updates@usace.army.mil to be added to our stakeholder list.