NGA Seeking Public Input Regarding New Facility

NEWS FROM O’FALLON CITY HALL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

O’Fallon, Illinois – Mayor Gary L. Graham is pleased to announce that the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) are asking for public input regarding the relocation of the NGA facility in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.

“Relocation of the NGA’s Western Headquarters to the site near Scott Air Force Base would be tremendous for O’Fallon, the St. Louis Metro East region, and the State of Illinois,” said Mayor Graham. “I encourage everyone to submit a letter or comment in support of the relocation of the NGA to St. Clair County.”

Over the past year, the Next NGA West (N2W) project team has been studying the potential social, economic and environmental impacts of a proposed NGA location at each of the four proposed sites. The findings from this study, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published on October 8, 2015 and was presented at a series of public meetings during the week of October 26, 2015. During these public meetings, members of the community had an opportunity to comment on the DEIS.  The public comment period for the DEIS will be open from October 9, 2015 until November 23, 2015, during this time, the public is being asked to provide input related to the DEIS and the NGA’s proposed action.

To view the DEIS, please go to http://nextngawest.com/site/index.php/deis.

Ways to provide comments:

The NGA started with six possible locations to replace its existing Western Headquarters in St. Louis, after initial reviews, two sites were dropped from contention, leaving four remaining sites:

  • Fenton (the site of the old Chrysler plant along Interstate 44)
  • Mehlville (at the Met Life facility on Tesson Ferry Road, between Interstate 270 and Highway 141)
  • North St. Louis (the site of the old Pruitt-Igoe housing complex near Cass and Jefferson avenues)
  • St. Clair County (site adjacent to Scott Air Force Base along Interstate 64)

The high-tech spy agency is currently located south of downtown St. Louis near the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The agency, which employs 3,000 people at the St. Louis City location, said in June 2014 that its current complex, which dates back to before the U.S. Civil War, was outdated and needed to be replaced. A secondary location in Arnold will not be relocated, according to officials. 

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency delivers geospatial intelligence, or GEOINT, that provides a decisive advantage to warfighters, policymakers, intelligence professionals and first responders. Both an intelligence agency and combat support agency, NGA fulfills the president’s national security priorities in partnership with the intelligence community and the Department of Defense. Many of those missions, such as Global Positioning System support, aeronautical safety of navigation and precision targeting support, are accomplished from NGA’s facilities in St. Louis.

For more information about the Next NGA West (N2W) Facilities Modernization Project, please visit http://nextngawest.com/site/index.php.

For more information about the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, please visit www.nga.mil.

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Additional Information Contact:
Pamala L. Funk
Assistant City Administrator
624-4500, ext. 8731