[Federal Register: March 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 52)]
[Notices]
[Page 14237-14238]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17mr08-39]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Training Activities in
the Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and
Executive Order 12114 (Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal
Actions), the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas Environmental
Impact Statement (OEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects
of conducting Navy training in and around the Gulf of Alaska (GOA),
including participation in large-scale Joint exercises, to support
Fleet training exercise requirements. The Navy will invite the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to be
cooperating agencies in preparation of this EIS/OEIS.
DATES AND ADDRESSES: Three public scoping meetings will be held to
receive oral and/or written comments on environmental concerns that
should be addressed in the EIS/OEIS. Each of the three scoping meetings
will consist of an informal, open house session with information
stations staffed by Navy representatives. The public scoping meetings
will be held at the following dates, times, and locations:
1. Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Kodiak Best
Western, 236 W. Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, AK 99615,
2. Wednesday, April 2, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Kincaid Outdoor
Center, North Assembly Room, 9401 W. Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK
99502,
3. Thursday, April 3, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Mt. Eccles
Elementary School, 200 Adams Street, Cordova, AK 99574.
Details of the meeting locations and times will be announced in
local newspapers. Additional information concerning meeting times will
be available on the EIS/OEIS Web page located at: http://
www.GulfofAlaskaNavyEIS.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Amy Burt, Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle Suite 203,
Silverdale, Washington 98315-1101, Attn: GOA Navy Training Activities
EIS/OEIS Project Manager,
[[Page 14238]]
Code EV1.AB, telephone number: 360-396-0924.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed EIS/OEIS analyzes potential
environmental effects of Navy training activities that will take place
in and around the Gulf of Alaska and those aircraft events that
originate in the maritime exercise area (MEA) and extend over
established inland Alaska military operating areas. Navy training
activities primarily take place in, or originate from, the MEA. The MEA
provides approximately 42,000 nm\2\ (144,056 km\2\) of air and surface/
subsurface ocean operating area and overlying airspace.
The MEA is a polygon that is oriented from northwest to southeast,
approximately 300 nm in length by 150 nm in width, situated south of
Prince William Sound and east of Kodiak Island, Alaska. The EIS/OEIS
study area includes Gulf of Alaska ocean area within approximately 200
km from the MEA and the waters within this boundary up to the
coastline. Military operations also occur over established land-based
Military Operating Areas maintained by the Air Force in Alaska.
These Alaska training areas are used to conduct Navy training,
including participating in large-scale Joint training exercises such as
the annual Northern Edge exercise, involving military hardware,
personnel, tactics, munitions, explosives, and electronic combat.
Alaska is an ideal location to support naval and joint operational
readiness by providing the maritime component to a ``geographically
realistic'' range for U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) and U.S. Northern
Command (NORTHCOM) scenario-based training.
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to: (1) Support PACOM and
NORTHCOM training requirements; (2) achieve and maintain Fleet
readiness using these Alaska training areas to support and conduct
current, emerging, and future training activities; (3) accommodate new
training requirements associated with the introduction of new weapons
and systems to the Fleet; and (4) support civilian authorities in
homeland defense training exercises.
The need for the Proposed Action is to: (1) Maintain current levels
of military readiness; (2) accommodate future increases in training
activities to support Fleet exercise requirements in the Alaska
training areas; (3) support the acquisition and implementation into the
Fleet of advanced military technology; and (4) maintain the long-term
viability of the Alaska training areas as a Navy training area while
protecting human health and the environment, and enhancing the quality
and the capabilities of the training area, including safety.
The No Action Alternative is the continuation of current training
levels, with one carrier strike group per exercise, to exclude the use
of mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS). Alternative 1 consists of an
increase in the number of training activities from baseline levels, to
include the use of MFAS, plus training associated with the introduction
of new weapon systems, vessels, and aircraft into the Fleet.
Alternative 2 consists of all elements of Alternative 1, plus the
addition of a second summertime carrier strike group exercise each
year, to include the use of MFAS.
Environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS/OEIS include
but are not limited to the following: Air quality; airspace; biological
resources, including threatened and endangered species; cultural
resources; geology and soils; hazardous materials and waste; health and
safety; noise; socioeconomics; transportation and water resources.
The Navy is initiating the scoping process to identify community
concerns and local issues that will be addressed in the EIS/OEIS.
Federal, state, and local agencies, Alaska Native Federally-Recognized
Tribes, the public, and interested persons are encouraged to provide
oral and/or written comments to the Navy to identify specific
environmental issues or topics of environmental concern that the
commenter believes the Navy should consider. All comments, written or
provided orally at the scoping meetings, will receive the same
consideration during EIS/OEIS preparation.
Written comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS should be postmarked
no later than April 30, 2008. Comments may be mailed to: Mrs. Amy Burt,
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle,
Suite 203, Silverdale, Washington 98315-1101, Attn: GOA Navy Training
Activities EIS/OEIS Project Manager, Code EV1.AB. Comments can also be
submitted via the EIS/OEIS Web page located at http://
www.GulfofAlaskaNavyEIS.com.
Dated: March 11, 2008.
T.M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-5316 Filed 3-14-08; 8:45 am]
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