The GSA And the City May Clash

The General Services Administration this week released an environmental impact statement highly favorable to the construction of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library in Cambridge.

The 600-page report concludes that although the library will bring nearly a million visitors to the Harvard Square area annually, it will only minimally affect auto congestion and air pollution.

The study says that the library would increase traffic in the area only by a maximum of 5.7 per cent and would have a negligible effect on air pollution, since cars in 1978 will be equipped with new emissioncontrol devices.

The suggested parking arrangement of 400 on-site spaces and 300 back-up spots will be more than sufficient to handle the influx of tourists, the statement concludes.

The GSA also said that noise pollution will be increased from 67 decibels to an average of 71 decibels. Though the higher noise level will interfere with conversational speech, the report called the impact negligible.

In response to the report, President Bok established a tenmember committee of faculty and administrators to help him formulate University response.

The GSA has allowed 60 days for comment on the statement and tentatively scheduled a public hearing on it for February 13.

Bok appointed Hale Champion, financial vice president, to head the panel and included on it at least one professor who has previously expressed reservations about putting the Kennedy museum in the Square.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, an impact statement must be completed before construction on a government project may begin. The constructing agency must make a decision on the project consistent with the findings of the impact statement, which may be challenged in court.

Unless the draft is changed after the hearings or by court action, the GSA will not rule out construction of the library on environmental grounds.

George Grant, project director for C.E. Maguire Inc., the consultant firm that did most of the research for the report, said last Monday that the report could be interpreted as favorable to the library.

Cambridge reaction to the impact statement was mixed, with many civic leaders withholding comment until they obtain a copy of the full report or discuss it with others.

Oliver Brooks, chairman of the Harvard Square Development Task Force, said Tuesday the report does not address itself to some of his group's concerns.

He refused to elaborate until the full Task Force has met, but indicated he considers it a whitewash.

Grant, who says he will defend his firm's figures publicly, will be up against many Cambridge residents like Councilor David Whlie, who said Tuesday the report is so "unbelievable" that he will support a court challenge.