[Federal Register: May 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 89)]
[Notices]               
[Page 25686]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07my08-63]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

 
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Grow the Army (GTA) Actions at Fort Carson, CO

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: As part of the GTA effort, the U. S. Army intends to prepare 
an EIS to analyze the environmental and socioeconomic impacts resulting 
from the decision to station a new Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) 
at Fort Carson. The EIS will also analyze Fort Carson's Butts Army 
Airfield (BAAF) as a potential location for stationing a Combat 
Aviation Brigade (CAB) in the future.

ADDRESSES: For questions regarding the EIS, please contact Ms. Deb 
Owings or Ms. Robin Renn, Fort Carson National Environmental Policy Act 
Coordinators, 1638 Elwell Street, Building 6236, Fort Carson, CO 80913-
4000. Written comments may be mailed to that address or e-mailed to 
CARSDECAMNEPA@conus.army.mil.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dee McNuff, Fort Carson Public 
Affairs Office at (719) 526-1269, during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Carson consists of approximately 
137,000 acres of DOD-managed land south of Colorado Springs (east of 
the Rocky Mountain Front Range) and occupies portions of El Paso, 
Pueblo, and Fremont counties. The Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) is 
the primary maneuver training area for Fort Carson. In addition to the 
units stationed there, Fort Carson and the PCMS also provide training 
to Reserve units and the National Guard. The PCMS is located 
approximately 150 miles southeast of Fort Carson and consists of 
approximately 235,000 acres.
    The stationing of additional BCTs and other force structure 
realignment actions across the Army was analyzed in the 2007 Final 
Programmatic EIS for Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment. The 
Record of Decision determined that Fort Carson would receive an 
additional IBCT contingent on site specific NEPA analysis. The Fort 
Carson GTA EIS will analyze environmental and socioeconomic impacts as 
a result of this decision. Also analyzed will be the potential 
stationing of a CAB and newly identified projects that would be 
required to support GTA actions.
    Implementing these requirements would involve constructing new 
facilities at Fort Carson to support an IBCT (approximately 4,500 
additional Soldiers and their dependents), the potential stationing of 
a CAB (approximately 2,800 Soldiers and their dependents) and upgrading 
ranges. Increased use of live-fire training ranges and maneuver areas 
would occur at Fort Carson and the PCMS.
    The Fort Carson GTA EIS will analyze the impact of several 
alternatives including the No Action Alternative. Alternatives to be 
examined by the EIS may consist of alternative siting locations within 
Fort Carson for facility/utility construction projects, renovation and 
use of existing facilities. The EIS will also examine increases in land 
use intensity resulting from training activities connected with GTA 
stationing decisions. Under the No Action Alternative, the stationing 
of a new IBCT and CAB at Fort Carson would not be implemented.
    Impacts analyzed will include a wide range of environmental 
resource areas including, but not limited to, air quality, traffic, 
noise, water resources, biological resources, cultural resources, 
socioeconomics, utilities, land use, solid and hazardous materials/
waste, and cumulative environmental effects. Additional resources and 
conditions may be identified as a result of the scoping process 
initiated by this NOI.
    The public will be invited to participate in the scoping process 
which includes several scoping meetings to provide input on the 
proposed actions and alternatives in the EIS. The public will also be 
invited to review and comment on the Draft EIS. These public 
involvement opportunities will be announced in the local news media. 
Comments from the public will be considered before any decision is made 
regarding implementing the proposed action at Fort Carson.

    Dated: May 1, 2008.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
 [FR Doc. E8-10007 Filed 5-6-08; 8:45 am]

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