RML Master Plan

The Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) is located in Hamilton, Montana, on 33-acres adjacent to the Bitterroot River. Its parent organization, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is one of 27 Institutes or Centers that comprise NIH. RML plays a leading role in developing diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics to combat emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Primary strengths of RML's research programs are in vector-borne transmission of infectious diseases and prion diseases. RML's mission also includes biomedical research into diseases caused by the intentional release of biological agents into civilian populations, as well as advancing basic knowledge about biological agents. To support its mission, the RML campus houses state-of-the-art, secure laboratory facilities, including animal holding, surgery and quarantine, electron microscopy, administrative support space, a Visitor Center used for screening visitors to the campus, secure shipping and receiving facilities, a utility plant, and necessary support services.

The RML Master Plan will assure an environment at RML that is conducive to accomplishing the RML mission and will also provide a physical framework for evolving NIAID and RML biomedical research programs. Among the Plan's objectives are to:

Provide a secure and supportive environment for the people at RML;
Accommodate NIAID’s and RML’s current and future biomedical research needs;
Coordinate the physical development of the campus within agreed upon rules;
Identify where new building sites should be, the location of landscape improvements, how pedestrian and vehicular circulation should be handled, and where new utilities or infrastructure should be placed or routed;
Strengthen the relationship between RML and the surrounding community by addressing issues that impact off-campus neighbors; and
Protect and enhance the natural environment on and around the campus through adherence to sustainable design principles.

Why does RML need a Master Plan?

Currently, there is no long-term master plan for RML to coordinate the physical development of the campus. The new Plan will help NIH and NIAID determine how the campus should evolve over the next 20 years to meet current and future research needs while minimizing effects on adjacent neighborhoods and the Hamilton City infrastructure. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services now requires its Operating Divisions (e.g. NIH) to prepare and maintain master plans for campuses under their control. The Master Plan will satisfy this requirement.

Who is involved in the master planning process?

As part of the public involvement program, NIH will be providing periodic briefings to the Hamilton City Council, the Ravalli County Commission, the RML Community Liaison Group, staff at RML, and the neighbors who live in close proximity to the campus. The intent is to encourage open dialogue and involve a broad base of constituencies in the planning process. Current and easily retrievable information about the Plan will be available on this web site and other mechanisms. Those interested in the Master Plan are encouraged to visit this web page on a regular basis to obtain current information.

An RML Master Plan Steering Committee has been formed to help guide and oversee the development of the Plan. This group, comprised of senior NIH, NIAID, and RML officials, will serve as a sounding board for planning ideas and Master Plan items to be developed by the Project Team. They include:

NIAID, Acting Director, Division of Intramural Research
NIAID, Associate Director, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
NIAID, Business and Program Manager, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
ORF, Director, Division of Facilities Planning
ORF, Director, Division of Environmental Protection
ORS, Director, Division of Physical Security Management
ORS, Associate Director, Scientific Resources;

The Project Team consists of:

Division of Facilities Planning, ORF, NIH (Master Planner)
Western Regional Director, ORF, NIH
Chief, Environmental Quality Branch, Division of Environmental Protection, ORF, NIH (EIS)
LSY Architects (Project Management Consultant)
Oudens and Knoop (Master Planning Consultant)
Architects Design Group (Planning and Utilities Consultant)
Maxim Technologies (EIS Consultant)

What are the major master planning/EIS milestones?

Hold RML Master Plan NEPA Scoping Meeting—March 23, 2006

Conduct RML Master Plan Community Workshop—May 5, 2007

Prepare Draft Master Plan and Draft EIS—summer/fall 2008

Issue Notice of Availability of RML Master Plan Draft EIS—fall 2008
Hold Public Hearing on Draft EIS—fall 2008
Prepare Final Master Plan and EIS—early 2009

Issue Record of Decision (ROD)—spring 2009

http://nems.nih.gov/aspects/nat_resources/programs/nepa.cfm

Description of RML Draft Master Plan Concept

As part of the process of developing the RML Master Plan, the planning team, in collaboration with NIAID and RML, developed specific proposals for accommodating anticipated RML personnel and space growth through 2025 assuming the campus borders would be expanded as a result of land acquisition for increased security. The following are the major “program” elements that comprise the Draft Master Plan along with a brief description of each of them.

New construction would potentially include:

· A new 34,300 gross square foot (gsf) one-story, plus basement, animal holding and research facility (Building B) located adjacent to the existing Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch facilities in Buildings 13 and 25;

· A new one-story, plus basement, maintenance and general storage building (Building C) of approximately 30,300 gsf located in the southwest corner of the site. This facility would consolidate functions currently housed in a number of smaller service buildings dispersed throughout the site;

· A new, one-story, long term storage facility of approximately 4,000 gsf, with an outside screened storage yard, to temporarily store items such as recycled waste, general waste, and surplus equipment awaiting donation or removal from campus;

· A facility to house medical pathological waste (Building E) prior to it being burned in the campus incinerator. The planned building would be 4,800 gsf in size;

· Elimination of the east power generator building located near the campus entrance and the expansion of the existing west power station (Building F) by 2,000 gsf to consolidate generators and provide for anticipated additional electrical loads and required fuel oil storage;

· A new two-story, plus basement, laboratory building of approximately 58,700 gsf (Building G) located west of the new Integrated Research Facility (IRF) building;

· A future addition to Building 31 to provide a 11,800 gsf Central Stock Room (Building H) and a 3,500 gsf Seminar Room (Building J);

· The development of an interpretive center on a future site to be acquired on the northeast edge of the campus (in a remodeled log home). The facility would house exhibits and other information on the history of RML and would contain separate parking facilities for visiting school groups and others.

The Draft Master Plan also includes roadway and landscape improvements; the relocation of service activities from the campus central core; renovation of space in Buildings 8, 9 and 11 for storage and other low-occupancy uses, and the conversion of Building 7 for research activities; demolition of Buildings 12, 16 and 17 near the south edge of the campus; creation of a new Central Pedestrian Concourse in the center of campus; and expansion of parking capacity to accommodate planned staff.

2009 RML MASTER PLAN

What role does the National Environmental Policy Act play in the master planning process?

HHS requires that its OPDIVs comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and HHS environmental regulations in completing master plans. In this instance, NIH has determined it will prepare an EIS to fulfill both HHS’ and its own environmental review requirements. Three alternatives are evaluated in the Draft EIS. They are No Action, the Proposed Action, and a Capacity Growth Alternative. To obtain a copy of the Draft EIS or learn more about the NEPA process, please contact Ms. Valerie Nottingham, Chief, Environmental Quality Branch at either NIH, Division of Environmental Protection, B13/2W64, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, or via e-mail at nihnepa@mail.nih.gov. The NIH will hold a public meeting to obtain comments on the Draft EIS on October 23, 2008, starting at 7:00 p.m. at Hamilton High School, 327 Fairgrounds Road, in Hamilton, Montana.

How do I contact the NIH if I have questions about the Master Plan?

For information on the Master Plan, please contact the Director of the Division of Facilities of Planning, Ron Wilson. He can be contacted as follows:

National Institutes of Health, ATTN: Ron Wilson
Division of Facilities Planning, ORF
31 Center Drive, Room 3B44, MSC 2162
Bethesda, MD 20892-2162
Telephone: 301-496-5037 FAX: 301-402-0017
Email: wilsoron@ors.od.nih.gov

Information on the status of the Master Plan can also be obtained from Kelly Hudson, Regional Director, Rocky Mountain Laboratories:

903 South 4th Street, T-40
Hamilton, MT 59840
Telephone: 406-363-9423
Email: kehudson@mail.nih.gov