[Federal Register: June 20, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 118)]
[Notices]
[Page 33982-33983]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jn07-58]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Fort Carson
Transformation Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Clean Air Act
General Conformity Determination, and Evaluation of Environmental
Effects of Renewed Land and Mineral Withdrawal Under Public Law 104-
201, Colorado
AGENCY: Department of the Army, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Army announces the availability of the Final Fort Carson
Transformation EIS evaluating the environmental effects of implementing
restationing actions of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005
and other Army transformation programs at the Fort Carson military
installation near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The final EIS also
documents the U.S. Army's evaluation of environmental effects of
withdrawal of public land and mineral rights under Public Law 104-201.
DATES: The waiting period for the Final EIS will end 30 days after
publication of an NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
[[Page 33983]]
ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the FEIS contact the Fort Carson
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPAP) Coordinator, Directorate of
Environmental Compliance and Management, 1638 Elwell Street, Building
6236, Fort Carson, Colorado 80913-4000; e-mail:
carsdecamnepa@conus.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fort Carson NEPA Coordinator at (719)
526-4666 or fax (719) 526-1705.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final Fort Carson Transformation EIS
evaluates the environmental and socioeconomic effects of implementing
three Army transformation programs at Fort Carson: BRAC 2005,
Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy (also known as Global
Defense Posture Realignment), and the Army Modular Force initiative.
These programs are part of the overall Army restructuring and are
needed to prepare the Army's combat forces for deployment around the
world.
The Proposed Action evaluated in the Final Fort Carson
Transformation EIS is the Army's preferred alternative to implement the
three transformational programs. The Proposed Action includes three
primary components: (1) Changes in force structure resulting in a net
gain of military units and personnel; (2) facility construction,
renovation, and demolition; and (3) increased frequency of live-fire
and maneuver training. The EIS also documents the compliance of the
Proposed Action with the General Conformity Rule requirements of the
Clean Air Act. In addition, the Final EIS evaluates the environmental
effects of renewal of the current withdrawal and reservation of
3,133.02 acres of public land and 11,415.16 acres of federally owned
minerals at Fort Carson (as required by Section 2908 of Public Law 104-
201).
Under the Proposed Action alternative, the number of troops at Fort
Carson will increase by approximately 8,500 Soldiers. Military
dependent, civilian, and contractor worker populations supported by
Fort Carson also will increase. In total, Soldiers, their dependents,
and support personnel will grow to approximately 59,700 by 2011, an
increase of approximately 21,300 persons (60 percent) over the
implementation period.
The Army will construct 25 projects, primarily in the Cantonment
area. In addition, facilities and infrastructure no longer needed to
support the Proposed Action alternative will be demolished; facilities
will be relocated to support new construction; and existing facilities
and infrastructure will be renovated to support the new population and
training activities.
The Proposed Action alternative will provide for increased
frequency of training for existing and new units stationed at Fort
Carson. The installation's downrange area will be used more frequently
for individual and crew live fire, maneuver, and combined live fire and
maneuver training. Fort Carson will continue to implement its existing
land and environmental management programs to balance training
requirements and land sustainability. Large area maneuver training for
Fort Carson's troops will continue to occur at the Pinon Canyon
Maneuver Site, which is Fort Carson's maneuver-training area located
approximately 150 miles southeast of Fort Carson.
The Final EIS also evaluated the No Action alternative, which would
result in not implementing the Proposed Action troop restationing;
construction, renovation, and demolition projections; and increased
frequency of training. The No Action alternative is not feasible
because restationing has been directed by BRAC 2005. It was included in
the Final EIS, as required by the Council on Environmental Quality and
the Army's NEPA implementing regulations, to provide a benchmark by
which to compare the magnitude of environmental effects of the Proposed
Action.
Permanent restationing alternatives, therefore, were not considered
in the Final EIS in accordance with the BRAC Act of 1990, which does
not permit decisions on restationing troops to alternate installations
to be revisited in NEPA documents. Other alternatives considered by the
Army, but determined not to be feasible, included training troops at
other locales, acquiring additional land for training, or varying
training schedules to account for operational deployments. These
alternatives were determined not to be reasonable because they either
did not meet the purpose and need of the action or unreasonably
restricted the Army's ability to react to changing conditions.
The Proposed Action has the potential to result in adverse effects
to land use, air quality, geology and soils, water resources,
biological resources, cultural resources, transportation, utilities,
and hazardous and toxic materials. It could also result in cumulative
environmental effects. Beneficial effects of the Proposed Action will
result for socioeconomic resources. With implementation of mitigation
measures and best management practices, significant adverse
environmental impacts will not occur.
An electronic version of the Final EIS can be viewed or downloaded
online at http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm.
Copies can be requested from the Fort Carson NEPA Coordinator or viewed
at local libraries.
Dated: June 13, 2007.
Addison D. Davis, IV
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environmental, Safety and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-3025 Filed 6-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M