NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND
FLOODPLAIN NOTIFICATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Proposed Construction and Operation of an Outpatient Clinic
Sarasota, Florida
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has prepareda Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with VA's Proposed Action to award a lease to a private entity that would construct an outpatient clinic (OPC) for VA to lease and operate in Sarasota, FL. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide outpatient health care services to area Veterans. The Proposed Action is needed to address space gaps and operational inefficiencies at existing clinics within the VA Bay Pines Healthcare System. VA is evaluating three action alternatives for the Sarasota OPC. VA is considering offers from two private entities (Alternatives 1A and 1B) to construct the OPC at 9100 Fruitville Road, and one offer from a private entity (Alternative 2) to construct the OPC at 2390 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. VA would select only one alternative and its associated private entity for the new OPC. The alternative site locations are:
Alternative 1: 9100 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, Sarasota County, FL
Alternative 2: 2390 Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, Sarasota, Sarasota County, FL
VA prepared the Draft EA according to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S. Code 4321 et seq.). The Draft EA also documents VA's compliance with Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, which requires federal agencies to reduce the risk of flood loss and to avoid, to the extent possible, impacts associated with floodplain development wherever there is a practicable alternative. Both Alternative 1 and 2 site locations are within floodplains, and VA has preliminarily determined there is no practicable alternative to locating the Proposed Action within a floodplain. Appendix E to the Draft EA includes VA's 8-step floodplain decision-making process for Alternative 1 and 2 site locations, consistent with General Services Administration Order 1095.8B (Floodplain Management) and the Floodplain Management Desk Guide. Based on this analysis, VA intends to prepare a Finding of No Practicable Alternative. The public is invited to review and comment on the Draft EA, including the floodplain 8-step analysis.
The Draft EA is available on the VA website at https://department.va.gov/construction-and-facilities-management/environmental-program-office/. A hard copy of the Draft EA is available at the Sarasota County Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road, Sarasota, FL 34240.
Please submit any requests for additional information, questions, or comments on the Draft EA via email to vacoenvironment@va.gov with the subject line "Sarasota OPC EA" within 30 days following publication of this notice. VA will summarize and address all substantive comments in the Final EA.
May 18, 24 2026
LSAR0519496
