[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 214 (Friday, November 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68333-68334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28035]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Growth, Realignment, and Stationing of
Army Aviation Assets
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the
Draft
[[Page 68334]]
PEIS for the proposed growth, realignment, and stationing of new and
existing Army aviation assets. The proposed action includes the
consolidation and reorganization of existing aviation units, and the
potential establishment of one or more Combat Aviation Brigades (CABs).
The proposed action will increase the availability of helicopter assets
to meet current and future national security requirements and will
allow the Army better to organize existing aviation assets to promote
more effective training and force management. The Draft PEIS evaluates
the environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, which
also includes the construction and renovation of garrison facilities,
as well as additional training needed to support the aviation units.
Land acquisition is not being considered as part of this action.
The Draft PEIS considers the following alternatives: Alternative
1--Realign and Station Existing Aviation Elements of Up to a Full CAB
or Activate and Station a New CAB at Fort Carson, Colorado. Under this
alternative, the Army either will consolidate existing aviation units
not currently assigned to a CAB into a standard CAB structure at Fort
Carson or activate a new CAB at Fort Carson. As part of this
alternative, aviation units will conduct training on existing land at
Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS), Colorado, in order to maintain
training proficiency and support integrated training with ground units.
Land acquisition is not being considered as part of this action.
Alternative 2--Realign and Station Existing Aviation elements of Up to
a Full CAB or Grow, Station and Activate a CAB at Joint Base Lewis-
McChord (JBLM) Washington. Under this alternative, the Army either will
consolidate existing aviation units not currently assigned to a CAB
into a standard CAB structure at JBLM or activate a new CAB at JBLM. As
part of this alternative, aviation units will conduct training on
existing training land at Yakima Training Center (YTC), Washington, in
order to maintain training proficiency and support integrated training
with ground units. Land acquisition is not being considered as part of
this action. Alternative 3--Implement Alternatives 1 and 2 (preferred
alternative). Under this alternative, the Army will implement both
alternatives. Under this alternative, the consolidated units forming a
CAB would be stationed at one installation, and the new CAB would be
activated and stationed at the other installation. Fort Carson and JBLM
would each gain up to one CAB. As part of this alternative, aviation
units would conduct training on existing training land at the
installation's training maneuver area (PCMS for Fort Carson and YTC for
JBLM) in order to maintain training proficiency and support integrated
training with ground units. Alternative 4--No Action Alternative. Under
this alternative, the Army would retain its aviation force structure at
its current levels, configurations, and locations.
Fort Carson and JBLM are the only stationing alternatives that meet
all of the Army's stationing requirements for new CAB stationing. These
locations have existing runways and airfields, provide adequate
maneuver and airspace for CAB operations, and are equipped with
existing training ranges that can support CAB training. Most
importantly, Fort Carson and JBLM are the only major installations that
have three or more Brigade Combat Teams but no CAB dedicated to provide
aviation support for training. The proposed action would allow the Army
to maximize integrated air-ground training. Land acquisition is not
being considered as part of this action.
DATES: The public comment period will end 45 days after the publication
of a notice of availability in the Federal Register by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to: Public Affairs Office, U.S.
Army Environmental Command, Attention: IMPA-AE, 1835 Army Boulevard,
Basement (Building 2000), Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-2686.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office at (210) 221-
0882; fax (410) 436-1693; or e-mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A CAB consists of approximately 120
helicopters, 600 wheeled vehicles, and 2,700 Soldiers. The CAB is
organized into five battalions and a headquarters unit. CAB units
include combat, reconnaissance, and logistics support aircraft.
The Draft PEIS assesses, considers, and compares the direct,
indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of proposed CAB growth
and realignment for each alternative. The primary environmental issues
evaluated include impacts to air quality, soil, airspace, cultural
resources, natural resources, and noise. In addition, the Army
considers those issues identified by the public and other organizations
during the public scoping period (10 September-10 October 2010).
Environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the
proposed action include significant impacts to transportation on the
Interstate 5 corridor near JBLM and to fish and water quality in Puget
Sound. There are potentially significant impacts to biological
resources at YTC from increased potential for wildfire and habitat
degradation associated with aviation training. Impacts will also
include significant but mitigable impacts to soils at Fort Carson,
PCMS, and YTC as well as significant but mitigable impacts to water
resources at YTC. At PCMS, cumulative impacts to soils are predicted to
be manageable with current dust control mitigation techniques. Impacts
to cultural resources, air quality, noise impacts, public land use, and
socioeconomic impacts were all determined to be less than significant.
Members of the public, including native communities and federally
recognized Native American Tribes, and Federal, State, and local
agencies are invited to submit written comments on environmental
issues, concerns and opportunities analyzed in the Draft PEIS.
A copy of the Draft PEIS is available at http://aec.army.mil/usaec/nepa/topics00.html.
Dated: October 25, 2010.
Hershell E. Wolfe,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety, and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 2010-28035 Filed 11-4-10; 8:45 am]
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