[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 53 (Friday, March 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 13264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5896]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Training Land 
Acquisition at Fort Polk, LA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army has prepared an FEIS that analyzes 
environmental and socioeconomic impacts connected with the proposed 
acquisition (hereinafter to mean including purchase and lease) and use 
of up to 100,000 additional acres of commercial and private lands for 
training in the vicinity of Fort Polk, Louisiana. This Proposed Action 
to acquire additional lands supports the training requirements of the 
Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and Fort Polk's current and 
future resident units. The FEIS analyzes three alternatives that are 
deemed feasible and meet the purpose and need for this Proposed Action.

DATES: The waiting period will end 30 days after the publication of a 
notice of availability in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of the FEIS contact Ms. Susan Walker, Fort 
Polk Public Affairs Office (PAO) at 7073 Radio Road, Fort Polk, LA 
71459-5342.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Susan Walker at (337) 531-9125 
during normal business hours from 9AM to 5PM CST or e-mail 
[email protected] for specific questions regarding the 
FEIS.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Polk, located in west-central 
Louisiana, Is one of the Army's premier power projection platforms and 
also the home of the JRTC. Fort Polk is currently comprised of 
approximately 198,130 acres of U.S. Army-owned land and lands utilized 
under a special use permit with the U.S. Forest Service. In order to 
improve and enhance the training of Fort Polk's units and the JRTC, the 
Army has proposed to acquire up to 100,000 acres of additional land. 
Additional training lands will allow Soldiers of the JRTC to train on 
brigade-level combat maneuver training tasks while simultaneously 
allowing Fort Polk's resident units to conduct maneuver and live-fire 
training. This additional land will enhance training for Fort Polk 
units and units deploying to JRTC, will reduce the need for training 
work arounds, and will allow Soldiers to train to more realistic 
standards in preparation for operational deployment.
    The Fort Polk FEIS analyzes the environmental and socioeconomic 
impacts of several acquisition location alternatives, each of which 
could include the acquisition of up to 100,000 acres of land. 
Alternative I considers the acquisition of lands directly adjacent to 
Fort Polk's existing training areas to the south of Peason Ridge and 
directly north and east of the main post. As part of Alternative 1, 
units would continue to lease lands to convoy to Peason Ridge to access 
training areas. Alternative 2 considers the acquisition of the land 
considered in Alternative 1, and, in addition, considers the 
acquisition of parcels that connect Peason Ridge with Fort Polk's main 
post. Alternative 3 has been designated by the Army as the Preferred 
Alternative. Alternative 3 considers the acquisition of those lands 
considered in Alternative 2, and, in addition, considers the 
acquisition of lands to the east of Fort Polk in Rapides Parish. The 
FEIS also analyzes the No Action Alternative, which evaluates the 
impacts of taking no action to acquire or use additional training land 
around Fort Polk.
    The Army has determined that significant impacts may possibly occur 
in regard to land use and noise for each of the three alternatives 
being considered. The Army projects that moderate impacts would occur 
to soil resources, water resources, wetlands, biological resources, 
cultural resources, and socio-economics as a result of implementing the 
Proposed Action. Substantive compliance with the National Historic 
Preservation Act (NHPA) will be accomplished through adherence to the 
Installation Cultural Resource Management Plan (ICRMP), which together 
with the FEIS outline cultural resource management practices that would 
be applied to newly acquired lands. Compliance with Section 106 of the 
NHPA is being accomplished as part of this EIS process.
    A copy of the FEIS is available at http://www.jrtc-polk.army.mil/LandPurchase/index.html.

    Dated: March 5, 2010.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 2010-5896 Filed 3-18-10; 8:45 am]
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