[Federal Register: June 8, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 108)]
[Notices]
[Page 27122-27123]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jn09-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for Military Training Activities at M[atilde]kua
Military Reservation (MMR), Hawaii
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).
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SUMMARY: The Army proposes to recommence conducting live-fire military
training exercises at MMR, Oahu, Hawaii, for units assigned to the 25th
Infantry Division (25th ID) and for other military components (Marine
Corps, Army Reserves, and the Hawaii Army National Guard). Conducting
live-fire exercises at the company level and below is critical to
maintaining the readiness of all military units assigned or stationed
in Hawaii. Training at the company level is particularly important
because it is one of the key building blocks upon which the Army's
progressive training doctrine depends. The Army has prepared the Final
EIS
[[Page 27123]]
pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40
CFR parts 1500-1508) and Environmental Analysis of Army Actions (32 CFR
part 651).
DATES: The waiting period for the Final EIS will end 30 days after
publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the Final EIS contact: U.S. Army
Garrison, Hawaii, Attention: Public Affairs Office, 742 Santos Dumont,
WAAF, Schofield Barracks, HI 96857.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii, by phone
at (808) 656-3152 or by facsimile at (808) 656-3162 during normal
business hours Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. h.s.t.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS analyzes four alternatives to
accomplish the proposed training in the State of Hawaii: MMR
Alternative 1 (Reduced Capacity Use with Some Weapons Restrictions),
MMR Alternative 2 (Full Capacity Use with Some Weapons Restrictions),
MMR Alternative 3 (Full Capacity Use with Fewer Weapons Restrictions),
and Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) Alternative 4 (Full Capacity Use with
Fewer Weapons Restrictions). Alternative 3 is the Army's Preferred
Alternative. A No Action Alternative, under which nonlive-fire military
training would be conducted at MMR, was also evaluated.
For all MMR alternatives (with the exception of No Action), MMRs
range would be used for 242 training days per year. MMR Alternative 1
(Reduced Capacity Use) involves conducting up to 19 company-level
Combined-Arms Live-Fire Exercises (CALFEXs) per year and 100 convoy
live-fire exercises per year. MMR Alternatives 2 and 3 (Full Capacity
Use) involve conducting up to 50 company-level CALFEXs per year and 200
convoy live-fire exercises per year. Weapon systems used for all live-
fire training alternatives would be similar to those used during past
live-fire training events at MMR. In addition to the current weapons
systems, MMR Alternative 2 incorporates the use of small arms tracer
ammunition. MMR Alternative 3 (Preferred Alternative) adds the
following items: Tracer ammunition; inert, tube-launched, optically-
tracked, wire-guided (TOW) 2 missiles; 2.75-inch rockets; and
illumination munitions. Many of these munitions, however, will only be
used when consistent with the Endangered Species Act Biological Opinion
established for training at MMR. PTA Alternative 4 would encompass
training similar to that in Alternative 3.
Some of the major potential impacts discussed in the Final EIS are
associated with soil; surface water and groundwater quality; air
quality; cultural sites; natural resources; endangered and threatened
species; noise; recreational resources; wildfires; and the safety and
transport of munitions through the Waianae community.
The Army has recommended several mitigation measures that would
reduce the overall impacts associated with the Proposed Action. The
final mitigation measures that the Army adopts will be published as
part of the Record of Decision. In addition, for alternatives
concerning MMR, the Army would phase in certain training activities and
ammunition types as steps are taken to recover endangered species.
Copies of the Final EIS are available at the following libraries on
the islands of Oahu and Hawaii: Hawaii State Library, 478 South King
Street, Honolulu; Wahiawa Public Library, 820 California Avenue,
Wahiawa; Waianae Public Library, 85-625 Farrington Highway, Waianae;
Pearl City Public Library, 138 Waimano Home Road, Pearl City; Hilo
Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo; Kailua-Kona Public
Library, 75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona; and the Thelma Parker
Memorial Public and School Library, 67-1209 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela.
An electronic version of the Final EIS is available for download at
the following Web site: http://www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/makuaeis.
Dated: May 29, 2009.
Addison D. Davis IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health.
[FR Doc. E9-13125 Filed 6-5-09; 8:45 am]
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